Best Places to Celebrate Halloween
Halloween goes by many names. All Hallows Eve, which is where the name came from, as well as Night of the Dead, and Samhuinn are a few. No matter what you call it or how you celebrate the holiday there are many of the best places to celebrateHalloween worldwide.
Salem, Massachusetts USA is one of the first places many people think of on Halloween. This is where the witch trials took effect in the 17th century. In town you will find the Salem Witch Museum where you can learn about the trials. During Halloween Salem has the candlelit Witch Trial Trail and you can learn about the sordid past in Colonial America. The work of the devil was found to have overpowered more than 200 people and some were put to death while others imprisoned. The Historic Hawthorne Hotel holds the Annual Costume Ball in celebration.
There has been a fascination with vampires for centuries. Therefore one of the best places to celebrate Halloween would be in Bran, Romania. Legends abound in this part of the world. Vlad the Impaler is the individual on whom Dracula is based in Bram Stoker’s famous writings. It is said that Bran Castle where Dracula lived, and Poenari Castle and Hunyard Castle are associated with places where Vlad lived. Bran is also said to be the “Land Beyond the Forest” of which Emily Gerard spoke of in her works.
London, England is a virtual storehouse of history. Some of the chilling escapades of the past are showcased at come of the best places to celebrate Halloween. See the infamous London Dungeon. Take some freaky tours along the ways of Bloody Mary the Queen who killed, Jack the Ripper and Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Don’t miss on your creepy stay the Tower of London and William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Speaking of creepy, one of the most haunted locations is in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Bytown Museum houses six ghosts to keep your visit well, interesting we shall say. For over 150 years Duncan McNab has been lingering about and if you see or hear any weird happenings by the money vault or on the computers say hi. The doll exhibit echoes the sound of children crying. Keep an eye on those dolls, too, they will wink at you and move on their own.
As we sneak back around to the vampire motif, you will enjoy a stay at Forks, Washington USA where the Twilight series harkens from the pen of Stephanie Meyer. The town also offers up the shenanigans of a haunting lumberjack and a pregnant woman.
Getting away from vampires, we turn to New Orleans, Louisiana USA. One of the best places to celebrate Halloween, this infamous city will take you along the Spirit Tour. On this journey you will visit above ground crypt style cemeteries in to the Vieux Carre neighborhood. Voodoo brings about ideas of creepies so why not stop by a Voodoo Temple that is still in operation today?
Heading overseas again we land in Edinburgh, Scotland. Here we celebrate All Hallows Eve and Samhuinn. Visit the Samhuinn Festival on the Royal Mile. The pageant harkens from medieval times and is based on a folkplay that tells us the story of the Celtic traditions of the changing of the seasons and the New Year. Mary King’s Close Tours is an absolute must. Take a guided tour in the old underground city and experience the supernatural. Combine the supernatural with history and tour legends and myths of the famous past. Dublin, Ireland also has Samhuinn traditions and celebrations.
Mexico celebrates the Day of the Dead on Halloween. Janitzio takes part in several rituals including processions and music, dancing and the familial gathering in the cemetery for a night of chanting and singing. Oaxacahas marketplaces, vigils in cemeteries and nighttime comparsas. There are several festivals throughout the country making Mexico one of the best places to celebrate Halloween.
No matter what part of the world you are in, you will not be far from one of the best places for Halloween celebrations. Be ready to have a party to remember. Bring your costume, your charms, your flashlights, your fun and your fear! Happy Halloween!
Other historical information about Halloween: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
