Top 14 Best Cities and Towns to Celebrate Halloween (original) (raw)
Halloween, which has a Celtic and Anglo-Saxon origin, has become widespread and is traditionally celebrated on October 31 in many countries. The second commercial holiday in the world after Christmas is a great opportunity to travel the world, get to know other cultures, and feel like someone else for a moment.
On the eve of this holiday, scary stories, castles, pumpkin lamps, candles, and cobwebs will become the leitmotif for the whole night, and people dressed as monsters and horror movie characters will fill the streets.
Best places where to celebrate Halloween
Halloween is coming, and we all have to choose the city or place to celebrate this awesome holiday! Have you already made this choice? If not, maybe you will be interested in my list of the 14 best places to celebrate Halloween!
These cities are renowned for their charming traditions and family-friendly activities, from spectacular pumpkin, shows to lively parties and holiday parades. Filled with holiday cheer, here are the best small towns to visit on Halloween. And if you are in love with all these scary things like vampires, ghouls and ghosts you will really like them!
Table of contents:
- London, England
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Forks, Washington
- Tombstone, Arizona
- Long Beach, California
- Salem, Massachusetts
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Orlando, Florida
- Transylvania, Romania
- New York
- Ireland
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Limoges, France
1. London, England
London, with pleasure, presents you with the best Halloween celebration ever. London loves scary stories and is famous for its rich dark past. This holiday in one of the best cities for Halloween is celebrated with many mysterious and spooky attractions, as well as numerous celebrations in the city.
There are a lot of best places to go on Halloween where you can shrill, scream and laugh a lot! For example, the London Dungeon: Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd, and Killer Queen are waiting for you here. For those over eighteen, there are nightly shows with ghost stories and scary surprises over a glass of gin and tonic.
Fans of J.K. Rowling’s works should definitely head to Warner Bros, in which they will meet their favorite characters, but in a rather creepy scenery. If you want, you can also visit the Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, the London Tower and, of course, the Highgate Cemetery! How can Halloween be without any cemetery?
In addition, a tour of the haunted house, which, according to legend, haunts the famous building in Piccadilly, with tales of the most terrible stories from the past 300 years, is what you need to end this Halloween tour with a delicious meal as part of a tasting. All this makes London the best place to celebrate Halloween.
2. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The second-best place to celebrate Halloween is Ottawa. There is one scary place, so be ready for the exciting moments in your life! This is the Bytown Museum, and all visitors can tell you that six ghosts live here.
Somebody has heard the woman crying, others have seen the ghost of Duncan McNab, and as you may know, he died about 150 years ago. They say that he likes to get scared a lot of people. For example, he likes typing his name on museum computers. Also, somebody has seen how dolls winked and moved!
In addition, you can book a ghost walk to learn all the scary and creepy stories about Ottawa. Moreover, you are welcome to take haunted tours to Gatineau Park.
Finally, Saunders Farm is the best place to go for Halloween and a classic fun. Head there during the day during ghost season, which is full of Halloween-themed family fun. Over 35 rides, live performances, a parade, 9 hedge mazes, pedal carts, food stalls, a giant corn maze, and more!
More: 5 Most Popular Tourist Attractions in Canada
3. Forks, Washington
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Forks is the rainiest city in the adjacent United States, making it the perfect place to escape for a spooky Halloween weekend! The first thing I want to tell is about a lumberjack who wanders around the Forks Dam and a pregnant woman who can be seen walking on the lawns late at night.
And of course, I don’t want to miss to tell you about the fact that a very popular saga, “Twilight,” was written about this place. It was a usually peaceful town where the timber industry was based in.
But this love story between the girl and vampire turned this place upside down. Due to Stephanie Meyer’s vampire saga, the best place for Halloween is trendy for teens and those who really love these books.
4. Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone is another best place to celebrate Halloween, as there is a lot of holiday entertainment every Halloween season. Whether you’re looking for a fun day at the pumpkin patch with your family or an evening of ghost hunting with friends, this best Halloween destination has plenty of exciting fall activities to enjoy this October. Don’t miss out on the thrills, goosebumps, and scares this year!
Since there were a lot of gun-fighting skirmishes, this one of the best cities for Halloween spawned the appearance of a lot of ghosts. You can talk with a lot of spirits in the special town’s saloon, but don’t forget to visit the reenact places of the infamous gunfights that end in the Boot Hill Cemetery.
