As Halloween falls on October 31, there are destinations around the world that seem to be postponing this frightfully fun holiday before or after that date or even all year. They have long standing locations that are said to be haunted or tied to sad stories or provide a spooky moment. Here are ten places that feel like Halloween all year round.
ten Salem, MA
Salem is widely known for the Salem Witch Trials, which were conducted between 1692 and 1693 in present-day Salem. Nineteen people – men and women – were hanged, while one man was pressed to death. Visitors can learn about these trials at select locations in Salem.
The Salem Witch Trials Memorial has benches with the names and dates of those executed, along with their means of death, and a detailed granite wall with their protestations of innocence. Today, Salem has adopted a modern witchcraft vibe with various shops, attractions such as the Salem Witch Museum and Salem Wax Museum, and the Salem Witch Village and as a filming location for “Hocus Pocus “. There’s also The House of the Seven Gables, a mansion made famous in a Nathaniel Hawthorne novel, and Salem Haunted Eventsthe town’s annual Halloween party.
9 New Orleans
This Louisiana town will forever be linked to Mardi Gras, but NOLA also has ties to hauntings and supernatural history. Restaurant, Muriel’s Jackson Square, might have a patron from his past who never left. A story goes that in 1814, when the property was once a home, its owner Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan committed suicide upstairs after betting and losing at poker. He was seen wandering as “a shimmering glimmer of light” in the second-floor living room. Also on this floor, Muriel has a sitting bar!
At Court of the two sisters, a legend says that in one night, a pirate named Jean Lafitte killed three men in three separate duels under the willow tree in the courtyard of the restaurant which is no longer standing. Besides ghosts, thanks to NOLA native and author Anne Rice, vampires have a place in Vampire Shop, a gothic-themed shop. Yet what is hauntingly beautiful is New Orleans’ above ground cemeteries, some of which may be open to the public. Check before you visit and be sure to be respectful during your stay.
8 Sleepy Hollow, New York
Whether you know Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” or not, you can visit the New York village where the story takes place. Located in the Hudson Valley, Sleepy Hollow still recognizes this famous news. Visit Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where Living is buried and where walking tours of the cemetery honor his literary legacy. A tour of the cemetery takes place at dusk and features other famous residents, including Andrew Carnegie and William Rockefeller. Especially since before Halloween, there is Haunted wagon rides in Sleepy Hollow in which riders circle the city and pass landmarks such as the Bridge of the Headless Horseman. From September to November, Irving’s house, sunny side, is open to the public; Tickets must be purchased in advance. In October, at the Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, the Large Jack O’Lantern Blaze features hand-carved and lighted pumpkins used to create visual displays.
seven Transylvania
Yes, there is a region in central Romania called Transylvania. It contains a number of medieval towns, including those named Brasov, Sibiu and Sighisoara. Yet Transylvania is famous for another place – Bran Castle. Preceded by a medieval fortress in 1211, the construction of Bran Castle will be completed in 1377. Over time, the castle will witness property upheavals between the heads of European royalty and the Ottoman Empire; it was opened to the public as a tourist site in 1993.
Among the rulers who occupied the castle, Vlad Tepes, or more commonly called Vlad the Impaler, is the best known. Born into a noble family known as Vlad II Dracul, Vlad the Impaler earned his name due to his cruelty during his reign. While Bram Stoker is the author ” Dracula “ there is no evidence that Vlad the Impaler is the basis of the Transylvania literary count. Stoker never visited Romania, but it is said he was aware of Bran Castle.
6 St. Helens, Oregon
St. Helens has been a film set for vampire-related activity. If you’re still swooning over the “Twilight” series, you might already know that the movie version has locations in Oregon and British Columbia, Canada. Specifically, in St. Helens, visitors can book through an Airbnb listing to stay at the house that has been staged as the residence of Bella Swan and her father, Charlie. Parts of St. Helens Old town district were used as sets in the franchise. Yet before Twilight, St. Helens was used as the backdrop for the Disney Channel Original Movie “Halloweentown” in 1998. Since then, St. Helens has been the location of the Spirit of Halloweentown, a month-long celebration of all things scary with ongoing Halloween-related activities from September to October 31.
