Día de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — is one of Mexico’s most evocative traditions, a time when the dead are remembered and life is celebrated in dazzling parades. Fortunately for Americans, its spirit roams freely across the border, with the custom honored in vibrant festivities in cities across the country.
In Mexico, Día de los Muertos is a national holiday observed on November 1 and 2, while in the U.S., events inspired by it unfold throughout October and into early November.
Here, we’ve picked out six cities that host some of the most spectacular celebrations.
Expect to see the living transformed into calaveras (skeletons) and ofrendas (altars) intricately decorated with candles and marigolds (the flower associated with the Day of the Dead) to welcome the dead back for the party, as well as exotic floats and plenty of live music.
1. San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio has deep Mexican roots and is widely recognized as having the largest Day of the Dead celebrations in the U.S., with more than two dozen signature events — a blend of heartfelt remembrance and festive spectacle — taking place from early October to November 14.
The biggest single event is Muertos Fest at the Hemisfair park and gardens, a free festival featuring five stages of live music and performances, altar exhibits and artisan markets that regularly draws more than 100,000 visitors.
Another marquee event is the "Altares y Ofrendas" exhibit (Altars and Offerings) at the Centro Cultural Aztlán, now in its 48th year. Also unmissable is the Day of the Dead River Parade, when illuminated barges glide along the city’s River Walk in a dazzling tribute.
Visitors can also admire 25 enormous painted skulls displayed in La Villita, San Antonio’s first neighborhood dating back to the 18th century, alongside brightly colored sculptures of mythical beasts. And there are Day of the Dead exhibitions and celebrations at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Texas's only Unesco World Heritage Site.
Where to stay
The St. Anthony, a Luxury Collection Hotel is one of San Antonio's most distinguished places to stay, with lavish rooms and a stunning rooftop pool.
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2. Tucson, Arizona
Due to the fact that much of Arizona was once part of Mexico, there are strong ties to Día de los Muertos festivals in the state.
The most spectacular event associated with the celebration is Tucson's All Souls Procession, a two-mile parade that often draws over 150,000 participants.
The procession is inspired by the Day of the Dead holiday but is open to people of all backgrounds and faiths. While there's a spiritual undercurrent — the event is a chance to mourn and reflect on the universal experience of death — a carnival atmosphere prevails.
Those taking part dress up and paint their faces, and walk amid papier-mâché puppets, stilt-walkers, and fire-spinners.
In the weeks leading up to the procession (November 2), members of the public are invited to place messages for loved ones and photos of them in a giant steel urn that’s carried in the parade. The contents are burned at the procession's endpoint, the MSA Annex Mall — a symbolic release of grief.
Where to stay
The Arizona Inn features alluring Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture, lush gardens, and handcrafted furniture.
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3. Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Muertos y Marigolds Parade (Dead and Marigolds Parade) is New Mexico's biggest Day of the Dead celebration and transforms the streets of Albuquerque, the state's largest city, into a living work of art.
The parade is named for the flower believed to guide spirits home, and you'll see swathes of them here — alongside elaborately decorated lowrider cars, families dressed as skeletons, colorful floats, and altars filled with photos and candles.
In the weeks leading up to the event (October 31 to November 2), which is centered on Isleta Boulevard, locals and visitors alike are encouraged to attend crafting workshops to make masks and altars, and to learn more about a celebration said to be as much about laughter as it is about tears.
Where to stay
The Hotel Andaluz Albuquerque, located just 15 minutes from the parade route, has a superb rooftop bar, a buzzy tapas restaurant and elegant rooms.
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4. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is home to a significant Mexican-American community, and the city’s free-to-enter National Museum of Mexican Art anchors the annual Día de los Muertos Xicágo (Day of the Dead Chicago, with a spelling of the city used by some in the Latino and Chicano communities).
The museum’s backyard is transformed into an elaborate work of art, featuring visual displays created by members of the community that tell the story of the Day of the Dead, with ofrendas constructed on the day.
The event also features folkloric dance performances, live music, and art activities.
The museum, located in the Pilsen neighborhood, houses a permanent collection of more than 20,000 artworks, and each year between September and December it stages a Día de Muertos exhibition — hailed as one of the largest in the country.
Where to stay
The Silversmith Hotel Chicago Downtown, which dates back to 1897, is near Chicago’s theater and financial districts, and just 25 minutes from the museum by subway. The Art Deco property offers a 24-hour gym and 144 en suite guestrooms.
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5. Los Angeles, California
LA’s historic Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Santa Monica Boulevard is widely known as the resting place of hundreds of Hollywood legends, but once a year the city’s Day of the Dead celebration takes center stage.
And it’s one of the most dazzling in the country. A feast for the eyes, with intricate, marigold-adorned altars to honor departed loved ones and welcome them back for the festivities, as well as attendees painted as skeletons.
The festival atmosphere is intensified further by Aztec dancers and mariachi bands performing across multiple stages.
Olvera Street, the birthplace of Los Angeles, also hosts an exuberant Day of the Dead festival. This one takes place over several days and is marked by candlelit processions, art workshops and public altars.
Where to stay
Hollywood Roosevelt, a glamorous landmark hotel dating back to 1927, is just minutes from Hollywood Forever Cemetery and features a dreamy palm-lined pool.
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6. San Diego, California
San Diego has close ties to Mexico — the border is just 17 miles away — and every year the city throws its heart and soul into Día de los Muertos celebrations.
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is at the center of the festivities, which run throughout October and into early November. There are also events in Downtown’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, as well as in Chula Vista and Oceanside.
Plus, the Sherman Heights Community Center hosts striking altar exhibits, while local galleries and shops showcase Day of the Dead–inspired art. Food is a key part of the celebrations too: visitors can tuck into pan de muerto (bread of the dead) — a brioche-like sweet bread topped with a ball of dough representing a tear for the departed — and tamales, masa dough filled with savoury or sweet ingredients, wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf before being steamed.
Where to stay
The Cosmopolitan Hotel sits in the heart of Old Town’s historic district, just moments from the Día de los Muertos festivities. Housed in a lovingly restored 19th-century stagecoach stop, it’s full of vintage charm.
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