The Best Places to go for Halloween around the World

With Halloween fast approaching, you might be starting to think about where to spend this spooky period. October is the perfect month for traveling and seeing a place completely transform for Halloween is magical. Every place celebrates Halloween in a different way but I was looking for the creepiest cities, scariest places and most haunted buildings that are open to the public during this time. So I asked a few blogger friends for their recommendations and compiled this list of the best places to go for Halloween around the world.

Eyam Plague Village

Eyam is a small village located within the peak district in Derbyshire, UK. Whilst it may look like a picturesque village from the outside, it actually has a dark history which makes it an interesting place to visit over the Halloween season.

Eyam is known locally as the plague village due to the black death which ravaged the village in the 1660s. Whilst it was widespread during that time, the difference is that when the people of Eyam village got infected they made the ultimate sacrifice to quarantine the entire village to stop the disease spreading to nearby towns and cities. Knowing that it would mean certain death for themselves, the villagers agreed to live in solitude and it resulted in over a third of the local population being wiped out down to the plague.

To receive food and supplies, a nearby well and several boundary stones were used as drop off locations. Coins were left in holes carved into the rock and filled with vinegar to disinfect them from the disease for people from nearby towns and villages to collect in exchange for supplies needed. The newly appointed Rector of the village church who was very unpopular at the time worked together with the previous rector to convince the villagers to agree to his plan as he felt it was his duty to prevent the spread. Overall, this plan was very successful however it came at a great cost to the village of Eyam with many being forced to bury their own families. There is a great sadness in the village which can still be felt to this day although the village is now thriving once again.

If you visit Eyam nowadays, there is a plague museum you can visit as well as some of the historical places used during that period. The houses where the plague first struck are still standing and are said to be haunted by several ghosts, you can visit the well and boundary stone used as transfer locations and the Riley graveyard where Elizabeth Hancock was forced to bury her husband and 6 children within the space of a week.

As you can imagine, with all the deaths that occurred here, Eyam is supposedly one of the most haunted places in the UK and ghost tours run regularly making it the perfect place to visit for Halloween. Spirits have been seen at the Plague Cottages, Eyam Hall and The Miner’s Arms pub.

FEAR Scream Park at Avon Valley

One of my favourite places to visit for Halloween – and something that few people know about outside of the city – is the FEAR Scream Park at Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park in Bristol, England.

It’s currently in its sixth year and is a little like Fright Night at Thorpe Park – although with a MUCH cheaper entrance fee. You can choose from standard or VIP entry; the latter offering unlimited entry to the mazes, a skip the queue fast track pass and entry into the VIP area, which provides you with free snacks and drinks throughout the night.

FEAR’s live action mazes are the focus of the whole experience, which will see you shrieking, screaming and cowering as actors and props jump out at you. The great thing is that the plots and storylines of the mazes develop and get better with each year, so you’ll never know what to expect even if you’ve been before.

Alongside the mazes, you can expect to see creepy street theatre performances, roaring pyrotechnic displays, scary stage shows, fun fairground rides and a number of food and drink stalls.

FEAR usually runs for around two weeks every year in the run up to Halloween; advance booking is recommended especially if you want to go there on a weekend or on Halloween itself.

If you’re in the area and still struggling with ideas of what to do to celebrate Halloween in seriously spooktastic style, then FEAR at Avon Valley has just got to be on your Bristol bucket list!

Justine from Wanderers of the World

Warwick Castle

If you’re looking for a fantastic day out this Halloween, then Warwick Castle in Warwickshire, England offers a truly spooky experience for all.

Their Haunted Castle event is packed full of spooky shows, scary activities and frightful entertainment suitable for both adults and children.

For the families, the Haunted Hallows will entertain the children with creepy characters greeting you as you walk through the trail, dodging the cobwebs and skeletons.

Visit the Witches Tower for a frightful show requiring audience participation (from the children of course).

You can’t visit Warwick Castle without taking a castle tour. As well as learning interesting facts about the castle’s history, you’ll also hear about the resident ghosts and their treacherous pasts.

There are plenty of other activities scheduled throughout the day including ‘The Mighty Trebuchet’, a fantastic show that demonstrates the real-life giant catapult in action.

