Top Spots for Halloween Celebrations in the US

While many around the globe view Halloween as a children's holiday, Americans of all ages embrace the festivities with enthusiasm. From as early as September, cities start hosting their favorite spooky events, and nearly everyone joins in the fun.

During this haunting season across the USA, explore Halloween happenings that blend charm with eeriness. Here are some of our top picks for celebrating all things ghostly, ghastly, and absolutely fabulous.

1. Sleepy Hollow, New York 

Ideal for bringing spectral tales to life

Written by Washington Irving in 1820, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has influenced Halloween lore for centuries. Thankfully, the Hudson Valley town at the heart of this tale is very much real and comes alive with a month-long Halloween extravaganza. 

Join a lantern-lit tour of the historic cemetery to discover more about Irving and other prominent figures. If you're a pumpkin enthusiast, be sure to experience the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, showcasing over 7,000 intricately carved gourds, the Museum of Pumpkin Art, and even a pumpkin windmill. 

2. Salem, Massachusetts 

Ideal for exploring the history of the witch trials

As the focal point of the notorious witch trials in the late 1600s, Salem, Massachusetts, is central to some of the nation's most compelling Halloween tales. Its legacy is featured in the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus, attracting visitors year-round to this haunted locale. 

Experiencing Salem in October offers a unique atmosphere as the town fully embraces its largest opportunity to explore its storied past. Join a candle-lit ghost tour; visit the Witch Trials Memorial and the Salem Witch Museum; delve into the mystical at the Psychic Fair and Witchcraft Expo; and cap off your visit at the annual Witches Ball, a masquerade at the historic Hawthorne Hotel.

Get ready for spine-tingling festivities with all the excitement of Mardi Gras at the Krewe of Boo! Halloween parade in New Orleans. Paul Broussard/Courtesy of Krewe of Boo!

3. New Orleans, Louisiana

Ideal for celebrating Halloween with a festive carnival vibe

New Orleans hosts a celebration unlike any other, and the excitement extends well beyond Mardi Gras in February. Often considered one of the most haunted cities in the nation, ghost tours are plentiful year-round, making Halloween especially significant. Visit the French Quarter in October for a supernatural extravaganza known as Krewe of BOO!, where Mardi Gras flair meets the spooky season. 

The parade showcases New Orleans' unique charm with a haunting twist: expect intricately designed floats, costumed bands, dancers, and even eco-friendly beads sourced locally.

Planning tip: Get ready and time your visit to align with the annual Zombie Run (another event from the Krewe of BOO!), where zombies invade the streets like something out of World War Z. 

4. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware  

Ideal for spooky seaside celebrations

Not all witches are landlocked! If you're drawn to the ocean, don your seaweed and join fellow sea lovers at the Sea Witch Festival in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Enjoy Halloween classics like a parade and costume contest, along with unique ocean-themed activities such as a haunted bonfire, wildlife seminars, a beach trick-or-treat for kids, and a scavenger hunt for the elusive sea witch herself. 

5. New York, New York

Perfect for fans of the Rocky Horror Picture Show

In October, any US city with an indie cinema will likely host a live showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, featuring costumes, props, audience participation, and a live cast mimicking the on-screen performances.

This lively tradition began in New York City at the now-closed Waverly Theater and lives on today through the efforts of the NYC Rocky Horror troupe. Check their website to find out where they’ll be doing the “Time Warp” next.

While you’re in town, be sure to catch the renowned Village Halloween Parade, celebrated for its creativity and impressive scale. Watch (or participate in) as enormous puppets glide through Greenwich Village, accompanied by costumed partygoers dancing to a variety of mobile bands playing diverse music.

6. Los Angeles, California

Ideal for fans of silver-screen frights

Halloween has become a significant event in the US, thanks in part to Hollywood's influence in bringing iconic monsters into our homes. And Tinseltown undoubtedly offers some of the country’s finest Halloween experiences.

For large-scale scares with high production quality, don’t miss the Universal Studios Hollywood Horror Nights or Dark Harbor at the Queen Mary, a waterfront haunt in Long Beach. For a truly terrifying experience, head straight to Knott’s Scary Farm for haunted mazes and Halloween-themed performances.

If you're seeking a more relaxed experience, visit the Hollywood Forever cemetery to enjoy a horror movie in a captivating setting.

7. St Helens, Oregon

Ideal for a family-friendly Halloween celebration

Disney’s family-friendly film Halloweentown was shot here in the late '90s, and St Helens has embraced that legacy, making it an ideal destination for Halloween-loving families.

Every year, the Oregon town transforms into Halloweentown and hosts its Spirit of Halloweentown festival, featuring stage performances, a walking tour of filming locations, and entertaining roaming performers. 

Planning tip: St Helens is located just about 40 minutes from Portland, making it an easy addition to a Halloween city getaway. 

8. Nevada 

Ideal for a spine-tingling road trip

We’re covering the entire state for this one. Nevada’s historic Gold Rush towns are filled with haunted mines, hotels, and saloons, making it the perfect backdrop for a Halloween-themed road trip. 

Potential stops along the way include Virginia City, featuring the haunted Silver Queen Hotel and Mackay Mansion; the eerie underground tunnels of Eureka; the haunted Mizpah Hotel and the spooky Clown Motel in Tonopah; and the forsaken Goldfield Hotel in Goldfield, regarded by some as the gateway to Hell.

Do extraterrestrial scares pique your interest? Cruise down Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway to discover quirky alien-themed attractions and expansive dark skies ideal for UFO sightings.

Planning tip: Book a stay in one of the whimsically themed rooms at the Sunset View Inn for an added touch of the bizarre, but heed the instructions left on the bedside table and avoid searching for Area 51. Seriously, just don’t do it. 

9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ideal for spine-tingling haunted house adventures

This historic city goes all out for Halloween. Its standout event is Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary, the largest haunted house in the US, located in the infamous prison that once held criminals like Al Capone and Willie Sutton. Keep the spooky theme alive at Pennhurst Asylum, which offers both a haunted house and paranormal tours. 

If you still crave more ghostly encounters, join one of the numerous paranormal tours that explore the city's historic streets, and then unwind at The Cauldron, which captures the Halloween spirit all year long.