Halloween is coming & This Week I Have 5 Great Places for You to Go!

 I love Halloween!  It's probably because I was born in the fall, but who knows?  The season is upon us, and if you'd like to do something special; here's some ideas on this week's fast five!

1.    Sleepy Hollow, New York.  New York folks love literature, and keep it alive today with possibly the highest concentration of literary agents in the world.  Is it any surprise that they took Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleep Hollow" to heart?  Irving lived in the Hudson Valley for most of his life and spent a lot of that time living in Tarrytown.  When the village of North Tarrytown was incorporated as Sleepy Hollow, was anyone really surprised?

These people celebrate Halloween for over a month.  There are blazing bridges, performances of not only Washington Irving's "Legend of Sleep Hollow" but also Edgar Allen Poe stories, parades, events, and some of those historic mansions in the area are really done up for the tours that time of year.  You'll really get your creep on in an old fashioned way in Sleepy Hollow.

https://hudsonvalley.org/halloween-in-sleepy-hollow-country/   

https://visitsleepyhollow.com/   

https://www.travelandleisure.com/sleepy-hollow-new-york-travel-guide-12116617   

https://adventuresinfamilyhood.com/halloween-sleepy-hollow-country.html   

https://visitsleepyhollow.com/events/month/2026-10/   

2.    Croton on Hudson, New York.  Just a hop skip from Sleepy Hollow, you'll find this gem.  You'll see serpents, and windmills, and carousels, and they're all made of blazing pumpkins!  It's called the Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze and it's all over town.  This town loves Halloween and fall and pumpkins.

This has become one of the areas biggest events.  There is a charge to visit the blaze, but it's spectacular!  The whole town gets into the game with special food at the restaurants, events, parades, and more for six weeks in the fall.  They are paired closely with Sleepy Hollow, so if you go to one, you should really check out both!

https://pumpkinblaze.org/   

https://hudsonvalley.org/events/blaze/   

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g47560-d23971908-Reviews-The_Great_Jack_O_lantern_Blaze-Croton_on_Hudson_New_York.html   

https://www.newyorkhauntedhouses.com/halloween-attractions/croton-on-hudson.html   

https://westchestermagazine.com/things-to-do/great-jack-olantern-blaze-croton-pumpkin/   

3.    Telluride, Colorado.  Welcome to the Telluride Horror Show!  For six weeks this city celebrates all things horror and Halloween.  The annual Horror Show is largely a film festival with, you guessed it, horror movies.  Telluride is one of those places where the locals appreciate scary stuff.  They have shows, haunted tours, lamplight cemetery tours, a Halloween Parade, parties, pub crawls and so much more.  

There's so much to do that it keeps everyone busy for weeks, and draws thousands of visitors.  There are a lot of historic locations in the city, and  most of them hold haunted tours during this season.  So, if you want to watch some scary stuff and visit some haunted places; this could be for you!

https://www.telluride.com/discover/blog/2025-halloween-happenings/   

https://www.lodgingintelluride.com/blog/things-to-do-for-halloween-in-telluride   

https://www.telluridehorrorshow.com/   

 https://www.telluridemuseum.org/2025/10/halloween-on-the-hill/                    

https://www.telluridekidsguide.com/Halloween_Guide.php   

4.    Anoka, Minnesota.  Did you know that Anoka is the official Halloween Capital of the World?  I didn't.  I would have thought maybe Hell, Michigan or Salem, Massachusetts, but nope.  Anoka, Minnesota.  The question is why?

Many moons ago in the late 1800's, Anoka had a problem around Halloween.  Local children were playing some awful pranks and setting things on fire.  The people of this one of a kind town decided to go with it and so their festival was born.  They have all kinds of events from pumpkin contests of various kinds to a giant bonfire.  They have blazing jack-o-lanterns, corn mazes and of course; all things Halloween.

Since 1937, when one of the locals went to Washington DC to make Anoka the official Halloween Capital of the world, they have proudly held the title.  Here's something I love.  Like other Halloween towns I've been to, some of the stuff is there year round.  But the biggest celebration is in the fall during September and October.

https://anokahalloween.com/   

https://www.anokacountymn.gov/4377/Getting-to-Anoka-Halloween-Celebrations   

https://www.travelandleisure.com/how-to-visit-anoka-minnesota-halloween-capital-11823260   

https://www.spookylittlehalloween.com/blog/anoka-mn-halloween-capital-of-the-world   

https://twincitiesfamily.com/anoka-halloween-capital-of-the-world/   

5.    New Orleans, Louisiana.  Where do you go from the Halloween Capital of the World?  New Orleans.  This one goes without saying.  They have cemeteries that are famous tourist attractions.  They are proudly well known for Voo Doo.  They party in the streets in the French Quarter.  Halloween is natural there.

