The Best Halloween Towns to Visit in 2025
By
Lynn Celek
on
May 17, 2025
If you’re the kind of person who starts planning your costume in July and believes Halloween should be a national holiday, this list is for you.
Here's an overview of six of the best Halloween destinations around the U.S.
East Coast
📍 Salem, Massachusetts
📅 Dates: October 1-31, 2025
Salem embraces its witch trial history year-round, but October is when things get truly spellbinding. The month-long Haunted Happenings festival takes over the town with parades, costume balls, seances, ghost tours, psychic readings, haunted houses, and more. You’ll see everything from people in full cosplay to kids trick-or-treating downtown. It’s part history lesson, part carnival, part spiritual awakening.
But be warned: Salem gets very busy in October—especially on weekends. The town draws an estimated half a million visitors during the month. Hotels often sell out by late summer, so it’s wise to book 3–6 months in advance if you want your pick of lodging. Some die-hard Halloween fans book a full year ahead.
Despite the crowds, Salem delivers a one-of-a-kind October experience. Learn the true history of the witch trials, explore the Salem Witch Museum, or pop into one of the many metaphysical shops for a tarot reading. The whole city transforms into a Halloween playground, and the energy is electric.
Official Source: Haunted Happenings
📍 Sleepy Hollow, New York
📅 Event dates vary from late September through October.
Like Salem, Sleepy Hollow attracts lots of visitors throughout October. Expect around 25,000 visitors on the peak weekends. It's recommended that you book accommodations 3-6 months in advance.
This historic village, immortalized by Washington Irving's tale, comes alive each October with a series of spine-tingling events. Experience haunted hayrides, cemetery tours, and Check out the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, which consists of over 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins illuminated at Van Cortlandt Manor. Other activities included haunted hayrides, cemetery tours, visiting Irving's estate, film festival, and more.
Official Source: Halloween in Sleepy Hollow Country
West Coast
📍 St. Helens, Oregon
📅 Dates: Mid-September through October 31 , 2025 (weekends)
If you grew up watching Disney Channel in the late '90s and early 2000s, you probably remember Halloweentown. What you might not know is that it was filmed in the real town of St. Helens, Oregon. Every October, the town fully embraces its spooky claim to fame (but in a family-friendly way).
The annual Spirit of Halloweentown Fesitval transforms the main plaza into a pumpkin-filled wonderland, complete with the giant jack-o'-lantern seen in the movie. Visitors can meet characters in costume, take haunted house tours, shop at the Halloween Market, enter costume contests, and even attend celebrity meet-and-greets from the Halloweentown cast and other spooky fandoms.
St. Helens is a small town, so the festival draws thousands of visitors every weekend. Hotels and Airbnbs in the area tend to book up quickly—especially for October weekends—so it’s smart to reserve lodging 3–5 months in advance. Day passes for premium events (like the haunted house or celebrity panels) also sell out, so check the schedule and book ahead online.
Official Source: Spirit of Halloweentown
Mountain West
📍 Manitou Springs, Colorado
📅 Dates: October 25, 2025
This quirky mountain town goes all out every October with its legendary Emma Crawford Coffin Races. Based on a local ghost story, teams build over-the-top “coffins,” dress in full costume, and race them down the main street while thousands of cheering spectators line the sidewalks. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and 100% Halloween.
Manitou Springs is a small town, and the Coffin Races draw over 12,000 visitors each year. Accommodations in and around town fill up quickly, so it's advisable to book your stay 3–6 months in advance.
Beyond the races, the town leans into its haunted reputation with ghost tours, historic hotels, and a generally eerie vibe thanks to its Victorian architecture and misty mountain setting. The downtown area is super walkable, filled with funky shops, local art, and natural mineral springs that add a mystical touch.
Official Source: Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Festival
The South
📍 New Orleans, Louisiana
📅 Event dates vary throughout October
Already known for its haunted history, voodoo legends, and above-ground cemeteries, the city dials it up in October.
Start with ghost tours through the French Quarter and Garden District. These aren't your average campfire stories—many of the buildings have real (and gruesome) backstories, and the tours are led by local experts who make the history feel alive...err dead?
Costume balls and spooky masquerades are big here, with events like the Vampire Ball drawing costumed guests from around the country. And the city’s biggest Halloween event, Krewe of Boo, is a family-friendly Halloween parade featuring giant floats, marching bands, and a whole lot of candy.
October is one of New Orleans' busiest months—especially around Halloween weekend. Hotels in the French Quarter often sell out by late summer, so aim to book 3–6 months in advance. Events like the Vampire Ball and Krewe of Boo parade attract thousands, so buy tickets early and expect packed streets at night.
Official Source: Halloween Events in New Orleans
Midwest
📍 Anoka, Minnesota
📅 Dates: Festival runs early October through Halloween, with key events scheduled for the final two weekends of the October.
This town has been celebrating Halloween for over a century and was officially named the Halloween Capital of the World by Congress in the 1930s.
Today, Anoka hosts a month-long festival filled with parades, house-decorating contests, a pumpkin weigh-off, cemetery tours, and family-friendly events. The town turns into a fall fairytale with scarecrows on every corner, orange lights strung up downtown, and neighbors going all-out with front yard displays.
Anoka draws tens of thousands of visitors throughout October, especially for the final parade weekend. Lodging in Anoka and nearby Minneapolis fills up quickly, so it’s smart to book 3–4 months in advance.
Most events are free or low-cost, making it a great destination for families.
Official Source: Halloween Capital
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