Want to plan a Halloween trip to experience all the spooky and candy-filled fun? Find out some of the best Halloween vacations and destinations for your entire family. Scroll down to read more!
This best Halloween vacations and getaways post was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
Looking for the best Halloween vacations and getaways?
We’ve got you covered! Check out our list of spooky places to go for Halloween in the United States.
We’ve got you covered whether you’re looking for a spooky place to go with your kids or want some fall fun. We have great U.S. vacation ideas that are perfect for families!
You can find a destination that suits your family’s needs on this list of places to go for Halloween or where to enjoy a fall vacation in the U.S.
So, whether you want to spend time at an amusement park or explore some history – we have it all here! So take a look around and see what catches your eye today!
And don’t forget about these other unique destinations too – they’re not just good during October but throughout the year as well!
Keep scrolling to find some spooktacular Halloween vacation ideas for your entire family!
Top Halloween Getaways and Destinations for Fall Travel
SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS
I had to kick off this list with one of the best places to visit during Halloween: Salem, Massachusetts!
During October, Salem gives visitors a full-fledged Halloween experience. These events include re-enactments, guided tours of the infamous witch trial locations, fireworks, magic shows, and more.
These are just a few reasons why it’s one of the best Halloween towns on the East Coast.
The Hawthorne Hotel also hosts The Official Salem Witches’ Halloween Ball, which will feature a night full of magic, music, and powerful rituals with special guests.
So if you’re a fan of Halloween or even the history behind the Salem Witch Trials, this will be a must-see for those who live close or want to take a weekend getaway.
The first 100 guests to arrive will also get a special gift bag filled with magical swag. See more information, times, and more here.
While you’re visiting Salem, another great place to visit is the Witch House, a museum dedicated to the Salem Witch Trials.
And you’ll want to do the 1692 Witch Trials Walking Tour.
This is seriously one of the best Halloween trips for people who LOVE Halloween! There are TONS of spooky things to do in Salem Massachusetts. I mean, there’s a reason it’s one of the best Halloween cities for kids and adults!
Where to Stay in Salem:
HAWTHORNE HOTEL: Built in 1925, the Hawthorne is a proud member of Historic Hotels of America and New England Inns & Resorts.
SALEM WATERFRONT HOTEL & SUITES: This is Salem’s newest boutique hotel with lots of modern amenities families will love.
GREAT WOLF LODGE
As the weather gets chillier, it’s always fun to head to an indoor waterpark where it’s always 84 degrees warm and full of excitement!
Each year Great Wolf Lodge puts together a special Halloween event at some of their locations, making it one of the best Halloween family vacations!.
The Great Wolf Lodge Howl-O-Ween event will offer parades, scary-silly Story Time, and Monster Bash Dance Parties this year.
And to make it even more fun, kids can bring their Halloween pails to get goodies as they walk along the Trick-or-Treat Trails.
Great Wolf Lodge locations participating in the Halloween activities:
- Anaheim, CA;
- Bloomington/Minneapolis, MN;
- Boston/Fitchburg, MA;
- Charlotte/Concord, NC;
- Chicago/Gurnee, IL;
- Cincinnati/Mason, OH;
- Colorado Springs, CO;
- Grand Mound, WA;
- Grapevine, TX;
- Kansas City, KS;
- Niagara Falls, Ontario;
- Pocono Mountains, PA;
- Sandusky, OH;
- Traverse City, MI;
- Williamsburg, VA;
- and Wisconsin Dells, WI.
SIX FLAGS FRIGHT FEST
On select days this fall you can visit Six Flags for their spooky Fright Fest, where zombies and ghouls take over the entire park.
Families can enjoy fun thrills and activities throughout the day, and when the sun goes down, even more spooky fun can be had by kids of all ages.
Fright Fest also brings several haunted houses and various scare zones throughout the park.
Kids, ages 12 and up, can compete in a screaming contest. The winner of the best blood-curdling screams will win amazing prizes.