If you want a great adventure for Halloween, this is it.  They have parties, parades, ghost tours, and all kinds of spooky stuff.  In true New Orleans tradition; they overdo it for decor and liveliness.  You won't sleep while you're visiting, as none of us ever do, but you will have a really good time at all the events throughout the season.

https://www.neworleans.com/events/holidays-seasonal/halloween/   

https://www.frenchquarter.com/french-quarter-new-orleans-halloween/   

https://www.kreweofboo.com/   

https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2026/10/01/best-halloween-parades-parties-events-witches-brunch   

https://www.witchesbrew.co/pages/halloween-new-orleans/?srsltid=AU7gw4XOyclR2UTELbrtD65V_bdAQ4XW1eGK4bsU8yDAqKCgn4I_G6Yv   

There you have it.  Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  I know it can be controversial, but I just like to have fun.  Don't get too overthinking about it and just go and have a great time.  I've given you some places that you can visit anytime during the fall and have a spooky time, so get out there and do something this fall!

If you'd like to see what I'm currently doing, check out my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon" That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026  

Okay now, Autumn and Halloween are waiting!  What are you waiting for?  Enjoy!

Some Cool Things to Do in Vermont on This Week's Fast Five!

 I recently went to Burlington, Vermont for a bit and had a great time.  Here are some of my favorites from that trip!

1.    Visit the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory, Shelbourne.  This is just south of Burlington, and may be an actual part of the city.  Not entirely sure.  This is a great place for young and old and everything in between.  You get a tour of the factory (the original one) for only $6.  Who doesn't love teddy bears?

Also, they have the Vermont Flannel Store there with great cozy flannel stuff.  They are the home of Bernie Mittens, if you remember the Bernie Sanders meme.  The mittens are super warm and cozy.  I tried some on.  They also are the regional base for the Make a Wish Foundation.  If you don't know what that is, look in the links below.  It's wonderful work to make seriously ill children feel better and have a wish come true if only for a while.

This is a great spot to visit.  There are photo ops outside, and a terrific gift shop where you can buy a teddy bear.  Who doesn't honestly want a teddy bear?  You also can work with the staff and make your own bear.  One of the best stops in Vermont.

https://vermontteddybear.com/pages/come-visit-us?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21313080232&gbraid=0AAAAAD_v5GtWS9NjucJGRX9FMpkEtWpmK&gclid=CjwKCAjwrP3VBhBbEiwAnaqpQ3Wcz9Iv_c5rW7IwpVMW87ClvfVntigsSv5XMMnOGBTL1UeeLnmrFRoCQd8QAvD_BwE   

https://wish.org/vtny   

https://www.shelburnevt.org/312/Tourist-Attractions  

https://vermontteddybear.com/   

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g57394-d1154369-Reviews-Vermont_Teddy_Bear_Company-Shelburne_Vermont.html   

2.    Take a cruise on the Spirit of Ethan Allen II.  This is a 90 minute trip around the local area of Lake Champlain that takes off right from the waterfront in Burlington.  It runs daily in season (April sometime to about Columbus Day in October).  Check the website before visiting.  The standard price is $36.99 and it's a lot of fun. 

We had a beautiful day for our trip, but it was a little cool, so this boat has the solution to that problem.  They have glass garage doors.  We got to sit inside and still had amazing views.  Genius.  There also was a meal option which we didn't choose.  We ordered snacks and drinks and enjoyed the ride.  They have a full bar as well as snack and meal options.  There was music and the trip was narrated so we knew what we were looking at.

I enjoy day cruises when I travel and this one was a lot of fun.  Great views, great history, great stories, and pretty darn good food.

https://soea.com/   

https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/event/cruise-aboard-the-spirit-of-ethan-allen-iii/6292/   

https://www.valuevaultmcv.com/deals-detail/28-spirit-of-ethan-allen   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htdbTUUaHog   

https://www.expedia.com/Things-To-Do-In-Burlington.d601763.Travel-Guide-Activities?locale=en_US&siteid=1&semcid=US.UB.GOOGLE.DT-c-EN.PACKAGE&semdtl=a124126400480.b1202878435487.g1aud-2054876055294:kwd-332750878505.e1c.m1CjwKCAjwrP3VBhBbEiwAnaqpQ-P2XzQk11ycAmNHtjmeApP6a8Dl-LphY_lyVvngvFF-cOc5VkQpyRoCo9EQAvD_BwE.r1.c1.j19003419.k1.d1820807844857.h1p.i1.l1.n1.o1.p1.q1.s1.t1.x1.f1.u1.v1.w1&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24126400480&gbraid=0AAAAACTxZ9ZIw38QeP8hrrjrRxsYbRndZ&gclid=CjwKCAjwrP3VBhBbEiwAnaqpQ-P2XzQk11ycAmNHtjmeApP6a8Dl-LphY_lyVvngvFF-cOc5VkQpyRoCo9EQAvD_BwE

3.    The World's Tallest File Cabinet, Burlington.  No, I wasn't bored.  This might seem ridiculous, but I love this stuff.  This was verified by Guinness and is a one of a kind piece.  We looked all over and finally found this while we were visiting.  This wasn't because we ran out of things to do.  I really wanted to find it.