Don’t miss out on the ‘Flight of the Eagles’, as you witness these giant birds soar and swoop from tower to tower.

For adults only, the dungeons are certainly not for the faint-hearted with terrifying characters and audience participation. You’ll be taken back in time and through several rooms as you learn about the Black Death, torture and revenge of the witches!

And if the dungeons don’t terrify you enough, then why not try out one the scare mazes. As you make your way through the different themed rooms, be prepared as the horrifying characters jump out from the darkness and whatever you do, don’t be the person at the back!

The spooky entertainment continues into the evening with fire shows and fire jousting suitable the whole family. Why not turn it into a two-day break and book to stay in a cosy lodge in the Knights Village – book tickets online.

Warwick Castle really is a fantastic place to visit at Halloween with fun, low-level fear activities for the younger visitors and terrifying encounters for those who enjoy extreme levels of fear!

Gemma from Families Can Travel

Whitby Abbey

Whitby Abbey is located in Whitby, on the North Yorkshire Coast. It is the inspiration for the Dracula novel and the place where the Count first arrived in England in the story. If you visit Whitby on an overcast day, you will understand why it inspired such a dark novel as the imposing ruins peer over the coastal town. The town of Whitby is said to be home to at least 12 spirits as well as several other mythical creatures such as a large demon dog and ghost tours run regularly. During Halloween, the Abbey is illuminated and visitors can enter in the dark to hear chilling stories of witches, Dracula and the ghosts who haunt the grounds.

Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire

Said to be one of the most haunted buildings in England and topping the list of English Heritage’s spookiest sites is Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire. The Castle has a long and dark history beginning when a Norman Castle was built upon an ancient burial ground overlooking the Satanic Capital of Britain. That castle changed owners many times and was fought over several times before being abandoned in the 1500s. The current buildings at Bolsover Castle were built in the 1600s by Sir Charles Cavendish on the ruins of this original castle as a country home for relaxing and hosting rich guests.

Many of the castle’s staff members have reported strange goings on after hours and even some of the visitors during the day time are said to have seen things while going around the castle. Doors slam, objects move and strange noises which sounds like screams or a woman crying have often been heard. A woman dressed in grey has been seen walking through the grounds and a young boy is said to grab female visitors hands as they walk through the garden only for him to suddenly vanish. Over Halloween, the castle is opened up for guests to explore after dark and fright night events take place where live actors relive the stories of the castle.

Nottingham

Nottingham is the perfect place to visit at Halloween as there is so much to do here at this time. It is located fairly central in England and has great public transport links so it is very easy to get to from anywhere in the country. From the week before Halloween night, the old market square is decorated for the season and there are several attractions to visit. Buy a spooky treat from the market stalls, try a witches brew in the themed bar or if you’re feeling brave visit the Horror Hotel, a live-action scare maze.

There are also plenty of other places in Nottingham that are perfect for visiting over the Halloween period. The Galleries of Justice were voted the most haunted building in the UK and run regular ghost tours including one with the Alchemist Bar which mixes cocktails with an evening walk through the 500 year old gaol and courtroom. City of Caves runs a ghost tour underneath the city, exploring some of the labyrinth of caves that run below the streets and their dark history. The Original Nottingham Ghost Walk runs ghost tours around the city centre from Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem every week but has a special tour at Halloween and there are several other companies running similar tours too. Nottingham is even home to a haunted museum full of oddities from around the world!

Glasgow Necropolis

On top of a hill in Glasgow sits a hauntingly beautiful Victorian cemetery. Inspired by the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, The Glasgow Necropolis is decorated with monuments and tombs designed by architects renowned for creating beautiful monuments in Greece.

Known for being The City of The Dead, the graveyard is the burial place of over 50,000 people. As you walk down the path between graves, each tomb and mausoleum tell a different story. Some tombstones are covered in moss, too weathered to read, while others are clear monuments to the people who lie deep below them.

The Glasgow Necropolis is known for its spooky stories and haunted happenings, like those involving the sinister poltergeist who lives in Edinburgh’s haunted Greyfriars Kirkyard.

When the fog rolls in, the Necropolis turns into a deeply eerie place. People claim they’ve seen a ghostly woman in white passing through the gravestones, almost as if they weren’t there.

