Planning a Halloween Getaway

Well, you guys. I've had some plans for my vacations for the coming years, but then someone posted a video on Facebook and I have now (mostly) planned an October trip for 2018. Wait, what? That's over two years from now! I hear you, but for those of you who have been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know several things: I always plan a trip in the Fall, I love going new places, I love Harry Potter, and I adore Halloween. So, 2018 is going to revolve around all those things. Perhaps you would like to visit the East Coast earlier and get in on some awesome Halloween getaway goodness. 

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Salem, Massachusetts  

Where better to celebrate Halloween than witch-central? All October long you’ll find themed festivities and attractions including a carnival, haunted house, spooky tours and more. Every day of the month you’ll find something going on. This is my kind of town.  Where else can you hit the farmers’ market during the day and then see the Crucible at night and get your palm read and go to a witchcraft shop in between? There might be some places, but I doubt many. And there are even fewer places where you can visit the actual places where witch trials took place. This is definitely on my list of must-see places. I can't wait to run down my camera battery here. 

• 4D Haunted Adventure at Salem Time Machine - It's a "haunted" attraction for the whole family. You get 3D glasses, walk around in a blacklight environment that takes you through a narrated Olde Salem. It sounds really dumb, but also really fun. If you want to be scared, do the 4D Haunted House instead, with live scare actors.
• Derby Stree Carnival
• Museum Place Mall - They show two 3D short films that tell you about Salem and the history of Halloween. There's also live music on the weekends.
• Salem Haunted Magic Show - 'Nuff said.
• Visit Lady Irene - A Greek psychic who reads coffee...? I dunno what that entails, but I want to see!
• Haunted Dinner Theater at the Hawthorne Hotel - The show changes every year, but it always sounds fun.
• More things to see and do can be found here.

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Laconia, New Hampshire

For 25 years, the pumpkin festival has been held in Keene, but it has now moved north to Laconia to eliminate the many drunken college students who congregated in the small town square. The community comes together to carve pumpkins to add to the pyramid for one of the nation's biggest collection of jack-o-lanterns. for one day, the town lights up with pumpkins, a beer garden, parade and other fun stuff, like magic, vendor booths and face painting.

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Boston

So, I'm not going to Boston for anything specifically Halloween-related, but that doesn't mean they don't have anything. We have family there to visit, plus seafood! Save money on sightseeing with the Boston CityPASS. Valid for 9 days from first use and covers the top Boston attractions for just $54 per person (adult). See the best of Boston with your pass and have plenty of time to do it in. There’s something for everyone and you save almost half off admission prices! Here are just a few I think would be fun.

• New England Aquarium        
• Museum of Science 
• Skywalk Observatory 
• Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 
• Harvard Museum of Natural History OR The Old State House

If you're looking for other things in Boston that are Halloween-themed, there are several corn mazes (haunted and traditional) around the area with pumpkin patches and haunted houses. Factory  of Terror has a one of the best haunted attractions in the area. Boston College Club runs a wine tasting with craft beer, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a charity silent auction. The Haunted Castle Bash has a cocktail reception, dancing and hors d'oeuvres. Find more ideas here.

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Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania

Okay, so the pièce de résistance of this trip, and the reason I want to go is the Chestnut Hill Harry Potter Weekend. For two days, the town turns into Hogsmeade and the college is turned into Hogwarts. Visitors are strongly encouraged to dress up (uh, yes please!) and participate in awesome activities, like dueling classes, make new friends, ride the "Knight Bus", go on a Butterbeer crawl and watch a Quidditch tournament. Watch this video:

I seriously get chills just watching this. Me and whole bunch of other Harry Potter nerds enjoying our love of The Boy Who Lived and the rest of the Wizarding World, while not actually going to Universal Studios (which you know I'm not against). If you love Harry Potter as much as I do (or even a fraction as much), you may want to put Chestnut Hill on your travel list for next Halloween...or this one if you can road trip it.

