Spookiest Towns to Celebrate Halloween In Every State

Salem is not the only spooky town in the U.S. that does Halloween right.

Though the Massachusetts hot spot probably is worth a visit for any Spooky Season enthusiast (we’ll get to why later), there are towns in every state in the country that offer their festive charm.

So, grab your top travel credit cards and take a tour of the spookiest in each state — if you dare.

1. Alabama: Montgomery

Montgomery shows out for Halloween — and there are plenty of spooky events going on in and around the city in the weeks leading up to the holiday.

From a Flashlight Tour at the Mann Wildlife Museum to haunted trails and hayrides, there’s something for everyone.

2. Alaska: Anchorage

Anchorage turns into a spooky paradise in the weeks leading up to Halloween, whether you’re looking for frightening fun or more family-friendly activities.

Top draws include the BOOtanical Garden, Trick or Treat Street in Town Square Park, and “Rocky Horror” at Mad Myrna’s.

3. Arizona: Jerome

Once a thriving mining town, Jerome is now the largest ghost town in America (with just a few hundred residents).

This makes it prime real estate for a Halloween visit, and several spooky walking tours are available to get the full experience.

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4. Arkansas: Eureka Springs

Forget the Overlook Hotel. Legend has it that it’s Eureka Springs, Arkansas, which is really home to America’s most haunted accommodations.

There have been many reports of paranormal sightings in the Crescent Hotel, which was once a faux “cancer-curing” hospital, and these days, they really lean into their haunted reputation, offering spooky tours and more.

5. California: Los Angeles

There’s a whole lot of fun and frightening events going on in LA in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

Check out Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios, the West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnival, or family-friendly spooky attractions like Original Farmers Market’s Fall Festival.

6. Colorado: Manitou Springs

Manitou Springs is known for its huge array of Halloween festivities, particularly the Coffin Races. The races are a huge deal in the area and take place the weekend before the holiday.

It’s kind of like a go-kart race, but more morbid and from the looks of it, even more fun.

7. Connecticut: Hartford

Though it might often be overshadowed by its New England neighbor, Salem, Hartford, does Halloween big, too.

The season kicks off with HorrorFest in the Connecticut Convention Center followed by the massive Zombie Fashion Show in Rotary Park in nearby Putnam.

8. Delaware: New Castle

There’s plenty of paranormal and spooky happenings in New Castle, both the city and county.

The New Castle Historical Society hosts a “Hauntings in History” ghost tour and in nearby Wilmington, you can do everything from paranormal tours to a costume party at Brandywine Zoo.

9. Florida: St. Augustine

St. Augustine, widely hailed as the oldest city in the nation, has plenty of local legend and spooky tales to match its rich history.

Halloween is an excellent time to visit for ghost tours, historic cemetery visits, and spooky bar crawls.

10. Georgia: Savannah

Savannah fashions itself one of the nation’s “most haunted” cities — and it’s hard to argue when you stroll through some of the historic buildings and cemeteries.

There are plenty of tours and haunted horrors to choose from, and you can even take a ghost tour in a real hearse.

11. Hawaii: Honolulu

Honolulu may be known as a beachy paradise, but it’s also a blast for spooky season.

Enjoy family-friendly fun like the “Histories & Mysteries” tour at the Honolulu Zoo or something a bit scarier, like the Haunted Plantation, which was named one of the most terrifying haunted houses in the country.

12. Idaho: Athol

When the weather gets cooler, Silverwood Theme Park in Athol turns into the thrilling and terrifying Scarywood, which is packed with scare zones, thrilling rides, and monsters — and has been named one of Halloween’s Scariest Thrills by the Travel Channel.

13. Illinois: Chicago

Chicago may be more well-known for how it celebrates another holiday (one that involves a green river), but the city does Halloween right, too.

With haunted riverboat tours, parades, Lincoln Park Zoo’s Howl-o-Ween party, and so much more, there’s something for everyone.

14. Indiana: Nashville

Halloween in the Hills at Brown County State Park, located in Nashville, Indiana, brings nature and nightmares together.

Visitors can stroll the “Halloween Hike” after dark, do spooky arts and crafts, enter a pumpkin carving or campsite decorating contest, and more.

15. Iowa: Burlington

Whether you’re hoping for a scare at the Haunted Auditorium, want to grab a few drinks and bites while dressed as a witch at “Witches Night Out,” or are simply looking for excellent Halloween vibes in a small town, Burlington is an excellent choice.

16. Kansas: Atchison

From Shocktail Parties to tarot readings and spooky stories to Haunted Trolley Tours, there are plenty of thrilling activities to get into in the weeks leading up to Halloween in Atchison. It’s also considered the “Most Haunted City in Kansas.”

