These 11 Pennsylvania Towns Know How To Celebrate Halloween In Style
One Pennsylvania mansion is said to have helped inspire Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. I’m sorry, but that detail alone makes me want to pack a flashlight.
The spooky streak keeps going across the state. One town’s Halloween parade shows up in borough records as early as 1919.
Another town runs a costumed bike ride where hundreds of witches pedal through downtown.
I love that October here mixes real history with pure silliness. You can follow a lantern down an old street one night.
The next day, you can grab candy from a costumed kid on a float.
The towns ahead each bring their own flavor of fright. Some lean into ghost stories.
Others go big on parades, theaters, and trick-or-treat trails.
So which kind of Halloween fan are you, the brave one or the candy one?
1. Gettysburg
Few towns carry a ghostly reputation quite like this one.
Gettysburg is often called one of the most haunted towns in America, and it leans in hard each October.
Start with the Gettysburg Halloween Parade, set for Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Lincoln Square turns into a party first, with music, dancing, and a costume contest.
The parade steps off at 7:15 p.m. Expect floats, marching groups, and costumed characters rolling through the heart of town.
Once the candy settles, the ghost tours take over. You can pick candlelit walks, bus tours, or interactive hunts with ghost-hunting gear.
Ghosts of Gettysburg, founded by historian Mark Nesbitt, is known as the original ghost tour company in town. Tour stops around town include the Farnsworth House Inn, the Jennie Wade House, and Devil’s Den.
Need a break between scares? One Lincoln Food and Spirits sits inside the historic Hotel Gettysburg, right on the square.
The menu has crowd-pleasers like Crab Mac and Cheese and Bananas Foster French Toast. A wall featuring the Gettysburg Address and a copper ceiling add plenty of character.
Fun fact: President Eisenhower kept an office at the hotel during a working vacation in August 1959. History really does hang around here, in more ways than one.
Address: 1 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA 17325
2. Jim Thorpe
A mansion here is noted for inspiring Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion.
That’s the Harry Packer Mansion, and it’s just one stop on the town’s spooky circuit.
Jim Thorpe used to be called Mauch Chunk, a busy coal transportation town. Its Victorian streets now make a perfect backdrop for ghost stories.
The Jim Thorpe Ghost Walks run from September through November. A costumed storyteller guides you through the historic village.
Those walks leave from The Inn at Jim Thorpe, built in 1849. Its fancy cast iron balcony looks over Broadway, and Ulysses S.
Grant and Thomas Edison once stayed there.
Prefer to ride? The Jim Thorpe Trolley Co. offers Ghosts and Graveyards tours on an old-fashioned trackless trolley.
Tours point out spots like the Old Jail Museum and the General Albright Mansion. Each one adds another layer to the town’s eerie past.
Families get plenty of fun, too. The Jim Thorpe Halloween Parade rolls through downtown on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 2 p.m.
Dimmick Memorial Library usually hosts its Halloween Booooktacular Party in October. Kids can enjoy stories, snacks, crafts, and a movie.
Grown-ups can dress up for the Grand Slambovian Halloween Ball at the Mauch Chunk Opera House. Music, costumes, and prizes make it a fun night out.
Address: 24 Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
3. Hershey
Only in Hershey does trick-or-treating come with 14 candy stops and roller coasters. Sweet, right?
Hersheypark Halloween runs on weekends from September 12 through November 1, 2026. It’s a full-blown celebration packed with both treats and screams.
Little ones can follow the Hershey’s Trick-or-Treat Trail. It winds from Hershey’s Chocolate World to the Treatville area for kids 12 and under, and costumes are encouraged.
Braver guests can try Dark Nights, the park’s immersive haunt, now in its fifth year. It features five haunted houses and five scare zones, all included with Hersheypark Halloween admission.
New for 2026 is the Reese’s Depot of Doom scare zone. Other stops include the Haunted Coal Mine and Twisted Carnevil.
Want a ride with extra thrills? Select coasters like Candymonium and Wildcat’s Revenge run lights-out during the last hour of operation.
Animal fans can explore ZooAmerica after dark with a flashlight during Creatures of the Night. You’ll learn about nocturnal animals, and it’s included with park admission.
Not into frights at all? The Avenue of the Afterlife is a scare-free zone with a DJ dance party, Hershey Characters, and street performers.
Fun history bit: Milton S. Hershey first created the park as leisure grounds for his chocolate factory workers.
Address: 100 W. Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA 17033
4. Lititz
A 1786 corpse house makes the tour list here. Yes, that’s a real stop, and it’s on a family-friendly tour.
Lititz was founded in 1756 and has deep Moravian roots. With that much history, the ghost stories come easy.