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Philadelphia

Since Philadelphia is just a short drive from Chestnut Hill, why not check out what it has to offer. In October, you can look forward to the Chrysanthemum Festival, the Schuylkill Regatta and South Street's Pumpkin Festival. The Mutter Museum, a museum of weird and interesting medical stuff, has always been on my list, so I'm totally going to hit that up. Aside from that, there's tons of history. You can purchase the Philadelphia CityPASS for $59 and check out 4 of these 5 things:

• The Franklin Institue
• The Big Bus & Philadelphia Trolley Works
• One Liberty Observation Deck
• Adventure Aquarium OR Philadelphia Zoo.

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Hershey, Pennsylvania

Who doesn't love chocolate? Well, I do, so this seems like a no-brainer. Candy for days, a theme park and walking chocolate bars! I'm totally in! Plus it's right next door to:

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Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Another thing that's been on my wish list for a long time. I'd love to buy some sweet homemade quilts and other goodies, while learning more about the Amish community and way of life. Maybe I'll get a chance to ride in one of those horse and buggies where cars aren't a problem like they are in the city. Believe it or not, there are a lot of things to do here, from museums and tours to driving over (through?) covered bridges and wine tasting. 

I'm really excited about this trip, even though it's going to be a lot of driving, unless we take the train from Boston to Philly and rent a car in those two cities only. We'll see. I have two years to plan, since next year we're visiting Toronto and New York City (including Niagara Falls) and this year we're headed to New Orleans. It's true I like to plan far in advance, but I think that just gives me time to plan a more awesome trip. 

If you've been to any of these places, what were your favorite things to see or do? 

Layering and Packing Light

Okay, so most places it's starting to get cooler, or it will be when you are on your fall or holiday travel. Even when you have to pack larger pieces than for your summer trips, you can still pack light. I'm a big proponent of layering when I travel, since you never know if the weather will be unseasonably warm or colder than you expect. Don't fret though, because you can still pack light and bring everything you need for any kind of weather.

When we traveled to London and Paris in late October, the weather ranged from cool, crisp fall air to freezing temps with rain. It could have been miserable, but learning from my previous trip there, when all we had packed were winter clothes. The first 3-4 days were so warm out that I didn't need a coat and seriously wondered if I'd have to buy some short sleeve tops in order to not get heat stroke. Needless to say, nobody wanted a repeat of that. So, taking all my knowledge into account when packing, I chose several lightweight sweaters that I could layer other things with and went from there.

Winter1 by shereentravels featuring gray scarves

So, if the weather tends toward cold, cold, cold, your pictures are basically all going to be you bundled up in your coat and you aren't going to see anything you've got on underneath anyway (see title photo). With this in mind, it makes even more sense to bring as little as possible. You'll just need enough to keep you from getting bored and to go between laundry - think of it an excuse to take a break and relax a few times on your trip. Watch a movie, catch up on email or play a game. I bring the same thing for one week as I do for two. Three lightweight sweaters, a cardigan, two tanks and two tees that match your sweaters. Throw a dress, two pair of stretchy jeans or other comfortable pants and two pair of shoes. 

Keep in mind your travel outfit. I usually wear my favorite pair of jeans (with stretch), a tee and a cardigan, one pair of the shoes I'm planning to wear throughout my trip and keep my jacket and a scarf in easy reach. This way if it's cold, I can put more layers on, and if it's hot, I can remove my cardigan.

Winter2 by shereentravels featuring a columbia sportswear

A pair of black jeans can double as nice pants for a night out, but a breathable dress can also work. Make sure to pack a pair of heavy tights in case it's really cold and you need some extra protection. Tights are multitaskers. When the weather is colder than expected, like a freak snowstorm, you can throw them on under your pants. I tend toward thinner skinny jeans, because the stretchy ones are comfortable, but may not be as warm as traditional jeans. For this reason, that extra layer might be necessary.

Make sure your tops all mix and match, so you don't have items that only go with some things in your bag. I like neutrals, like black and gray that I can add a pop of color to. You may end up like me and have to wear three layers at once, so if you bring three different color sweaters and three different color/patterns of tanks and tees, you're going to look like a bag lady. Opt for generic black and white under layers, or in the case above, I threw in a pink tank, because it will go with all three sweaters. The pink cardigan can go with the dress, just the tank/tee, or even as and extra layer for two of the sweaters. Obviously, the more sporty sweater in the second set won't work, but has enough roominess to wear the tanks, the tee or all three under it at once.

