Top 5 Destinations to Celebrate Halloween

Whether you adore dressing up for the day, can’t wait to take the kids trick-or-treating, revel in scary stories, or just enjoy a great themed party – Halloween is a perfect time to celebrate Fall. Although it feels like a modern holiday, Halloween can trace its roots back to the ancient pagan festival of Samhain. Samhain celebrates the change of seasons and the transition from summer to winter — a time when the veil between our world and the other world is at its thinnest. While every destination that celebrates Halloween will have the traditional core elements, there are a few destinations that stand above the rest for their Halloween style.

Fire performer at the Derry Halloween Festival [Photo Credit: Mitch Hodge via Unsplash]

Ireland

Since Halloween can trace its origins back to Gaelic and Celtic culture, it seems fitting to celebrate in Ireland! Wander through historic castle ruins, and feel the lines of magic and reality blur at the edges of the ancient forests and in the soft steps of the meadows. In Ireland, you’ll enjoy bonfires, folk stories, light shows, and music — all centered around a spirit of celebration, the changing of the seasons, and a little bit of myth. Dublin offers perfectly spooky haunted tours and Bram Stoker-esque castles. Check out the Púca Festival. which concentrates on storytelling, music, and food in the historic Boyne Valley. Or, make your way to Northern Ireland for Europe’s biggest Halloween festival in Derry! This giant marvel invites you to explore different worlds, enjoy interactive light shows circus & fire performers, and take part in costume parades. Ireland offers something for everyone from parties into the wee hours of the morning to kid-friendly apple bobbing and face painting. With all the festivals rooted in tradition, this is a great addition to your Irish adventure.

New Orleans

Second only to Mardi Gras, Halloween in one of the country’s most haunted cities is a big to-do. At any time of year, New Orleans offers voodoo shops, ghost tours, and haunted sites, but Halloween magnifies all these historic, frightening, and gothic elements tenfold. The haunted atmosphere of the city is given an extra boost with towering skeletons, ghostly horsemen, and endless themed parties. The famous parades are complete with frightening floats where revelers throw candy into the crowds. New Orleans does have a few kid-friendly activities, but this is primarily a holiday geared toward adults. Celebrate with your friends at elegant weekend-long parties. Elaborate costumes, exciting galas, and incredible balls grace the streets of the French Quarter, and the houses are decorated to the nines! If you can’t visit New Orleans in February for Mardi Gras, but are still looking for that party vibe, October is the time to go.  

London

Full of history and tradition, but with all the trimmings of a big city, London offers something unique. It seems like in every corner of London from October 22nd- 31st there’s a Halloween celebration. Enjoy a modern Halloween with themed menus in restaurants and bars, Madame Tussaud’s Alien Escape Experience, Crystal Maze experiences, countless themed escape rooms, and endless costume parties. But London also boasts a long, dark, and storied past, with plenty of ghost tours, serial killer walks, graveyards, underground passages, and dungeons. Throughout the last week of October, London will allow you to immerse yourself in an interactive Halloween, blending historical and modern scares.

[Photo Credit: Andrei via Pexels]

Disney

[Photo credit: Aiden Craver via Unsplash]

Trying to celebrate Halloween in the most kid-friendly way possible? Look no further than Disney! All of the Disney Parks and cruises worldwide celebrate Halloween in style. Marvel at specialty shows, meet-and-greets, and fireworks displays that you won’t see at any other time of year. The kids will love meeting their favorite Villains who only come out for Halloween. Or getting unique photos of the other characters in specialty Halloween costumes. Mickey himself hosts a Not-So-Scary Halloween Party which requires advance tickets. Your favorite rides also get a makeover adding spooky — but not-too-scary — Halloween elements. When you tire of rides, parties, and villains, you can enjoy specialty foods or head into the shops for some seasonal merch. In Disney World, Halloween brings in a huge foodie element with lots of new specialties to try and enjoy. The kids will love the Coco-themed installation! Running through the 2nd of November, it teaches them more about the Day of the Dead. With all sorts of things you’ll never see any other time of year, Halloween is a great time to enjoy a Disney experience.

Canada

Canada is one of the best destinations for leaf-peeping, getting out into nature, and enjoying Halloween in a quaint, kid-friendly way. Canadians celebrate Halloween very similarly to Americans with scary movies, trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, and autumn festivals. You can enjoy small-town fairs, as well as carnival rides, pumpkin patches, or apple bobbing for the kids. Victoria on Vancouver Island is British Columbia’s most haunted city. They celebrate with a lot of spookier activities including haunted night ziplining. The bigger cities like Toronto and Vancouver are dotted with parties and Zombie walks. All over Canada, there are plenty of events for all ages. Infuse your Halloween with a little bit of wholesome, light-hearted fun. This is the perfect place if you don’t want Halloween to be the main focus of your Autumn outdoor adventure but just have it sprinkled into the great outdoors.


