Regardless of your stance on the good ol’ US of A, you have to admit that no one does Halloween (or s’mores) like we do. And that means there’s a wealth of cool places to visit in the autumn. From ghosts towns and cemeteries to haunted hotels and alien invaders, there’s something for everyone’s spooky sensibilities across this beautiful country.

Cahawba, Alabama

After Alabama was officially made a state in 1819, they carved a chunk out of the piney woods and set up shop in a brand new river town they named Cahawba. Frequent flooding caused the government to eventually move to the less waterlogged Montgomery, but the town held strong until it fell apart in the wake of the Civil War. By 1870 there were only 300 residents, and no one has called this town home since the end of the 19th century. Though many structures have decayed, burned down, or otherwise been destroyed, you can still wander through the Spanish moss and ghostly buildings.

Skagway, Alaska

The window of opportunity to visit this frontier town nestled in Alaska’s Inside Passage is shorter than some others on this list, but all the more reason to prioritize it! In addition to its bucolic downtown and breathtaking natural beauty, Skagway houses one of the most haunted places in the US. The Red Onion Saloon was built in 1897 to cater to the carnal needs of Alaska’s gold rush miners, and the bar still pays homage to that history with servers decked out in their bordello best. Be sure to flirt with the ghost of the murdered madame, Lydia.

Flagstaff, Arizona

Thanks to its proximity to the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff attracts adventure-seekers all year long. But the Hotel Monte Vista has long graced the lists of ghost hunters. Built in 1927, the hotel has long been a favorite spot of famous visitors and weirdos alike. Replete with secret tunnels and creepy, meat-hanging ghosts, this hotel is a must-see for Southwest Spooks.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

The quaint Victorian town of Eureka Springs sits nestled a remote Ozark Valley. Offering the kind of rustic charm and lush forests common across the Ozarks, Eureka Springs also boasts one of the most haunted places in the US. Called the “Most Haunted Hotel in America” (though the Stanley could give it a run for its money - see below) the Crescent Hotel has a storied history as a hotspot for ghost hunters. This ghost tour has something most others don’t, however: a morgue.

Bodie, California

Now a state park, the high desert air (and state of California) has dried and preserved this ghost town almost perfectly. It sprang up in the gold rush and during its heyday, the streets were full of gold, booze, and brawls. Like many gold rush towns, this one tapered off at the turn of the 20th century. Unlike many ghosts towns, you can step in the buildings and see artifacts of daily life, like plates left out on kitchen tables. Creepy.

San Jose, California

The San Francisco bay area has a spooky atmosphere all year long, what with the fog and all. But a few miles south of the bay is one of the strangest architectural anomalies in the US. Tragedy befell Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester (rifle heiress) when her husband and baby died within a very short period of time. Drowning in grief, convinced her bad fortune was spiritual retribution for all the death at the hands of Winchester Rifles, she moved to San Jose, started renovating this house, and never stopped until her death in 1922. There are LOTS of spooky Halloween activities hosted there, but it’s inscrutable all year long.

Estes Park, Colorado

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When Freeland Oscar Stanley (of that Stanley Steamer) was diagnosed with tuberculosis, he packed up his family to head for the brisk mountain air of the “sportsman’s paradise,” and opened a hotel. Now the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, the Stanley is another hotel that carries the mantle of “most haunted.” Most ghosts are friendly - such as Stanley and his wife. However, the hotel’s elegant facade couched in the remote rockies inspired one of the most famous horror novels of all time - The Shining by Stephen King.

Independence, Kansas

Every year this this small transforms into a Halloween destination thanks to their yearly festival - Neewollah. Started in 1919, the festival hit some bumps due to the destabilization from the Great Depression and World War II. But the festival resumed in 1958, and has been going strong ever since. It’s now the largest festival in Kansas, and is well worth taking the trek to this small midwestern town.

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Big Easy is well known for jazz, strong drinks, and stunning 18th century architecture. But it’s also a spook-lover’s paradise. The amalgamation of West African practices known as Voodoo found its start in Haiti, and reached its zenith in the wake of the Haitian revolution when many freed slaves put down roots in New Orleans. You won’t want to miss the grave of Marie Laveau, one of the most powerful 19th century voodoo practitioners, or the Museum of Death.