Many say they often hear whispers when walking through the graveyard alone. Some even claim to have seen statues on gravestones turning their heads to watch them as they walked by.

While these stories might send a chill down your spine, there’s one tale that’s even more frightening. The legend of The Gorbals Vampire is an urban myth about a monster with razor-sharp metal teeth who eats children.

Fear swept across Glasgow, following the murder of two young schoolboys in the late 1950s. During this time, schoolchildren took to the streets, armed with weapons like knives and wooden sticks in search of the monster who took their friends’ lives. They marched around the necropolis, certain they’d find the vampire responsible.

The Glasgow Necropolis is open on Halloween. When you visit, be sure to stay alert as you never know what could be lingering beyond the tombstones.

Crystal from Wandering Crystal

Greyfriar’s Graveyard, Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a fantastic place to visit at Halloween. The medieval city is full of underground vaults home to ghouls and ghosts. Yet one particularly haunted place in Edinburgh is Greyfriar’s Kirkyard.

Greyfriar’s kirkyard is a very grand graveyard. One person to be buried there was a gentleman called George Mackenzie. He was a prominent yet particularly cruel lawyer who was known for his religious persecution. It is said that he still lingers in his black mausoleum. Yet he lay silently until one fateful night in 1992.

One rainy night, a homeless man was in need of shelter. He broke into Mackenzie’s tomb vandalising as he went. The next part of the story truly is the stuff of horror films.

The floor of the tomb swallowed him up. He fell into the chamber below. The chamber was full of rotting corpses. Apparently, the damp hole had somewhat conserved the bodies and they had not yet fully decomposed. The stench of rotting flesh and site of gruesome bodies spooked the vagabond so he fled screaming into the stormy night and has never been heard of again.

This is what is said to have awoken the poltergeist. Since then visitors have reported being scratched or having strange bruises after visiting the site. Women have reported having their hair tugged around the site. Two exorcisms have been attempted though one of the priests consequently died a few weeks after the unsuccessful ritual.

You can wander around the graveyard for free but to enter the tomb you must join a ghost tour. These ghost tours take place at night making this the perfect Halloween activity!

Would you dare to visit the black mausoleum in Greyfriar’s kirkyard in Edinburgh?

Anna from My Travel Scrapbook

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen

When it comes to the best places to visit for Halloween, get yourself down to Tivoli Gardens. An amusement park located right next to the Central Rail station in Copenhagen, Denmark. Tivoli is the park that aims to be the best place to experience the spirit of Halloween and has exceeded exceptions year after year.  

Not only is Tivoli the second-oldest (scariest) operating amusement park in the world, it’s a must for anyone traveling to Copenhagen all year round. Visiting during Halloween is a must because starting in October every year Tivoli becomes haunted with everything from cats, spiders, scarecrows, and some 20,000 pumpkins. This is the kind of haunting experience you’d expect to find on a movie set of a haunted graveyard. In fact, it is said to be so frighteningly good people visit just to try out the Halloween rides. Not to mention, the opportunity to connect with Virtual Reality Experiences that are designed to add to fright to the night.

Visit the Gardens every day from October through November. The early evening, just as it is going dark, is the optimum time to visit. Inside you’ll find food and some other tasty treats to eat and drink from one of the many cabins onsite. It can get cold outside during the evening so keep yourself insulated with a warm jacket or be prepared to freeze on those chilly evenings. Feel free to dress up in your favorite scary Halloween costume and impress others. Or just be on the lookout for other monsters and zombies that are lurking around. So, if you’re looking for one of the best places to visit for Halloween in Europe, be sure to add Tivoli Gardens to your list.

Daniel from Layer Culture

Dragsholm Castle, Denmark

Copenhagen has some great places to spend Halloween. From large parties at clubs to the spooky Halloween transformation at Tivoli Gardens, there’s a lot to take in. One of the best places to spend Halloween is actually 75 kilometers from Copenhagen on the coast. There you’ll find Dragsholm Slot or Dragsholm Castle. It’s a gorgeous baroque castle that has existed since the 13th century. It’s changed owners numerous times and been blown up by the Swedish over its centuries of history. Today it is privately owned and has been converted to a hotel and gourmet restaurant. It’s still a beautiful structure with gorgeous gardens and a sprawling view of the surrounding Danish countryside and views stretching to the sea. 

