New Halloween Ranking Puts Cape May Ahead of Salem and New Orleans

Issue #839

October 14, 2026

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather

 🎃New Halloween Ranking Puts Cape May Ahead of Salem and New Orleans

 🜸Halley’s Comet Debris to Spark Meteor Display as Orionids Reach October Peak

🏛️ Planning for Retirement? Cape May Hosting Free Financial Education Event

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: Shop Local

Here’s what’s going on in the Cape May Local Area👇

October 14

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New Halloween Ranking Puts Cape May Ahead of Salem and New Orleans

The Physick Estate in Cape May NJ and The Grimshawe House in Salem Ma

Cape May may be best known for its colorful Victorian homes, beautiful beaches, and old-fashioned seaside charm, but a new national study suggests this popular Jersey Shore destination has a much darker side.

Just in time for Halloween, Cape May has been named the sixth-spookiest city in America for 2026, outranking some of the country's most famous haunted destinations, including Salem, Massachusetts, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Savannah, Georgia.

The ranking comes from home security company Vivint, which examined 74 destinations across the United States to determine which communities have the strongest connections to paranormal activity, haunted attractions, and all things supernatural.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Cape May earned its impressive ranking despite having only two reported ghost sightings.

According to the 2026 Vivint Spookiest Cities Report, researchers evaluated seven factors, including reported ghost sightings, haunted locations, haunted house attractions, spiritual businesses, funeral services, and Halloween-related online searches.

The study, which used data collected in September 2026, considered the concentration of spooky attractions and businesses relative to population size.

That approach gave smaller historic destinations such as Cape May an advantage over larger cities.

Cape May performed especially well in the spiritual shop category, recording approximately 364.5 listings per 10,000 residents. That placed the seaside community second nationwide, behind only Virginia City, Nevada.

The Jersey Shore destination also ranked sixth for haunted house attraction listings and eighth for paranormal-related Google searches.

These results suggest Cape May's supernatural appeal extends far beyond traditional ghost stories.

For decades, Salem, Massachusetts, has been one of America's most recognizable Halloween destinations, thanks to its connection to the infamous 1692 witch trials.

But in Vivint's latest rankings, Cape May finished a remarkable 35 places ahead of Salem.

While Cape May secured the No. 6 position nationally, Salem came in at No. 41.

Other well-known destinations, including New Orleans, Savannah, Austin, and Los Angeles, also finished behind the South Jersey resort town.

Cape May's combination of historic architecture, paranormal attractions, spiritual businesses, and public interest in haunted locations helped secure its place among the nation's top 10.

The Six Spookiest Cities in America for 2026

1 Virginia City, Nevada

2 Tombstone, Arizona

3 Eureka Springs, Arkansas

4 Galena, Illinois

5 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

6 Cape May, New Jersey

Virginia City claimed the top spot in the 2026 index, supported by its concentration of spiritual businesses and unusually high volume of spooky-related online searches.

Tombstone, Arizona, finished second, followed by Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Galena, Illinois, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Cape May rounded out the top six, making it one of the highest-ranking coastal destinations in the study.

Cape May's reputation for ghost stories is hardly new. The town is famous for its beautifully preserved Victorian architecture, historic hotels, and centuries-old buildings. Many of these locations have become part of local ghost lore, with stories passed down through generations.

Visitors can explore the community's haunted reputation through ghost tours, historic walking tours, and seasonal Halloween activities.

The town's narrow streets, ornate Victorian homes, and atmospheric inns create a setting that feels especially appropriate for an October getaway.

And unlike destinations that focus almost entirely on Halloween tourism, Cape May offers visitors a combination of seaside relaxation, historic sightseeing, dining, shopping, and paranormal entertainment.

Cape May's sixth-place finish reinforces its reputation as more than just a summer vacation destination.

With autumn bringing cooler temperatures, fewer beach crowds, and plenty of opportunities to explore the town's history, October offers visitors a different perspective on this South Jersey favorite.

 Halley’s Comet Debris to Spark Meteor Display as Orionids Reach October Peak

Skywatchers across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres will have an opportunity to witness one of autumn’s most anticipated celestial events when the Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak overnight on October 21–22, 2026.

The annual meteor shower, known for its exceptionally fast-moving shooting stars, is expected to produce approximately 10 to 20 meteors per hour under ideal viewing conditions. However, moonlight and local weather conditions could affect how many meteors observers actually see.

The Orionid meteor shower occurs each year as Earth travels through a trail of dust and rocky particles left behind by the famous Halley’s Comet.

When these tiny fragments enter Earth's atmosphere, they burn up and create brilliant streaks of light across the night sky. Some meteors may leave glowing trails that briefly linger after the shooting star disappears.

According to NASA, Orionid meteors travel at extraordinary speeds of approximately 41 miles per second, or 148,000 miles per hour, making them among the fastest meteors associated with annual meteor showers.

Although Halley’s Comet itself will not return to the inner solar system until 2061, the debris it left behind continues to produce spectacular meteor displays each year.

The Orionid meteor shower remains active from October 2 through November 7, but the greatest concentration of meteors is expected during the overnight hours of Wednesday, October 21, into Thursday, October 22.

The best viewing opportunities generally occur after midnight and continue until the first light of dawn, when the constellation Orion climbs higher in the sky.

The meteors appear to originate near Orion, one of the most recognizable constellations, but shooting stars can streak across virtually any part of the sky.

Observers in both hemispheres can enjoy the display, provided skies are clear and they are away from excessive artificial lighting. One potential challenge this year will be the bright waxing gibbous Moon, which is expected to illuminate much of the night sky during the peak.

The moonlight could make faint meteors more difficult to spot, particularly during the earlier overnight hours. Viewing conditions may improve as the Moon moves lower in the sky and eventually sets.

Astronomy enthusiasts are encouraged to find an open location away from city lights, allow their eyes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness, and watch a broad section of the sky rather than focusing exclusively on Orion.

No telescope or binoculars are necessary to enjoy the meteor shower.

Although the Orionids are not typically the year's most prolific meteor shower, their remarkable speed and occasional bright fireballs make them a favorite among astronomy enthusiasts. With favorable weather, patient observers may catch several shooting stars throughout the early morning hours.

For updated meteor shower information and viewing guidance, skywatchers can consult the American Meteor Society and The Planetary Society

Planning for Retirement? Cape May Hosting Free Financial Education Event

Cape May will host a free retirement planning seminar on Monday, October 19, 2026, at 2 p.m. at the Cape May Community Center, 110 Ocean Street. Catherine and John Welde of Tax Advantaged Platform LLC will discuss retirement income strategies, tax considerations, and estate planning fundamentals. The event offers residents an opportunity to learn more about preparing for retirement and protecting their financial future. 

Whether retirement is approaching or still several years away, having access to educational resources can help individuals make more informed financial decisions. Cape May's October 19 seminar will provide a local opportunity to explore retirement income planning, tax considerations, and the basics of protecting a financial legacy.

Cape May is recognized for its role in the protection of which animal species during their migration?

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 Answer to the October 13th Trivia Question 

Which popular Cape May destination is known for its lighthouse, birdwatching opportunities, and scenic trails?

A) Cape May Point State Park
B) The Nature Conservancy Trail
C) The Wetlands Institute
D) Cape May Promenade

Answer: A) Cape May Point State Park.

Cape May Point State Park is a major attraction in Cape May, featuring the historic Cape May Lighthouse, excellent birdwatching spots, and beautiful nature trails. It’s a prime location for outdoor enthusiasts and those interested in observing the fall migration of birds​.

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