3 Spooktacular Vacation Ideas for Families

Halloween is a pretty big holiday for all ages, but it’s an especially memorable time for kids. If you want to plan a trip around this fun yearly happening, you’ve got plenty of options to choose from. I’ve checked out more than my fair share (I am, admittedly, obsessed with Halloween!) and have put together a short list of some of the best spots around the country to take a trip during the spooky season.

St. Helens, Oregon
Each year, St. Helens welcomes Halloween with open arms. In the late 1990s the town was used to film the movie Halloweentown, and the holiday has since become a part of the town’s identity. The town transforms each year and celebrates Halloween all month long with The Spirit of Halloween celebration, which includes haunted tours, costume contests, haunted houses, games and even dancing witches. You’ll need passes or individual tickets for some of the events, but can explore the decorated town for free.

Salem, Massachusetts
It’s no secret Salem has a witchy history, and the town fully leans into that history each year as Halloween rolls around. It’s one of the country’s most popular destinations for people looking for a family-friendly Halloween getaway, and there are plenty of ways to experience it. The town hosts the Haunted Happenings festival and there are things to do all month long, like visit Witch Museum, take a guided tour of the town and its historic sites, or get some photos taken of the kids (or the whole family) decked out in Halloween costumes. And a celebration like this wouldn’t be complete without a parade — and Salem has plenty of them! There is the Howl-o-ween pet parade, Haunted Happenings Grand Parade, and even a decorated boat parade in the harbor.

New Orleans, Louisiana
NOLA has definitely got its spooky side and plenty of history to boot, making this a great destination to visit during October. There are plenty of family-friendly activities, like the Ghosts in the Oaks event at New Orleans City Park, Boo at the Zoo at Audubon Zoo and the Krewe of Boo parade that turns Halloween into a Mardi Gras-style celebration. If you’ve got older kids who want things a bit on the scarier side, there are haunted houses, cemetery tours, guided tours of the French Quarter’s haunted spots and tours exploring the city’s voodoo history.