Just because you’re too old to trick-or-treat (are you ever really too old to trick-or-treat?) doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the Halloween fun. Grab your best costume and join in one of these seven incredible Halloween celebrations from around the globe.
Ireland
Get your spook on where it all began. Halloween’s origins can be traced to the early Celtic festival Samhain, which marked the end of summer and beginning of winter. If you like your Halloween with a side of terror, there’s no shortage of haunted sites to tour like Wicklow Gaol, a former prison that’s said to be one of the most haunted places in all of Ireland. If you prefer to stay where the lights are on, head to Belfast for a huge fireworks display.
Oaxaca, Mexico
Even Disney has the scoop on Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a three-day festival that takes place across Mexico. It can take on a solemn, ceremonial tone in many villages, but Oaxaca is full of street festivals, carnivals, and tequila. Lots of tequila.
Greenwich Village, New York
If your attitude is the bigger the crowd, the better, don’t miss the largest Halloween parade in the world in New York City. More than 50,000 people participate in this jaunt down lower Manhattan; all that’s required to join in the fun is a costume.
Hong Kong
This unofficial Halloween capital of Asia has married its own traditions with the more Westernized version of the holiday for a truly spooktacular time. Yu Lan, or the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts, is a Buddhist tradition that involves carnivals, street festivals, and, of course, plenty of food.
Transylvania, Romania
What’s more Halloween than a party in Dracula’s castle? Vlad the Impaler, who ruled Transylvania in the 1400s (and murdered thousands of people) became the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Vlad’s not-so-humble abode, the iconic Bran Castle, plays host to the most #onbrand Halloween party you’ll find.
Salem, Massachusetts
This picturesque New England town celebrates its infamous spot in history as the site of more than 200 witch trials and 19 hangings with a month-long celebration of all things haunted. From the Witches’ Ball to horror film festivals and haunted tours, you’re sure to find the perfect setting for sending chills up your spine.
London
Nobody does a ghost walk like London. Whether it’s a classic Jack the Ripper tour or a haunted pub crawl, wandering around the damp and dark streets of London is sure to put you in a frightful mood just in time for All Hallow’s Eve.
Any must-hit Halloween spots on your list that we missed? Let us know in the comments below.