Designed by Bren Alvarez in 2002, this has been a staple of Burlington for a very long time.  It's right next to a complex of industrial buildings at the intersection of the Champlain Parkway and Flynn Avenue.  There are breweries and distilleries in the complex, so it's good for a night out too.  

The thing that impressed me upon arrival was the simple fact that people had left stickers representing where they were from and they come from all over.  Not only all over the country, but the world.  I really wished I'd brought a sticker, so if you visit this one; bring a sticker!

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/world-s-tallest-filing-cabinet   

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/8782   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDbw4OGoNgM   

https://schaumann.com.au/2014/02/filing-cabinet/   

https://www.tripadvisor.com/FAQ_Answers-g57201-d5949516-t2683965-How_tall_is_it.html   

4.    The Waterfront and Downtown, Burlington.  Burlington is a tourist attraction.  Most of their regular stores and stuff are in the more residential part of town, leaving the downtown and waterfront mostly for visitors and people going on a night out.  I will put a caution here; they have a slight bit of a homeless problem down there, but it's nothing worse than you'll see in New York.

What they have is a great pedestrian street with stores, sweets, bars, and restaurants all over it.  We ate in a restaurant that used to be a bank and it was fabulous.  You have a park with lighted splash pad and all sorts of scenic amenities just one block over, and the waterfront is only a few blocks away from all that.  The downtown is very walkable and pretty.  The sunsets over the lake are amazing as well.  I really enjoyed the two evenings that we spent hanging around down there.

This downtown gives a very relaxed vibe.  I do have to say that you will have to scan QR codes to park your car.  I don't care where you park it.  The entire downtown is paid parking.  It can run anywhere from $1 to $4 per hour and some parking lots close at night, so be aware.  You also can take a train to Burlington.  Amtrak stops there on their way to Montreal.  However, I didn't see a car rental and there really isn't much public transportation.  That's why I drove on this trip.

https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/   

https://vermontvacation.com/places-to-visit/downtowns/burlington/   

https://travel.usnews.com/Burlington_VT/   

https://www.visittheusa.com/destinations/vermont/burlington/   

https://www.sweetwatersbtv.com/  

https://www.whizbangscandy.com/   

5.    The Shelbourne Wineries, Shelbourne.  This place is open 11 am to 7 pm in season.  Winter is noon to 6 pm.  This was cute and the wine was good.  The atmosphere was relaxed and the owner was present and taught us a lot about the wine that grows in Vermont.  It was a super pleasant experience.

That being said, I don't want to single them out.  This was where we went and we had a great time.  It's virtually across the street from the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory so it was painfully easy to combine these two activities.  And you have to watch your Google Maps, because it will tell you it's two minutes away on Route 7, but it's like 15 seconds.

Here's the thing about Burlington and wine, beer and spirits.  They have a thriving alcohol culture in the Burlington area.  We also stopped off in the Stowe area at the Von Trapp Brewery.  We had to pick and choose because we were only in the area for a couple of days, and there were way too many distilleries, breweries and wineries for us to visit, especially since we were driving.  They are all over the place and this is just one, so check them all out and visit accordingly.

https://www.shelburnevineyard.com/  

https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/listing/shelburne-vineyard/68/    

https://www.vermontgrapeandwinecouncil.com/our-members/shelburnevineyard   

https://americanwineryguide.com/wineries/shelburne-vineyard/   

https://www.helloburlingtonvt.com/things-to-do/bars-nightlife/distilleries/   

https://web.vermont.org/brewery-winery-distillery   

There's my short list of things to do in Burlington.  Remember, this is an area as well.  There are other towns like Waterbury with Ben & Jerry's and Stowe Mountain with everything at the resort.  There are a lot of things to do while visiting Burlington, Vermont, and I've only mentioned a few.

If you'd like to see what else we did in Vermont, check out my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon." That's me!

https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026   

Remember, fall is a great time to visit anywhere in the Northeastern United States, so get out there, do some leaf peeping and enjoy!