Stephen Schreck a RoamRight Blog Author

Spookiest Places to Celebrate Halloween Around the US


Perhaps no other country in the world embraces Halloween like America. It is a day for ghouls and ghosts to stroll from house to house asking for candy while for others it is a time to huddle together while they creep through haunted houses and eerie hay bale mazes. 

America has no shortage of places to spend Halloween that will scare the candy corn out of you. It is a holiday that is more than just candy and scary movies. After all, there are some extremely spooky places to celebrate this spine-chilling holiday in America. Here are a few that take scary to a terrifying level.

Casper, Wyoming

During Halloween, Casper has a big celebration. However, the main reason Casper is one of the spookiest places to celebrate Halloween is is the numerous ghost sightings. According to the rumors, many buildings in the area are haunted. 

Ghost walk the hallways of everything from pubs to the local high schools. There is a good chance that your hotel or B & B room will also be haunted. That is, if you believe in such things.. 

One of the creepiest places is the famous Townsend Hotel, where the smell of freshly-brewed coffee fills the air of the abandoned floors; perhaps in the hopes of luring unaware visitors.

Salem, Massachusetts

With the tragic history of the Salem Witch Trials, it is easy to understand why it is home to one of the creepiest Halloween celebrations in America. For the entire month of October, the city is taken over by the Festival of the Dead. During the festival, psychics, mediums, and witches flood the town.  

They explore the mystery of death using their dark arts like fortune telling, talking to the dead, and voodoo ceremonies. There is nothing quite like this celebration, and it is hands down one of the spookiest Halloween experiences in America. 

Sleepy Hollow, New York

Famed as the unnerving setting for the well-known headless horseman ride, Sleepy Hollow has deep roots in Halloween. The town goes all out for this holiday with a month long festival known as simply "Sleepy Hollow Halloween." This creepy celebration has haunted hayrides, cemetery tours, street fairs, live music, and parades. 

However, there are two main highlights of this festival. The first is the Horseman’s Hollow, a creepy walk that includes ghouls, vampires, and undead all of which serve the terrifying headless horseman. The other highlight is the Great Jack o’ Lantern Blaze, which has over 10,000 hand-carved jack o' lanterns displayed in elaborate designs like dragons and giant spider webs.

Terror Behind the Walls, Pennsylvania 

At one time Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia was the biggest prison in the world. Today, behind the crumbling castle walls, is the largest and scariest haunted house in America. Imagine walking through a massive prison at night making your way through places like Blood Yard as you slowly creep through the jail for almost an hour. 

Terror Behind the Walls is so scary that publications like the New York Times and Forbes have called it one of the scariest Halloween attractions in America. 

Bennett’s Curse, Maryland

Bennett’s Curse is another one of the scariest haunted houses in America. During fall, over 40,000 square feet of Baltimore are transformed into this incredibly chilling attraction. Bennett’s Curse uses movie quality props, sets, and the latest technology. 

This gives Bennett’s Curse a disturbing atmosphere definitely will raise the hair on its visitors. Beware: Bennett’s Curse will take your fear of clowns to the next level.

The Queen Mary 

Who would think of a ship as one of the spookiest places to celebrate Halloween? People who don’t believe that have obviously never visited Dark Harbor in Long Beach, California. 

Making your way through the four mazes on this massive ship is utterly petrifying. Over 200 monsters and spirits roam the decks looking to give you the scare of your life. 

The Queen Mary is an unforgettable spooky adventure and Time Magazine named it as one of the top ten most haunted places.  

America has some of the best Halloween festivals, attractions, and terrifying events in the world. These spooky places include everything from haunted houses to headless horsemen and guarantee to curdle your blood and make you scream and give you the terrifying thrill that you seek on Halloween.

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About the Author

Stephen Schreck

Stephen Schreck, a RoamRight Blog Author Stephen Schreck is a world traveler, nomad, and adventure backpacker. Knowing a life of aimlessly wandering the globe in search of adventures was the only life for him he set out to make his dream his reality. Currently he is trying to conquer his fears and tackle his bucket list. Follow Stephen's adventures at A Backpacker's Tale or on social media on TwitterFacebookPinterest, and Instagram.

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