And there’s even a costume contest for kids 12 and under, with prizes for the best costumes.
Six Flag parks that take part in the Fright Fest:
- SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS
- SIX FLAGS OVER GEORGIA
- SIX FLAGS ST. LOUIS
- SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE
- SIX FLAGS MAGIC MOUNTAIN
- SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA
- SIX FLAGS FIESTA TEXAS
- SIX FLAGS AMERICA
- SIX FLAGS DISCOVERY KINGDOM
- SIX FLAGS NEW ENGLAND
- GREAT ESCAPE
SLEEPY HOLLOW, NEW YORK
Sleepy Hollow, NY, is another one of the best places to go during Halloween.
While this destination isn’t recommended for younger children or the faint of heart, older kids and adults can enjoy events like cemetery tours, hayrides, and more.
Be warned! This could get very scary!
Horseman’s Hollow, held at the Phillipsburg Manor, is transformed into a fearsome landscape ruled by vampires, witches, ghouls, undead soldiers, and ghosts who serve the Headless Horseman.
Visitors can walk through a haunted trail and come across scenes of the town driven mad by the Headless Horseman while creatures lurk in the shadows, ready to scare.
This is one of the top Halloween trips on the East Coast.
Where to Stay in Sleepy Hollow:
TARRYTOWN HOUSE ESTATE ON THE HUDSON: Located on 26 acres overlooking the Hudson River Valley, Tarrytown House Estate features impressive 19th-century mansions and a contemporary atrium building.
CASTLE HOTEL & SPA: Castle Hotel & Spa is a medieval-style structure meticulously transformed into a luxury hotel in 1997, 16 years after being designated a historic landmark.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
Another one of the best Halloween vacation spots that are totally underrated is New Orleans. They don’t just do Mardi Gras well!
The Audubon Zoo has a yearly event called “Boo at the Zoo,” which runs for three days in October.
The zoo will feature a monster maze, inflatables, live entertainment, animal encounters, and a zombie-themed ghost train ride.
You can get tickets and more information here.
Ghosts in the Oaks is another yearly family event that you can attend in October.
Kids and adults can enjoy amusement rides, arts and crafts, and even a little trick-or-treating. Also available are balloon animals, air-brush paintings, and musical entertainment.
Tickets do need to be purchased, which you can do so here.
New Orleans is one of the best fall vacations for families of all ages.
Where to Stay in New Orleans:
HOTEL LE MARAIS: Be inspired by an effortless amalgamation of classic and modern. Hotel le Marais is New Orleans’ newest upscale boutique hotel.
BOURBON ORLEANS HOTEL: Nestled in the heart of the French Quarter, the Bourbon Orleans New Orleans Hotel features a rich history and opulent French styling reminiscent of the early 1800s.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Arts in the Dark is a yearly Chicago event that takes place only one night of the year. It’s a magical evening parade that celebrates Halloween as the “artist’s holiday.”
The event brings together world-renowned institutions to delight the audience with unique floats, puppets, and creative performances by the artists.
After the parade, visitors can enjoy live music, a kid’s station, magicians, spooky games, Mini Golf, and more. Visit Arts in the Dark for more info on event dates and activities.
Lincoln Park Zoo holds its Halloween event in conjunction with the zoo’s five-weekend Fall Fest celebration and offers engaging and fun activities for families.
Families can find a list of all the events and attractions at the zoo here.
Where to Stay in Chicago during the Halloween season:
THE TALBOTT HOTEL: Located in Chicago’s historic Gold Coast district, the newly renovated Talbott Hotel, ranked “best of” by many travel sites, is pet-friendly and has evening entertainment.
ROYAL SONESTA CHICAGO RIVER NORTH: Formerly The Hotel Palomar, a luxury boutique hotel in Chicago’s River North surrounded by the city’s top attractions, restaurants, and destinations.
MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
No Halloween event list would be complete without Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World Resort.
