The 15 Coolest Places to Celebrate Halloween Across the United States

Travelers can expect horrors inspired by the 1980s at Universal Orlando Resort's annual Halloween Horror Nights, a separate-ticketed experience taking place on select nights from Sept. 14 through Nov. 3. This year's edition will feature a haunted house based on Netflix's megahit Stranger Things. Central to all major haunted happenings, Hilton Orlando, the newest Universal partner hotel, features its own "Room with a Boo" package complete with daily breakfast, premium WiFi, and late checkout for the creatures of the night.

Los Angeles turns into a Halloween wonderland throughout late September and October with spooky events for everyone leading up to Halloween, whether you're interested in thrilling rides or haunted houses. Don't miss Los Angeles's Haunted Hay Ride, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Traveling with kids? Head to the annual Halloween Party for Downtown LA Kids with bounce houses, puppet shows, and faux trick-or-treat-doors.

Home to haunted graveyards filled with fallen soldiers from the Civil War and stories from America's old frontier, Bristol offers travelers access to spooky activities. Visitors can go on an Appalachian Ghost Walk, a thrilling night tour throughout the town's oldest streets, and take part in Bristol's annual family-friendly Pumpkin Palooza, which includes a spooky costume contest and pumpkin carving for all ages.

When it comes to Halloween, New Orleans is a city that few others can rival. The Krewe of Boo, the official New Orleans Halloween parade since its inception in 2007, features 3D papier maché and fiberglass props that mimic all of Halloween's spooky creatures to frighten and excite the crowds. Located steps from the festivities, travelers can stay at Hilton New Orleans Riverside and enjoy proximity to the parade, sip on themed cocktails at Public Belt like the Spell Caster and Candy Apple Crush, and get insider tips from the hotel's resident Spookmaster concierge including local ghost tours and haunted houses.

This Halloween, venture to Fort Worth, TX, and go to Cutting Edge Haunted House for scares and screams. Visitors can become a ghost hunter and go on a 90-minute walking Stockyard's Ghost Tour though the historic Fort Worth Stockyard. Hear stories of paranormal activity and visit haunted places along the way, including Miss Molly's B&B — Fort Worth's oldest B&B and one of the city's most haunted properties.

The Finger Lakes region of central New York is known for interactive experiences, pumpkin patches, and spooky spots that travelers can book just in time for Halloween. At the Inns of Aurora, private groups of 14-20 guests are invited to partake in a thrilling three-hour guided murder mystery followed by a three-course dinner with beer and wine pairings and overnight accommodations.

Get spooked with a visit to the haunted Southern city where the 2018 reboot of the famed iconic slasher film Halloween was filmed. Travelers can enjoy captivating tales of notorious ghosts while walking through Charleston's oldest graveyard after dark, go deep into the cells of the Old City Jail, and bike ride through the Holy City's downtown historic district where the actual movie filming took place. Guests staying at the only waterfront property in the city's downtown Historic District can embark on a spooky journey through the storied waters of the Charleston harbor with the HarbourView Inn's Harbor and Hauntings Package.

On Oct. 24, Chicago's Halloween Gathering features a parade filled with large-scale spectacle, tarot card readings, acrobatics, music, and a DJ dance party along the Chicago Cultural Mile in the downtown Loop. Located directly across from Hilton Chicago, Millennium Park and Grant Park come alive with performances during the festival, as well as face painting, mask-making workshops, ghost stories, and interactive activities for all ages.

The Black Hills of South Dakota are a top destination for the season, with everything from Halloween night hikes to cemetery sights. The historic Hotel Alex Johnson has long been known as one of the most haunted hotels in the country, and its guests can even book a Ghost Adventure Package. Throughout October, travelers can participate in Paranormal Investigation Tours of the historic Adams House in Deadwood, which is led by professional paranormal researchers.

Imagine a place where you can meet wizards, witches, the luminaries of great myths and legends, and superheroes all at the same time. Imagination becomes reality in Providence at the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular taking place Oct. 4 through Nov. 4. Guests can enjoy more than 5,000 intricately carved pumpkins that illustrate the most beloved characters from literary favorites and comic-book classics and even historical figures.

Georgia's First City, Savannah, offers 40-plus ghost tours in the Historic District that touch on why this Southern city is a hub for haunted spirits. On Savannah's Historic Grave Encounters Tour, visitors learn the spooky side of the city. The Fairfield Inn & Suites Savannah Downtown/Historic District is an affordable option that boasts a prime location, perfect for a Halloween weekend getaway.

This year's Reno Zombie Crawl starts on Oct. 20 and features more than 20,000 participants and more than 50 participating bars. Visitors from all over the world dress up in their back-from-the-dead costumes to enjoy drink specials and parties all around downtown Reno. Stay in the heart of the action at the Eldorado Resort, home to a nightclub that hosts an epic Halloween party of its own. The area's gorgeous Fall foliage and views of the Sierra Nevadas set the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable Halloweekend.

Halloween takes over Honolulu, from Waikiki Beach to the island's historic Chinatown Arts District. Visitors and kama'aina fill the streets in their best costumes to celebrate the spooky holiday. Head over to Chinatown for the not-to-miss annual Hallowbaloo Music + Arts Festival on Oct. 27. The island's largest celebration transforms the historic downtown into a party of music, craft beer, culinary delights, and local art. Be sure to make your way down to Kalakaua Avenue on Waikiki Beach for the costume parade before stopping at The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club for a special pride-filled Halloween pool party at the property's Swim Club.

Marietta, along the state's southeast corner bordering West Virginia, is an underrated Halloween hot spot with one of the area's most notoriously haunted hotels, the Lafayette Hotel. Guests can book the Ghost Hunters Package for a walking tour of historic and haunted downtown Marietta. Nearby is the Haunted Mansfield, home to the Ohio State Reformatory, where much of The Shawshank Redemption was filmed. Better yet, there is a whole trail dedicated to it.

What better destination to celebrate Halloween than the city that never sleeps? Locals and New Yorkers alike love to enjoy Halloween on the Hudson hosted by Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises. This festive cruise includes a Halloween DJ cruise on Saturday, Oct. 27, in honor of the holiday. Guests are encouraged to show up in costume and enjoy breathtaking views of New York City's skyline while they listen to spooky and classic tunes.