Thursday is my favorite holiday; and while my plans aren’t set in stone quite yet, I know the season leading up to this Halloween has been one of the best.

October is always one of my favorite months. The weather is finally changing in earnest, and there is a fervor for horror movies that just doesn’t exist the rest of the year. This October was a pretty successful one.

First, I went to Las Vegas for The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas’s Aston Martin Experience. I arrived on a Saturday after catching a mid-morning flight out of Philadelphia. Five hours later, I touched down at McCarran International Airport. A short time later I arrived at the hotel and registered for the driving experience. I grabbed lunch at Zen Kitchen.

After lunch, I settled into my room and got ready for my driving experience. I hit the road in the DBS Superleggera. Words can’t really describe how cool it felt to drive such an impressive car. The drive lasted about 45 minutes, and I walked away with an experience I will never forget.

I never really got used to the time difference, and the next morning I was awake at 5:30 a.m. I got up, showered, and as I was getting ready to do some exploration on foot, the hotel surprised me with breakfast.

After breakfast, I hit the road and walked for about four hours. I struck north on the Strip and passed famous resorts including the Bellagio and The Mirage. I grabbed a few gifts to bring home and headed back to the hotel.

At 1:45 p.m. I had a scheduled massage in the hotel’s spa. This was my first massage, and it was absolutely incredible. My therapist used essential oils to boost my immune system and usher in ultimate relaxation.

After the massage, I hit the Strip and grabbed lunch before settling in for the Eagles game on Sunday Night Football. The game was a huge disappointment, and I was able to get to bed pretty early for my flight the next day.

The next weekend was also great, as my girlfriend hosted a Halloween party at her house. This was a great chance to get together with some friends and play games, listen to spooky music and have a great time in costume.

— Erich Martin, assistant editor