Look for shoes that will go with everything. I went to Europe with a pair of flats and tall packable boots, but I love the look of a short boot and a loafer. Make sure you have enough room for your foot to breathe in your boot and that both pair are comfortable to walk in all day long. I loved the boots I took, but they were a smudge too tight, or I overdid myself on the 478965322 stairs in Paris, because I left with a stress fracture in one of my feet. Boo. But at least I didn't notice the pain until the night before we were going back home. Maybe suck it up and wear your flats when hiking up 40 jillion steps, just in case.

Winter4 by shereentravels featuring a waterfall top

Look at the weather before you leave, to be sure you're dressed for your destination. A pair of gloves and a hat are always good companions, because you'll be thrilled if you have them and need them, or miserable if you leave them at home and have to shell out money for them. We actually had to purchase another hat and scarf for Eric, who didn't think he would need them. Unless you're hoping for a lame souvenir, throw some in for everyone traveling. It'll make your life easier.

Winter3 by shereentravels featuring loose fitting shirts

{The above clothing sets will mix and match to make at least 15 different outfits. 17 if you wear the dress alone or with the striped sweater over it to make a two-piece look.}

What is your best winter packing advice?

Doing Activities For Less

While just being in a new place can be awesome, it's what you do that makes a vacation. Sitting in your hotel room is fun and all, but you could do that at home for way cheaper. You want to do things. Experience your destination. Go home and brag about the cool things you saw and did. There are lots of ways to do that without draining your bank account. Here are ways to do activities for less when you travel.

Daily Deals

If you missed out on my post last week, go back and read it now.

CityPASS

Skip the lines at attractions plus get a bundle of them for less. Generally, the more you do, the more you save. CityPASS can save you up to 50% on popular attractions in certain circumstances. There are over a dozen participating cities, including Dallas, Toronto and Philadelphia, and is one of the best ways I've saved on a vacation. You can read about my experience with the Southern California Pass if you missed it.

Smart Destinations

Like CityPASS, Smart Destinations' Go Cards and Explorer Passes allow you to do more for less. They cover different cities, too. I've blogged about these several times, most recently for Las Vegas. These have saved us a ton on activities in the past and will in the future.

City Cards

Not all cities are covered in the last two options, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck. Google "city card (insert destination here)" and see what comes up, even if you're headed out of the country. In the past we've used both the London Pass and the Paris Pass, and in the U.S. we've used VisiTicket and the Power Pass for Washington, DC and Hawaii. 

Free Attractions

This may seem like a no-brainer, but maybe not. There's always a (sometimes long) list of things to do for no money in a city. I just Google "free things to do in X" and I often get a lot more than expected. Look at a few sites to get a comprehensive list and them add the good stuff to your list of things to do and see how much further your dollars stretch.

You might be surprised by what things are free. Many of London's museums are free (with the exception of special exhibits), public parks may have awesome things to see in them (like sculpture parks), and city events may also have free admission. Expensive destinations often have more freebies too.

Find Coupons

If you're road tripping (and even if you aren't), you can fin coupons for dollars off things you want to do at your destination. Look online before you go, check the lobby of hotels and even rest stops. Not all of them can be as awesome as this one we stopped at in Virginia, but usually they have a good selection of brochures, with at least the most popular attractions.

Keep an open mind when you travel. Some of the lamest sounding things have turned out to be the most fun to us and some of the most expensive have been disappointing. With this in mind, I keep a list of random optional things with my vacation schedule, so if we find we want to bail, we have a list of other things to choose from. Also, don't be afraid to try new things that may be out of your comfort zone or to ask locals and hotel staff for suggestions. They live there, so they have a totally different perspective of a place. I've rarely been steered wrong, especially when it comes to food recommendations. A local's favorite place may turn out to be yours as well. We've found quite a few "hidden" gems this way.

What are your favorite ways to get deals on attractions and activities? What's been one of the best free things you've done in your travels?