The 10 Best Halloween Events Across the U.S.

When it comes to Halloween celebrations, some places get the vibe right. And most of them do not wait for All Hallows Eve (this year on a Monday) to kick off festivities. Got your costume prepped and ready? Here’s where you want to be to show it off.

Haunted Happenings – Salem, MA

There are few places more ground zero for Halloween than Salem, MA — home to the gruesome Salem witch trials of the 1690s. As you might expect, Halloween is a revered month-long affair here, with events ranging from psychic readings and ghost tours to reenactments of the witch trials to costume parades and tarot tutorials. So if Halloween is your favorite holiday of the year, make sure Salem is on your list.

Haunted Happenings, Salem, MA, throughout October, prices vary.

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze – Multiple Locations

New York’s Hudson Valley narrowly takes second place in Halloween History (the Headless Horseman rode through these parts after all). Still, there is nothing runner-up about the spectacular Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, featuring more than 7,000 illuminated gourds, all hand-carved. This fun, outdoor festival also has an installation in Nassau County (Long Island) at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration. It’s a magical experience meant for all ages.

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, 525 S Riverside Croton-on-Hudson, NY, now – Nov. 20; 1303 Round Swamp Rd, Old Bethpage, NY 11804, now through Nov.6; tickets start at $24.

Dark Nights at Hershey Park – Hersey, PA

Ride the huge coasters by day, then stick around when the sun sets and get ready to be scared silly. After dark, Hershey Park transforms into terrifying terrain complete with roving ghouls and four top-notch haunted houses that are not for the faint of heart. Is your party split on the scary meter? Since only certain areas of the park get spooky, you can divide and conquer depending on your terror tolerance!

Dark Nights at Hershey Park, Hershey, PA, begins at 6 p.m. throughout October. Prices vary.

Terror on Tillson – Romeo, MI

One neighborhood outside of Detroit takes decorating for the holiday to the next level. Terror on Tillson, a Halloween hot spot in Romeo, Michigan, welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every October to gape and gasp at the incredible haunted transformations. This is an all-ages event, with trick-or-treating supervised by flashlight-wielding community guides.

Terror on Tillson, Romeo, MI, throughout October, free.

Thompkins Square Halloween Dog Festival – NYC

Yup, this is just as amazing as you might imagine — with hundreds of pups of every size and shape coifed in perfect K-9 costumes. The Thompkins Square Park dog run is the oldest and largest dog run in New York City, and it takes its pedigree — and the holiday — very seriously. The costume competition requires pre-registration, and the parade does not disappoint.

Thompkins Square Halloween Dog Festival, Thompkins Square Park, NYC, Oct. 22, beginning at noon, free.

Blood Manor – NYC

Ten thousand square feet of terror awaits the groups of six that shuffle through Blood Manor, arguably the scariest haunted house in NYC, now back after a COVID hiatus. This year they’re introducing a new terrifying twist the weekend after the holiday (Nov. 4 + 5^th): Guests will journey through the haunted house in complete darkness — guided only by the glow stick in their hands. (Read up on how to make a quick exit if it becomes overwhelming.)

Blood Manor, 359 Broadway, NYC., now – Nov. 5, admission is $40+ per person.

Halloween at Disney’s Magic Kingdom – Orlando, FL

For an event with a decidedly less scary vibe, it’s not surprising that the best experience creators on earth know a thing or two about how to celebrate Halloween. So come in costume and meet 1,536,468,756 other Elsas as you journey through Haunted Mansion (obvi.), take pics with characters dressed in their own Halloween costumes, and nibble on spectacularly spooky-themed treats.

Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Orlando, FL, throughout October, admission price varies.

McKamey Manor – Multiple Locations

Be very, very clear about what you’re getting into before visiting. This is only for Halloween enthusiasts with the highest fear tolerance – people willing to sign a 40-plus page waiver and supply a doctor’s note before entry. This is not your local haunt where the scaries keep their hands to themselves. In this “extreme” attraction, visitors have been slapped, bound, and dragged – pushing physical and mental limits. Of course, you can always tap out, and the manor runs on donations.

McKamey Manor, Summertown, TN, and Huntsville, AL. Free.

Thriller Parade – Lexington, KY

Make sure you attend at least one dance rehearsal before participating in the original flash mob – the Thriller Parade in downtown Lexington, KY. (You obviously want your zombie shuffle on point.) This one’s open to littles, too — dancers as young as 7-years-old (with a parent) can participate!

Thriller Parade, Lexington, KY, Saturday, Oct. 22, 7 p.m. $15.

Emma Crawford Coffin Races – Manitou Springs, CO

According to legend, in the late 19^th century, a woman named Emma Crawford traveled to Manitou Springs, Colorado in search of a cure for her tuberculosis. She didn’t survive, and her dying wish was to be buried at the top of nearby Red Mountain. Almost 40 years later in 1929, after a series of harsh winters and heavy spring rains, her (empty!) coffin came racing down the mountainside – inspiring a new town tradition. Now, every October teams of four racers and one Emma (riding in the coffin!) dress up for the holiday and sprint to the finish line as the crowd cheers them on.

Emma Crawford Coffin Races, Manitou Springs, CO, Oct. 29. Free.

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