17. Kentucky: Louisville

Louisville has some seriously scary haunted houses, including the Haunted Hotel and American Horrorplex. For more family-friendly fun, the Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular lights up a winding path through Iroquois Park throughout the spooky season.

18. Louisiana: New Orleans

New Orleans can be quite spooky year-round with all its ghost stories, Voodoo, and historic cemeteries, making it an ideal Halloween destination.

Visiting in Spooky Season means you may be able to beat some of the summer heat — and maybe catch the Krewe of BOO! Parade, too.

19. Maine: Portland

Portland gets spooky for the Halloween season with an array of events to thrill fall enthusiasts, young and old. There's something for everyone, from frightening tales at “A Bizarre Victorian Bazaar” at Victoria Mansion to the Great Pumpkin Ball at the State Theatre.

20. Maryland: Annapolis

Spooky Season enthusiasts will love learning about the haunted history of Annapolis, from its Puritan roots to its past pirate visitors, on one of the city’s ghost tours. If you’re looking for more of a thrill, nearby Station 7 Terror Trail is sure to do the trick.

21. Massachusetts: Salem

Salem, once home to the famed and tragic Witch Trials, has become the top Halloween destination in the country.

From the famous Witch House to the spooky walking tours and museums to psychic fairs, it’s clear why the town is on so many traveler's bucket lists.

22. Michigan: Detroit

From ghost tours through the city’s haunted past to Spooky Spirits at the Detroit Zoo to a haunted car wash (yes, really), there is something to do in the Motor City for Halloween enthusiasts of all sorts.

23. Minnesota: Stillwater

Stillwater has Halloween-inspired events for visitors of all ages — whether you’re looking for family-friendly trick or treating, a massive bar crawl, or a delightfully spooky tour known as the Rivertown Terror Tour.

24. Mississippi: Vicksburg

Vicksburg is a charming, small town along the Mississippi River with a rich history, and apparently some of that is haunted. The city is home to the McRaven House, also known as “Mississippi’s Most Haunted House,” and you can take a haunted tour for Spooky Season.

25. Missouri: St. Louis

St. Louis and the surrounding areas have an array of spooky Halloween events to choose from, like the family-friendly “Boo at the Zoo” celebration at Saint Louis Zoo, the terrifying “Field of Nightmares” at Brookdale Farms, ghost tours, haunted happy hours, and so much more.

26. Montana: Missoula

Whether you’re looking for an excuse to party (or bar crawl) or want to check out the local rendition of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (at the Wilma Theater), Missoula has plenty of Halloween events to choose from.

27. Nebraska: Omaha

There are many haunted happenings in and around Omaha, from the terrifying Scary Acres, which includes a haunted castle, house, and woods, to Ghouls and Glow nights at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium.

28. Nevada: Las Vegas

Whether you want to dance the night away or settle in for the scare of a lifetime, you can do it as Vegas welcomes Spooky Season. Visitors can check out haunted houses Asylum and Hotel Fear, stroll through Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum, or party at the Sin City Halloween Ball.

29. New Hampshire: Portsmouth

From its legendary Halloween parade to its Pumpkin SMASH contest to its eerie Historic Portsmouth Legends and Ghost Walk, there’s plenty of spooky fun to get into in this New Hampshire town in October.

30. New Jersey: Cape May

Cape May may be known for its beautiful homes and beaches, but as the weather gets colder, it gets a bit spooky down there.

From ghost walks with a psychic medium to Scarecrow Alley to the Historic Haunts Tour, there’s something scary around every corner in the beautiful seaside town.

31. New Mexico: Santa Fe

Santa Fe may not do Halloween quite as big as some of the other towns and cities on this list, but as the oldest capital city in the country, it’s got a rich history — some of it allegedly pretty spooky. “The Dark Side of Santa Fe: Ghosts and Mysteries” tour is a great way to learn the lore.

32. New York: Sleepy Hollow (Tarrytown)

Made famous through “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” the tale of the headless horseman, Sleepy Hollow, New York, really leans into its spooky reputation.

It’s a great spot for a Halloween getaway, with cemetery tours, haunted hayrides, farmers markets, street fairs, and much more.

33. North Carolina: Asheville

Corn mazes, festivals, haunted trails and tours, bar crawls, and beyond — Asheville really has it all as the town gears up for Halloween. Those looking for a serious scare should consider the Supernatural Tour.

34. North Dakota: Fargo

Fargo’s famous Great Straw Maze is an excellent way to spend a festive fall afternoon — and the city is packed with an array of other seasonal activities as well, from lively pumpkin patches to spooky movies after dark to craft markets and beyond.

