5 Best Places and Worst Places for Halloween In America

Top 5 Best and Worst Places for Halloween In The US. Photo KnowInsiders

WalletHub, a personal-finance website, released its 2021’s Best Places for Halloween report, comparing the 100 largest U.S. cities across 21 key metrics. They range from candy and chocolate stores per capita to average price per Halloween party ticket, to share of potential trick-or-treat stops.

Top 5 Best Places to go for Halloween

1.New York

2.Los Angeles

3.Las Vegas

4.Miami

5.San Francisco

1.New York

Best places and activities in New York to celebrate Halloween

Village Halloween parade

Photo 6sqft

Annual Village Halloween Parade has become more than usual celebration of Halloween, rather it is the whole tradition of having lots of fun, surprises and amazing adventures. More than millions of spectators go outside just to see this 1-mile chain of dressed up in various costumes people. It is recognized as the biggest Halloween parade in the world, which include singers, bands, circus performers and puppets. It's becoming more and more popular through years and each year there's a specific theme of the parade. 2014 year's topic is "The Garden of Earthly Delights!". Be sure to check it out!

Address: Red Hook, NY 12571

Sleepy Hollow

There are oh-so-many ways to celebrate Halloween in the hometown of Washington Irving's Headless Horseman legend. Visit the 300-year-old Van Cortlandt Manor, which gets an epic makeover for the Great Jack-'O-Lantern Blaze every year, tour the historic Lyndhurst Castle, or take a walk around the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery where Washington Irving rests.

Croton-on-Hudson, New York

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze is known amongst locals as the biggest Halloween festival in the area—and one look at photos from the event will tell you why. The Blaze includes over 7,000 hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns, plus a synchronized soundtrack. We can't think of a better reason to head to the Hudson Valley this season!

READ MORE: Top 5 horror movies for Halloween in Netflix

2.Los Angeles

In Los Angeles, Halloween isn’t just a night, it’s a whole damn season that begins in mid September and ends sometime in early November. Perhaps it’s due to our status as the entertainment capital of the world, but each year for almost the entirety of fall, we’re treated to a zombie super-horde’s worth of costumed actors, creepy corn mazes, and decked-out haunted houses, plus interactive plays that bring Halloween’s classic tales to life. And after a year off due to COVID, you can be sure they’re ultra psyched to make you scream in terror this year. Here are the best places to get ridiculously scared this year, plus a few slightly less spooky experiences for those who just want candy and Instagrammable moments.

Reign Of Terror

Janss Marketplace (Thousand Oaks)

Fridays and Saturdays through November 6; also October 24, 28, and 31

Originally a haunted house-style DIY attraction, Reign of Terror has become a must-visit for horror aficionados thanks to its expansiveness (the attraction is composed of over 130 different interconnected rooms) and its cast, who seem to really get the wait-until-the-right-moment memo for maximum fear. The newest addition is called “Unhallowed Ground,” a section that’s populated by a realm of pagan monks; for those who want to maximize their scares, the final night is a “lights out” edition of ROT, with the only illumination one glowstick per group.

Cost: $30-$55

Knott’s Scary Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm (Buena Park)

Thursdays-Sundays through Halloween

Knott’s Scary Farm claims to be the biggest haunt in SoCal and when you’re there it’s clearly not a misnomer: the entirety of Knott’s Berry Farm is taken over with Halloweeniness, with nine mazes (ranging from a new hypnosis-themed maze to classics including the Pumpkin Eater maze, which culminates with the most gigantic squash you can imagine), as well as Halloween overlays on some of the rides and shows including the hilarious improv-minded “Puppet Up!: Uncensored.”

Cost: $53+

3.Las Vegas

Las Vegas in itself is a great and exciting city, but on a holiday like Halloween, It's even better. Halloween in Las Vegas is so much fun not to mention a sight to see. Everyone walks the Strip half drunk and dressed in costume.

Haunted museums and ghost tours

Goodsprings Ghost Hunt

Tours Sunday – Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Just outside of Las Vegas, nestled in the Spring Mountains is an old mining town called Goodsprings. Established in 1904, it is home to Nevada’s oldest standing bar, the 90-year-old Pioneer Saloon. On the Goodsprings Ghost Hunt, you’ll learn about the history of the bullet-ridden saloon where Clark Gable once waited for three days for rescuers to find the body of his wife (whose plane had crashed on nearby Mt. Potosi). You’ll even be supplied with ghost-hunting equipment like EMF meters, temperature guns, and dowsing rods to conduct your own investigation.

