As Halloween creeps closer, it’s time to start planning the ultimate spooky road trip across the USA! Whether you’re looking for spine-tingling haunted houses, family-friendly festivals, or full-blown Halloween parades, these top destinations will give you chills and thrills.

Rent a car anywhere across the US, pack your costume, and get ready to experience the best Halloween events nationwide.

New Orleans, Louisiana: A Haunted Halloween Extravaganza
🚘 Nearest car rental location: New Orleans Airport [MSY], LA
Known as one of America’s most haunted cities, New Orleans brings its eerie atmosphere to life during Halloween. New Orleans is a Halloween lover’s dream, from ghost tours through the French Quarter to extravagant costume parties. You’ll find everything from vampire fangs to over-the-top costumes and kid-friendly events. Why pay for public transport whenever you need to get to the costume party or buy spooky decor for your costume? With a rental car, these problems disappear!
Top Attractions in New Orleans
👻 Ghosts in the Oaks
Experience three nights of unlimited fun at Carousel Gardens Amusement Park with rides, arts and crafts, and hot-dog roasting. Don’t miss the festive pumpkin patch and trick-or-treating through the enchanting Storyland!
📅 Dates: October 16-19, 2025
💰 Admission: $25-30
📍Location: New Orleans City Park | 5 Victory Ave., New Orleans, LA 70124
🎃 Halloween Balcony Party
Join the ultimate Halloween Balcony Party overlooking the iconic Bourbon Street with a 3-hour open premium bar and guaranteed balcony access. Enjoy unbeatable views of the wild costumes and festivities from above, and take part in the bead-tossing extravaganza.
📅 Dates: October 25 & 31, 2025
💰 Admission: $150-235
📍Location: Cornet Restaurant | 700 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116
🦇 Boo at the Zoo
Join the spooky fun from 10 am to 5 pm at Audubon Zoo! Bring your little ghosts, goblins, and witches for a safe, family-friendly Halloween event with zoo animals and festive activities, benefiting Children’s Hospital New Orleans and Audubon Zoo.
📅 Dates: October 17-19, 2025
💰 Admission: $38 (Non-Members) | $12 (Members)
📍Location: Audubon Zoo | 6500 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70118
Families can enjoy events like Boo Carré, trick-or-treating in the French Market District, and Krewe of Boo—New Orleans’ premier Halloween parade. For the brave, haunted spots like Muriel’s Jackson Square and New Orleans Nightmare will satisfy your ghost-hunting cravings.

Adams, Tennessee: Encounter the Bell Witch
🚘 Nearest car rental location: Nashville Airport [BNA], TN
Home to one of the most terrifying paranormal legends in the USA, Adams, Tennessee, is famous for the Bell Witch haunting. The eerie tale of the witch who tormented the Bell family continues to send shivers down visitors’ spines to this day.
Top Attractions in Adams
🧙🏻♀️ Bell Witch Cave
Just 40 minutes from Nashville, the Historic Bell Witch Cave in Adams, Tennessee, is the perfect destination for a spine-chilling Halloween experience. Step into the eerie world of one of America’s most documented supernatural tales as you explore the re-constructed John Bell cabin, view original artifacts, and immerse yourself in the chilling history of the infamous Bell Witch. With its secluded location, rolling hills, and haunted past, this spot offers the ultimate Halloween atmosphere, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to add a spooky twist to their holiday plans.
📅 Dates: every day
💰 Admission: $22
📍Location: 430 Keysburg Rd., Adams, TN 37010
🔮 SPIRIT: The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch
For over two decades, SPIRIT: The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch of Tennessee has captivated audiences with a theatrical thriller on the grounds of the old Bell Family Farm. This live performance immerses you in the haunting events that terrorized the Bell family over 200 years ago. Was it a witch, or something more sinister? Come and decide for yourself. The festival opens at 6 pm, with the show starting at 7 pm—an unforgettable Halloween experience for thrill-seekers.
📅 Dates: October 16-25, 2025
💰 Admission: $27.38 – 43.14
📍Location: Bell Witch Fall Festival | 7617 US-41, Adams, TN 37010
Adams offers a truly terrifying experience for those looking to dive deep into paranormal history, with attractions like the Bell Witch Cemetery sure to make your skin crawl. Navigating to the cemetery by public transport can be difficult and time-consuming, so consider using a rental vehicle instead.