The most fascinating part of Dragsholm Slot is its resident ghosts. There are four ghosts that psychic mediums have identified in the castle. The first is the former Bishop of Roskilde. During the Reformation, the Danish King took the castle and all church lands from the Catholic Bishops in Denmark. The Bishop of Roskilde was imprisoned in the tower at Dragsholm. The cells of the tower have been converted into hotel rooms and guests have reported wailing and shrieking from that area of the hotel. 

The second ghost is also a former prisoner, The Earl of Bothwell. He was a prisoner of the Danish King and left in terrible conditions when he also died in the tower. He is said to haunt the courtyard and rides through it with a horse and carriage. Guests report hearing horses in the courtyard and no horses are kept on the grounds. 

The final two ghosts are a lady in white and a lady in grey. They both perished in the castle under different circumstances. One is happy and the other is a sad ghost. The Lady in White was imprisoned in the basement after being impregnated by a man who worked in the castle. He was not her fiance and she lost her life because of it. Now she haunts the hallways crying for her lover. The Lady in Gray worked in the castle and was suffering from a toothache right before her death. The castle master helped her with the toothache, but she died of an infection shortly after. She is said to haunt the castle and do goods for staff and visitors.

Derek from Everything Copenhagen

Prague at Halloween

Prague is the perfect spooky holiday destination. There are numerous scary things to do in Prague, but our favourite are learning about the city’s ghosts. Prague is full of myths, legends and ghost stories. 

The most popular legend is that of the Prague Golem, a mythical beast created by a Jewish Rabbi to save his people from a tyrannical ruler. In the process, of course, the Golem terrorised the city and killed hundreds of people.

Visitors can search for the Golem, as statues and hidden Golems exist throughout the city, particularly in the Jewish Quarter. He is said to still live in the Old-New Synagogue.

In addition to the Golem, there are several other legends and ghosts associated with the city, such as the Iron Knight who seeks redemption and a kiss after killing his true love.

Three of Prague’s most iconic tourist spots are believed to be haunted: the Old Town, Prague Castle and Charles Bridge. If you’re interested in learning more about the numerous ghosts that haunt Prague, several ghost tours are available – including during the day, just in case.

There are even tours to the Bohnicky Cemetery – one of the most haunted cemeteries in Europe. It sits on the site of a former insane asylum, just outside of the city centre.

If all that isn’t enough, there is also the Prague Fear House, where you descend into the Prague catacombs for a terrifying experience. And don’t miss the Nightmare Horror Bar, a horror themed bar where everything here is designed to scare you. From the Freddy Krueger statue to the drinks (you can order things like a blood bath or a chainsaw), you’ll definitely wonder what’s lurking around the corner.

Dagney from Cultura Obscura

Transylvania, Romania

The region of Transylvania in Romania might be one of the most famous spooky regions in Europe, conjuring up images of nineteenth-century vampires and haunted castles. However, what you might not know is that Bram Stoker, the Irish author, never actually set foot in Transylvania (or even in Romania). He was inspired by books and maps of Romania, but he based his stories on a real historical figure (not a real vampire).

Dracula is loosely inspired by Vlad the Impaler, the real historic leader or Romania who helped to fight against the Ottoman Empire. Romanians are very proud of his legacy fighting for an independent Romania against the Turks who overran southeastern Europe.

So while there may be no real Romanian vampires, you can still come and have a marvelous Halloween! Transylvania puts on a great Halloween, mixing kitschy vampire-themed events and highlighting the real Vlad the Impaler’s history.

You can start in the medieval Saxon village of Sighisoara, where you can tour the room where he was actually born! If you won’t be based in Transylvania, you can take a day trip from Bucharest to Bran Castle to see the castle that inspired the castle in the novel. While it wasn’t the real Vlad’s home, it was the inspiration Stoker used for the castle in the book. They even host Halloween parties there on the night of October thirty-first!

While in Transylvania, you can visit more beautiful castles and fortresses. Some are tied to the history of Vlad the Impaler, while others are just wonderful additions to your spooky Transylvania holiday.

While in the region, I also suggest a stop in Sibiu. This medieval town served as the European Capital of Culture and is a wonderful place to explore Romanian cuisine.

