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With summer behind us and October starting tomorrow, we’re that much closer to Halloween. For fans of all things spooky and eerie, the holiday isn’t just one night of trick-or-treating, it’s a whole season of fright and fun. Some places go all out and get into the spirit of Halloween with haunted adventures, events and activities, from family-friendly to downright frightening.
These are the best travel destinations in the U.S. for Halloween lovers:
- Salem, Massachusetts - It’s basically the Halloween capital of the country and not just because it was the site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The New England city hosts one of the biggest Halloween celebrations, the annual Haunted Happenings Festival, packed with haunted houses, witchcraft ceremonies, ghost tours, costume parties, and parades. And no visit would be complete without a visit to the Salem Witch Museum.
- Sleepy Hollow, New York - This must-visit Halloween destination was made famous by Washington Irving’s story and embraces its haunted history each October. Visitors can see a reenactment of the Headless Horseman, the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze with more than 7-thousand hand-carved pumpkins, take an evening tour of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and enjoy haunted hayrides and more.
- New Orleans, Louisiana - With its supernatural roots and connection to voodoo, Halloween festivities in the city’s French Quarter are like nowhere else. Visitors can take in New Orleans’ official Halloween parade, the Krewe of Boo, go on haunted tours, observe a voodoo ritual and get immersed in the Mortuary Haunted House, said to be one of the scariest in the country.
- Anoka, Minnesota - This small town has been celebrating the holiday since the 1920s and their annual Halloween festival lasts several weeks, and includes a massive bonfire.
- Savannah, Georgia - Considered one of the most haunted U.S. cities, it offers a variety of ghost tours and during Halloween, they also host Candlelight Cemetery Tours.
Read the full article at Forbes