4. Haunted Harbor Cruise

Location: Salem, Massachusetts

The Mahi Mahi Halloween cruise in Salem, Massachusetts

How does a relaxing boat cruise, chilly overcast weather, pretty fall foliage, local ghost stories, & festive seasonal decor and Halloween activities sound? If this sounds like the ideal fall/Halloween activity to you, then you may just want to plan a vacation to Salem for the seasonal Haunted Harbor Halloween Cruise. There is so much to do in Salem for Halloween (they have a whole webpage devoted to Halloween events!). Salem truly is the Halloween capital of the US!

You won’t find a Halloween cruise anywhere near as festive at this one. Seriously, they have just about everything on board including seasonal pumpkin beers, spooky music, and lots of Halloween decorations. And if that isn’t enough, you will also get to enjoy a number of fun Halloween activities including tarot card readings, face paintings, and listening to spooky legends of Salem ghost hauntings.

Asides from the fantastic Halloween ambiance, it’s also a nice place to take a relaxing fall foliage cruise. While hiking is an excellent way to soak in the beauty of New England’s gorgeous fall color season, sometimes it’s nice to relax and take in the colorful foliage from another viewpoint.

More fun things to do in Salem for Halloween

More Halloween fun in Salem: Salem has a full lineup of Halloween fun for the entire month of October. A few must-do’s include a visit to Count Orlok’s Horror Nightmare Wax Gallery, the Salem Haunted Magic Show, Tours of the haunted House of Seven Gables, and visiting the Salem Witch Trials Memorial & reportedly haunted Old Burying Ground Cemetery.

5. The Lizzie Borden House

Location: Fall River, Massachusetts

The haunted Lizzie Borden house in Fall River, Massachusetts

Fall River, a historical town just an hour outside of Boston, is most well known for the infamous Lizzie Borden case. This home is reportedly haunted, most likely due to the gruesome nature of the murders that occurred in this house in the late 1800’s. Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the gruesome murders of both her parents, however, to this date the case remains a mystery. Many still believe that she murdered them and continues to haunt the house. Have you ever heard the Lizzie Borden rhyme?

“Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.”

The house now operates as a bed and breakfast. Because of the hauntings, many who attempt to spend the night in this eerie residence are just too creeped out and end up checking out before the night is over. Those who would like to keep the experience a bit more tame can sign up for a guided afternoon tour.

As soon as you step into this eerie old house, you can almost feel that something went terribly wrong here. The tour guide passing around bloody case pictures & sharing stores of the gruesome details doesn’t help all that much. It really is not shocking that so many people have claimed to have seen ghosts here. Touring the Lizzie Borden house is a must do when visiting Fall River or nearby cities like Boston and Providence (it makes for a great day trip!). Of course, tours are all the more spooky during the Halloween season. For a little extra holiday fun, the house now offers ghost cams on select dates.

More info & pics from the Lizzie Borden house tour

More Halloween fun in Fall River: The (incredibly scary) Factory of Terror haunted house, Battleship Boo Bash at the USS Massachusetts, and various ghost tours.

6. Gardner Village

Location: West Jordan Utah (Salt Lake City area)

Gardner Village at Halloween - Salt Lake City

Gardner Village is a fantastic little dining and shopping village just 20 minutes outside of Salt Lake City. The attractive fall weather, festive Halloween decor, fun seasonal events, and beautiful fall foliage, make a trip to Gardner Village a wonderful choice for the fall and Halloween season. This charming village features over 20 boutique shops and old-fashioned brick lined streets. Witchfest runs from late Sept through the end of October, and includes a whole lineup of festive fun. A few must-do’s include the Witch’s 5k fun run, Witchapalooza Dinner Theater, and Witch’s Night Out.

More Halloween fun in the Salt Lake City area: Frightmares (a seasonal haunted theme park), a variety of pumpkin patches, The Haunted Forest in American Fork, and Boo at the Zoo at Utah’s Hogle Zoo.

7. Bengston’s Pumpkin Farm & Fall fest

Location: Homer Glen, Illinois

Festive holiday decor at Bengston's Pumpkin Farm in Homer Glen, Illinois

Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm is one of the best pumpkin patches I’ve ever come across. This seasonal festival includes a diverse range of fun fall activities including hayrides to a pick your own pumpkin patch, a corn maze, pig races, gem mining, a mini haunted house, a pumpkin chucker, and of course, plenty of seasonal treats. It’s a full day out with plenty of activities to enjoy. The beautiful fall weather and pretty fall foliage make the event all the more attractive for the fall. The old-fashioned vibe that we just do not find that much anymore makes Bengstons a must-visit for anyone looking for fall fun in the Chicago suburbs!

More info and pics from Bengston’s Farm

More Halloween fun in the Chicago suburbs: Friday Night Frights at Odgen 6 in Naperville (screening a different Halloween favorite each week), Boo at the Zoo (Brookfield), plenty of haunted houses, and tours of the haunted Old Joliet prison.