Are you ready to add a little travel to next year’s Halloween celebrations? Let us know! If you’re considering a late-October or early-November adventure, it’s worth adding these incredible Halloween experiences to your trip!

Planning a Theme Park Vacation

Planning a Theme Park Vacation Pin
Pin it for Later!

Every type of trip has its own set of requirements that need to be thought through in advance. Theme Parks offer many adventures, so there’s definitely some planning and research that needs to be done beforehand. Unlike a tropical beach vacation or roaming in a European city, theme parks serve a unique, particular interest. So, what are some of these things you need to consider before you go?


Attractions

The first and most important thing to check with any theme park is the number of attractions that your family can participate in.  Rides and attractions come in all sorts of different shapes, sizes, and types — which makes their height restrictions as unique as they are.  It’s important to confirm that your chosen park has enough attractions for your family. This information is typically on the theme parks website. And checking it in advance can ensure your kids are tall enough to ride the attractions they are most excited about.

Height is not the only consideration. It’s also important to take a preview of the rides and discover the ones that your family will enjoy the most. Some people love intense roller coasters and spinning attractions. But, if you have family members who are afraid of specific ride types or get motion sickness in 3D theaters, it’s important to check in advance.

[Photo Credit: Liz via Shared Adventures Travel]

Special Dates

The next thing to check is if there are any special events or holiday functions during your preferred travel dates.  Many parks now feature special events year-round. You can celebrate the seasons, holidays, and special park events with them, and enjoy the added excitement. Or choose a quieter time to visit.  

Whether you visit Disney World in the fall for Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival or Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights, these events change the theme park experience. Some events, especially the holiday ones, tend to close the parks early unless you have pre-booked a special ticket. This makes the exciting experience more exclusive but requires a little more advanced planning.

[Photo Credit: Brian Mcgowan via Unsplash]

Whether or not you plan to participate in these special events, it’s very important to know when they will impact the park schedules.  If you aren’t familiar with a specific event, make sure to check the park website. Or ask your travel advisor who can explain the potential changes in the park and experience.

Location

Once you have a feel for the park’s attractions, entertainment, and special events, the next step is to consider the park’s geographic location.  Some parks are open year-round while others are only open during the summer season.  In addition to those general opening dates, the time of year can also affect the availability of specific experiences and attractions. 

For example, many people do not want to ride a river rapids attraction in early May at Hershey Park due to the colder temperatures. However, most people will gladly ride the same attraction at Disney World since it’s much warmer in Florida. Take a look at the geography and general weather averages. Consider how this may affect the parks and attractions, and how you can best enjoy your downtime together.

[Photo Credit: Liz via Shared Adventures Travel]

Don’t forget to consider how you might fill the extra time other than the resort/hotel pool, particularly if it’s cold.  Not everyone is comfortable swimming in a heated outdoor pool when it’s only 60 degrees outside.

Talk to an Advisor

Given the large amount of planning and research that goes into a theme park vacation, we are here to help you navigate through it all. If you like, you can do some basic research on your own prior to planning with your advisor.  Or you can call us right at the starting point, and let us guide you through it.

Remember, theme parks are an exhilarating, unique type of vacation. And they require much more planning before, leading up to, and even during travel.  The good news is we will be by your side every step during the booking process.  We will review the various amenities, offerings, and perks at each theme park destination, and will always make sure you are well-prepared for the trip.  Are you ready to plan your next theme park vacation?

You provided excellent guidance for us. I appreciated that you really had us think about what was most important to us when we were selecting the right cruise – and not to totally focus on what other people had to say. THANK YOU for helping to make this a memorable trip for our family! It really was a trip of a lifetime!

Clare and Mark (family cruise to Alaska)

The level of service we experienced was out of this world (and we did NOT make it easy on Ann). We weren’t quite sure where we wanted to go, when we would be able to go, or what “vibe” we were going for. After asking us some key questions (what we liked, didn’t like, why, etc.) Ann helped us narrow down our trip details and planned the honeymoon of our dreams. She helped book some of our excursions, answered some emergency questions while abroad and was always available/willing to help. I think it’s safe to say we won’t be using anyone else for future travel planning – Ann is a rockstar!

Carli (Italy and Spain)