6 Ghoulish Getaways in the U.S.
When it comes to Halloween, there are usually two archetypes. Some love to get the bejesus scared out of them — being chased out of a haunted house with a chainsaw and reveling in ghost stories. Then, there are those who live for leaf-peeping excursions, cute pumpkin patches and have a closet full of flannels. But occasionally, these Venn diagrams overlap, and fall is loved for being spooky and cozy, ghosts with a sprinkle of pumpkin spice. The result? The perfect Halloween getaway.
So, no matter which version of Halloween you prefer, the U.S. has a Halloweentown worth visiting. Here are six spots to put on your list for a scary-good time (or, you know, just some really great pumpkins and witch sightings!)
In This Article
1. Estes Park, Colorado
- Spooky Stops: The Stanley Hotel, Mustang Monster Coaster
Estes Park is a choose-your-own fall adventure. Love the paranormal? Book a guided night spirit tour or reserve a room at The Stanley Hotel, long celebrated for its ghostly reputation. In late September 1974, Stephen King and his wife stayed in Room 217 as the hotel’s only overnight guests right before it closed for the winter season, an eerie experience that inspired the setting of The Shining.
Beyond the supernatural, Estes Park serves as the dramatic gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Autumn marks the annual elk rut (mating season), filling the crisp mountain air with echoing elk bugles and bringing massive herds right into local meadows and golf courses. For leaf peepers seeking thrills, take a ride through golden aspens aboard the Mustang Mountain Coaster, an alpine coaster that winds down the mountainside.
2. Half Moon Bay, California
- Spooky Stops: One of the dozens of pumpkin patches
Located along Northern California’s craggy coast, Half Moon Bay is absolutely gourdgeous in the fall. About 35 minutes south of San Francisco, this coastal community is known as the pumpkin capital of the world, with local growers producing more than 3,000 tons of pumpkins every year. You can pick your pumpkins or blow your own glass pumpkin at a glassblowing studio, plus enjoy pumpkin beers on tap. Restaurants also showcase pumpkin dishes on their menus, with chefs at The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay featuring savory lobster pumpkin bisque and decadent pumpkin mousse cake.
3. Romeo, Michigan
- Spooky Stops: Terror on Tillson
Some towns go all out for Christmas. But Romeo, Michigan, wins Halloween. More than 25 homes are decorated to the max for Romeo’s beloved “Terror on Tillson” tradition, a small village where homes date back to the 1850s. Many homes adopt themes, from pirate ships to Harry Potter scenes to graveyards and a ghost dance hall. The community event attracts 75,000 visitors from around the country, and over 2,000 trick-or-treaters descend on the neighborhood on Halloween night. Homeowners estimate they hand out 75,000 pieces of candy each year. Volunteers from the high school football team walk the streets in bright-colored safety vests and with flashlights to help with crowd control. The event raises over $80,000, directly benefiting local students and veterans.
4. Cody, Wyoming
- Spooky Stops: Mummy Cave, Irma Hotel
You can expect some inherent quirk in an Old West town like Cody, Wyoming. But you may not have seen it coming: Mummy Cave! Just north of the Shoshone River, a resident discovered the cave with the remains of an eerily well-preserved 1,200-year-old man whom locals call Mummy Joe. He was buried under the overhang of a volcanic cliff, which provided the ideal climate for preservation. While you may not stumble across any mummies while in town, there’s still tons to see and do, including a visit to Yellowstone National Park, where you can spot elk and the gemstone-colored Grand Prismatic hot spring that looks like it belongs on another planet.
When it’s time to rest your head, visit the beloved Irma Hotel. Buffalo Bill Cody built the Irma Hotel in 1902 and named it after his daughter, Irma. If you’re looking for a harrowing stay, Room 35 is believed to be haunted by her ghost, with guests reporting that the bathroom water turns on and off by itself and belongings move around the room.
5. Sleepy Hollow, New York
- Spooky Stops: Sleepy Hollow Hotel, Tarrytown House Estate, Castle Hotel & Spa
Located 25 miles north of New York City along the Hudson River, the village of Sleepy Hollow brings Washington Irving’s classic 1820 short story to life. Visitors can take guided lantern tours through Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (Irving’s final resting place), cross the Headless Horseman Bridge and explore the historic Old Dutch Church.
The village embraces the season with haunted hayrides, fall festivals and theatrical retellings of the horseman legend at Philipsburg Manor. Just a short drive north at Van Cortlandt Manor, the celebrated Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze illuminates the night with over 7,000 hand-carved, glowing pumpkin sculptures. Nearby historic properties like the Tarrytown House Estate and Castle Hotel & Spa offer atmospheric overnight lodging steeped in regional history.
6. Macon, Georgia
- Spooky Stops: Hay House, Rose Hill Cemetery, Big House
With classic antebellum architecture and moss-draped canopies, Macon provides plenty of Southern Gothic atmosphere. Ghost hunters can tour the 1855 Italian Renaissance Revival Hay House, known for its underground secret rooms and historic ghost lore, or stroll through Victorian-era Rose Hill Cemetery, the resting place of Confederate soldiers and Allman Brothers Band legends Duane Allman and Berry Oakley.
To hear the town’s darkest historic tales, sign up for a downtown walking tour with Rock Candy Tours. If you prefer festive holiday cheer, don’t miss the town’s annual Witches Float, where dozens of costumed witches and warlocks paddle canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards down the scenic Ocmulgee River to raise funds for local non-profits.