Halloween Around the World

How is Halloween celebrated around the world? Some locales are just getting introduced to this spooky holiday. Others go all out to celebrate in different ways for kids and grown-ups. Take a peek at the diverse Halloween festivities going on just about everywhere. (If you happen to go to a few of the real haunted locations listed, try to take a ghost's picture.)

• Halloween in Los Angeles: The city with a flair for the dramatic is a natural place to celebrate Halloween. A theme park party, a tour of Haunted Hollywood, haunted houses and parades; Los Angeles pulls out all the stops.

• Halloween in the UK: If you're looking for authentic creepy atmosphere, there are so many spots in Britain to explore. Walk in the footsteps of Jack the Ripper, stay at a haunted inn, explore the most haunted village in England, or brave Exeter's apparition-filled Underground Passages.

• Halloween in Eastern Europe: If you love seeking out the strange or hunting for horrors, Eastern Europe has its share of sites that will send tingles down your spine. These sites include Lenin's Tomb in Moscow, the Bone Church near Prague, and Dracula's former haunts in Romania.

• Halloween in Japan: Kids love the Pumpkin Parade in Harajuku; Disneyland, Universal and Sanrio Puroland are among the locations for parades and parties.

• Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts: Undoubtably one of the spookiest places in America's psyche, Salem, Massachusetts was the spot where the witchcraft accusations and trials of 1692 went on. Go in-depth with a guide to attractions, accommodations, and Haunted Happenings.

• Halloween in New Orleans: America's most haunted city has unique events, including the annual Queen of the Damned Ball put on by Anne Rice's fan club, the Voodoo Music Experience, and a Ghostly Galavant through a haunted historic cemetery. Or, just have a drink in one of New Orleans' haunted bars.

• Halloween in New York City: Here's a memorable way to spend the holiday: watch a classic silent horror film accompanied by live bone-chilling organ music, then join the Grand Procession of the Ghouls, featuring costumes, creatures and special effects by Ralph Lee. It's happening at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine's Halloween Extravaganza.

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• Halloween in London: London is filled with perfect spots to celebration Halloween. Phobophobia at the London Bridge Experience, a spooky forest at the London Eye, the Torture Garden's annual fetish Halloween Ball, The Scare Witch Trials at the London Dungeon, and the production of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria are just a few.

• Halloween in the Caribbean: Zombies, the lost city of Atlantis, ghost ships and shipwrecks, human sacrifice -- the Caribbean has more than its share of creepy legends and horrific history to explore.

• Halloween in Italy: Take an Urban Trek, a special themed night visit to medieval towers, crypts, dungeons, or castles.

• Halloween in Canada: Ghost walks take you through graveyards, haunted cobblestone streets and into buildings with wicked pasts.

• Halloween in the Southwest U.S.: Ghost towns in Texas, nearly costume-less costume parties in Las Vegas, and mysterious lights in the sky are just a few of the ways to celebrate Halloween in the Southwest United States.

• Halloween in Hong Kong: If you're celebrating in Hong Kong, your best bet is one of the many parties. Disneyland, Ocean Park, the Avenue of Stars and Lan Kwai Fong are all Halloween hot spots.

• Halloween for Families: Fun activities all over for families include the Children's Costume Parade in Hawaii and the Stanley Park Halloween Ghost Train in Vancouver.

• Halloween in the Southeast U.S.: The Dungeon of Horrors at the former West Virginia Penitentiary, the "World's Largest Halloween Party" at The Louisville Zoo, and the Tweetsie Railroad Ghost Train Halloween Festival in North Carolina are a few of the fun events going on this Halloween season.

• Halloween in a U.S. National Park: Halloween celebrations in national parks include a haunted hay ride at the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and family-friendly activities at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, home to the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692.

• Halloween in Greece: Despite a costume-party-filled past, Greece is not big on Halloween. Expats have brought celebrations with them for their kids, and you can now buy a costume in Athens.

• Halloween in a Theme Park: Theme Parks all over North American are celebrating with parades, costume parties, and haunted houses.

• Halloween in Scandinavia: You might have trouble finding signs of Halloween in Scandinavia. You may have to go to Copenhagen, where Tivoli has all the rides running, plus spider hunts, potion brewing and pumpkin head making.

^{Image copyright Charlyn Keating Chisholm, licensed to About.com.}