Salem, Massachusetts

Perhaps the most obvious addition to this list, Salem, Massachusetts cemented its reputation in US history when the colonial outpost suffered a witch panic from 1692-1693 (although that technically happened in what is now Danvers). Rather than bury their unsavory past, the town has fully embraced its history as both a witch destination and a 17th century settlement.

PS, I have a podcast, and the first season is all about the witch trials, if you want some spooky background before you visit!

Anoka, Minnesota

If you want an underrated autumn destination, you should really consider Minnesota! Not only is their leaf peeping on par with more well-known destinations like Vermont, but the small town of Anoka hosts one of the longest-running Halloween parades! The town has fully embraced their reputation, hosting Halloween-centric events through the month of October.

Laconia, New Hampshire

Laconia is known for its idyllic spot. Sandwiched between Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Winnisquam, it attracts festivals and tourists of all sorts every year. Famously, it hosts the New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival (formerly the Keene Pumpkin Festival) - the world’s largest collection of Jack-o-lanterns - every year. Leaves during the day, pumpkins at night, perfect fall combination.

Roswell, New Mexico

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Roswell was just a sleepy desert town until in 1947 a rancher found mysterious debris in his field, and the Air Force swept in. 75 years (and more questions than answers later) and this town is now an alien lover’s paradise. Even the McDonald’s is UFO-themed. Kitschy and fun, this remote southwestern outpost boasts rugged desert beauty as well as camp.

Sleepy Hollow, New York

The setting of one of America’s most famous gothic stories - the small village of Sleepy Hollow, New York. According to the story, the dreamy little glen lay paralyzed by fear in the shadow of the Headless Huntsman. Allegedly a Hessian soldier whose head was knocked off by a cannon blast, seeing the Huntsman supposedly spelled your doom. The village has fully embraced its morbid reputation, and is a picturesque destination all year long.

St. Helens, Oregon

When the cult classic Disney film Halloweentown was filmed in St. Helen’s in the mid-90s, the town adopted its new reputation wholeheartedly. Situated in a gentle curve of the Columbia river, this scenic town hosts The Spirit of Halloweentown festival from mid-September through the end of October every year. The average temperature in October is between 43 and 63 degrees Fahrenheit - a.k.a. perfect sweater weather.

Rubgy, Tennessee

The Smoky Mountain village of Rugby was doomed from the start. In 1880, novelist Thomas Hughes was determined to establish a utopia, and built it to entice the second sons of gentry to reject materialism. The thing about second sons of this era, though - they were characteristically jealous of the privileges of their older brothers, and this scheme quickly fell apart. A tuberculosis outbreak destroyed any hopes the town had of growing roots, and only 7 years after its founding it was practically a ghost town. Now, it’s one of the most haunted places in Tennessee, and you can visit and get your spook on.

San Antonio, Texas

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “Remember the Alamo,” you’ve got one foot on San Antonio’s gruesome past. During the Texas War of Independence, 1500 Mexican soldiers engaged with 189 Texas soldiers at the (already) centuries old fort. The Mexican troops killed every single person at the Alamo mission, save one woman who was tasked with recounting the slaughter. San Antonio has a rich indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, and German heritage, and where cultures clash, ghosts tend to appear. The Pearl, the San Fernando Cathedral, and the Alamo are just a few of the beautifully horrific (and haunted) sights this city has to offer.

Ceredo/Kenova, West Virginia

Located right where the thumb of West Virginia meets Kentucky and Ohio, the twin villages of Kenova and Ceredo sit nestled in a bucolic spot along the Ohio river. For most of the year, it’s a sleepy Appalachian town common across West Virginia. But during Halloween, the town absolutely comes alive. Residents and business owners get really into it - hosting scarecrow contests and haunted houses. But the real treat is “The Pumpkin House” - a beautiful Victorian that lights up with over 3,000 (you read that correctly) Jack-o-lanterns every year.

All these small towns have something in common - enthusiasm for their community. Whether you go alien hunting in Roswell or ghost hunting in Salem, have a very spooky Halloween! And if you’re looking for something to do in your own backyard, check out my autumn bucket list.

18 Spooky Destinations for Your Bucket List