Best Places to Visit for Halloween: Where to Find the Scariest Thrills

February 19, 2025
5 min read
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Top 10 Spooky Halloween Travel Destinations to Visit This Year

Halloween is just around the corner, and it’s time to get those spooky costumes ready! This thrilling festival is one of the most exciting times of the year, filled with eerie decorations, haunted attractions, and kooky outfits. If you love the supernatural, why not take your Halloween celebrations to the next level? Many destinations around the world offer unique and spine-chilling experiences. From ghostly streets to haunted castles, every country has its way of celebrating this spooky season.

Let’s explore the best places to go for Halloween and discover their eerie traditions for an unforgettable adventure! Whether you want to visit haunted houses, join eerie parades, or experience ghost tours, these destinations promise a truly spine-chilling Halloween.

Halloween pumpkins

1. Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Salem has a spooky history and is famous for its 17th-century witch hunts, making it one of the best places to go for Halloween. Known as "The Witch City," it has haunted sites, unique museums, and memorials. Visitors can enjoy big parades, fireworks, carnival rides, ghost tours, and fun Halloween parties.  Whether on a Halloween road trip or planning a fall vacation in the US, Salem is the best place to visit for Halloween. Don’t miss this scary, fun-filled adventure during October! 

For an extra spooky Halloween, plan a trip to Salem, Massachusetts this year!

Halloween Events: The Official Salem Witches' Halloween Ball, Haunted Speakeasy, Salem Haunted Happenings

Highlights: Big Halloween Parade, Festival of the Dead, Fireworks Show

Also Read: What Are the Best Ways to Earn Money While Traveling Around the World

2. Sleepy Hollow, New York, USA

In October, Sleepy Hollow has a fun event called Legend Weekend. You can walk around Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where Washington Irving is buried, and join lantern-lit tours. Visit the Old Dutch Church, where Ichabod Crane ran from the Headless Horseman. Enjoy activities like haunted hayrides and spooky house tours for a great Halloween experience. Also, check out Philipsburg Manor, which has become a spooky attraction. The town has lots of pumpkins and scarecrows. Sleepy Hollow is one of the best places to travel for Halloween, with its creepy atmosphere and rich stories. Excited about Halloween in Sleepy Hollow?

Halloween Events: The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Tours, Irving's Legend, Haunted Hayride Highlights: Big Halloween Parade, Festival of the Dead, Fireworks Show

Transylvania Castle

3. Transylvania, Romania

Looking for the best places to visit for Halloween? If yes, then Transylvania is a great choice! This spooky place in Romania is home to Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle. Surrounded by dark forests and tall mountains, it is the perfect spot for a Halloween adventure. Explore the old castles and ruins in Bucharest, which make the trip even more exciting. Don’t forget to join the Halloween party at Bran Castle, where you can enjoy a night filled with mystery and fun.

If you have extra time, extend your trip to experience the Day of the Dead, celebrated on November 1st every year. Also, explore Transylvania Holiday Packages!

Halloween Events: Bran Castle, Vlad the Impaler, Budapest

Highlights: Dracula Castle’s Halloween Party

4. Derry, Ireland

If you want a completely different Halloween experience, you can’t miss the Irish Halloween celebration. Derry, in Northern Ireland, is one of the best places to visit for Halloween. With street shows and fun festivals, this city gives you the best spooky vibes. Derry is famous for having the biggest Halloween festival in Europe, so it attracts many tourists. Dress up in a spooky costume and enjoy fun activities like fortune-telling, bonfires, and tasty fruitcakes during Halloween in Ireland.

Halloween events: Ghost Tours, Bram Stoker Festival, Púca Festival in Athboy

Highlights: Ghost tours, parades, haunted spots, and bonfires

Ghost Tour Parades

5. Edinburgh, Scotland

In Scottish culture, Halloween is an important tradition. One of the best parts is Guising, where children dress in spooky costumes and carry lanterns from door to door. Neighbors give them sweets or coins and play fun games with them. It’s a special time in Scotland. Many Scottish Halloween poems are funny and loved by poets. Edinburgh is a great place to enjoy the spooky Halloween fun in Scotland. With its mysteries, secret tunnels, and strange vaults, it makes Halloween even scarier.

Halloween events:  Edinburgh includes the Botanical Halloween Trail, Samhuinn Fire Parade, Halloween Secret Rave, and the Reggaeton Halloween party.

Highlights:  Guising, the costume tradition, and apple dunking.