In perfect Disney style, the party will go all out for this year’s family Halloween event. The event runs various evenings from August to early November.
The party is in the Magic Kingdom and includes a parade of Halloween characters and other regularly seen characters in their Halloween costumes, trick-or-treating throughout the park, special dining experiences, new ride experiences, a large show of fireworks, and much more.
Halloween takes over the park in the evening on select dates. Guests must purchase tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party separately from the normal theme park tickets. These tickets sell out quickly!
Families can find more info and dates here.
Where to Stay in Walt Disney World during Halloween:
DISNEY’S FT. WILDERNESS RESORT & CAMPGROUND: The most festive place to stay at Walt Disney World is Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.
Guests are invited to Tri-Circle-D Ranch for ‘Return to Sleepy Hollow,’ a spooky Halloween event. On October 30 and 31, highlights take place with a decorated Halloween Golf Cart Parade and a Camp Site & Cabin Decorating Contest.
But, you can add special Disney Halloween decorations to any Walt Disney World Resort hotel room to get into the spirit!
OOGIE BOOGIE BASH AT DISNEYLAND RESORT
On the other side of the country, Disneyland Resort has its own Halloween festivities.
The original Disneyland Halloween party at Disney California Adventure is now called the Oogie Boogie Bash!
This after-hours party lets you meet Disney characters in their Halloween costumes and trick or treat throughout Disney California Adventure Park.
You can also see the “World of Color” nighttime spectacular, walk through the new “Villainous!” villain-themed experience at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, participate in the DescenDance interactive dance party, and dress up as a family!
For 2023, Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort is celebrated from September 1 through October 31. That means there are more days than previous years for spooky family fun!
Plus, you’ll want to spend time checking out the “Happy Haul-o-Ween” decorations over in Cars Land. Even Mater and Lightening McQueen are in costume!
Finally, you’ll want to experience all the Dia de los Muertos events and decorations. Many of these have a Coco-theme.
This is totally one of the best Halloween weekend getaways to do with kids!
Find out more about Halloweentime at Disneyland Resort and book your discount Halloween travel packages through Get Away Today.
Where to Stay in Disneyland at Halloween:
DISNEY’S GRAND CALIFORNIAN HOTEL & SPA: Since this hotel has a special entrance to Disney California Adventure, it’s the easiest place to stay, especially if you have little ones to carry back after the event. Read my hotel review.
ANAHEIM FAIRFIELD INN: This hotel is right across from the entrance to both Disneyland Parks.
SEAWORLD’S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR
A fun-filled daytime event for those visiting SeaWorld Orlando or San Diego this year in September and October.
Families are immersed in an underwater “fantasea” that includes trick-or-treating, special Halloween shows, and more.
SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular runs weekends in September and October and is included in park admission. Guests are also encouraged to dress up in their favorite costumes.
Where to Stay near Seaworld:
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS SEA WORLD SAN DIEGO: The Holiday Inn Express San Diego – SeaWorld Hotel is conveniently located only minutes away from the San Diego Zoo, San Diego SeaWorld, downtown San Diego, San Diego Old Town, and the San Diego Waterfront.
HILTON GRAND VACATIONS AT SEAWORLD ORLANDO: A 33-acre Bermuda-styled resort, Hilton Grand Vacations at SeaWorld puts guests near Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Wet ‘n Wild Orlando and – just across the street – SeaWorld Orlando.
BRICK-OR-TREAT AT LEGOLAND
Weekends in October bring the Brick-or-Treat event at LEGOLAND in Florida and California.
Families can journey through the themed trail with their very own Brick-or-Treat bag to gather candy as they walk the trail.
Special Halloween characters like Lord Vampyre, Rockin’ Frankenstein, and more will be walking around for visitors to meet.
Another event includes a scavenger hunt where visitors can race to find the LEGO Candy Corn.
In the Tale of Pirates’ Cove in Orlando, a fun fireworks Spectacular will go down each night through the dates of the event.
