6 Halloween towns film buffs should visit this spooky season

Want to know the best Halloween travel destinations? These ghostly Halloween towns go beyond simple decorations and haunted houses—they create an immersive experience that feels like stepping into a horror movie or Halloween classic. From Salem's witch trial history featured in Hocus Pocus to St. Helens' Halloweentown locations, these destinations offer the ultimate spooky experiences for film fans and Halloween enthusiasts.

Salem remains the crown jewel of Halloween towns, where the lines between historical tragedy and Hollywood magic blur seamlessly. The town's 1692 witch trials history provides a haunting backdrop for the beloved Disney film Hocus Pocus, creating an unparalleled Halloween atmosphere that draws over 500,000 visitors annually.

Why visit Salem?

Salem offers the perfect blend of historical significance and pop culture magic. The actual filming locations for Hocus Pocus remain accessible throughout the town, including Max and Dani's house on Ocean Avenue, the Old Town Hall's Halloween party scenes, and Pioneer Village, where Thackery Binx's transformation was filmed. Guided tours provide behind-the-scenes stories and photo opportunities at all five key filming locations.

Halloween activities and experiences in Salem

October's Haunted Happenings festival transforms Salem into the world's largest Halloween celebration. The Salem Witch Museum provides historical context about the actual witch trials, whilst evening ghost tours and psychic readings add supernatural atmosphere. Various Halloween attractions operate year-round, including the Peabody Essex Museum and its Ropes Mansion (another filming location) and countless themed shops and restaurants.

This charming Pacific Northwest town preserves the magic of Disney's Halloweentown like nowhere else. The actual filming locations remain intact and accessible, creating an authentic movie experience that transports visitors directly into the beloved 1998 film that launched the Disney Channel Original Movie Halloween tradition.

Why visit St. Helens?

St. Helens maintains the family-friendly Disney magic that made Halloweentown so special. The giant jack-o'-lantern from the film still sits in City Hall Plaza, while Benny's cab remains parked nearby for photo opportunities. Original cast members regularly make appearances during festivals, with recent events featuring J. Paul Zimmerman (Dylan) and Phillip Van Dyke (Luke) for meet-and-greets with fans.

Halloween activities and experiences in St. Helens

The month-long Spirit of Halloweentown festival transforms the town into a living movie set from late September through October. Weekend events include the Great Pumpkin Lighting ceremony, haunted attractions, vendor villages, and costume contests. Unlike Salem's spooky atmosphere, St. Helens maintains the wholesome charm perfect for families seeking Disney Halloween magic.

This Long Island town achieved horror movie infamy as the filming location for The Amityville Horror, where the notorious house at 112 Ocean Avenue became one of cinema's most recognizable haunted homes. The 1979 film and its 2005 remake transformed this quiet suburban neighborhood into a pilgrimage site for horror enthusiasts seeking authentic scares.

Why visit Amityville?

Amityville offers horror fans the chance to see the actual house that terrified audiences worldwide. The distinctive home, with its iconic quarter-moon windows, remains privately owned but visible from the street for photos. The surrounding neighborhood has the same eerie suburban atmosphere captured in both films, whilst nearby Amityville Cemetery adds to the supernatural ambience.

Halloween activities and experiences in Amityville

October brings increased horror tourism to the area, with various ghost tours operating throughout Long Island that include Amityville stops. The nearby Amityville Historical Society provides context about the town's history beyond the horror connections. For the ultimate experience, horror fans often combine Amityville visits with trips to other Long Island filming locations, making for a cinematic tour of the region's scariest movie spots.

This tiny town in Maryland is only home to 150 residents but achieved horror movie immortality as the setting for The Blair Witch Project. For fans of found-footage horror, Burkittsville offers an authentic pilgrimage experience to the locations where cinema history was made with the $60,000 shoot budget that grossed $248 million worldwide.

Why visit Burkittsville?

Burkittsville provides the ultimate fan experience for horror movie enthusiasts seeking spooky filming locations. Key sites include the Burkittsville Union Cemetery featured in the opening, nearby Seneca Creek State Park (the "Black Hills Forest"), and former locations connected to the Rustin Parr house storyline. The town embraces its horror movie heritage whilst maintaining small-town charm.

Halloween activities and experiences in Burkittsville

The annual Blair Witch Experience provides the ultimate fan pilgrimage, typically held in October. This event generally includes guided tours of all main filming locations, camping at Patapsco State Park, and campfire screenings. The fan-run experience allows visitors to retrace the filmmakers' steps through the story that pioneered the found-footage genre.

Savannah’s Spanish moss-draped squares and Victorian architecture create a naturally cinematic Southern Gothic atmosphere. The city's reputation as the USA’s most haunted city stems from its turbulent history, numerous haunted locations, and atmospheric beauty that's appeared in countless films.

Why visit Savannah?

Savannah offers a year-round supernatural atmosphere with professional ghost tours and haunted locations. The Sorrel-Weed House, featured in Forrest Gump, provides paranormal experiences with evening ghost investigations. Also, Savannah’s Colonial Park Cemetery is estimated to house over 10,000 bodies with fewer than 1,000 visible markers, creating a supernatural atmosphere.

Halloween activities and experiences in Savannah

There are many spooky tours that operate year-round, offering everything from traditional walking tours to unique trolly tours through Lafayette Square. The Andrew Low House offers museum tours by day and ghost encounters by night. October brings intensified Halloween programming with special events, whilst the naturally spooky atmosphere makes any time of year perfect for supernatural experiences.

For horror literature fans, Bangor offers the ultimate pilgrimage experience to the real-world locations that inspired Stephen King's most famous works. The city embraces its connection to the Master of Horror, who has called Bangor home for over 40 years and used it as inspiration for the fictional town of "Derry."

Why visit Bangor?

Bangor provides Stephen King experiences at real locations that inspired beloved stories. King's former Victorian mansion with its famous bat-winged gates, the Thomas Hill Standpipe from It, and the Jackson and Union Streets storm drain where Pennywise claimed victims all remain accessible. Mount Hope Cemetery, where King frequently writes, served as a filming location for Pet Sematary.

Halloween activities and experiences in Bangor

This city in Maine is home to a Stephen King experience from April through October. The 2.5–3 hour tour visits key locations whilst sharing behind-the-scenes stories about real-life inspirations behind the stories. The Oriental Jade Restaurant inspired "Jade of the Orient" from It, whilst the Paul Bunyan statue appears in multiple King works.

Whether seeking family-friendly Disney magic in St. Helens or horror movie pilgrimages in Burkittsville, these cinematic Halloween towns provide immersive experiences. Get ready to transform your ordinary travel into extraordinary Halloween adventures. Make sure to book your October getaway early, as these legendary destinations fill up quickly during peak spooky season.