Things to Do For Halloween
Halloween is one of the best times of the year. For me it’s a toss up between Halloween and Christmas, but they both have a bunch of amazing things that you can do to celebrate. Halloween brings out the spooky side of things with ghosts, vampires and all kinds of monsters, but also includes some not so scary activities like carving pumpkins, going through a corn maze and getting piles of candy from trick or treating. It’s a great time for kids, who get to do a bunch of creative things and it also offers lots of fun things to do for adults like pub crawls and Halloween parties.
If you are excited about the upcoming holiday, but are trying to figure out the best things to do for Halloween, we put together a list of things to get you started.
Go to a Corn Maze
Corn mazes are a fall classic. Farmers design winding trails through tall stalks of corn, creating giant puzzles that are fun for all ages. Some mazes include scavenger hunts or clues to solve along the way. Many farms also offer nighttime walks that can navigate by flashlight.
Visit a Haunted House
There are two main types of haunted houses, haunted house attractions and places that are thought to be actually haunted (let’s call them real haunted houses). Haunted house attractions are built to give you a thrill. Expect awesome decor, sound effects and actors ready to jump out at every corner. You can find options ranging from family-friendly attractions to intense experiences designed for serious fright seekers. They’re perfect for those who love a good scare. Real haunted houses are usually older homes or locations where people have noticed strange things like weird noises, cold spots, etc. Visiting real haunted houses is usually more about learning the history of the place and sometimes about people who have died in that location who are doing the haunting. You won’t get the typical jump scares that you would from haunted house attractions, but tours of these places can actually be quite scary.
Go Trick or Treating
This Halloween tradition never goes out of style. Dress up in costume, grab a bag and visit neighbors for candy and small treats. Many towns and shopping areas host organized trick-or-treat nights with decorated streets and safe routes, making it easy for families to enjoy.
Visit a Pumpkin Patch
A pumpkin patch is a great place to pick your future jack-o’-lantern. Many locations laso offer hayrides, petting zoos, photo spots & warm fall treats like apple cider donuts. Take your time to choose the perfect pumpkin and enjoy a relaxing day outdoors.
Go on a Ghost Tour
Most cities and towns have at least a few spooky legends to share. Ghost tours lead you through old streets, historic homes, cemetaries and more while guides tell stories of the past. Whether you believe in ghosts or just enjoy a good tale, these tours are a fun way to learn local history with a Halloween twist.
Play Some Halloween Games
From bobbing for apples to pumpkin ring toss, Halloween games bring friends and family together. Set up a costume contest, create a candy scavenger hunt or play Halloween-themed trivia to make the most of the Halloween season. These activities work well for parties or an evening at home.
Watch Halloween Movies
A movie marathon is a relaxing way to spend a fall evening. Choose family favorites like Hocus Pocus, go classic with Psycho or Halloween, or take on the really scary options like The conjuring or Sinister. Add popcorn, warm drinks or cocktails and blankets to make it extra special. You can also make some Halloween treats like pumpkin cookies or rice krispy treats decorated for Halloween first so you have some tasty snacks to eat during the show.
Go to an Escape Room
Escape rooms are live-action puzzle games where teams work together to solve clues and “escape” within a set time. During October, many venues create special Halloween themes like Salem witches, the haunted library or Dracula’s castle that add a little Halloween flair to the experience.
Pub Crawls
Halloween pub crawls turn city neighborhoods into a giant costume party. Buy a ticket and you can move between bars offering drink specials, music and themed décor. Some events add contests and scavenger hunts and offer party buses to help you get to the different areas of the event.
Nightclub Events
For those who like to party, Halloween nightclub events feature DJs, costume contests and elaborate decorations. Clubs often create special Halloween cocktails or light shows and some bigger clubs book well known DJs to perform.
Boat Parties
Mix Halloween fun with amazing views with a Halloween boat party. Many harbor cruises offer DJs, drinks and dance floors under the moonlight, letting you celebrate on the water with city skylines as your backdrop.
Theater
Theater fans can find Halloween-themed shows ranging from classic horror plays to modern performances with spooky twists. Many theaters add special effects and seasonal storytelling to create an unforgettable night.
Kids Halloween Events
Families with children can choose from countless kid-friendly options, including trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating events and daytime parades. Many zoos and museums host special events designed for younger audiences.
Pumpkin Decorating
Pumpkin decorating is creative, easy and fun for all ages. You can carve traditional jack-o’-lanterns or paint and decorate pumpkins with glitter, stickers or markers. Host a pumpkin decorating party at home or attend a local event where supplies are provided.
