Are you enjoying the month of witches and ghouls? Halloween may only be on the last day of the month in October, but in some places, it’s celebrated all month long. And not just with elaborate decorations and jack-o’-lanterns on porches, but also with food, events and attractions.

If Halloween is not you cup of tea, we have some tips to enjoy autumn in other ways.

Even if you missed out all month, you still have the best weekend ahead of you. So don’t worry, we are here to guide you through the ultimate Halloween experience! We have options for the liveliest, for those who enjoy a bit of history or culture, for families, and even for those who’d prefer a sofa + popcorn + netflix and chill experience. Whatever your goal (or ghoul), keep reading to find the best ways you can trick-or-treat yourself to some scary fun this Halloween.

1. The Haunted Speakeasy

With two locations in 2021, Haunted Speakeasy takes you on a terrifying journey back in time to the 1920s, the days of Prohibition. 

Salem

In Salem’s historic town hall, you can enjoy a haunted bar, a ghostly soiree, cocktails, period dance classes, ghostly theatrical appearances, burlesque artists, a drag show and various surprises throughout the night.

Boston

With the same idea as the attraction in Salem, Speakeasy Boston takes place on a replica 1800’s riverboat. Nothing like good drinks, some scares and great artistic performances in the moonlight, right? All this while sailing along Boston’s haunted harbor.

More information on times, prices and tickets can be found on The Haunted Speakeasy’s website.

2. Factory of Terror 

For the strong at heart and fans of immersive experiences, this might be the attraction you’ve been waiting for. The Factory of Terror is a haunted house, one with many rooms, corridors and scary characters.

The tour is only for people over 12 years old and the attraction’s website informs you that you are entering at your own risk. As soon as you enter the building, you will become part of the show and coexist with the sets and everything inside! 

You will come into contact with many interactive features, such as air blasts, water effects, strobes, smoke, loud noise, claustrophobic conditions, confusion, moving walls, sudden movements and many strange characters. You will go through uneven surfaces, concrete, dirt, open metal grates, etc. Be sure to check the website for more information on how to prepare for your trip.

Factory of Terror is located in Fall River, MA and is open Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm to midnight and Sundays from 6pm to 12pm.

3. Go to a Pumpkin Festival

Like the pumpkin patches we’ve talked about, pumpkin festivals are super traditional in the month of witches and ghouls. These festivals are based on the idea of presenting the possibilities of art with pumpkins, but they offer so much more. There are many pumpkin festivals across New England, each with its unique features, but here are a noteworthy few:

  • Pumpkintown USA – East Hampton: one of the most popular non-scary Halloween villages, with walking and car tours. 

  • Seymour Pumpkin Festival – Seymour, CT : in French Memorial Park and offers games, entertainment, a zoo, costume contests and food stalls.

  • Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular – Providence, RI: seasonal art show in the form of a trail to observe the more than 5000 pumpkins, illuminated and carved in very intricate shapes. This year’s spectacular will be in honor of the last 150 years of music.

  • Frog Pond Pumpkin Float – Boston, MA: it’s a family-friendly event and the idea is to take a carved pumpkin 8 inches or smaller to try to float on Frog Pond. Use of creativity and imagination are encouraged.

4. A Crime in a Madhouse – theatre

The show is done in the style of the Grand Guignol, a style known for works that caused the public to vomit and/or faint.

“On the eve of her release from an insane asylum housed in a convent, young Louise begs to be released without spending one last night there. The doctor will not let her go, insisting that no harm will come to her by spending one last night. But Louise fears the woman from Normandy and the hunchback, her two roommates who have taken an obsessive interest in her…especially her eyes. And what of the mysterious One Eye, unseen and supposedly paralyzed in the next room? As the night comes Louise’s fear builds. Will she survive the night?”

This piece is designed to stretch your nerves to the point of breaking and challenging the contents of your stomach to stay put. Not for kids, or for the faint of heart, this is a must-see event for the true Halloween lover.

Location: Mill No.5 – 250 Jackson St, Lowell, MA

Performances offered Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and 9:00 pm, until October 30th.

More information can be found on their website.

5. 20th Halloween Horror Marathon

For the moviegoers among us, is there anything better than a horror movie marathon in a beautiful movie theater? The Coolidge Corner Theater (in Brookline, MA) is back in 2021 with the 20th Halloween Horror Marathon, which will take place on the night of the 30th to the 31st of October.

Composer Alan Howarth will open the night with a presentation of his horror soundtrack compositions at 11pm. After the show, the horrors continue with 12 hours of films, this year the choices will be the misunderstood film sequences and in 35mm!