Las Vegas Ghosts

Photo Travel Nevada

Tours nightly at 8:00 p.m.

Compared to many other cities, Las Vegas has a fairly short 116-year history. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have our fair share of hauntings. On this 60 or 90-minute walking tour of the Strip, your Las Vegas Ghost Tour guide will lead you to 8 to 12 spooky locations and give you the lowdown on their haunted histories. Points of interest include the Flamingo Hotel (supposedly haunted by mobster and original owner Bugsy Siegel), Bally’s (site of a devastating MGM Grand hotel fire that killed 85 people in 1980), and the intersection where Tupac Shakur was murdered.

Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum

Opens Thursday – Monday

10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum is a great attraction to see year-round, but especially if you’re spending Halloween in Las Vegas. Spooky memorabilia of note in this guided museum tour include Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s Death Van, Charles Manson’s bone fragments, and the Dybbuk Box—reportedly the most haunted object in the world. Feeling brave? Opt for the Late Night Flashlight Ghost Tour Experience for the chance to conduct your own paranormal investigation in total darkness.

Halloween parties, concerts, costume contests

A Very B.A.D. Halloween

October 31, 2021

6:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.

A Very B.A.D. Halloween is bringing back the holiday with a bang this year. Join the party in the underground portion of the Sahara Convention Center for a full lineup of EDM DJs, live painting, ghost tours, and local vendors. Prepare for a super-loud warehouse-style party with tons of lasers and old school underground vibes. Headliners include Felmax, Ruvlo, Meso, Awon, and more.

CamelPhat at AREA15

October 31, 2021

Doors at 8:00 p.m.

English DJ and production duo CamelPhat are hitting the stage at AREA15 on Halloween for one night only. This will be a night of deep house and dance beats, complete with a costume contest, amazing prizes, and some spooky surprises along the way. Join the party outdoors in the A-Lot under the stars and be sure to book a VIP table for access to a private table and bottle service on the Upper Deck.

Emo Night Tour Halloween Party

October 29, 2021

Doors at 7:00 pm

The Emo Night Tour is the saddest dance party around (in the best way possible). Emo DJs and live guest bands will be on the Event Lawn at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas spinning the best beats by your favorite artists, including Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, My Chemical Romance, and more. Halloween is the perfect time of year to revisit your all-black high school wardrobe and dance like an angsty teen again.

Fetish & Fantasy Halloween Ball

October 30, 2021

9:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The 25th annual Fetish & Fantasy Halloween Ball will take place at AREA15. Unlike some Halloween parties, costumes are a must at this shindig. Fantasy or fetish wear (including uniforms, leather, lingerie, latex, rubber, lace, feathers, etc., etc.) are highly encouraged. Whimsical and sensual musical and theatrical guests will perform throughout the evening. Bring your dancing shoes and get ready to unleash your wild side. Don’t miss the after party at the Artisan Hotel starting at 2:00 a.m.

4.Miami

Spooky Ways to Celebrate Halloween in Miami This Year

Drive through eight haunted houses at The Horrorland

Photo Horrorland Miami

Thursdays - Sundays throughout October

The corner of Country Club Drive and Abigail Road turns into the most frightening place in Miami, where eight haunted drive-through experiences await. Jump in your car and cruise through Clown Attack, Burned Alive, an Infected Town, a Bloody Sweet 16, Holiday Asylum, the Jail of No Return, Dinner to Die for, and Once Upon a Holiday Horror—if you dare

Cost: Admission runs $59.95 per car

Step into the demented bigtop at a Haunted Circus

Photo Haunted Circus Miami

Weekends through October 31

A misguided troupe of circus performers getting marooned in South Florida isn’t a new story by any stretch. But this group of acrobats, fire eaters, jugglers, and menacing clowns are searching for their missing aerialist, and won’t rest until she’s found. Step inside the interactive bizarre world at Tropical Park and try to solve the mystery, which may or may not include a trip back in time.

Cost: Tickets run $57 per person

Go shopping in a haunted mall

Now through October 31

Taking the abandoned mall phenomenon one step further, this year’s iteration of the House of Horror Haunted Carnival includes Mall Mayhem, where possessed mall employees terrorize you immediately upon entrance. If you can escape the ghost of Sam Goody, you’ll wander into a Toxic Apocalypse, mental breakdowns in the 1455 Asylum, and finally the immersive Scare-X, a multimedia, high-tech haunted house.