The Lititz Departed Spirits Tour runs Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 5 to 8:15 p.m.
A costumed docent leads you around the Lititz Moravian Church property, where departed spirits share their tales.
Stops include a former Revolutionary War hospital said to be haunted. Spooky, but still suitable for the kids.
A separate guided ghost tour heads down Main Street. You’ll hear about a tavern built in 1764 and a mysterious grave in a store basement.
Earlier that same Saturday, Trick or Treat Downtown Lititz runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. So you can collect candy by day and hear ghost stories by night.
The Lititz Lions Club Halloween Parade follows on Monday, October 26, 2026. It fills Main Street with floats, goblins, and community groups from 7 to 9 p.m.
Trivia lovers, take note. The Lititz Springs Inn ballroom hosts Halloween-themed Trivia Night, with one planned for October 21, 2026.
The inn often serves as a meeting point for local ghost tours, too.
Address: 14 East Main Street, Lititz, PA 17543
5. Bethlehem
Over a century of marching makes this parade a serious tradition.
Bethlehem held its 103rd Halloween Parade in 2024, rolling down Broad Street and Main Street.
That kind of staying power fits a city founded by Moravians in the early 1740s. Its 1741 Gemeinhaus is a National Historic Landmark and the oldest building in town.
All that history fuels some great ghost tours. Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites runs the Spirited Tales Pub Tour on Saturdays in September and October.
It starts at the 1810 Goundie House and explores unsolved mysteries at places like Historic Hotel Bethlehem. The candlelit Historic Haunts of Downtown Bethlehem Tour shares tales from the Brethren’s House.
Like a challenge? The Bethle-scream tour turns haunted sites into a scavenger hunt.
The 1858 Sayre Mansion also offers ghost tours. Guests can look into reported paranormal activity inside the Gothic Revival home.
Kids have plenty to look forward to. Bethlehem’s 105th Halloween Parade is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 2 p.m.
The city’s Halloween Party on the Plaza takes place at Payrow Plaza on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. Families can enjoy trick-or-treating, games, and Halloween activities.
City Trick or Treat Night is scheduled for Friday, October 30, 2026. Porch light on means you’re welcome to knock.
Address: 10 East Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018
6. New Hope
Lantern-led ghost walks have roamed this river town since 1981.
Ghost Tours of New Hope was founded that year by ghost investigator Adi-Kent Thomas Jeffrey.
Tours run every Saturday night from June to November. October adds Friday night tours and a special Halloween night walk.
Groups usually meet at the corner of Main and Ferry Streets. From there, the stories start rolling.
You’ll hear about the Phantom Hitchhiker and folk artist Joseph Pickett, said to haunt Mechanic Street. Even apparitions of Aaron Burr pop up in the tales.
The Logan Inn gets bragging rights, too. Food Network has called it the most haunted inn in the world.
Craving a calmer kind of spooky? Fireside Ghost Stories at River House at Odette’s feature talks with a historian and ghost tour guide.
Those are set for October 7 and October 21, 2026. They’re a fun way to learn Bucks County’s chilling past from a comfy seat.
For a stay, Olivia’s Bridge Street Inn sits beside the canal. William Maris, one of the town’s founders, built it in 1817.
Address: 28 West Bridge Street, New Hope, PA 18938
7. West Chester
Real archives power the scares in this borough.
Haunted History Tours of West Chester pull their stories straight from the Chester County History Center’s records.
These lantern-guided walks run through October. Instead of made-up spooks, you hear true tales of mischief and misadventure where they reportedly happened.
Plan for about 90 minutes and over a mile of walking. Groups often meet outside the West Chester Courthouse.
The History Center also offers Chilling West Chester, a dark history walking tour, on October 15, 2026. History buffs, this one’s for you.
Parade fans get their turn on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 7 p.m. The West Chester Halloween Parade starts at Church Street and Market Street and loops through downtown.
Kids can stop at candy stations along the way. After the parade, marching bands and cheer and dance teams perform on Market Street.
Love clever decorations? The West Chester Public Library’s Halloween Door Tour gives you a map of decorated porches and doors around the borough.
It often includes a scavenger hunt, so bring sharp eyes. Grown-ups looking to dress up can check out the History Center’s Annual Halloween Ball, themed Dark Fairy Tales for 2026.
That fundraiser offers live music, entertainment, and fine fare. Fancy and fun.
Address: 401 East Gay Street, West Chester, PA 19380
8. Doylestown
Hundreds of witches on bicycles. That’s the scene at the Doylestown Witches Ride, a four-mile costumed group ride through downtown.
The 2026 ride starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 24. Riders must be at least 18 and register ahead, with proceeds supporting Bike Doylestown programs.
