The Best Cities In America To Celebrate Halloween 2026

Halloween week — “Halloweek,” if you will! — is officially in motion, and whether you’re hitting the party circuit, taking the kids out for some classic trick-or-treating or simply staying in to host your own horror movie marathon, this spooky season is sure to be filled with thrills.

With just a few days left until the big day, how will you choose to celebrate?

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Of course, traveling for any occasion will always make for a great option. It’s especially worthwhile if your destination is one of the many cities in America where Halloween is taken seriously all month long. The research team over at BC Game took a look at US cities where the biggest celebrations will be hosted for Halloween 2026. From the number of events and most ghoulish haunted attractions, to costume shops and even the best shops to score candy and chocolate, a handful of factors were combined into a “Halloween Score” that rounded up the best haunts that America has to offer this season.

More details below, via the CEO of BC Game:

“Salem gets close to a million visitors every October, so timing your trip can be important. The first two weeks of the month are noticeably calmer, with shorter queues. Anoka also has two major parades in October worth planning around. The Light Up the Night Parade goes on the third Saturday of October at 7 pm, and the Grande Day Parade follows the week after. It’s a 1.5-mile afternoon procession down Main Street with marching bands, costumes, and floats that draws thousands of spectators. I would also recommend walking through the residential neighborhoods before or after the parade. Locals go all out decorating their homes, and those displays are free to wander past.”

That’s just scratching the surface. Each of the top 10 have over 100 events to choose from, some even boasting close to 1,000, and it only gets better if you have a sweet tooth around this time of year. Be it plane, train or automobile, now would be a perfect time to book a Halloween road trip. Your destination awaits below.

Keep scrolling for a list of the best cities in America if you want to get the best Halloween experience for 2026:

Salem, Massachusetts

Halloween events: 651
Ghost and haunted activities: 75
Costume shops: 50
Candy and chocolate shops: 166