4 Awesome Cities to Visit for Halloween

Seriously spooky and fantastically fun!

Chills and thrills… the spooky season has arrived. And it brings a paranormal parade of other-worldly visitors: ghosts, vampires, and even a Headless Horseman. So gather up your courage, because our frightfully favorite cities to visit for Halloween offer up an irresistibly eerie good time!

Are you ready for some seriously scary excitement? Check out these cities for your share of supernatural fun.

• Denver, CO

  Want to combine Halloween fun with creepy thrills? With its lively, eclectic mix of family-friendly activities and eerie experiences, Denver is one of our favorite cities to visit for Halloween!

  Looking for scares? Denver is known for its haunted houses, many of which are internationally recognized for their terrifying contents. For the absolute biggest frights, visit the heart-stopping 13th Floor Haunted House.

  Or traipse through the city’s supposedly supernatural sites while you listen to chilling tales on a haunted history tour. But don’t blame us if you can’t sleep til Christmas!

  If nightmares aren’t your thing, check out Elitch Gardens. Every year, the amusement park transforms itself into “Fright Fest,” combining roller coasters, haunted houses, and “scare zones” for a creepy good time.

  Halloween Pro Tip: Sip a cold one through your mask! Denver’s breweries get into the Halloween fun with themed parties and special craft beer flavors.

• Key West, FL

  Okay, we admit, this one isn’t exactly scary unless you’re scared by extravagant costumes and themed pub crawls!

  But if you’ve never been to Halloween in Key West, you’re missing out! The island is known for raucous festivities, and Halloween is certainly no exception.

  The unconventional celebration known as Fantasy Fest lasts the entire week and is accompanied by lively parties, parades, and other events.

  One of the week’s can’t-miss events is the Masquerade March, where parade-goers in masks and costumes make their way down Duval Street. Key West’s most famous street is lined with bars, pubs, and clubs, creating a vibrant atmosphere that lasts far into the night—or morning.

  Halloween Pro Tip: Dress up! Costumes are the highlight of Fantasy Fest and many events offer impressive prizes.

• New Orleans, LA

  Is it any surprise that a city known for its ghost sightings is one of our favorite cities to visit for Halloween?

  The Big Easy has a rich cultural history that includes mystical connections to voodoo, witchcraft, and vampires. Visit voodoo shops, take an after-hours vampire or ghost tour, or scream your way through one of the city’s haunted houses to get your scary thrills!

  Another uniquely New Orleans Halloween experience is a cemetery tour. The city is known for above-ground tombs that are historic, eerie, and beautiful. We’ll let you guys decide whether or not it’s also haunted.

  Or just explore the city. The French Quarter’s nightly fun takes on a Halloween feel with magicians, fortune tellers, and other themed entertainers.

  Halloween Pro Tip: The city is known for its historic hotels and their paranormal activities. Book a stay at one of them… if you dare.

• Sleepy Hollow, NY

  Jack o’lanterns. Hayrides. A headless horseman. Sleepy Hollow has all of the Halloween elements for a chilling, thrilling good time!

  Immortalized by writer Washington Irving, the fantastic tale of Ichabod Crane’s fateful encounter with the Headless Horseman takes place in this quaint New York village. And to keep the legend alive, Sleepy Hollow celebrates the story—and the horseman—every Halloween.

  Explore the legend’s haunted locations, including the cemetery and Headless Horseman Bridge, on a hayride or ghost tour. For maximum frights, go at night… if you’re feeling extra brave, that is!

  For a slightly less spooky adventure, walk through the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, featuring more than 7,000 illuminated pumpkins, hand-carved by professional artists.

  Halloween Pro Tip: Be sure to catch a live performance of “Irving’s Legend,” a terrifying retelling of the story. It’s usually held at the Old Dutch Church, the purported haunt of the Headless Horseman himself.

Ready to get your scare on? These spooky cities to visit for Halloween provide a blend of unique experiences, local attractions, and a heaping dose of scream-inducing thrills.

The one thing that shouldn’t be scary? Your travels! Take the hassle out of flying by shipping your stuff to your haunted destination with LugLess. No lugging bags through the airport. No waiting at baggage claim. Leaving you more free time to entertain your ghostly guests!