5 Best U.S. Halloween Destinations

Halloween is a great time to let go of everything and just have fun. Nights are getting longer, temperatures are getting lower, and everything in nature seems to be dying. It is little wonder that this is the time for frights! Some times, however, carving a pumpkin with the family, dealing with trick-or-treaters, or watching a scary movie at home just doesn't cut. When that happens, you know the time is right to hit the road and visit one these top five Halloween destinations in the United States.

5) Anoka, Minnesota. I can hear your cries of "Where?!" from all the way over here. Anoka boasts to be the Halloween Capital of the World, and the small Midwestern town may just deliver on that promise. Anoka celebrates Halloween throughout October, with ghost tours, haunted houses, parades, medallion hunts, a carnival, and more. The festivities even spill into November with a Pancake Breakfast the morning after the big night. With so much going on in Anoka, it is a sure win for every member of the family.

4) Sleepy Hollow, New York. Whether you are more of a fan of Washington Irving's tale or Tim Burton's dark adaptation, Halloween spent in the town that is home to the Headless Horseman is sure to be a treat. If the thought of losing your head to the Hessian doesn't make your skin crawl enough, take a tour of the original Sleepy Hollow graveyard, still active after hundreds of years.

3) New York City. There is always plenty to do in the Big Apple, so this recommendation will focus on two stops. First, the parade in Greenwich Village. More than two million people are expected to attend this display of fun and freakish frights as it makes its way up 6th Avenue. As the parade ends, the parties start, with many parade revelers heading to Webster Hall. The second New York City attraction is the Halloween Extravaganza and Procession of the Ghouls at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Enjoy a screening of a scary movie accompanied by a live organ in the dimly lit atmosphere of the world's largest gothic cathedral. This year features the 1922 classic, Nosferatu. If that isn't your idea of spooky fun, you can also take a guided tour of the cathedral's crypts.

2) Salem/Danvers, Massachusetts. More than 300 years after the fact, the witchcraft hysteria that engulfed both Salem Town and Salem Village still fires the imaginations of people throughout this country. A visit to the place where it all began is never more appropriate than on the night when the wall between the spirit world and ours is at its thinnest and black magic is at its strongest. Beware of the controversy surrounding the issue, though. Both Salem and Danvers claim to be the home of the famed witch trials, and while the historians will tell you the truth lies closest with Danvers, the hearts and minds of many will disagree. In either case, there are more than enough events in either location to shake a stick, or broom, at.

1) Savannah, Georgia. Deep in the heart of the Old South, Savannah offers a spooky time with a southern twist. Enjoy walking or carriage tours of haunted sites in this fine city, or even indulge in a spirited (in more ways than one!) pub crawl. Savannah has a particularly ghastly history that makes for a wonderfully ghostly time at Halloween. Aside from the obvious violence of the American Revolution and the Civil War, this city was home to many epidemics and fatal fires, and some of historic Savannah lies atop ancient cemeteries. Any of these pieces of history could make for a spooky time, but all rolled into one makes this my top choice for Halloween destinations.