5. Long Beach, California
In October, Long Beach, one of the largest cities in California and a popular tourist destination hosts many Halloween events and parties. From the haunted ship the Queen Mary to the Belmont Shore Haute Dog Parade, there is something for everyone and everything.
If you really love to wander through a very entangled and scary labyrinth, you should definitely go to the Queen Mary Ship. You will be very excited about the many surprises you will meet here, and I’m sure you will like some live performances at the Dome of Doom and the terrifying Purgatory Park.
A unique frightening atmosphere is created thanks to the many sceneries from which the hair stands on end. So don’t miss the opportunity to stroll the streets with friends or join hundreds of other costumed pub-goers.
6. Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is now one of the top Halloween travel destinations, where witches gather to celebrate the most important night of the year. Some situations with “witches” have happened here, so this place has a really dark reputation among others. Therefore, Salem is perhaps the spookiest town in the United States.
In this one of the best cities for Halloween, you can visit the Witch Museum, located on the corner of North and Essex streets – the only building in the city that is directly connected with the Salem Witch Hunt. In October, the museum extends its opening hours. The former home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, who took part in the witch trials, is now a 17th-century museum where you can get acquainted with the architecture, interiors, and lifestyle of that time.
But if you want to add something special to your holiday and if you’re going to feel some extra scary moments, suit costumes and come to the Hawthorne Hotel. Usually, they present the Annual Halloween Costume Ball for everybody here. In addition, Salem hosts themed events, including ghost trail tours, reenactments of the trial and execution scenes, fireworks, and a parade.
More: 7 Unique Souvenirs to Pick Up around the World
7. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is another best place to celebrate Halloween. The ominous Manchak swamps northwest of New Orleans, surrounded by centuries-old trees with fine Spanish moss, look like a place infested with ghosts. The city’s reputation as a place where voodoo thrives only adds to the sense of mysticism and horror.
You are welcome to visit the Ghost Story Tour in the French Quarter, one of the best Halloween destinations. During the night tour, viewers will hear stories of hundreds of people who died here drowning in the bog and learn about how this place got the name “ghost swamp.”
New Orleans Cemetery is the best way to get acquainted with the other world. There are cemeteries in a ground crypt-style so that you will see something exciting. Don’t forget about the voodoo temple! I want to add that the last showplace also has been used till the present day!
8. Orlando, Florida
One of the best cities to visit for Halloween, Orlando offers various excellent Halloween entertainment to all tastes: from extreme thrills for adults and teens to friendly chills that every family can enjoy. Horror nights in this best place to celebrate Halloween occur in a particular park area with its otherworldly houses and labyrinths of anomalies. A colorful show gathers many fans of such topics in this place.
If you don’t want to be spooked a lot, you can visit the Halloween Party “Mickey’s Not So Scary” in Disney World’s Kingdom. But if you want to be spooked, you can go to the Halloween Horror Nights in Universal Studios Park. You will see something extra special in their shows. Don’t miss it, and you will be glad to be here.
In addition, you can drive your own vehicle on a 25-minute drive down the Haunted Road and discover the mysterious, monstrous flesh-hungry ghouls. Then walk through the slaughter of people. Scream-A-Geddon is no ordinary haunted house but a complete horror park in Dade City with six separate attractions, as well as Monster Midway and a dedicated beer garden.
9. Transylvania, Romania
What could be better than spending Halloween in Count Dracula’s homeland? Transylvania is not only the most beautiful region of Romania but also worth a visit. It has an impressive collection of citadels, villages that seem frozen in time, over 118 castles, old cultural towns like Sibiu, and charming squares.
Do you love “Dracula” and “The Land Before the Forest”? Yeah, I really do. So, if you want to plunge into this atmosphere, you must visit Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle, one of the best Halloween destinations in the whole world. This is the castle where Dracula lived, and also there are two places: Hunyad Castle and Poenari Castle, which were associated with Vlad the Impaler in the 15th century.
Rich culture, timeless traditions, delicious cuisine, charming local festivals, and a turbulent past that has created various myths and legends make Transilvania the best place to celebrate Halloween.
More: 10 World’s Most Visited Countries
10. New York
New York is the best place to celebrate Halloween. Many people start preparations a whole month in advance, decorating their homes with gourds and garlands.
If you have a lot of costumes and some of them you have never used before, you can show them all in New York! So, put on one of them and don’t miss one of the most exciting events in this city – the Village Halloween Parade! Thousands of talented people in beautiful and terrifying costumes take part. Also, there is a great Nightmare Haunted House, where you will never feel bored!
