Every season is the perfect time for travel but when you add seasonal spooky haunts to your must-see list, things take a turn for the better. Here are our favorite places for chills and thrills especially in October.
1. Visit and Stay at a Haunted Castle
Guests of Fairmont Banff Springs may hear tales of ghostly apparitions within the castle walls. Best known is the story of the 1920s Bride, said to have tripped on the hem of her wedding dress and tumbled down a staircase. Eagle-eyed guests might catch a glimpse of her floating up the stairs or dancing around the ballroom. Another favorite specter is Sam the Bellman, believed to be Sam McCauley, a Scot who worked here in the mid-20th century. Sam has been reported to unlock doors, but vanishes when offered a tip.
2. Spooky Soirées
If the legends of the hotel’s past inspire you, don your detective hat for an entertaining murder mystery experience on October 22 and 29, 2022. “A Menu for Murder” promises plenty of giggles and intrigue. If you’re staying over Halloween itself, be sure to pack your scariest party costume and head to the Rundle Bar, which will transform into a gloriously gruesome Circus Freakshow for the evening.
3. Boston Ghosts and Gravestones
Boston is home to ancient graveyards and ghost tours. Guests of Fairmont Copley Plaza can choose a special spooky offer which combines a seasonal cocktail, the Black Pearl, followed by a walking tour exploring death and dying in Colonial Boston. For a less strenuous tour, consider the Ghosts and Gravestones Tour. This trolley tour winds through the oldest part of the city as the costumed, knowledgeable guide shares hair-raising stories of the Boston Strangler and other chill-inducing tales as you visit historic cemeteries after dark.
4. Salem is Home to Haunted Happenings
Once the site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials, today Salem hosts the world’s largest Halloween celebration. Salem Haunted Happenings is a month-long celebration of all things spooky, with costume parades, haunted houses and ghost-hunting walking tours. Whether you’d like to sit in on a seance or visit one of five haunted houses, a day (or evening) trip to Salem offers just the right amount of scary fun for travelers of all ages.
5. Nightmares in the Desert
Fall at the Princess takes place on the Saturday evening before Halloween with Nightmare on Princess Drive. The Plaza Bar transforms from a welcoming water hole into the Princess Prison, which is reserved for the most dangerous delinquents. You may never want to escape this bar-turned-prison offering live entertainment, specialty cocktails and an over-the-top costume contest. Designed for the 21-and-over crowd, the event will bring a tingle or two to your spine.
6. A Field of Screams
If you dare, head to the haunted maze at AZ Field of Screams. Be warned, though, the corn maze is reportedly built over a forgotten cemetery. Located about 30 miles west of Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Glendale, this scary offering is perfect for those who love to see their nightmares come to life. For families or less intrepid revelers, there is a family maze.
More spine-tingling adventures await in each of these destinations. Just ask your Fairmont concierge for their spookiest suggestions for the ultimate October adventure!