Stephanie from Sofia Adventures

North Macedonia

According to what people in this city say about this house is that there is something inside that makes the people get mad or die shortly after they move there. This haunted house is perfect for Halloween visit and is located near the Black Bridge in Bitola. The Story starts with an in-love couple that lives a very happy life there suddenly then after the marriage got into the problems. 

The Women died two days after the wedding and then the husband got ill and get mental issued that transfer him to the mental hospital. He claims that some force was trying to harm everyone that show around there and stay a bit longer. The ghost he claims was very aggressive and doesn’t stop hurting till the end. 

Another story from Bitola…. 

There was a Jewish house possessed by the child ghost. The story start with the world war two when Nazis came to take the family to Auschwitz, they pick up everyone but one kid was hidden inside the house in the basement. The soldiers left but after someone told them that there is a kid hidden somewhere they come back to search the house and kill the little kid. Since then, even though the original house was destroyed there is a still signs of this kid there haunting the residents. 

Haunted Three towers in Crnice Skopje 

There were three towers in Crnice where every year many people jump from there. Story is that there was a grave on the same place where towers where build. So ghosts take a sacrifice to feed themselves. Once the residents build the little church inside the killing stops. But people still claim that you can see something in the area. Some ghosts that walk in the night. 

DEVILS WALL MYTH 

Near the city of Veles, North Macedonia you can find a structured wall with big stones stretched over the hills overlooking Bregalnica River. The name of this place is Devils Wall and originates from the ancient times. The story that goes among the villagers in the village of Bogoslovec on 4km from there is that the wall was built to capture the Devil himself. Devil was doing all kinds of horrible things, people must sacrifice kids in order to keep him happy and to not attack the village. One day they decided to build the wall when he was busy with eating and fell asleep. Overnight, they build the wall and captured him inside forever. Even till today if you go there you can feel his presence. Some people claim that they saw him floating around the place and down near the river where he appeared. If you are ready to hike up the hill and stay for Halloween night there probably you will be lucky enough to meet this creature.

Ghosts from Capari 

Capari is a village near Bitola in South-West part of North Macedonia. This is the story that I heard from a friend, born in the USA from parents that are from that village. Stefan is his name and this is his ghost story making Capari perfect for visiting at Halloween night : 

In 1996 he was 16 years old, visiting his grandparents in Capari on a normal summer vacation. Around lunchtime, he heard noise from the barn, horses running like it is a life or death situation. He asks his grandmother what’s happening and she calmly answers that White beauties are out chasing some horses. She then told the story about Female ghosts killed by the Ottoman’s horse riders 500 years ago, their spirit still wanders around attacking only horses. At that moment my friend thought is a myth, a horror story that his grandma comes out with.  

One night Stefan was going home from the city. In the silence of the darkness, he heard female voices whispering into his ears. He turns around and hasn’t seen anyone but voices were very clear and that made him run home.  

The story says that around the village you can see those white-dressed girl ghosts and they only attack horses not humans.  

Ace from My Amazing Travel. Also, Find him on Facebook.

Dent School House, Cincinnati

Out of the Dent School House in Cincinnati comes the gruesome tale of a Charlie the janitor.  Charlie McFree, was found to have kidnapped and murdered several of the students. This ultimately led to the school closing its doors in the 1950s. The grizzly remains of the students were found in the basement of the school after an angry mob stormed the school demanding to know what had happened to the missing students and to follow-up on a rancid smell plaguing the school. Charlie the janitor was never found despite being the main suspect. 

Today the Dent School House is known as one of the top haunted houses in the US.  Those brave enough to enter will experience a truly horrifying schoolhouse full of professional actors out for the perfect scare. On average it takes 25 minutes to make it through the Dent School House. 

The Dent School House offers a light out experience, giving the fearless only a glow stick to make their way through and an optional touch pass. Yes, the monsters can touch you if you opt for this. They also offer a tour of the Dent School House with the light on and no monsters lurking in the shadows. This is a unique way to view the haunted house as you can see all the details that go into making it terrifying.  A great example is in the catacombs section of the schoolhouse. It is home to almost 4,000 handmade human skulls. A visit to the Dent School House is a Halloween staple that keeps visitors coming back year after year.

