Scare up some wicked fun at South’s spooky spots

While some are content with celebrating Halloween on their home turf, others get their tricks and treats with travel. But you don’t have to trek as far as Salem, Mass., for a bubbling brew of Halloween fun. Several southeastern destinations put their own twist on the season by offering hauntingly good times. Dip into this bag of Halloween-related destinations worth a bite.

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Universal Orlando Resort

The character Bloody Mary serves as hostess of Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights, a big kid’s interactive Halloween bash at Universal Orlando Resort.

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• Halloween Horror Nights

On select nights, Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights transforms Universal Orlando Resort into a spooky playground for big kids. The theme park itself remains fantastic. But give it a candy corn coating, some scares and a shot of booze, and it becomes a Halloween experience like no other.

Event creators developed more than 100 original costumed characters guaranteed to spook. The belle of the ball is Bloody Mary. According to the urban legend, you can conjure her spirit by reciting her name three times while looking into a mirror. Bloody Mary stars in her own haunted house, Reflections of Fear, which gives a possible back story to the myth. Seven additional haunted houses and nine street scenes, known as scare zones, pack the park.

The Asylum in Wonderland scare zone takes guests through the looking glass into a twisted version of “Alice in Wonderland” where Bloody Mary also awaits. The Path of the Wicked scare zone imagines the land of Oz taken over by the Wicked Witch of the West. And the Universal Pictures flick “Doomsday” comes to life in its own post-apocalyptic haunted house.

Specialty shows offer a live tribute to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” freaky feats courtesy of contemporary sideshow performer Brian Bushwood and the popular “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure.” The latter show skewers pop culture with no-holds-barred comedy for grown folks.

• Fantasy Fest

Key West takes a non-tourist season and turns it into one of the most popular times to visit. From Oct. 17-26, throngs invade for Fantasy Fest, a Halloween-meets-Mardi Gras-meets-Carnival spirit. It highlights the Captain Morgan Fantasy Fest Parade on Oct. 25, starring lavish floats and over-the-top costumes. If past years are any indication, you might find a troupe of kilt-wearing bagpipe players marching through the street, a float of people dressed like Smurfs, a pirate ship loaded with a surly crew and Captain Morgan himself.

A slew of parties take place including the Monster’s Ball, an underwater-themed costume bash Oct. 23 at the Green Parrot Bar. This year’s massive costume contest, Pretenders in Paradise, is dubbed the Pandemonium Party. Costumed competitors face off for a shot at $10,000 in cash and prizes at the Pier House Resort and Caribbean Spa. The Hot Wench and Wicked Pirate Tea Dance, a luau, a bikini-making contest, celebrity lookalike contest and a toga party are a few of the many activities you may find on any given night.

• Charleston ghost tours

Bulldog Tours of Charleston, S.C., offers several ghostly outings taking place throughout the fabled streets of this historic city. The Charleston Ghost and Dungeon Walking Tour takes guests through the cemeteries, back alleyways and into an actual pre-Revolutionary dungeon where pirates and other scallywags were jailed. The Ghost and Graveyard Walking Tour is an after-dark stroll behind the wrought iron fence of the Circular Congregational Church cemetery, one of the oldest in Charleston, with tombstones dating back to the late 17th century. The Haunted Jail Tour goes inside the Old City Jail and explores the cells once inhabited by a rogues gallery of pirates and Civil War prisoners. Most of the jail’s original structures still stand. Bulldog Tours ranks this one as its scariest.

IF YOU GO

• Universal Studios Horror Nights. Thursdays-Sundays through Nov. 1, and Oct. 22 and Oct. 29. $69.99.

Where to stay: Universal Orlando Resort has three hotels — Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort. Vacation packages start at $237 per adult. 888-467-7677, www.univacations.com/hhn08/

• Fantasy Fest. Oct. 17-26. 305-296-1817, www.fantasyfest.net.

Where to stay: Key West hotels typically sell out during Fantasy Fest, so book a room as soon as possible. At press time, the moderately priced Blue Marlin Motel (1320 Simonton St., Key West, Fla. 305-294-2585, www.bluemarlinmotel.com) had rooms available Oct. 17-22 at an average of $179 per night. From Oct. 23-26, prices average $399 per night with a three-night minimum. Beachside Resort & Conference Center (3841 Roosevelt Blvd., Key West, Fla. 305-296-8100, www.beachsidekeywest.com) has accommodations ranging from $189-$509 per night from Oct. 17-22. From Oct. 23-26, rooms and suites range from $359-$679 per night.

• Charleston ghost tours. Bulldog Tours. Nightly. $18 adults; $10 children. 40 North Market St., Charleston, S.C. 843-722-8687, www.bulldogtours.com.

Where to stay: Rooms start at $69 per night at La Quinta Inn Charleston (2499 La Quinta Lane, Charleston, S.C. 843-797-8181, www.lq.com). Rooms at the plush Charleston Place (205 Meeting St., Charleston, S.C. 888-635-2350, www.charlestonplace.com) typically start at $569 per night.