11. Ireland
Ireland is considered the birthplace of Halloween because the holiday takes its roots in the traditions of the ancient Celts and the Samhain holiday. Therefore, for the Irish, Halloween means much more than a pretty night when kids dress up and go to neighbors who give them candy.
If you get to Dublin, your eyes will be presented with an action that staggers the imagination. Citizens dress up as monsters, witches, vampires, and other evil spirits. In this form, they march through the streets. At night, everything turns orange and black. Orange pumpkins grin with toothless mouths. People gather around huge fires.
Residents organize numerous festivals throughout Ireland at the end of October. Firstly, participate in the Bram Stoker Festival, dedicated to vampires, and the famous novel by Bram Stoker, “Dracula.” First, attend the parade and carnival in Derry. Then, don’t miss the Samhain Halloween Parade, the big parade of dancers, monsters, and ghosts that runs from Parnell Square to Temple Bar, which takes place in Derry. You can see a big defile where costumed actors dance to the rhythm of sambo.
12. Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is one of the most exciting places to visit on Halloween. Edinburgh is full of legends and stories that will chill your blood. Its castles are famous all over the world for their ghosts and historical ghosts. The largest accumulations of evil spirits can be seen in the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle.
Spend the night in Edinburgh’s supposedly haunted underground vaults if you’re looking for something more traditionally spooky. They are said to be inhabited by many spirits, and there is a lot of paranormal activity. During such walks, you can see the White Lady, the ghosts of the Palace of Holyrood and Jane George, Mary Stuart, and many others.
The Mary Kings Close is a must for all Halloween thrill seekers. It is part of the Edinburgh Underground City and is considered one of the most haunted places in Scotland! You are welcome to discover the stories of its most famous inhabitants, the years of the plague, and how it became so infamous because of its hauntings.
In addition, you can visit the Samhuinn Fire Festival, a performance and street theater festival on the historic Royal Mile. All this makes Edinburgh the best place to celebrate Halloween.
13. Prague, Czech Republic
Like in many other countries, Halloween is celebrated in the Czech Republic on October 31st. The Eve of All Saints’ Day has long turned into a carnival with candles in pumpkins, skulls, and other attributes of the underworld.
Prague seems to be born to celebrate the most sinister day of the year. So many of the buildings here are really scary. In addition, the city has the Museum of Torture, the famous Old Jewish Cemetery, the Sedlec Crypt, where you can see the remains of people, Charles Bridge, and the Old Town, which holds a huge number of legends.
You can also devote time to scary events in Prague. The most famous one is the Prague Ghost Parade, which takes place annually in the center of Prague. Unusual figures of ghosts participate in a colorful show, and zombies and monsters join them. Here you can meet the most famous Prague ghosts. They peek out of windows, hide behind a half-open door, cast shadows, or fly under the ceiling.
14. Limoges, France
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Limoges is perhaps the best place to celebrate Halloween in France. Since 1996, it has hosted many events at the end of October, including street shows, themed fairs, costumed parades, festivals, and colorful Halloween parties.
Every year, about 30,000 people take to the city streets to watch the impressive parade. Ghosts, goblins, and ghouls carry pumpkins with candles through the streets, attracting visitors from all over the world. Most of the spectators dress up no less creepy than the parade participants. Every year the route of the parade changes but always passes through the central streets of the city.
Moreover, you can ride a ghost train. It is an excellent opportunity to admire the main attractions of Limoges and get acquainted with the spirits and demons of urban legends. City bars, cafes, and restaurants vying with each other offer citizens and guests of the city special “witch” menus.
Where are you going to celebrate Halloween this year? What are you going to be for Halloween? Do you have any other place to add to this list?
Where is the best place in the US to celebrate Halloween?
The best city to celebrate Halloween in the US is New York. Nowhere else is Halloween celebrated as wildly as there! After all, this holiday in the country is considered one of the largest. Therefore, many people start preparations a month in advance, decorating their homes with pumpkins and garlands. The main event is Greenwich Village, one of the biggest Halloween parades in the world, with over 2 million people participating each year in creative costumes based on different themes.
What state has the best Halloween?
Louisiana has the best Halloween, as there are many places where you can get scared. Halloween in this state is much more than just a night when kids go out for a treat or treats accompanied by their parents. Like many other holidays, New Orleans presents it in its unique signature style with costume parties, balls, street festivities, and, of course, a parade.