Ghosts, Ghouls & Getaways: The Best Halloween Tours & Attractions Across the U.S.

Written By Kara Alley

When the leaves crunch underfoot and the night air turns crisp, America transforms into a land of haunted whispers, glowing pumpkins, and thrilling scares.
Whether you’re traveling with kids for a friendly pumpkin stroll or searching for bone-chilling experiences best left to the brave, these destinations will satisfy your spooky-season wanderlust.

🗺 East Coast Haunts

Family-Friendly

  • Salem, Massachusetts – Witch Trials & Bewitching Tours
    Step into history under gaslit streets, meet costumed interpreters, and explore the Salem Witch Museum. Many tours keep the scares light for younger visitors while diving deep into this coastal town’s haunted past.

  • St. Augustine, Florida – Ghost Town Trolley
    Climb aboard an open-air trolley to explore colonial forts, ancient cemeteries, and the eerie St. Augustine Lighthouse, all accompanied by ghostly legends.

Adults-Only

  • Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, PA – Terror Behind the Walls
    Once the most expensive prison in the world, this fortress now becomes an immersive haunted experience filled with chilling effects and jump scares in pitch darkness.

  • New York City – Greenwich Village Ghost Tour
    Wander past haunted brownstones and historic taverns while hearing bone-chilling tales of restless spirits.

🌴 Southern Shadows

Family-Friendly

  • Savannah, Georgia – Haunted Trolley & Historic Squares
    Ride through moss-draped streets as storytellers share ghost lore, pirate tales, and Civil War history.

  • Mount Dora, Florida – Ghost Walk with a Theatrical Twist
    Lantern-lit streets, Victorian-costumed guides, and marionette theater make this ghost tour whimsical and family-friendly.

Adults-Only

  • New Orleans, Louisiana – Voodoo, Vampires & Haunted Pubs
    Explore the French Quarter’s shadowy alleys and cemeteries on tours steeped in voodoo rituals, infamous crimes, and supernatural legends—many with haunted bar stops.

  • Haunted Lighthouses of the South
    Night climbs and ghost stories at coastal icons like the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Hilton Head’s “Blue Lady” keep the chills close to the shoreline.

⛰ Mountain Mysteries

Family-Friendly

  • Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, CO – Day Tours
    Famous for inspiring The Shining, daytime tours share ghost lore without too many frights for younger guests.

  • Alton, Illinois – Historic Hauntings by Day
    Gentle walking tours explore this small river town’s spooky legends.

Adults-Only

  • Stanley Hotel Night Tours – Paranormal Investigations
    Ghost-hunting equipment in hand, explore the hotel’s most haunted corners after dark.

  • Pennhurst Asylum, Pennsylvania – Haunted Attractions
    Navigate dark corridors and high-intensity scares in this former institution.

🌅 West Coast Whispers

Family-Friendly

  • Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, CA – Mansion of Mystery
    This bizarre mansion, with staircases to nowhere and hidden doors, offers daylight tours perfect for curious minds.

  • Los Angeles Haunted Hayride – Family Nights
    Vintage carnival vibes, toned-down scares, and glowing pumpkin tunnels.

Adults-Only

  • Knott’s Scary Farm, Buena Park, CA – Theme Park of Nightmares
    Haunted mazes, scare zones, and live horror shows in the largest Halloween event of its kind.

  • Thrillvania, Terrell, TX – 50 Acres of Terror
    Film-quality sets, pyrotechnics, and in-your-face scares—not for the faint-hearted.

🎢 Theme Park Frights & Festivities

By day, these parks are perfect for pumpkin-patch selfies and trick-or-treat trails. By night, they transform into fear factories.

East Coast

  • Halloween Horror Nights – Universal Orlando Resort (FL)
    Movie-quality haunted houses and scare zones based on iconic horror franchises.

  • Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – Magic Kingdom (FL)
    Disney Villains stage shows, candy trails, and family-friendly fireworks.

Southern Spots

  • Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream – Tampa, FL & Williamsburg, VA
    Haunted houses, thrill rides in the dark, and scare zones—best for teens and adults.

  • Dollywood’s Great Pumpkin LumiNights – Pigeon Forge, TN
    Thousands of glowing pumpkins and harvest festivities.

Mountain Mysteries

  • Elitch Gardens Fright Fest – Denver, CO
    Trick-or-treat trails for kids and haunted houses for older visitors.

  • Lagoon’s Frightmares – Farmington, UT
    A mix of haunted attractions and family fun.

West Coast

  • Knott’s Scary Farm – Buena Park, CA
    Immersive mazes, scare actors, and atmospheric storytelling.

  • Disneyland’s Oogie Boogie Bash – Anaheim, CA
    Villain encounters, treat trails, and dazzling projections.

  • Universal Studios Hollywood – Halloween Horror Nights (CA)
    Film-set haunted houses with intense scares.

  • Six Flags Fright Fest – Multiple Locations
    Roller coasters in the dark, roaming zombies, and themed mazes.

🏛 History Meets Hauntings

For travelers who love their scares wrapped in centuries-old legends, these spots offer rich storytelling alongside the supernatural:

  • Salem, MA – Witch trial history meets eerie ghost tours.

  • Eastern State Penitentiary, PA – A Gothic fortress with a chilling past.

  • Savannah, GA – Civil War hospitals, pirate lore, and haunted mansions.

  • New Orleans, LA – Voodoo queens, haunted cemeteries, and true crime.

  • Winchester Mystery House, CA – Built to confuse spirits after tragedy struck.

✨ Final Tips for Your Spooky Getaway

  • Book early – The most popular tours and events sell out weeks ahead.

  • Check the scare rating – Many attractions offer both family-friendly and adults-only versions.

  • Dress for the weather – October nights can be chilly even in the South.

  • Plan a theme – Combine a historical tour by day with a haunted attraction by night for the full experience.

Which will you choose this Halloween—family-friendly pumpkins or a plunge into pitch-black terror?
Either way, these destinations promise to keep your spooky season unforgettable.

Kara Alley
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