Stephanie from Consistently Curious

New Orleans

New Orleans and Halloween go together like cookies and cream.  The Big Easy  is one of the few towns in the world that can honestly say they are a Halloween destination.

The entire town decks out for the holiday. Lawns are decorated with skeletons, graveyards and witches, there’s a Crew of Boo parade with costumed participants, ghost tours do a brisk business and to get into a local cemetery you actually have to die.  

My favorite New Orleans activity is “Escape the Zombie,” a take-off on the popular Escape the Room concept. They lock you and others up in a scary laboratory-like room with a Zombie chained to the wall.  You have one hour to find the escape secrets out of the room. Meanwhile,, as the clock ticks, the zombie’s chain gets longer and longer until, towards the end, he can almost touch you.

The experience is so realistic that you will find yourself yelling escape strategies to your friends over the zombie’s head, unaware of the fact that the “zombie” is a perfectly healthy actor who is understanding every word you say.  It is a heart-stopping, blood-curdling experience and good fun.
If you can manage to participate in the parade, do so.  All you need is a costume.  Then finish the night at Frenchman’s street for some cool jazz in this hot town.

“Nawlins” is great any time of the year but Halloween is special and no city does it better. 

Talek from Travels with Talek

Halloween in Louisville, Kentucky

Haunted hospitals, walking trails full of jack-o-lanterns, haunted forests based on local folklore – spending Halloween in Louisville, Kentucky is a perfect way to celebrate the spooky season.

Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a now-closed tuberculosis hospital, is believed by many to be one of the most haunted spots in the world. During the hospital’s operating years, hundreds of patients died. Their bodies were transported to the morgue via the hospital’s infamous “body chute,” a tunnel that allowed the hospital’s workers to transport the deceased out of sight of the other patients. From March to August the hospital is open to the public for tours, but during the Halloween season, it is transformed into a traditional haunted house. If you’re visiting during the Halloween season and would still like to tour the haunted hospital, purchase a VIP ticket – they all include a tour of the historic building.

For some family-friendly spooky fun, pay a visit to the Louisville Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular, which is held from early October to early November at Louisville’s Iroquois Park. Each year, pumpkin artists gather to create thousands of intricately-themed Jack-o-Lanterns displayed over a one-third mile walking trail. This event is fun for the whole family! Lines can get very long, especially the dates closest to Halloween. For the lightest crowds, visit on a weekday or early in October.

If you’re ready for some traditional Halloween scares, pay a visit to one of Louisville’s most popular (and fun) haunted forests: The Legend at Pope Lick. Here, you’ll learn about the Pope Lick Monster, a local folklore icon also known as the Goat Man. You’ll be given a flashlight to assist you as you explore the woods in search of the monster. This attraction will definitely get you in the Halloween spirit – it was recently named one of the scariest haunted trails in Kentucky!

Sydney from A World in Reach

Boston Freedom Trail

The Boston Freedom Trail is a 16 stop trip through the historic town. With a city as old and macabre as Boston, it’s not surprising that the Freedom Trail is a favorite for Halloween visitors. Its spooky stops include the cemeteries at Granary Burial Grounds, Kings Chapel and Copps Hill, and the memorial at Bunker Hill battleground.

One of the first stops you’ll come to is the Granary Burial Grounds, Boston’s third-oldest cemetery. It’s the cemetery for many famous patriots, including Ben Franklin’s parents, the victims of the Boston Massacre, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Robert Treat Paine.

Kings Chapel is Boston’s oldest cemetery, with graves dating back to 1630. Copps Hill is the largest colonial cemetery in Boston and contains the graves of Cotton and Increase Mather, ministers of Salem Witch Trial fame.

The final stop on the Boston Freedom Trail is the Bunker Hill Monument. Bunker Hill is the first battle of the Revolutionary war, and nearly half of the 3,000 troops involved became casualties during the fight.

The Boston Freedom Trail is a wonderful walk through history, which, in Boston’s case, can be dark, spooky, and perfect for Halloween. 