And let’s not forget that the whole point of Halloween is to be dressed up! There will even be a costume contest after the first film is shown.

6. Black Pearl Boston Halloween Cruise

Is there such a thing as a Halloween playlist? But of course! You can hear it on the night of 10/30, aboard a luxury yacht ‘The Spirit of Boston’. With 4 DJs from Boston playing live on 2 decks and a pirate theme, the party promises to be the best Halloween night attraction in the city of Boston.

More information on the party’s website.

7. Visit Salem!

The city of Salem is THE CITY of legends of witches in the USA. They sure know how to live up to the hype all year round, but especially at this time of year. Salem is one of those cities that experiences a complete shift in October.

With attractions every day of the month, activities intensify on the weekend of the 31st. We’ve sorted out some of the most interesting, in our opinion, but there’s so much that no matter what you’re looking for, you’ll be sure to find it!

  • Salem Witch Museum: offers two historical presentations focused on the tragic events of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the evolution of the witch throughout history.
  • Salem Wax Museum & Witch Village: the museum provides entertainment throughout the year, but calls itself the epicenter of Halloween in October with “Haunted Happenings” at The Haunted Neighbourhood. Located on a cul-de-sac across from the Peabody Essex Museum and adjacent to the Tricentennial Witch Trials Memorial and The Charter Street Old Burying Point – which is considered the second oldest cemetery in the country.
  • Halloween Museum: interactive exhibits for families with psychics, vintage Halloween artifacts, themed movies, costumes, Salem witches and more.
  • Salem Kids Tours: for children aged 5 and up, this is a tour created for families. A one-hour walk with costumed guides telling stories of the city and witches in a more playful and childlike way.
  • Black Cat Historic Day Tours: for children aged 6 and over, this walk passes through ancient cemeteries, examples of local architecture, and some historical information about witches and scary stories.

8. Trick or treat!

There is nothing more traditional, nothing more classic, nothing more part of our imagination than trick-or-treating. If you’re not in the mood, or the money, to take short trips or pay tickets to events and attractions, how about taking a walk and seeing the city’s action?

Talk with your neighbors and discover the hot spots for the traditional trick-or-treat in your neighborhood or in the city you live. Make a cool costume and take your child, niece or nephew or younger sibling out to collect candy.

If you’re in Boston, here are some tips on interesting places you can be sure to find extravagant decor, blocked traffic and lots of people in costumes:

  • Mount Vernon and Pinckney Streets – Boston (Beacon Hill)
  • Marlborough Street – Boston (Back Bay)
  • Rutland Street – Boston (South End)
  • Tyndale Street – Boston (Roslindale)
  • Monument Avenue – Charlestown
  • Beals Street – Brookline
  • Dudley Street – Cambridge
  • Newton Center e Waban – Newton
  • Bainbridge Street – Malden
  • Praia Minot – Scituate

9. Six Flags 

What scares you the most: monsters or roller coasters? How about hitting two ghosts with one tombstone? Six Flags is completely transformed for this Halloween weekend.

Approximately 2 hours from Boston, the amusement park promises plenty of scares and fun for anyone over 12. Among the special attractions, you can highlight the haunted houses (which have an extra ticket), musical concerts, scare zones and the unexpected company of monsters that can sit by your side. 

The park will operate at special hours, which adds to the tension in the gloomy, foggy atmosphere of the night. Do you have what it takes… or is that witchful thinking?

10. Halloween Movie Marathon in Your Own Home

You don’t have to be in Brookline or enjoy horror sequences to participate in a movie marathon. How about taking the weekend to watch the most famous and funniest Halloween classics?

At Breezy Seguros, we love these classics and recommend any of these 10 films for you and the whole family:

  1. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
  2. The Addams Family and The Addams Family 2 
  3. The Addams Family and The Addams Family 2 (animation)
  4. Hocus Pocus
  5. The Haunted Mansion
  6. Labyrinth
  7. Beetlejuice (or anything from the mind of Tim Burton)
  8. ParaNorman
  9. Casper
  10. Ghostbusters (any version)

Grab your popcorn or make some themed snacks and enjoy!

Stay safe and healthy!

Things are looking up, vaccinations are becoming widespread, but we are still experiencing a pandemic and this can affect several attractions during Halloween.

Check the sites of these attractions before you go, to confirm the event and to familiarize yourself with the protocols in place. Many of the places listed above have strict property policies and require indoor masks and negative COVID testing.

As always, do your part to make sure that you do your part to keep yourself safe as well as anyone you come in contact with. If you have made contact with someone infected or are experiencing any of the symptoms related to COVID, stay home and enjoy Halloween from your couch!