LEGOLAND Halloween weekend getaways are always a hit with kids! It’s one of the best places to celebrate Halloween with toddlers and preschoolers.
Book through Get Away Today to save money on LEGOLAND vacation packages.
Where to Stay near Legoland:
LEGOLAND CALIFORNIA HOTEL: Located right at the main entrance to LEGOLAND California, you’ll be delighted by interactive LEGO features, themed play areas, a family pool, and kid’s entertainment!
See our room tour here.
LEGOLAND FLORIDA HOTEL: This unique hotel features a free full breakfast buffet daily, interactive play areas, nightly entertainment, a disco elevator, character meet & greets, in-room treasure hunt (with LEGO prizes), a heated resort pool & much more!
KNOTT’S SCARY FARM
Every Halloween, the Southern California town of Buena Park transforms into “Boo-uena Park.”
One of the country’s longest-running theme park Halloween parties is Knott’s Scary Farm, which debuted more than 45 years ago.
It’s also one of the largest Halloween events in a theme park, and it includes mazes, an interactive zombie experience, and so much more.
But don’t worry if you have younger kiddos! There’s a less intense Knott’s Spooky Farm with Snoopy and trick-or-treating.
Find out the best kids’ activities at Knott’s Berry Farm.
Where to Stay near Knott’s Scary Farm:
KNOTT’S BERRY FARM HOTEL: Located just steps from world-famous Knott’s Berry Farm Theme Park, this hotel has Snoopy meet and greets and even special Snoopy-themed rooms.
CEDAR POINT AMUSEMENT PARK IN SANDUSKY, OHIO
There are two great Halloween attractions and events to visit at the Cedar Point Amusement Park.
The Great Pumpkin Fest takes place on Saturdays and Sundays in September and October. Visits can enjoy fun fall activities, rides and attractions, live entertainment, and more.
On select nights, visitors can also enjoy the Haunt at HalloWeekends, where visitors can experience scare zones, mazes, spooky shows, and more.
Find out more info on all the festivities here.
Where to Stay in Sandusky OH:
CEDAR POINT’S HOTEL BREAKERS: This hotel is located just steps from Cedar Point and Cedar Point Shores and has 2 outdoor swimming pools, a water park, and an indoor swimming pool, plus a Starbucks in the lobby.
CEDAR POINT’S EXPRESS HOTEL: Located just a short drive from Cedar Point and Cedar Point Shores, this hotel features 419 guest rooms, many of them connecting, with two queen beds featuring premium bedding along with a mini-fridge and microwave.
Places to go for Halloween FAQs
There are a lot of U.S. towns that go all out for Halloween. These Halloween towns include New Orleans, Louisiana; Las Vegas, Nevada; Sleepy Hollow, New York; Salem, Massachusetts; and New York City, New York.
Anoka, Minnesota, is widely recognized as America’s Halloween Capital, thanks to an event that started in 1920 when local authorities decided they needed something besides rowdy kids causing mischief around their community during All Hallows Eve.
For Halloween, the spookiest European cities include London, England; Dublin, Ireland; and Transylvania, Romania. These have long, eerie histories with this scary holiday.
Some fun places to go for Halloween include Salem, Massachusetts; Sleepy Hollow, New York; and New Orleans, Louisiana.
The best vacation spots for Halloween are Salem, Massachusetts, for its witch trials history; Transylvania, Romania, for Dracula lore; and Derry, Northern Ireland, for its Halloween Carnival.
The best fall vacations in the US for families include the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee; Door County, Wisconsin; and the Hudson Valley, New York.
Kid-Friendly Halloween Getaways Wrap Up
We’ve touched on a few of the best Halloween vacations in the United States for families with kids. This is just one part of what we have to offer on our site, so be sure to check out some other spooky content as well!
Halloween can be a great time to take a fun vacation or weekend getaway. No matter where you travel, there will be plenty of activities, festivals, and events the entire family can participate in.