Jenn and Ed Coleman from Coleman Concierge

Cambria, California

Located about two hours north of Santa Barbara near the California coastline is Cambria, a quaint little town often overlooked on road trips due to its more well-known neighbors. This is one town, however, that definitely shouldn’t be bypassed in the month leading up to Halloween. That’s because Cambria hosts an annual Scarecrow Festival every October. Visit Cambria in October and you will see dozens of scarecrows lining just about every street, park, and building in the town. The attention to detail for these scarecrows is astounding and many of them are true works of art. Each year, prizes are given out in a variety of different categories for the best scarecrow. Visit this year to see which scarecrow you find the coolest — or scariest! 

Gina from One Day In a City

Salem, Massachusetts

If you’re planning to go somewhere special for Halloween then one of the most quintessential Halloween destinations is Salem, Massachusetts. Salem has a unique way of seeming spooky and Halloween-centric all year round, but Salem in October is the best place to be. The things to do in Salem in October and during Halloween are endless. No matter what your interests – witches, haunted tours, pirates, historical locations, filming locations, and more – Salem has it. 

Some of the best things to do in Salem for Halloween include visiting the filming locations for Hocus Pocus, paying your respects at the different sites surrounding the Salem Witch Trials, the Salem Witch Museum, take a ghost tour, visit the old burying grounds, visit the Witch House and much more. 

Ashley from Oddities and Curiosities Travel

Hotel Galvez, Galveston Island, TX

Galveston Island is a barrier Island 50 miles south of Houston, TX. Once the largest city in the state of Texas, Galveston was known as the “Wall Street of the Midwest” and it has had many firsts for the state, like the first Post Office, first Hospital, first Opera House, first Golf Court and so on. However, in September of 1900, Galveston was hit by the deadliest hurricane in the history of this country. A third of the city was destroyed and over 6.000 lives were lost. Rumor has it that some Sisters from an orphanage in town, tied the kids and themselves to trees so the wind and water would not take them. Their bodies were later found attached to the trees. It’s believed that those kids are still roaming around the island and interacting with the visitors that vacation in Galveston.

In 1911, the Hotel Galvez has opened its door and it has been a predominant part of the history in the city. The hotel has a history hall where you can take a 25 minutes audio history tour and a 20 minutes ghost tour. But if you like a more in depth ghost experience, you can take the guided Ghost tours that the Hotel offers. They have Ghost tours or Dinner Ghost tours, where a knowledgeable tour guide takes you around the hotel and gets you familiarized with all the ghost history involving the hotel. One of the tales is that a young soon to be bride guest, heard that her fiance vanished at sea. With the news, the young lady decided to end her life hanging herself at room 501, believed to be haunted by her ghost. Definitely a place to visit year round and especially around Halloween to get your spooky on.

Patricia from Travel Fam Life

Inside Baguio’s Most Possessed: The Laperal White House

They state that behind the mist that covers the Capital, as well as streets of the City of Pines, are numerous secrets and stories of scary. The map of Baguio, they claim, is dotted with haunted residences as well as cursed hotels that have sheltered restless– and also occasionally hostile– ghosts and spirits. Among them– the Laperal White Residence.

The house was originally beige, however, it was later repainted white.
Via the windowpane
Lookout
Somebody’s watching.

The History
The White House’s credibility might have been a product of its lengthy, bloody history. Boasting an American Colonial architecture, this house was built in 1920, back when the country was under American guidelines. It was the house of the Laperal family, which is one of the ancient dynasties in Baguio, led by Don Roberto. His partner Dona Victorina was claimed to be extremely enthusiastic of fortune plants.

At the elevation of the second world war, horror hit on their doorway in the form of Japanese soldiers. The residence was changed into a military detachment, where they completely tortured as well as killed several. Among them, the Laperal household, other than Don Roberto, that pull through the battle just mistakenly slide to his death from the staircases in front of their premises.

Yet who’s that little girl on the staircases and also the woman by the window? The little lady was said to have actually been killed in an additional crash. Running after her babysitter who got on the opposite side, the poor lady went across the road and also was run over. The baby-sitter (not sure if the very same babysitter or another) was also murdered in the premise. It is believed that the white lady on the window, looking over the road was the babysitter.

The Haunting
The Laperal White House is an eye-snatcher along Leonard Roadway, just beside the allegedly soul-infested Educators’ Camp. There have been numerous tales. Some regrettable passersby have seen a little woman standing motionless on the third step of the stairs that in front of the house. Some have actually identified a woman watching out its glass home windows. Some have heard angry voices and also loud sounds from inside the house also when it was totally vacant. Others have actually declared they had this horrible feeling of being undesirable and also being watched. The guards are also terrified to go in the evening.

