Best Places to Celebrate Halloween Weekend

Beginning around now, we see autumn-toned decor, cozy fall clothing, and pumpkin spice flavored everything for sale in local retail stores. Americans love autumn, and most of us especially love Halloween! Whether haunted hay rides, pumpkin contests, harvest festivals, or costume balls, communities across the country celebrate in October. Have you ever wondered where the best places to celebrate Halloween weekend might be? We’ve got you covered! Let’s take a deep dive into the best spooky spots to bring your family, friends, or true love to enjoy this Halloween weekend this year.

Mount Hood Territory, Oregon

Gorgeous Mount Hood Territory in the State of Oregon is full of beautiful scenery, wildlife,flowers, mountain views, and opportunities for nature adventuring. It is also one of the best places to celebrate Halloween! Whether you are traveling with kids or adults, friends or a romantic partner, you’ll be sure to find seasonal fun and delicious, fresh flavors.

Check out the Halloween Fantasy Trail at Wenzel Farm to walk a fairy light-lit trail lined with magical pumpkins and spooky sights. Visit the Haunted Farm at Eagle Creek for a creepy theatrical performance you won’t forget. Or, try one of the frightful, historical Northwest Ghost Tours in Oregon City. Do you like scary movies? Timberline Lodge, the hotel featured in the cult horror classic, The Shining, features Halloween weekend packages, complete with seasonal celebrations as well as a community showing of the film on Halloween weekend!

Before you plan your unforgettable Halloween adventure, be sure to get your Free Mount Hood Travel Guide here.

Pennsylvania

Columbia and Montour Counties in East Central Pennsylvania feature gorgeous State Parks, wetlands, and preserves. You can ride the oldest Rails-to-Trails project path in the country, Robbins Trail, or explore the historic Susquehanna River heritage area. Fall in this region is afire with glorious leaf color. You will love the stunning fall backdrop, which is great for photos that pop on social media!

These counties know how to do Halloween right! You’ll have a multitude of trick-or-treat nights and Halloween-themed festivals to choose from. Consider ElysburgsHallo-Fun Weekend, offered by Knoebels Amusement Resort. Rides, games, live entertainment, and a seasonal fall food menu are at your disposal every weekend in October. Orangeville also hosts a fantastic Scarecrow Decorating Contest. Bloomsburg University’s Annual Halloween 5K is a great holiday option for fitness lovers. If you are an adult who prefers nightlife, check out the Halloween 80s party at Brewsburg.

Historic Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Luzerne County is a beautiful vacation area for those who love golfing, fine dining, nature trails, or amusement park fun. It’s also a great Halloween destination for those who love haunted histories and a classic, fall landscape. Halloween weekend is the perfect time to visit. Remember your camera or phone for capturing the autumn landscapes.

Want to be entertained? Gravestone Manor combines theatrics and traditional haunted house approaches for a terrifying event, suitable for ages 8 and up. Hunt down haunted historic sites, participate in one of the county’s many family-friendly trunk-or-treat fests, or check out local farms to pick your own pumpkin or taste local fall farm treats.

Get your Pennsylvania Travel Guides Free here to plan your Pennsylvania holiday weekend!

Cody, Wyoming

Cody, Wyoming, the “gateway to Yellowstone National Park,” is rich in American history. Founded by Buffalo Bill Cody in 1896, it continues to honor iconic Western traditions to date- including rodeos, ranches, rustic cowboy towns, and scenic byways. Access to the unmatched beauty of Yellowstone’s wilderness adds to the area’s appeal. Cody also makes a fantastic backdrop for a fun and spooky Halloween weekend getaway!

Every October 31st, the quaint Western downtown closes off roads for an annual Halloween Carnival. This adorable family-friendly event includes games, photo booths, costume awards, and an annual cookie walk. Other regional Halloween weekend traditions include the local Eagles Haunted House of Nightmares (which benefits kidney and diabetes charities), a Halloween Fun Skate at the Riley Skating Arena, and Family Fun Day at the infamous Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

Be sure to collect your free Cody, Wyoming Free Travel Guide here before you plan your Halloween escape to the land of the cowboys and cowgirls!

