Halloween in Boston

First order of Halloween business is to find the perfect pumpkin to demonstrate your carving skills. Skip the grocery store pumpkins and head to one of these farms near Boston where you can pick your own from a patch surrounded by idyllic farmland and maybe catch a hayride.

Salem is at its busiest during the month of October, when history and horror buffs head to the site of the Witch Trials. Check the city’s Haunted Happenings website for the full schedule. You can tour the Witch House or take a Ghost Tour any time of year, but there’s something extra spooky about being there in October. And, this year, the Haunted Happenings Market will be in person and virtual.

Explore the spooky side of Boston on the Trolley of Terror. On this 90-minute tour, you’ll hear tales of the Boston Strangler, the murders and executions that took place on the Boston Common and paranormal activity at the Omni Parker House. Most of the tour is aboard the trolley, but you’ll also walk through two of the oldest burial grounds in the city and visit the site of a notorious grave-robbing scandal. The tour is available year-round, but Halloween is the best time to go (book tickets early), especially in costume.

Abingdon's spookiest spot is open for in-person scares this season with all new sets sure to terrify! You can make it a date with the venue’s “Bite and Fright” special, which includes dinner at the Abington Ale House—you can even upgrade and have scary characters visit you and take photos while you’re eating dinner.

Enter the woods in Westford and get ready to scream. Witch’s Woods features five different attractions at press time—Castle Morbid, Jack-o-lantern Jamboree, Horrorwood Chamber of Chills, Vampire Passage and The Haunted Hayride. Buy tickets online in advance, and leave the dressing up to the scary monsters at the park—costumes aren’t permitted.

Boston Ghosts offers a chilling look into a more supernatural side of Boston. There are endless ghost stories to tell, from religious quarrels to fiery locals. You'll take a tour through downtown Boston’s most haunted hotspots and explore both the paranormal and historical worlds.

One of the oldest and most historic hotels in Boston, the Omni Parker House is believed to be haunted. Originally built in 1855 and then rebuilt in 1927, the hotel is a stop on many ghost tours. There have been reported sightings on the 9th and 10th floors of a bearded gentleman dressed from the Colonial era, and the 3rd floor has been said to have its share of paranormal activity as well. 

At the top of your October shopping list, of course, is to get yourself a costume. The Garment District has everything you can think of for the perfect Halloween costume—witches, ghouls, monsters, plus any number of “sexy” outfits and all kinds of masks. Wallet-watchers scared off by brand new costumes can peruse the thrift section for retro finds.

If you’d rather skip the crowds, you can still get your fix of spooky ghost tours from the comfort of home. With GhostFlix, you can watch pre-recorded guided ghost tours from cities around the country, or tune in for eerie live-streamed tours. From Boston to New Orleans to Portland, OR and more, get ready to explore the spooky side of American cities.