One day, the caretaker of the premises, that stays within the facilities, instructed the other guard to chop off some fortune plant on the other side of the premise. The guard got sick and unable to walk for days. A guard likewise shared his individual experience inside. While he was roaming inside, he got a telephone call from his wife. The telephone call went good until she asked who was with him during that time. The wife continuously caught and listened to a lady’s voice. Point is, the guard was all alone.

Also, the residents, as well as staff of surrounding establishments, have their share of White Residence spooky experiences. One incident including a clairvoyant occurred at PNKY’s Restaurant simply across the infamous home. “During that time PNKY’s was simply on the ground level,” Ferdz Decena of Ironwulf.net narrates. “When the Clairvoyant took a look at the mirror of the restaurant, she was stunned when she saw a lady standing behind her in addition to the reflection of the premise.”

Today, the Laperal White Residence is now being owned organization magnate Lucio Tan. Now available to the general public, it holds the Ifugao Bamboo Making Gallery, a joint project of the Philippine Bamboo Structure and Tan Yan Kee Structure. The display intends to “bring to the interest of the general public the boosting importance of bamboo in the conservation of arts and also the society of the Cordilleras, avoidance of landslides and also soil erosion, as well as pollution control.”

Yet hang on, if you think you’re currently risk-free from paranormal activities you got it incorrectly. The gallery is on the ground level, but the guest is allowed to cruise around the remainder of the house if they are brave enough.

So if you wish to experience incredible styles at the very same time wish to obtain goosebumps the Laperal Home is perfect for you.

Please do not touch or remove any material from one to place to another  Doña Victoria might get angry. So just relax, behave and enjoy your experience.

Julie from DIVE.in

Halloween in Tokyo

Only in recent years is Halloween on the radar of Japanese people. But when the Japanese embrace a new holiday they do it by going all in. And Halloween is no exception.

From the first of October shops around Japan will start decorating with typical Halloween decorations. Pumpkins, spiders, witches, skeletons and anything else you would typically associate with the holiday is on display.

Halloween themed sweets and snacks can be bought at supermarkets, restaurants, and confectionaries all over the country. I especially love the Halloween themed donuts at Mister Donut.

But the highlight of Halloween in Tokyo is the Halloween event taking place in Shibuya on Halloween weekend. Tourists and locals alike show up in their best and most creative Halloween costumes. It is all about seeing and being seen, taking countless selfies with other people, and simply having fun until the early morning hours.

The streets of Shibuya are closed to cars and an unbelievable number of policemen is present trying to keep order in the overcrowded streets.

It is an amazing party you shouldn’t miss if you love Halloween.

Lena from Nagoya Foodie

The Old Melbourne Gaol

The old Melbourne gaol can be found in Melbourne, Australia and is a prison and jail complex that was used as recently as the 1940s. Over this time in operation 133 executions took place within its walls, many of which were performed on native peoples of Australia. The most well known resident was the infamous Ned Kelly, the bushranger, who was imprisoned, sentenced and executed there. Dangerous criminals were held alongside petty thieves and the criminally insane.

As you walk around the prison the death masks show the individuals who spent time in these cells and information about them can be found alongside. Coming to the end of the cellblock you will find the hangman’s gallow that was actually used to carry out these executions. One executioner at the Old Melbourne Gaol carried out extensive trial and error experiment on the unwilling imprisoned population to determine the maximum suffering that could be achieved during the hanging. When I was passing through the cell block towards the gallows I had an uneasy feeling almost as if I was one of the prisoners making my way to the room where I would pass my last breath and with a pull of the lever and a small drop followed by a short struggle for air I would be no more. I even felt the need to get out of the building as the sense of dread was just too much for me.

The jail is opened to willing (or unwilling…) members of the public during the day but if you are feeling brave or maybe a bit stupid you can adventure through the prison at night. Ghost walks are hosted regularly for those hoping to encounter the long lost spirits that once called this place home if only for short while. Or perhaps you’d rather take the hangman’s tour to learn about some of the most fearsome criminals to walk these walls.

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