35. Ohio: Columbus

Creepy ghost tours? Check. Cutesy pet parade? Check. Rocky Horror live at Short North Stage? Check. Columbus has plenty of spooky attractions and fun for all sorts of visitors in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

36. Oklahoma: Guthrie

Checking out the Guthrie Ghost Walk is a perfect way to kick off Spooky Season. The 90-minute tour around the quaint, small town begins at the Apothecary Garden and takes visitors through the lore and beauty of classic Victorian/Edwardian-era architecture.

37. Oregon: Portland

From haunted tours to corn mazes and pumpkin patches to an oddities expo, Portland has all sorts of weird and spooky things going on leading up to Halloween. There’s even a Pumpkin Regatta Festival in nearby Tualatin.

38. Pennsylvania: Philadelphia

There may be some other spooky places around Pa., but Philly takes the cake here as it is home to Eastern State Penitentiary, a former prison transformed into a massive Halloween spooktacular.

It includes five haunted houses, historical tours, themed bars, and more.

39. Rhode Island: Providence

Providence does Halloween big and has a bit of something for visitors of all sorts — like ghost tours and the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, which features 1,000s of beautifully carved pumpkins at Roger Williams Park Zoo.

You can even check out the spooky legend H.P. Lovecraft’s grave at Swan Point Cemetery.

40. South Carolina: Charleston

With the city’s rich history, there are plenty of haunts to check out in Charleston — and you can take ghost tours through old jail cells, cemeteries, and more. In nearby Mt. Pleasant, Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens hosts pumpkin festivals by day and freaky Fright Nights by night.

41. South Dakota: Deadwood

Each October in the days leading up to Halloween, Deadwood transforms into Deadweird, with spooky and fabulous events for visitors of all sorts, including a Monster Ball with live music and dancing, a costume contest, Trunk or Treating, and more.

42. Tennessee: Nashville

Nashville may be known for its music scene (and these days, as a Bachelor/Bachelorette party hot spot).

It’s also a great area to visit for Halloween, whether you’re looking for family-friendly hayrides and pumpkin picking, terrifying haunted houses like Beast House, or freaky ghost tours.

43. Texas: Austin

There’s plenty of frightening fun to get into in and around Austin. Some fan favorites include Boo at the Zoo at Austin Zoo (where you can ride a haunted train, check out a haunted mansion, and more) and Pumpkin Nights at Pioneer Farms.

44. Utah: Salt Lake City

As Halloween approaches, Utah has an array of festive activities to get into — from the creepy to the competitive. Nightmare on 13th Street is a fan-favorite haunted house, growers can enter their prized gourds in the annual Giant Pumpkin Palooza and much more.

45. Vermont: Stowe

No matter where you go in Vermont in the weeks leading up to Halloween, you’re likely to see some beautiful and festive-feeling foliage.

With that being said, the quaint small town also has some great attractions, like the Percy Farm Corn Maze, that make it an ideal autumn destination.

46. Virginia: Williamsburg

Williamsburg, part of Virginia’s “Historic Triangle,” has plenty of fun and festive Halloween activities to get into — from spooky camping at the Williamsburg Campground to a haunted trek and sip event through the Williamsburg Winery.

47. Washington: Seattle

There are many spooky experiences to be had as Halloween approaches in Seattle, including creepy ghost tours, The Museum of Flight turning into the Museum of Fright, and the Seattle Chocolate Factory offering sweet and scary “haunted” tours of its grounds.

48. West Virginia: Moundsville

Moundsville takes the spooky cake in West Virginia since it’s home to the West Virginia Penitentiary.

Visitors can test their bravery walking through “The Dungeon,” the Penitentiary's infamous haunted house, or take a frightening stroll, and potentially experience some paranormal terrors, during the “North Walk.”

49. Wisconsin: Milwaukee

There’s plenty of spooky fun to be had in and around Milwaukee as the first chills are felt in the air. The city offers some excellent haunted tours that are both fascinating and frightening, including the Spirits of Silent City tour of the Forest Home Cemetery and the haunted pub crawl.

50. Wyoming: Cheyenne

Cheyenne, the capital city in Wisconsin, is considered one of the “most haunted locations in the West,” at least according to the people who run their famed ghost tours.

Speaking of, the Cheyenne Ghost Tour is an excellent way to get into the Halloween spirit and learn all about the spooky history of the old railroad town.

Bottom line

If you’re looking to travel to one of these destinations in October, consider booking as soon as possible to save money on travel .

The best hotels and Spooky Season bargains can get snapped up real quick.

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