10 States with Spooky Halloween Experiences

This week we ranked the best states and the best cities in that state for a spooky Halloween themed time. Each city has its own unique relationship to the holiday. Many states have small town spooky stories that have been passed down for generations.

The criteria we used this week to rank the state fruits is as follows:

• History within the state that hosts Halloween events

• Family and children events

• The aesthetic Halloween feelings

1. St. Helens, Oregon

• The historic town of St. Helens celebrates Halloween all October long with haunted tours, costume contests, celebrity appearances and more. The Spirit of Halloweentown, a fun, family-friendly celebration of the spookiest holiday around remembers the filming site of the unforgettable Halloweentown.

2. Sleepy Hollow, New York

• Halloween in Sleepy Hollow has something for everyone. From haunted hayrides, Gothic mansions, blazing pumpkins, farmers markets, live music all the way to street fairs and the famous Halloween 10K run to Halloween parade. Of course we can’t forget the legend of the Headless Horseman!

3. Salem, Massachusetts

• In 1982, the Salem Chamber of Commerce and the Salem Witch Museum planned the first Salem Haunted Happenings Festival during Halloween weekend. With about 50,000 guests in attendance in its first year, the annual event continued to grow each season, drawing everyone from families, couples, history buffs, and Halloween enthusiasts worldwide.

4. New Orleans, Louisiana

• Second only to Mardi Gras for its dazzling display of fun and finery, Halloween in New Orleans draws thousands to the Quarter for spooky fun while vampires, zombies, ghosts, goblins, and everything else parade up and down Frenchmen Street displaying the city’s legendary wit and creativity in their carefully crafted costumes.

5. Anoke, Minnesota

• Anoka, Minnesota is believed to be the first city in the United States to put on a Halloween celebration to divert its youngsters from Halloween pranks. When Anokans awoke to find their cows roaming Main Street, windows soaped and outhouses tipped over, they decided something had to be done. But what? In 1920, a costume parade and block party seemed like the perfect trick! Since then, it has continued for generations.

6. Orlando, Florida

• In Orlando, Halloween isn’t just one night. Starting as early as August and stretching into November, Orlando “Halloween Vacation Capital” hosts world-famous Halloween events spanning multiple spook-tacular months, from friendly, all-ages chills to extreme thrills for adults and teens.

7. Las Vegas, Nevada

• Las Vegas loves Halloween. Halloween events in Las Vegas start on October 1st and carry on through the entire month of October. There are Halloween events in Las Vegas for everyone of every age. In past years they have had more than 150 events to celebrate the spooky season.

8. Los Angeles, California

• With spectacular productions and heart-stopping scares, Los Angeles is truly the entertainment capital of the world on Halloween. Read on for our guide to the best Halloween events and attractions across LA.

9. Savannah, Georgia

• With an abundance of haunted Savannah tours, cemeteries, historic buildings, and haunted houses to choose from, you’re sure to get your fair share of phantasms. Hop in a real funeral parlor hearse for a unique way to tour the city, scope out spirits with a guided Savannah ghost tour, or grab a bite to eat at one of Savannah’s famously-haunted joints.

10. Dallas, Texas

• Haunted houses, scary movies and trick-or-treating. Take your pick! Halloween kicks off the holiday season in style! Put on your costume of choice and head out with the family for a night of spooks and thrills.