Salem, Massachusetts: The Witch City
🚘 Nearest car rental location: Boston Airport [BOS], MA
No Halloween list is complete without Salem, the epicenter of America’s witchcraft lore. Known for the infamous 1692 witch trials, Salem has become a hub of Halloween activity with parades, festivals, and historical tours that immerse visitors in the city’s haunted history.
Top Attractions of Salem
🎃 Hollowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth
Salem’s beloved event returns for its 4th season, bringing even more Jack-O’-Lantern magic! Wander through hundreds of intricately carved pumpkins, a mesmerizing spider web tunnel, and enjoy interactive pumpkin carving. Watch re-animated Jacks come to life, singing songs and telling spooky tales.
📅 Dates: until October 31, 2025
💰 Admission: $8.50 – 38.25
📍Location: 45 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970
🧟♂️ Haunted Happenings Grand Parade
The 27th Annual Haunted Happenings Grand Parade kicks off Salem’s Halloween season. Following the traditional route from Prime Group Shetland Park to Salem Common. This year’s theme is “Our Time on Earth”, which is inspired by the Peabody Essex Museum’s climate-focused exhibition. Expect a vibrant night filled with music, colorful floats, and the excitement of thousands of Salem students and locals. Join over 15,000 spectators for this iconic Halloween tradition!
📅 Dates: October 2, 2025, at 6:30 pm
💰 Admission: Free
🧙🏻♀️ Witches’ Halloween Ball
Prepare for a night of magic, music, and mysticism at Salem’s most enchanting Halloween party on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 7:30 PM. Hosted at the iconic Hawthorne Hotel, Witches and mortals gather to feast, dance, and cast spells for the new year. With live performances by the Dragon Ritual Drummers, a costume contest, powerful rituals, and psychic readings, this event is a celebration of ancient traditions and Halloween magic. Don’t miss the chance to experience Salem like never before!
📅 Dates: October 31, 2025
💰 Admission: 21+ Event, $200 + $11.99 fee
📍Location: Hawthorne Hotel, Salem
👻 After Hours Ghost Hunt
Join the REAL Ghost Hunt at Salem’s Lost Museum with paranormal expert Kimberly Bizjak. In this 90-minute, after-hours event, you’ll use ghost-hunting equipment like EMF detectors and infrared thermometers to explore paranormal activity. Learn about ghost communication and mediumship while collecting your evidence!
📅 Dates: Late September – October 30, 2025 at 8:30 pm
💰 Admission: from $38
📍Location: Gallows Hill & The Lost Museum | 7 Lynde Street, Salem, MA 01970
Salem’s blend of history and hauntings makes it one of the most iconic Halloween destinations in the country, especially for those fascinated by witch trials and paranormal phenomena.

Universal Studios Hollywood – Halloween Horror Nights
🚘 Nearest car rental location: Burbank Airport [BUR], CA | Los Angeles Airport [LAX], CA
For an experience that’s both thrilling and terrifying, head to Universal Studios Hollywood for Halloween Horror Nights. With a lineup of haunted houses based on famous horror films, it’s the perfect destination for adrenaline junkies.
📅 Dates: selected nights from September 4 to November 2, 2025
💰 Admission: from $77 to $449
📍Location: Universal Studios Hollywood, CA | 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
Step into the horror-packed world of Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights, where fear comes to life with 8 mind-ripping haunted houses and the chilling Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse.
Universal Studios transforms into a terror-filled park with chilling encounters at every turn, making it an unmissable Halloween destination. Driving to this destination with a rental car from Hertz or Alamo is the best transportation option you might think of!
Brief Summary

Halloween is the perfect excuse to embark on a spooky road trip across the USA. Renting a car gives you the flexibility to explore these haunted cities and their thrilling events at your own pace. Whether you’re hunting ghosts in New Orleans or diving into witch history in Salem, the road to fear-filled fun is just a rental away!




































