Manhattan, Kansas

A Halloween weekend in the quaint town of Manhattan, Kansas is full of spooky sights, sounds, colors, and plenty of entertainment. Get ready for ghost tours, a Halloween pub crawl, haunted houses, hayrides, and trick-or-treating. Need more? Locked Manhattan offers Halloween-themed escape rooms. A&H is a wonderful, family-friendly pumpkin farm, full of seasonal activities and harvest treats. Children and adults alike will love navigating corn mazes, taking pumpkin patch hay rides, milking a cow, taking a train ride through the farm, or feeding cute animals at the petting zoo.

If you are traveling with a furry friend or are an animal lover, note that the T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter celebrates with a Howl and Prowl at Wefald Pavilion. You can also enjoy the Sunset Zoo on Halloween weekend, which hosts a sensory-friendly SPOOKtacular festival. Local higher education institutions even get in on the Halloween fun in Kansas… The Kansas State University Homecoming Parade kicks off on Halloween weekend. Manhattan Area Technical College also hosts a Halloween carnival with games, rides, delicious foods, and live entertainment. Be sure to add your Manhattan, Kansas Free Travel Guide to your suitcase as you prepare for your trip!

Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro is a unique travel destination in that it provides access to urban sophistication, small-town charm, and rural beauty, all in one. If you are planning a Halloween weekend excursion, this may be one of the best destinations. Kids will love the family events, and adults can easily find exciting nightlife. Greensboro takes Halloween seriously! You’ll find plenty of delight in this region during late October.

For a unique experience, look up the Organ Spooktacular for some haunting, live organ music. For something more thrilling, Ashby College’s Dr. Frankenstein’s House of Horrors or the annual community Monster Mash are wonderful Halloween celebrations you will not want to miss. Consider the community Goulash Halloween Festival, with food trucks, a costume contest, vendors, music, a haunted house, and games for kids of all ages.

Do you love the thrill of being scared? Featured on MSN and Buzzfeed, the legendary and terrifying Woods of Terror could be one of the most terrifying Halloween events in the country! It features over sixteen attractions as well as plenty of seasonal food and amusements. If you stick around in Greensboro until the days after Halloween, you can experience a Halloween Smash at the local marina. Pick up a slingshot or sledgehammer for an adrenaline rush–without guilt about the mess, since the pumpkin remnants are composted later! Grab our Greensboro Free Travel Guide for tips on planning a fantastic Halloween weekend that you and yours won’t forget.

Westchester County, New York

In the gorgeous Hudson Valley, just a half hour from the Big Apple, Westchester County is brimming with Halloween fairs, farms, festivals, foods, and other creative seasonal events. The area is known for a fantastic array of lodging and dining options. Imagine indulging in some of the best food in the world along a beautiful waterfront.

The original Sleepy Hollow, of haunted fame, is in this region! You can learn about the Legend of Sleepy Hollow as you tour Washington Irving’s historic home in nearby Irving, New York. Catch a performance of the classic Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Sleepy Hollow, New York itself. If you like to dress up, you might want to attend the annual White Plains Zombie Walk, where you can get free gruesome makeup before joining the grim promenade. Explore the historic hauntings of an early American theater at the Ghost Tour of Tarrytown Music Town. Grab some tickets to the award-winning Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze to see thousands of hand-carved, glowing pumpkins. Or, enjoy Spooktoberfest in Hartsdale, a community festival with hay rides, petting zoos, musicians, clowns, magic shows, treats, an obstacle course and much more.

For adults, the area is full of delicious, locally brewed, seasonal ciders and beers. The Halloween weekend options in Westchester are simply too numerous to count. Whether you want a romantic dinner date full of culinary delights, a night out on the town, or a bright, celebratory event that your children will marvel at, you will find it in Westchester. Get your Free Westchester Travel Guide today, and start prepping for an unforgettable Halloween weekend excursion!

Make Halloween 2023 One to Remember

Halloween conjures up childhood memories for adults, and is a magical time for kids. It can be a unique opportunity to get creative, silly, expressive, and fun, before winter sets in. Planning an escape for the holiday weekend may be just what you need to unwind this fall. Luckily, America is full of places to make it a weekend to remember. Start planning your Halloween fun today.