The Northeast is a great place to enjoy some scares, and these famous Halloween cities know how to celebrate
Fall is such a crisp transition time from the heat and traffic of the summer easing into the cool nights of September and October. The colors are in full swing, the leaves are falling and pumpkin spice is everywhere you look. With this new season also comes a holiday that some count down the days to and some fear, Halloween! For those who celebrate, it can be a great time to travel and experience the festivities around the country. We have picked out the best Halloween cities to visit during the fall season that may just be the perfect fit for your group travel itinerary.
Salem, MA
Photo courtesy of John Andrews
Our first stop has to be Salem, Massachusetts, home to the infamous witch trials and a city that now thrives during the spooky season. Hundreds of thousands of visitors to flock to this small New England town each year to experience the best in Halloween cities. There are so many different places and attractions to visit here you can definitely make a long weekend out of it, or experience it on a day trip from Boston. One of the most famous attractions is the Witch House. Contrary to its name, this eerie home housed one of the judges involved with the witch trials, Jonathan Corwin. There are self-guided and guided tours within this rumored haunted house.
Just a short distance from the Witch House is the Salem Witch Museum. The museum gives an overview of the history of Salem through present day. There are two main displays amongst the museum, the first narrates the events of the Salem witch trials, while the second dives into the word witch and the connotation behind the word the following years after.
Another huge attraction for this area is witch shops. These unique shops draw many tourists in, but beware as some shops are more genuine than others. They have everything from jewelry and art to crystal balls and tarot cards to purchase in the stores, many things you will not find anywhere else. One of these shops is Pentagram Witchcraft and Magick Shoppe, whose owners claim to be witches and psychics.
The House of the Seven Gables is a great history lesson that also provides visitors with a little spook. It is said this house is possibly haunted as the inspiration for the book the House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne. There are guided tours of the house and time to explore the beautiful grounds.
A family-friendly activity that will also be nostalgic for some, Hocus Pocus Tours show visitors the famous sites where the 1993 Disney Classic was filmed.
Lastly, if you are into the spookier side of Halloween, there are nighttime tours of Salem that bring visitors to the sites said to be the most haunted. You will hear terrifying stories, tales of odd and creepy local happenings and more about the history of one of our country’s most famous Halloween cities. They also offer these ghost tours during the day for those not as daring but still interested in the afterlife.
Chatham, MA
This town gives that same major Halloween spirit but without the major crowds like Salem. It was previously named among the top 18 Halloween cities to visit from Trips to Discover. Many people overlook this destination given its size, but Chatham has so much to offer during the Halloween season. One of their biggest events is the Pumpkin People in the Park. It is a yearly tradition that lasts for a couple weeks, during which you’ll find people (made of pumpkins!) across the park and main street areas. It is a fun attraction for all ages and on the less scary side.
Another fun Halloween activity in Chatham is Oktoberfest, which is held in a park within the town where adults can enjoy beverages in the Devil’s Purse Beer Garden. There is also live music, lots of food and games, and much more to offer for the rest of the family!
Sleepy Hollow, NY
Like Salem, Sleepy Hollow is notorious for being haunted and having many attractions for those looking for a thrill in one of America’s great Halloween cities. Following along with the trend of their fame for being haunted, cemetery tours are largely popular among visitors in Sleepy Hollow. There are all different kinds of tours for the day time and night time if you are up for it. There are ones focused on the history of the town, ones that dive into the local murder and mystery and tours that explore the mysterious and intriguing legends of Sleepy Hollow.
Lastly, Sleepy Hollow offers a haunted hayride that goes through the exact route of Ichabod Crane fleeing the Headless Horseman!
Princeton, NJ
Princeton is not the typical place you might think of when it comes to famous Halloween cities. However, when the season of fall in full swing, New Jersey is one the prettiest places to visit and even better for Halloween. More specifically, Princeton holds an annual Hometown Halloween Parade. People dress in their best costumes for this tradition, which is held by the Arts Council of Princeton. After the parade there are many activities like fun games and food for the rest of the night! This event is free and open to all.
Erie, PA
Just by its name alone, Erie, Pennsylvania is another great option as a place to spend and celebrate Halloween.
For those who truly love horror and scaring themselves, Eeriebyss Factory of Terror, in the former Griswold factory, is unrecognizable. It claims to have “over half a mile of terror, all under one roof.” This attraction is not for the weak stomached as it is filled with lots of jump-scares and heart-stopping sights.
Ghost Lake at Conneaut Lake Park is another great attraction for Halloween lovers. With their 13 Levels of Fear they have all kinds of attractions included in this event during the spooky season. These can include the Blood Moon Meat Market, Carnival of Rust, Rott’s Emporium, St. Lucien’s House of Evil, The Devil’s Playground and many more.
If you’re looking for something more family-friendly, the Fall Harvest Festival at Port Farms includes a corn maze, slides, a ball zone, hay rides, animals and more!
Croton-on-Hudson, NY
Photo courtesy of Tom Nycz for Historic Hudson Valley
The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is the area’s largest Halloween celebration. This event has over 7,000 hand-carved, lit up pumpkins along Van Cortlandt Manor’s 18th-century buildings. They even have a pumpkin Ferris wheel you do not want to miss! The Blaze has its own soundtrack that the pumpkins are synchronized with, which is like nothing you will have ever seen before.
Laconia, NH
The Pumpkin Festival in this quaint New Hampshire town is one of the largest pumpkin festivals around! Down the streets of Laconia for two days in October visitors will find pumpkins galore. There are so many different attractions including The Runaway Pumpkin 5K/10K, pumpkin displays all around to look at, live music and even a pumpkin cornhole tournament! There is also a zombie walk and a costume parade for children to join in on the fun.
By Alyssa Mastando
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