Salem vs. New Orleans: Best Halloween Trip 2025 – Ghost Tours, Voodoo & Witch History

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase or booking, FunForFest may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps us keep creating spooky guides and festive inspiration.

systeme.io

Salem vs. New Orleans: Best Halloween Trip

Two legendary Halloween destinations. One is steeped in witch trials and New England folklore, the other pulses with voodoo, jazz, and all-night parades. Both promise ghosts, history, and a little too much fun.

Salem

Witch City, Massachusetts

Salem in October feels like stepping onto a movie set. Narrow cobblestone streets lined with pumpkins, colonial houses draped in fake spiderwebs, and costumed visitors at every corner. This is the birthplace of the witch hysteria of 1692, and the town leans into it with candlelit walking tours, reenactments, and one of the most photogenic fall settings in the U.S.

What to do

Join the Salem Ghost Tour for spine-tingling stories from centuries past, wander with a historian on the Hauntings & History Walk, or dive into folklore with the High Witch History Tour. Each tour reveals a different face of Salem: some theatrical, some deeply researched, all unforgettable.

Salem Ghost Tour Hauntings & History High Witch Tour

Where to stay

Salem hotels vanish faster than a witch at dawn. Stay in nearby towns like Marblehead, Danvers, or even Boston for easier bookings.

Lynn Marblehead Danvers Peabody Boston
Full Salem Guide

New Orleans

The Crescent City

New Orleans doesn’t need Halloween to be spooky, but it sure knows how to celebrate it. Imagine jazz spilling from every doorway, balconies draped in skeletons, and a parade that blends gothic spectacle with Mardi Gras madness. The city’s haunted past includes voodoo queens, vampire legends, and cemeteries that look like marble cities of the dead.

What to do

Step into the shadows on the Ghost, Voodoo & Vampire Tour, creep inside an actual haunted building on the Ghost Adventures Tour, or go bold with the Adults-Only Dark History Tour. Between stops, grab a cocktail and let the French Quarter’s haunted heartbeat set the pace.

Ghost & Voodoo Tour Haunted Houses Tour Adults-Only Tour
Full New Orleans Guide

Book Your Haunted Getaway

Search flights, hotels, or both – Salem and New Orleans get busy fast.

Which city wins?

Choose Salem if your soul craves cobblestones, colonial lore, and the unmistakable crisp air of New England in fall. Go for New Orleans if your October must include brass bands, strong cocktails, and cemeteries that feel alive with stories. Honestly? There’s no wrong choice—just different shades of spooky.

Note: Some links are affiliate links, which may earn FunForFest a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for keeping the lights spooky.

Salem vs. New Orleans: Best Halloween Trip

Two legendary Halloween destinations. One is steeped in witch trials and folklore, the other pulses with voodoo, jazz, and haunted parades. Both promise ghosts, history, and unforgettable nights.

Salem

Witch City, Massachusetts

Salem in October feels like a stage set for witches and wanderers. Pumpkins glow on cobblestones, colonial houses hide centuries of stories, and costumed visitors crowd the streets. The legacy of 1692’s witch trials still lingers, explored through museums and ghost walks.

What to do

Try the Salem Ghost Tour for chilling tales, the Hauntings & History Walk for local lore, or the High Witch Tour for a deeper dive into symbolism and hysteria.

Salem Ghost Tour Hauntings & History High Witch Tour

Where to stay

Hotels in Salem disappear quickly—check nearby towns like Marblehead or Boston.

Lynn Marblehead Danvers Peabody Boston
Full Salem Guide

New Orleans

The Crescent City

New Orleans celebrates Halloween with jazz, voodoo, and gothic grandeur. Balconies drip with skeletons, haunted cemeteries gleam by candlelight, and the French Quarter comes alive with legends of vampires and spirits.

What to do

Explore the Ghost, Voodoo & Vampire Tour, enter a real haunted house on the Ghost Adventures Tour, or join the Adults-Only Dark History Tour for midnight chills.

Ghost & Voodoo Tour Haunted Houses Tour Adults-Only Tour
Full New Orleans Guide

Book Your Haunted Getaway

Search flights, hotels, or both – Salem and New Orleans get busy fast.

Which city wins?

Pick Salem if you want cobblestones, witch history, and crisp fall air. Choose New Orleans if you crave voodoo, jazz, and haunted parades that go until morning. Either way—you’re in for a hauntingly good trip.

Note: Some links are affiliate links, which may earn FunForFest a commission at no extra cost to you.

Scrolling is out. Smart selection is in.

Seasonal Stuffs

FUN FOR FEST