5 Last-Minute Halloween Escapes (SLIDESHOW)


New York, NY

Party like a rock star… or a superhero, or a zombie, or Madonna or whatever you want to be because in a city like New York you never know what you’re going to see or be! Celebrate at the city’s famous Greenwich Village Parade or the Blood Manor Haunted House, which features a special “Touch Me” terror, giving guests to option to be touched or not. For something more NYC-themed, there’s NIGHTMARE NEW YORK, a haunted house that uses real horror stories and urban legends of the city.  

If you want to show off your dog’s costume, there is a parade exclusively for pooches at Tompkins Square Park.

For more information on Halloween in NYC visit http://www.halloween-nyc.com/

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia 

In a town already known for its haunted past, celebrate Halloween with Colonial Williamsburg, VA with a guided candlelight “Hauntings of Williamsburg” tour which tells the true stories of murders, ghosts, and all things scary, including the tale of Blackbeard and Grace Sherwood. There is also a Haunted Dinner Theatre, with special performances and a buffet with over 71 items. 

Near-by is Busch Gardens “Howl-O-Scream!” where guests are not only thrilled by the ghouls and zombies but a park full of rollercoasters as well.

For more information visit http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/

Salem, Massachusetts

Famous for its 1692 Witch Trials, Salem has an array of Halloween activities such as a carnival, fireworks, numerous theatrical presentations and a haunted cornfield maze (but aren’t all cornfields haunted?). Explore grave yards on a walking tour called Cemetery 101, or a Salem TV & Movie tour that highlights certain films such as Hocus Pocus. Or, for those seeking adventure on the water, there is a Haunted Harbor Cruise with Mahi Mahi.

Witches beware! For ages 21 and up there’s the “R-rated” annual costume party. 

For more information visit www.salem.org

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Eastern State Penitentiary has taken over 200 actors and endless lighting and sound effects to terrify anyone who enters. But the scariest part of this is that the Penitentiary has been abandoned since 1971, leaving only empty cells that once were occupied by the most dangerous men in the country. For children ages 7-12 there is a gathering called “Family-Night” which isn’t filled with vengeful prisoners and corrupt guards.

While in Philly for Halloween, visit Fright Factory which a former insane asylum from The Great Depression. Many of those committed to this asylum were forgotten about causing them to fend for themselves and grow into a horrific pack of “crazy killers”, inspiring Hollywood films such as “A Nightmare on Elm Street”.

For more information visit http://www.visitphilly.com/articles/philadelphia/top-halloween-events-and-activities-in-philadelphia/

Kansas City, MO

KC West Bottoms is offering 5 different haunted attractions this season. One of them is the Ghost and Gangsters tour which takes place on a “ghoul bus”. Participants will be able to see Kansas City’s famous landmarks and learn of past paranormal activity and mafia action.  

The other four attractions include Chambers of Poe (ties with Poe’s madness), Macabre Cinema (has actual horror-movie sets), Edge of Hell (caters to phobias) and The Beast (includes a live alligator). Each house has something unique that makes it ideal for a haunted house.  With all these options, guests can be scared for days.  

For more information of KC's haunted attractions visit http://kcwestbottoms.com/hauntedhouses.htm