Spooky season is in full swing with Halloween less than three weeks away.
While haunted happenings can be had all across the U.S. this October there are a handful of creepy and downright dreadful destinations that stand out.
Embrace the eerie in these otherworldly places.
New Orleans, Louisiana
A carriage driver in Halloween costume in New Orleans. (photo via History and Haunts Carriage Ride Night Tour) ((photo via History and Haunts Carriage Ride Night Tour))
The Big Easy is undeniable in terms of its spooky season allure.
Whether you're looking to take part in a boozy and perhaps haunted pub crawl down iconic Bourbon Street, tour bone-chilling graveyards like the unmistakable St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 or unpack your bags at allegedly haunted hotels like the famous Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans has it all this time of year.
Texarkana, Arkansas and Texas
This one is for the truest of the true crime junkies.
The Texarkana Moonlight Murders are among the most violent and hair-raising unsolved crimes in American history. The alleged unidentified serial killer known as the Phantom Killer or Phantom Slayer has been credited with attacking at least eight people, five of whom died over a 10-week period in 1946.
Exploring this creepy part of the Texas-Arkansas border is easiest if you overnight in Shreveport, Louisiana but road trippers can also reach it in a relatively short time from both Dallas or Little Rock.
Stairs leading to the Seattle Underground. (Photo Credit: 400tmax/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Seattle Underground, Washington
Subterranean spookiness doesn't get any more unsettling than the Seattle Underground. This unique network of underground passageways and basements in the city's Pioneer Square neighborhood resulting from the Great Fire of 1889 can be experienced on a one-of-a-kind guided tour started by Bill Speidel.
Salem, Massachusetts
Famous for its 17th-century witch trials, Salem is the ideal New England city to spend a haunted Halloween season as it boasts unparalleled charm in the form of numerous spooky attractions, including witch houses and museums and creepy cemeteries.
Fans of the cult classic Hocus Pocus will also want to check out some of the movie's top filming locations throughout Salem like Max and Dani's house at the end of Ocean Ave.
Hocus Pocus House in Salem, Massachusetts. (Photo Credit: Patrick Clarke)
Roswell, New Mexico
For travelers fascinated by the possibility of alien life, Roswell is a must-visit destination made famous by the "Roswell Incident," an alleged UFO crash that took place here in 1947.
Today, the city is home to the International UFO Museum and Research Center and fully leans into its eerie past with no shortage of extraterrestrial sites and attractions.
A street lamp in Roswell, New Mexico. (Photo Credit: zrfphoto/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia is without question one of the most haunted cities in America and the southern destination makes it easy to experience its spooky charm this time of year.
Visitors can take part in ghost tours available by foot and bus, indulge in a Halloween-themed pub crawl or generate their own blood-curdling vibes by checking out the city's many historic sites and attractions.
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