Tricks and treats aren’t just for children around the neighborhood. Adults and families can get into the Halloween spirit when traveling, too.
If you’re on the road, these frighteningly fabulous hotels help make it a holiday to remember, with activities ranging from themed teas and chocolate-making classes to pumpkin festivals and costume contests.
This super-sweet Four-Star hotel understandably goes all out around October 31.
Get in the seasonal spirit by unwinding with a cocoa massage or chocolate fondue at the Four-Star spa, but we also like the idea of getting a bit more adventurous with nocturnal tour Creatures of the Nightat nearby ZooAmerica, included as part of your admission to Hersheypark In The Dark.
This exclusive experience is a must for weekends surrounding Hersheypark at Halloween, when you’ll enjoy more than 50 rides available after hours, a sweet trick-or-treat trail, themed meals and more.
Deep in Orange County, this Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star stay promises spooky fun leading up to Halloween. On October 25, view cult classic Scream on the poolside big screen at a costumes-encouraged, dive-in movie night featuring gourmet popcorn and more.
On October 26, haunt the hotel’s Aqua Lounge for an All Hallows Eve Party to stir the soul. Tickets include a complimentary Spiced Apple Mojito. VIP Booths are also available if you really want a howling good time.
The Lodge at Turning Stone Resort Casino
This Four-Star Upstate New York hideaway (one of four hotels at the expansive Turning Stone Resort Casino) offers an extra eerie experience for All Hallows Eve.
On October 25 and 26, visit the property’s Exit 33 nightlife destination for Fairy Tales After Dark. This adults-only gathering will feature live performances in each of its four clubs (plus the central atrium) and costume contests at Tin Rooster country bar and The Gig rock venue. Between sets, look out for spooks on the loose.
If you want more treats than tricks, visit Áhsi’ Day Spa & Salon, where you can release your stress demons with blood orange aromatherapy as a gratis add-on to any massage. Or, visit Upstate Tavern for a limited-edition Halloween Oreo boozy milkshake spiked with vodka and garnished with candy corn, a dark-chocolate-glazed doughnut and a chocolate spider.
The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay
Elevate your love of fall flavors at this Four-Star NorCal resort this autumn. Mondays through Thursdays during October, indulge in a gourd-themed afternoon tea with bites like pumpkin and ginger scones, and savory finger sandwiches complemented by incredible views of Half Moon Bay.
Feel good partaking in this seasonal treat — for every reservation, the resort will donate $10 to the local Boys and Girls Club.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with custom-made desserts this Halloween, thanks to this Forbes Travel Guide Recommended D.C. hotel’s partnership with local chocolatier SPAGnVOLA. On October 26 and 27, you and your crew can even create your own spine-tingling sweets during a hands-on truffle-making class.
Sophisticated spirits will want to book the iconic property’s Halloween Celebration Package. You’ll receive two tickets to the hotel’s Creepy Chic Halloween Soiree (don’t forget to pack your costume), plush accommodations to crash in and 1 p.m. late checkout so you can sleep off the previous night’s antics.
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Disneyland is famous for its over-the-top holiday fall fun, which starts, of course, with Halloween. Soak up this year’s sweets-filled celebrations using this Forbes Travel Guide Recommended retreat as your home base.
Perched right next to the park, this Anaheim hotel gets in on the excitement with a Halloween cart of seasonal treats and a huge confectionary sculpture in its lobby of Oogie Boogie, the sinister character from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. And because your room is so close to the action, it’s terrifyingly easy to snag an autograph from your favorite Disney characters or scope out some of this season’s trendiest pumpkins at the Main Street Pumpkin Festival.
For those who prefer holiday trickery, don’t miss Disneyland’s nocturnal light show Halloween Screams or neighboring Disney’s California Adventure Park’s A Musical Celebration of Coco, a special ghoul-filled adventure on the Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark ride and much more.
But no matter how you plan to spend your evenings, be sure to snag a few spooky sweets (like a peanut butter and jelly mummy doughnut or a Mickey-shaped spiderweb Rice Crispy Treat) while you lurk around.
The adopted hometown of the original master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, Baltimore succumbs to the dark side each October 31. Start your Halloween with a visit to Poe’s gravesite in Westminster Hall before heading to the Maryland Science Center, where you can spend the day practicing Spooky Science activities like slime making, pumpkin carving and more.
By night, explore the 200-year-old city on a ghost tour or take little ones trick-or-treating at The Maryland Zoo during ZooBoo! (October 25 to 27), a special family-friendly affair complete with a hay maze, costume contests and live entertainment.
Plant yourself at the Four-Star Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, just a 15-minute drive from the zoo, for the night to make sure that you’ll have a sweet slumber after all the festivities.
