Unbeknownst to many, there is a trade group of businesses built around scaring people. The Haunted Attraction Association estimates that there will be about 1,500 installations around the country this October, many of which are only up for the month, or even less.
Halloween has become a more interesting holiday than the one night a year that kids go door to door for free candy. A couple of generations of people who grew up trick-or-treating have held on to Halloween traditions, holding costume parties and, increasingly, Halloween-themed conventions and tourist attractions.
The business of scaring people has probably never been stronger, as people flock to zombie walks, haunted houses, and horror conventions. For those who enjoy the macabre, there are plenty of opportunities to travel in search of frights.
Cities like New Orleans and Salem, Massachusetts, have long histories of association with the eerie, and they tend to ramp that up in October in hopes of cashing in on tourism dollars. For New Orleans, it marks the end of a dreadfully hot summer season and the beginning of tourism there, while in Salem it comes closer to the end of the tourist season.
There are likely to be are some spooky attractions nearby wherever you happen to live, so if it’s too late to schedule a major trip for this October, think locally and plan your big travels for next year. A lot of common destinations such as theme parks do extra activities for Halloween, but a number of communities around the country also have their own festivals and other traditions that welcome visitors.
And it’s not just the U.S., either. If you live in England, check out some of the ways London is getting in on the Halloween spirit.
Chances are, if there is a community with an urban legend or a spooky past, there are also people in that community organizing October events to celebrate it.
What kinds of Halloween happenings are going on in your area? Please share your thoughts and tips in the comments.