6. New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is one of the most haunted places in the USA and one of the best cities to celebrate Halloween. The city has many spooky attractions and is known for its love of the occult and fun costumes. This makes it a perfect spot for Halloween celebrations. Enjoy the city's culture, art galleries, and fun Halloween parades like the Krewe Of Boo Parade and zombie runs. For even more thrills, you can join ghost tours and street parties.

Halloween Events: New Orleans Halloween Bar Crawl, Krewe Of Boo Parade, Boo Carre Halloween Haunt

Highlights: Vampire Ball and the Halloween Spooktacular Family concert

Vampire Ball and the Halloween Spooktacular Family concert

7. Prague, Czech Republic

Prague, known for its beautiful Gothic buildings and narrow streets is a famous place to travel for Halloween. With its spooky atmosphere, Prague is perfect for Halloween lovers. The city is home to scary places like the Torture Museum and haunted cemeteries, giving you real horror vibes. Although Halloween isn’t a tradition in the Czech Republic, Prague still has fun Halloween events and activities. If you want to have a scary, fun time, don’t miss Prague as a place to celebrate Halloween! This city offers an unforgettable Halloween experience full of spooky charm and mystery. Explore now.

Halloween Events: Epic Halloween, Prague Nasty Halloween end

Highlights: Luna Festival, Medieval Underground & Dungeon Tour

8. London, England

London is another great place to celebrate Halloween. With haunted castles, spooky buildings, and ghostly attractions, it’s one of the best places to visit for Halloween. The city comes alive with Halloween events, parties, and fun activities. Some must-see attractions include the London Dungeons, the Jack the Ripper Walk, and the Camden Halloween Carnival. If you’re looking for a scary Halloween celebration, London is the perfect place to visit. You can also stay longer and enjoy the city until New Year.

Halloween Events: Halloween Party, Floripa London Halloween, Clu De Fromage

Highlights: Halloween Jazz Ball, Madame Tussauds’ Chamber of Horrors

9. Oaxaca, Mexico

Dia de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead, is one of the biggest celebrations in Oaxaca, Mexico. People in Oaxaca celebrate this day as a time to honor both life and death. They believe that on this day, the spirits of the dead return to visit their families. To celebrate, people wear special costumes, perform rituals, and join fun processions. There are also candlelight vigils, street food, and many activities for everyone to enjoy. Oaxaca is a top Halloween travel destination, known for its unique traditions and festive celebrations for everyone!

Halloween Events: Xoxo Cemetery, Etla, Oaxaca – Day of the Dead Muerteada, Jalatlaco Comparsa

Highlights: Sugar Skull Face Paint, Visit the Cemetery of San Felipe

10. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is one of the famous places to go for Halloween and offers lots of fun for everyone! From costume parties for kids to exciting adult parties, there are many ways to enjoy Halloween in the Netherlands. Be sure to check out the famous Monster Ball and the Amsterdam Halloween Festival to make your trip even more special. If you can, try to stay until the big Sint Maarten celebration on November 11th. Amsterdam is full of spooky activities and events, making it a perfect spot for a Halloween adventure!

Halloween Events: Rave To The Grave Boat Party, Amsterdam Halloween, Wasteland Halloween

Highlights: Amsterdam Dungeon, Ghost Walk, Haunted Halloween at Panama

FAQS

1. What is the best place to travel for Halloween in the US?

Salem, Massachusetts, is one of the best places to travel for Halloween in the US. Known for its witch trials, Salem offers ghost tours, haunted houses, parades, and spooky events like the Salem Witches' Halloween Ball, making it an exciting Halloween destination.

2. What is the best Halloween event in Sleepy Hollow?

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in Sleepy Hollow is a must-see Halloween event. This spectacular display features thousands of hand-carved pumpkins lit up in a magical display, creating a spooky atmosphere that will leave you mesmerized. 

3. What are the top Halloween destinations in Europe?

Edinburgh, Scotland, Derry, Ireland, and Prague, Czech Republic, are the top Halloween travel destinations in Europe. From haunted castles in Edinburgh to ghost tours in Prague, these cities offer spooky experiences that make for a fun Halloween trip.

4. Why visit Derry, Ireland for Halloween?

Derry, Northern Ireland, is home to the biggest Halloween festival in Europe. Visitors can enjoy ghost tours, spooky parades, and live performances during the Púca Festival. This celebration offers a mix of spooky fun, traditional Irish culture, and eerie events that make it one of the best places to go for Halloween.

5. What are the best Halloween activities in Amsterdam?

In Amsterdam, join spooky events like the Monster Ball, Rave to the Grave Boat Party, and the Amsterdam Halloween Festival. For an eerie adventure, explore the Amsterdam Dungeon and join ghost walks.

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