5 Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the setting for “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” and there are places you can follow along in the the steps of the novel. Among them, Bonaventure Cemetery has an eerie Victorian eloquence with statues and markers amid its grave occupants. The most heartbreaking story concerns Gracie Watson, a six-year-old girl who died suddenly after being photographed in her Easter outfit. Forsyth Park is a well-photographed spot where its fountain forms a backdrop amid the tall old oak trees in the park.
As for more haunting places, The Marshall House was once a hospital during the Civil War and yellow fever epidemics. Supposedly, the hostel’s fourth room – and specifically room 414 – may have guests who never left. 17 Cent 90 Inn & Restaurant might have three ghosts on hand. The first is Anna, who was a 19th-century bride who arranged to get married and fell in love with a sailor, but sadly died after falling from a third-story window. Then there’s Thaddeus, who is said to leave shiny pennies in the restaurant and tavern. The third ghost appears to be nameless but also a bit mean in that he is said to sometimes wreak havoc in the kitchen.
4 Charleston, South Carolina
This town also has a fair amount of ghost stories. The Old Charleston prison is supposed to be a supernatural site; it was run from 1806 to 1939 and had poor living conditions, and is where those who were executed or incarcerated can still linger. The Dock Street Theater had allegations of ghostly presence felt inside the establishment, such as this hotel employee account. Restaurant, Poogan Porch, would still have his former owner and his dog, his namesake, hanging around. As for cemeteries, Magnolia Cemetery is the oldest in Charleston and is the final resting place of prominent past figures.
3 Anoka, Minnesota
This city bears the nickname of “the “Halloween Capital of the World” because it hosted one of the first Halloween parades in 1920. Yet its nickname was born out of necessity as the local children were quite naughty in pulling pranks. The story goes that to put a stop to this behavior, city leaders hold a costume parade and block party. Since then, Anoka’s Halloween festivities have grown to encompass much of October; it was only between 1942 and 1943 that the festivities were canceled due to World War II. Halloween-related events include a costume parade and house-decorating contest, but also non-Halloween-related events such as bingo nights and a blood drive.
2 Isla de las Muñecas, Mexico
Located south of Mexico City, between the canals of the Xochimilco district, Isla de las Munecas (Island of the Dolls) has toys in dilapidated states (think limb missing). Regarding the birth of this island of dolls, it is said that it was caused by the drowning of a young girl. A man named Don Julian Santana Barrera later came across a doll floating in the waters of the canals and hung the doll on a tree as a tribute to the deceased girl. But then he became a guardian of the island and started building a mass of toys on the island to keep the girl’s memory alive. Nowadays, Isla de las Munecas can be visited by boat as ferry companies offer trips. You can also pay to take a trajineraa colorful flat-bottomed boat.
1 Dublin, Ireland
Ireland is the birthplace of halloween, which is derived from an ancient Celtic tradition called Samhain. While Halloween is celebrated across the Emerald Isle, Dublin makes a great stopover with spooky sights all year round. At Glasnevin Cemetery, the story goes that when the owner of a The Newfoundland dog is dead, her pet refused to leave her tombstone and was starving to death. It is said that the ghost of the dog was seen at the grave. Kilmainham Jaila former prison turned museum, held executionsincluding prisoners sentenced in the 1916 Easter Rising. from Dublin pubs also have ghost stories. “The Gravediggers” by John Kavanagh exists since 1833, and whose patronage has been the gravediggers. St. Michan’s Church houses crypts containing the remains of the Sheares brothers, heroes of the 1798 rebellion. Of course, Dublin honors Bram Stoker with a festival every October.
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