Cost: Tickets start at $25 per person on weekdays, $35 on weekends

Marvel at blood-sucking acrobats at the Vampire Circus

Now through October 31

Take the oddball creepiness of Tim Burton and mix it with the death-defying acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil, and you’ve got the Vampire Circus. The macabre take on the typical Cirque show involves Count Dracula starting a traveling circus with his team of gypsy bodyguards, using the performances as a ruse to take over the world. Of course, the story is secondary to the stunts, which may be the most terrifying part of the performance.

Cost: Tickets start at $29.99 per person

5.San Francisco

Best Ways To Celebrate Halloween In San Francisco

Clancy’s Pumpkin Patch

Photo Culture Trip

Clancy’s Pumpkin Patch opened in 1979 as San Francisco’s very first pumpkin patch and has been thriving ever since. The patch is open from October 1st-31st, 9am-9pm every day and brings the city an abundance of pumpkins in every shape, size and type imaginable, including Sugar Pie pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins, blue, white, and striped pumpkins. Clancy’s also has gourds, corn stalks, and Indian corn. They offer traditional fall activities such as a race through their hay maze or a hayride in the center of San Francisco. Make a trip out to Clancy’s Pumpkin Patch this season!

Ghost Tours In San Francisco

The Alcatraz Night Tour and Chinatown Ghost Tour are two of the darkest and most chilling historical walks through the past that the city has to offer, which is why they are one of the best ways to spend this year’s Halloween. Both of these tours run year-round, so if you want to save these haunting attractions for another time and take tours that are only available during this season, we’ve got you covered. The Ghost Walk at City Hall is offered only once a year and is taking place on Friday, October 23rd at 6:30pm. This year’s tour will be given by Rob Spoor who will be sharing a little bit about the disinterred remains, assassinations and other ghostly lore that have taken place in the Civic Center. Occurring on limited dates during the weekends of October, the Haunted Haight Walking Tour is another eerie attraction, which is presented by San Francisco Ghost Society. Purchase your tickets for these ghost tours now if you dare!

21+ Halloween Parties

There is an overwhelming amount of 21+ costume parties taking place in San Francisco on Halloween weekend, but to make things easier for you, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the city’s top celebrations. Our top picks for Friday, October 30th include the San Francisco Halloween Pub Crawl happening on Union Street, the Ghost Ship Halloween VIII: ANNIHILATION taking place at Pier 70 and, of course, the Halloween International Ball held at the W Hotel. The top parties for Halloween, October 31st are Nightmare On Van Ness hosted at the Regency Ballroom and The Black Pearl Halloween Yacht Party taking off from Pier 40. Tickets are selling fast, so purchase yours before they all run out. Get ready for a frightfully fun and wild Halloweekend!

Top 5 worst places to go for Halloween, according to WalletHub

1.Detroit

2.Baton Rouge

3.Winston-Salem, North Carolina

4.Memphis

5.Birmingham, Alabama

Memphis, Birmingham and Detroit all had some of the highest crime rates out of the 100 cities ranked. Detroit and Birmingham also ranked in the bottom for the lowest percentage of potential trick-or-treat stops.

While Detroit scored in the middle of the pack for Halloween Fun and Weather, what we really hurt our score is the Trick-or-Treater-Friendliness.

Friendliness for trick-or-treaters measures out the crime rate of the city against the amount of potential trick-or-treaters and houses that could pass out candy.

Photo Detroit News

Since Detroit was just named the most violent city in America by the FBI it's not too surprising that WalletHub ranked us third from last on city crime rate. Detroit ranked the absolute worst for lowest percent for trick-or-treat stops.

Detroit also ranked low in the number Halloween costume shops, but that doesn't seem very fair considering how many people go with homemade costumes nowadays.

The study found that the violent crime rate is 47 times higher in Detroit than in Irvine, Calif—meaning that trick-or-treating can be a bit more scary than some families plan for.

So we suppose that if you have children, Detroit may not be the absolute best (we wholeheartedly disagree), but we for sure know that Detroit is super fun for Halloween for those about the age of 21.

Baton Rouge Three apparently unrelated shootings occurred across Baton Rouge on Halloween night in 2017 that left two people dead and one wounded. The first shooting occurred around 8 p.m. on Alliquippa Street off Plank Road in north Baton Rouge. One unidentified male victim was shot in the leg, Baton Rouge police spokesman Sgt. L’Jean McKneely said. The second shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. in the Hidden Oaks apartment complex near Siegen Lane and Industriplex Boulevard. Authorities responded to reports of a man found shot in the parking lot. Jonathan Briggs, 33, was pronounced dead at the scene, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Casey Rayborn Hicks said.

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