These are the BEST 6 places to celebrate Halloween
Pumpkin season is officially here, and if you’re a fan of all things spooky, we’ve got a great blog post for you today: the BEST places to celebrate Halloween. Whether you’re in it for the candy, the dressing up, or stocking up on snacks and settling in for the night with a few cheesy horror movies, Halloween is one of the coolest holidays that we celebrate. But where did it come from and which cities do Halloween best? Keep reading to find out 👇🏿.
Where does Halloween even come from?
Halloween actually originated in Ireland around 1,000 years ago. The Celtic Festival of Samhain, as it’s known to the Irish, was celebrated every year. The Celts believed that dead spirits visited the mortal world every 31st October. In fact, there are loads of traditions from back then that we still use nowadays, including carving jack-o-lanterns, gathering in costume, and bobbing for apples.
These days, Halloween seems to be a little less about visits from ghosts and more about gathering with your closest friends to celebrate in goofy costumes and carving the biggest pumpkin you can find, and if you’re looking to get away and party with the locals this Halloween, these are some spots that you might want to put on your list.
Ireland
It would be a little silly if we didn’t include the birthplace of Halloween on our list, so Ireland gets top spot. Not only can you celebrate Halloween in the capital Dublin, but Meath, and Derry both offer sublime party atmospheres where you can experience the authentic Celtic Festival of Samhain frivolities. For example, heading to Meath will lead you straight to The Spirits of Meath Festival, which involves feasting and dressing up for the occasion, whereas if you feel like heading to Derry, you’ll find a killer costume parade and fireworks to light up any passing spirits, and you can party with the locals and take in the incredible Irish atmosphere.
New York
If you’re anywhere near New York this fall, we’d suggest checking out Sleepy Hollow in Westchester County, famed for Washington Irving’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow. While there’s certainly no chance of the Headless Horseman himself being present, we wouldn’t put it past the folks at Sleepy Hollow to go all out and bring the tale to life. Why not check out their lantern-led town tour which involves a trip to the local cemetary?
Mexico
If you’re a fan of Day of the Dead, or Dia de Los Muertos in its mother tongue, you might be thinking about a quick trip to Mexico to discover the festivities in the flesh and see what the locals are up to. Dia de Los Muertos is a 3-day affair, with skeleton costumes, colorful flowers, lanterns and painted faces filling the streets. Fancy heading to the location in Mexico for the best festivities? Try Oaxaca, where you can indulge in some over-the-top celebrations. Oaxaca is known as the place to be when Halloween comes round, and we’d love to discover what the fuss is about. How about you?
Romania
If you’re into vamps and all things gothic, Transylvania, Romania is the place to celebrate Halloween this year. Fans of Count Dracula can find solace in Bran Castle, where the tale is set, and creep around this medieval castle that’s nestled in Romania’s countryside. For anyone looking to take a nose dive deep into Romania itself, there are oodles of ancient castles, stunning palaces and decrepit ruins to explore to get your fill of spooky season.
Salem
Salem, Massachusetts is most famous for its historic Witch Trials of 1692, when women were convicted of witchraft and murdered for their ‘sins’. Around Halloween, Salem puts on a show for their tourists to give them the full experience. Amongst their various museums that are dedicated to the witches of Salem, there are plenty o events to get stuck into if you fancy a spooky trip to remember. For example, the Haunted Happenings festival is perfect for anyone who’s up for ‘frightfully fun events’ and discovering more about the town.
Hong Kong
Did you know that Hong Kong is known as the Halloween capital throughout Asia thanks to their incredible rituals and festivals that happen throughout October? If you’re looking to go long haul, you might want to try out their Halloween experiences, which includes the yearly Halloween party at DisneyLand Hong Kong. This is a super commercialised event that draws crowds from around the world, but it’s worth it, especially if you’re a Disney fan. If you want something a little bit less Disney Princess and more real life Halloween, check out their Festival of Hungry Ghosts where Hong Kong residents lay out food parcels to keep evil spirits at bay.
How do you plan on spending Halloween this October? Let us know in the comments below, and enjoy the spooky season!
