List of 15 Best Halloween Towns to Visit Worldwide, #7 Will Surprise You!

Oct 30, 2025, 13:07 IST

Discover the 15 best Halloween towns worldwide. Learn about the towns like Salem, Anoka to Derry and Tokyo, where haunted parades, ghosts, and legends bring October to life.

15 Best Halloween Places to Visit Worldwide (Credits: Barcelo)
15 Best Halloween Places to Visit Worldwide (Credits: Barcelo)

Best Halloween Towns to Visit Worldwide: From Salem’s witchy streets to Derry’s fiery parades and Tokyo’s costume chaos, these 15 best Halloween towns to visit worldwide bring the spooky season to life. Discover where ghosts, legends, and lanterns meet, and why these destinations make October the most hauntingly magical month of the year.

Disney Inspired Halloween Towns

List of 15 Best Halloween Towns to Visit Worldwide

Each halloween town offers its own spellbinding mix of history, folklore, and festive fright. This proves that the Halloween spirit truly knows no borders. Here are the top 15 picks

List of Top 15 Halloween Towns to Visit Worldwide (1)

Here are the top 15 best halloween towns to visit and celebrate the spooky festival:

1. Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Salem is known as the best Halloween town due to its iconic destination. Since it hosts a month-long celebration, Haunted Happenings, and features witch trial reenactments, parades, and haunted tours, as per Salem’s official website.

2. Anoka, Minnesota, USA

The second most popular place is often called the first city to host a Halloween parade, which is Anoka in Minnesota. The Halloween events date back to 1920; since then officially it has been officially named the Halloween capital of the world. Its family-friendly parades and costume contests make it one of the biggest Halloween towns in America.

Did You Know Trivia Fact? The U.S. Congress officially recognised Anoka’s title in 1937.

3. Sleepy Hollow, New York, USA

The Sleepy Hollow Halloween Town is home to the Headless Horseman legend. It transforms into a real-life ghost story with haunted hayrides and lantern tours through centuries-old cemeteries.

Did You Know? The town was renamed “Sleepy Hollow” in 1996 to honour its spooky legacy.

4. Los Angeles, California, USA

Among the most iconic Halloween towns world, California, L.A. hosts the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival. It is known as the largest street party in the U.S., drawing over half a million revellers, as confirmed by Discover Los Angeles

5. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

A city steeped in voodoo and jazz, New Orleans celebrates Halloween with ghost tours through the French Quarter, haunted mansions, and masquerade balls.

6. Derry, Northern Ireland

Home to Europe’s biggest Halloween festival, Derry’s Banks of the Foyle Carnival celebrates ancient Celtic traditions with fire parades and costumed performances.

7. Transylvania, Romania

At Bran Castle, it is believed that the place is Dracula’s home. Moreover, visitors enjoy eerie tours, vampire balls, and gothic feasts, making it a must-see for thrill-seekers.

8. Edinburgh, Scotland

The Samhuinn Fire Festival honours the Celtic New Year with flaming torches, mythical costumes, and drumming that echo through the medieval Old Town.

9. London, England

As one of the best Halloween cities in Europe, London offers haunted pub crawls, ghost walks at the Tower, and eerie tales at Highgate Cemetery.

10. Mexico City, Mexico

During Día de los Muertos, locals build colourful altars, parade in skull masks, and celebrate life and death in true Mexican style.

11. Venice, Italy

Famous for its masks, Venice combines elegance with eeriness through candlelit palace parties and haunted canal tours.

12. Prague, Czech Republic

Medieval architecture and shadowy alleys make Prague one of the most atmospheric Halloween towns worldwide, especially for Gothic history lovers.

13. Tokyo, Japan

The Shibuya Halloween Street Party attracts thousands of costumed fans, turning the crossing into Asia’s largest Halloween celebration.

14. Montreal, Canada

Haunted houses, ghost walks, and horror film marathons light up the city, making it a top choice for best Halloween towns near me searches.

15. San Francisco, California, USA

Among Halloween towns worldwide, California, San Francisco’s Alcatraz night tours and costumed cruises make it hauntingly unforgettable.

Conclusion 

Therefore, all these 15 Halloween towns worldwide reveal a story of centuries-old traditions. Whether you are exploring haunted castles in Europe or vibrant parades in the U.S., each of these towns keeps the spirit of Halloween burning brightly across generations.

Trivia Fact: Today’s global celebration of the supernatural is also inspired by an ancient tradition. It was when historians traced the Halloween’s origins back over 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain. 

You May Also Like to Read:

List of 9 Spooky Global Festivals Beyond Halloween, No. 5 Will Surprise You!

Halloween 2025: Best 9 Pumpkin Carving Ideas for Beginners!

List of 11 Best Halloween Books to Read for Children, Check Here!

It's time to explore our fascination of ghosts, folklore, and the afterlife to truly understand the test of time. 

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Manvi Upadhyaya
Manvi Upadhyaya

Content Writer

    Manvi Upadhyaya is an experienced content writer who is passionate about creating authentic content by delivering credible facts to people. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and is fond of art, languages, culture, and education. She has been a published co-author and compiler for many anthology book projects. She creates educational and informative content for international audiences. You can reach out to her at manvi.upadhyaya@jagrannewmedia.com

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    FAQs

    • Which are the best Halloween cities in Europe?
      +
      Europe’s best include Derry, Northern Ireland (home to the continent’s largest Halloween carnival), Edinburgh, Scotland, London, England, and Transylvania, Romania. They all blend history, folklore, and Celtic tradition.
    • Which are the biggest Halloween towns in America?
      +
      The biggest celebrations happen in Salem, Massachusetts, Anoka, Minnesota, Los Angeles, California, and Sleepy Hollow, New York, each known for massive parades and haunted festivals.
    • Where are the best Halloween towns in the U.S. and worldwide?
      +
      The top U.S. picks include Salem (MA), Sleepy Hollow (NY), and New Orleans (LA), while worldwide favourites include Derry (Northern Ireland), Edinburgh (Scotland), and Tokyo (Japan).
    • What makes Anoka, Minnesota, a top Halloween town and why is it often called the “Halloween Capital”?
      +
      Anoka hosted the first organised Halloween parade in 1920 to stop holiday pranks, earning its official “Halloween Capital of the World” title in 1937. 
    • Why is Salem, Massachusetts, called the Halloween Capital of the World?
      +
      Salem earned the title for its 1692 witch trial history and month-long Haunted Happenings festival, attracting over half a million visitors every October. 

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