Same day, the kids get their moment. The Doylestown Spooktacular Parade and Costume Contest begins at the Bucks County Administration Building lawn.
Check-in starts at 9:30 a.m., and awards follow at 10:30. Trick-or-treating through downtown kicks off at 11:15, with participating shops marked by orange and black balloons.
Extras include a DJ, a spooky selfie station, and a bubble play area. Plenty to keep little goblins busy.
After dark, Doylestown Haunts Ghost Tours walk you through the historic borough. They mix local history with stories of strange activity in homes and businesses.
The Pearl S. Buck House Museum also offers ghost tours throughout October.
It’s a neat chance to explore a historic home with a shivery twist.
On October 28, 2026, the free BoOorough Bash comes to Broad Commons Park. Look for trunk-or-treat, pumpkin bowling, and face painting.
Movie buffs can catch Beetlejuice at the County Theater on October 27. Say it three times, if you dare.
Address: 55 East Court Street, Doylestown, PA 18901
9. Easton
A parade that crosses state lines? Easton’s got one.
The Phillipsburg Easton Halloween Parade starts in New Jersey and crosses the Free Bridge into Pennsylvania.
Its 44th year is set for Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 3 p.m. Floats and marching bands head along Northampton Street and finish in Centre Square.
Centre Square also hosts the Easton Witches’ Walk, a fall festival with a night market and a witchy window contest. Past editions featured fire spinners and the Easton Hearse Club.
Yes, a club for hearses. Easton keeps things interesting.
Crayola Experience Easton brings Screamin’ Green Hauntoween from September 19 to November 1, 2026. Families can enjoy a scavenger hunt, Halloween crafts, and weekend trick-or-treat stations.
Costumes are welcome there, but leave the masks at home. Simple enough.
History lovers should try the Eerie Easton Walking Tour from the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society. It runs weekend evenings in September and October and lasts around 90 minutes.
Prefer to go at your own pace? A self-guided ghost hunt app leads you past the State Theatre and the county courthouse.
Breakfast before the fun? Billy’s Downtown Diner shares this address with Easton City Hall.
Fun fact: Easton was one of the first places the Declaration of Independence was read.
Address: 123 South Third Street, Easton, PA 18042
10. Emmaus
Borough records mention a Halloween parade here as early as 1919.
More than a hundred years later, Emmaus still throws a big one.
The 2026 Emmaus Halloween Parade steps off Saturday, October 17, at 7 p.m. The 2.2-mile route starts on Ridge Street and wraps up on Main Street.
Got running shoes? The Halloween in Emmaus 5K starts at 6:30 p.m., just before the parade.
Costumes are encouraged, with prizes for speed and creativity. Proceeds help the Emmaus parks system and the parade itself.
Earlier that day, the Emmaus Theatre hosts a free Hotel Transylvania screening at 4 p.m. This family-owned art deco theater has been entertaining folks for over a century.
It goes big on Halloween night, too. A Rocky Horror Picture Show screening with a live shadow cast starts at 9:30 p.m. on October 31, 2026.
Audience participation and costumes are part of the fun. John Carpenter’s Halloween is also planned for that night.
Craving a good story? The South Mountain Haunts Ghost Tour is a 75-minute walk led by a costumed storyteller, starting at Emmaus Triangle Park.
Stops include a Moravian cemetery, a nod to the town’s roots as a Moravian settlement. Trick-or-treat is Friday, October 30, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Address: 313 Main Street, Emmaus, PA 18049
11. York
Nightmare on Market Street is the theme for 2026, and York means it.
The 76th Annual York Halloween Parade invites marchers to bring spooky nightmares to life.
It runs Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 2 p.m., rain or shine. The parade starts at the York Fairgrounds and heads east along Market Street to Broad Street.
Those fairgrounds sit at the York Expo Center, home of the York State Fair. That fair traces its roots to 1765, eleven years before the nation’s founding.
After the floats, try a Haunted Downtown York Fall Ghost Walk. It’s a storytelling tour with about 12 stops and no jump scares.
Tales cover ghosts, poltergeists, fortune tellers, witches, and even cryptids. Fall 2026 dates include September 27, October 18, and October 30.
Got a train fan in the family? The Northern Central Railway of York lists the Halloween Express for October 31, 2026.
Riders are encouraged to wear costumes on the round trip to Glen Rock. After returning to New Freedom, children can take part in trunk-or-treating near the station.
Prefer ice? York Ice Arena hosts a Spooky Skate on Friday, October 30, with costumes encouraged.
City trick-or-treat is Thursday, October 29, from 6 to 8 p.m., so Pennsylvania’s Halloween fun ends on a sweet note.
Address: 334 Carlisle Avenue, York, PA 17404