10 U.S. Beach Towns That Go All Out for Halloween

Don’t think that beaches and Halloween go together? When considering a travel destination for a spook-tacular Halloween getaway, your mind may only conjure up images of fall foliage-covered mountains or historic streets in New England or New Orleans. However, if you’re torn between celebrating your love for all things spooky and getting some sand between your toes, you can rest assured that there are a smattering of beach towns around the country that really know how to throw a Halloween shindig.

So, pack your beach bag for a day lounging next to the dunes or, in chillier destinations, walking the shoreline with a coffee or hot cider in hand, but be sure to pack your costume for some nighttime fun, too. These 10 beach towns celebrate Halloween with flair.  

On Florida’s Atlantic-facing coast and touting the title of oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine offers haunted history aplenty. While the city is a perfect destination all year-long if you’re interested in a bit of spooky local lore, during the weeks and days leading up to Halloween, the city really comes alive with near-endless options for you to celebrate the season, whether you’re looking for spine-tingling adults-only activities or something the entire family can enjoy.

Go on a ghost tour (you’ll find them both on land and water). Grab tickets for a haunted pub crawl. Attend Scream City Con or a costume ball. Gather up an impressive candy haul at trick-or-treating events like those held at the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum or along St. George Street.

All the while, you’ll enjoy easy access to 42 miles of beach and October temps that stretch into the 80s.

Cape May, New Jersey, is easily one of the best fall beach destinations in the United States overall, thanks to the way the summer crowds thin out after Labor Day. But, this beach town, with its Victorian homes and rich history, makes a great spot for a Halloween getaway specifically.

Start your trip on the right foot by first booking a stay at one of the many supposedly haunted properties around town, such as the Hotel Macomber, The Inn at Cape May or the Chalfonte Hotel.

Then, fill your calendar with haunted history and ghost tours. You’ll not be left wanting for options.

Attend the annual Halloween Parade with the kiddos, as well as Boo at the Zoo, which take place at the Cape May County Park and Zoo.

For traveling foodies, Cape May Restaurant Week kicks off right at the end of the month, too, and some restaurants host Halloween events of their own—offering you the perfect excuse to both enjoy a great meal and engage in some spooky-good fun.

Savannah is known as one of the most haunted cities in the South, but its beach charms sometimes get overlooked when comparing and contrasting the South’s best beach destinations. Consider a trip here this October for enjoying all the chills and thrills of the city, but then make time to also drive about 20 miles from the historic district, out to Tybee Island, where you’ll find multiple beaches.

You could close your eyes and throw a rock and hit a haunted spot in Savannah. From parks and cemeteries, hotels and restaurants, you could spend your entire trip going from ghostly spot to ghostly spot. Plan some ghost tours, and for Halloween, plan to attend the Nightmare on Congress Street bar crawl, as well as the annual Vampire Ball. Traveling with your pup? Attend Wag-O-Ween, a trick-or-treating event for dogs (costumes for both humans and pups encouraged).

When staying in LA, you’ll have no shortage of beaches to visit, no shortage of hot weather and no shortage of Halloween festivities to attend.

For theme park fans, the area theme parks go way, way out for the occasion. Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios is a good pick for those seeking a truly terrifying time. For families, though, Disneyland may be a better fit, for kid-friendly spooks.

Los Angeles also is home to an array of wildly scary haunted houses. These are not your small-town, low-budget affairs featuring big box store décor and the local teens dressed up in costume. These are truly professional endeavors. Choose from the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, the Queen Mary Dark Harbor experience (set on an actually haunted, historic ship), or the Urban Death Tour of Terror. 

Near Wilmington, North Carolina, this small beach town offers beautiful scenery and mild October temps in the 70s. While Ocean Isle Beach may not have the same reputation for its haunts as Savannah or St. Augustine, it does still have quite a lot to do (and fewer crowds!).

Halloween fun includes the Grissettown Haunted Trail, ghost walks on the beach and trick-or-treating events for the kiddos. The Museum of Coastal Carolina offers seasonal events for both kids and adults, such as a Mad Science Masquerade that’s 21-and-up and which benefits the Ocean Isle Museum Foundation.

You can also explore further afield, by traveling to the other Brunswick islands, to see the supposedly haunted spots throughout the immediate area, such as the ruins of Brunswick Town or the Old Smithville Burial Grounds.

About an hour south and across state lines, Myrtle Beach offers more to do and more accommodations options than Ocean Isle Beach, including for Halloween (just keep in mind that the larger destination also attracts larger crowds).

Beyond the multiple haunted houses (including Nightmare Haunted House and Outbreak: Dread the Undead), you can hop onto multiple ghost tours. Head to the MarshWalk (a waterfront area populated with restaurants) for trick-or-treating, costume contests, and food and drink specials. Multiple weekend pub crawls are on tap throughout October, too. 

And, if you really have your heart set on some classic fall activities, like visiting a pumpkin patch, go to Thompson Farm, where not only are they showing Halloween favorite movies throughout the month, but they also have a Halloween helicopter candy drop event, where they actually drop Halloween candy from a helicopter.

Generally just a great pick for fall beach travel, Key West, Florida, has been called one of the most haunted destinations in the country. Plus, you’ll enjoy hot, beach-worthy weather regardless of how late in October you plan your trip.

Halloween happenings include a zombie bike ride and dance party, pet masquerade and a fantasy fest parade. You can also join up with a ghost tour, or visit one of the destination’s haunts on your own time, such as the Audubon House and Gardens, Marrero’s Guest Mansion or the East Martello Museum.

Half Moon Bay, situated just a short drive from San Francisco, is a gorgeous California beach town with rugged coastlines, expansive beaches, surf-worthy waves, and lush farms and parks once you travel inland. It also has been called the pumpkin capital of the world, so if the highlight of your Halloween season is exploring the pumpkin patch, this is the beach town you’ll want to visit.

Beyond just picking pumpkins, though, you’ll find lots of other fun things to do here, in October. There’s the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, first and foremost. Additionally, some of the pumpkin farms hold their own haunted houses.

Do note that this won’t be the quietest beach destination in October, with the town’s prowess for all things pumpkins making it a hotspot for those looking for the perfect pumpkin patch photo opp. However, the small town offers plenty of charm that will make a visit during the fall months well worth your while, despite any crowds.

Rehoboth Beach draws travelers near Halloween for one big reason: the annual Sea Witch Festival. A multi-day affair, families flock to the area to enjoy one of the top-rated fall fests in the United States.

The festival includes a costume parade (led by the giant sea witch balloon, of course), a dog costume parade, live music, a 5K and more. Parking can be a pain, though, so consider getting accommodations within walking or cycling distance of all the fun.

Other options include trick-or-treating events throughout the area, historical tours and specialty events held by local bars, restaurants and wineries.

While not a single beach destination per se, the 30A is a stretch of scenic highway on the Emerald Coast, between Destin and Panama City Beach—and this stretch of highway that’s just under 30 miles is simply packed with things to do on and around Halloween.

You’ve got the Rosemary Beach Monstrous Halloween Bash. There’s the Seaside Halloweener Derby & Oktoberfest (featuring wiener dogs at their finest). Halloween on the Boolevard gives you a chance to check out the local businesses while the kids gather candy.

Businesses and organizations throughout the region host their own Halloween events throughout the month and you’ll find a special emphasis on family-friendly Halloween activities.