Best Things to Do for Halloween in San Francisco and the Bay Area
San Francisco is one of the top cities to visit for Halloween. From massive street parties to haunted history tours, the city and its surrounding towns offer an incredible mix of classic traditions and unique experiences. Whether you want to dance in costume until late at night, explore haunted landmarks or enjoy something family-friendly, here are the top ways to celebrate.
Crawloween San Francisco Halloween Pub Crawl
CrawlSF’s Halloween pub crawl, the largest Halloween party San Francisco and one of the largest in the nation, draws tens of thousands of costumed guests over multiple nights. With 40+ participating bars in neighborhoods like Polk Gulch, The Mission, North Beach, Russian Hill & the Marina, attendees enjoy drink specials, DJs, a costume contest, party favors, free party bus rides and the popular Find the Gnome contest. This is the most famous Halloween nightlife event in the Bay Area and a must for anyone who loves a citywide celebration.
Nightclub Halloween Parties
San Francisco clubs like Audio, Temple and Great Northern, transform with Halloween décor, DJs and special Halloween cocktails. Costume contests and late-night dancing make these parties ideal for those who want to keep the night going past midnight.
San Francisco Ghost Tours
Haunted walks through Pacific Heights mansions, Chinatown alleyways and old Gold Rush sites combine creative storytellers with real San Francisco history. Guides share stories of mysterious happenings, perfect for visitors who enjoy suspense and folklore.
Boat Cruises on the Bay
Halloween boat parties depart from the waterfront and feature DJs, drinks and views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and the San Francisco skyline. Costumes are encouraged and dancing on deck while cruising the bay gives you some great photo opps for Instagram.
Halloween at the San Francisco Zoo
The annual Boo at the Zoo event decorates animal habitats with pumpkins and offers trick-or-treat stations and live entertainment. It’s a perfect daytime outing for families with children.
Haunted San Francisco Landmarks
Visit haunted locations like the Whittier Mansion, Alcatraz Island, Haas-Lilienthal House and other unique San Francisco landmarks. Some locations host special Halloween night programs that dive deeper into their legends.
Pumpkin Patches and Farms Nearby
Take a short trip to Half Moon Bay, known as the Pumpkin Capital, or visit farms in the East Bay and Marin for hayrides, corn mazes & fresh cider. Many host special Halloween weekends with music and food. You can even find a pumpkin cannon that lets you shoot pumpkins into the air or head up to dixon to cruise through the world’s biggest corn maze.
Halloween-Themed Theater and Film
Watch screenings The Rocky Horror Picture Show, catch scary movies at historic theaters like the Castro Theatre or enjoy immersive shows that blend performance with spooky storytelling.
Escape Rooms with a Halloween Twist
Several San Francisco escape room venues roll out Halloween specials, where teams solve puzzles to escape from “haunted” rooms or solve themed mysteries before time runs out.
Day Trips for Extra Thrills
Just a short drive from SF, you can find popular haunted houses like Winchester Mystery House’s Candlelight Tour in San Jose, Fear Overload Scream Park in Newark and spooky experiences in the wine country towns of Napa and Sonoma.
Halloween in San Francisco
San Francisco is a city built for celebration and Halloween is one of the best times to feel its energy. Whether you live here or are planning a visit, October brings out the city’s creative side. From huge costumed parties to family-friendly activities, there are endless ways to enjoy the season.
Part of what makes Halloween in San Francisco so special is its distinct neighborhoods. North Beach mixes Old World charm with lively bars and cafés. The Mission shows off colorful murals and late-night music spots. The Marina and Cow Hollow attract a younger crowd with lots of fun bars and restaurants. Haight-Ashbury, the location of the Summer of Love and former home of Jerry Garcia, is a neighborhood filled with cool shops and a 60s feel. Polk Gulch and Russian Hill offer a classic city feel with busy pubs and historic buildings.
Each neighborhood has its own personality, so every Halloween adventure feels different. Whether you’re bar-hopping with friends, trick-or-treating with kids, or exploring hidden corners on a ghost tour you can enjoy a different experience in each unique neighborhood.
Few cities combine amazing scenery, awesome nightlife and interesting history the way San Francisco does. Cool October weather, Victorian architecture and fog rolling in from the bay create a natural backdrop for Halloween celebrations of all kinds. Whether you want to dance until late, take the kids trick or treating on Avila Street or just wander through beautifully decorated streets, San Francisco has something for every kind of Halloween mood.
From neighborhood bar crawls to family outings and haunted landmarks, San Francisco is an incredible place to live or visit when Halloween arrives. The mix of unique neighborhoods, annual events & nearby adventures makes it easy to plan a Halloween season full of memorable nights and festive days.