We’re thrilled to bring you an epic round of activities to make this your best Halloween yet in San Francisco. The Bay Area always goes hard in October with endless opportunities to get your fill of tricks and treats.
There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re looking for a party, a pumpkin patch, a haunted house, kids’ activities, or a little of everything. Read on to get inspired for Halloween 2026 in San Francisco.
Dress up for live music, themed cocktails, and Halloween fun on Front Street.
A free Halloween block party in the Front Street Entertainment Zone in Downtown San Francisco, featuring live music, themed cocktails, activities, and participating bars on the block.
San Francisco’s Victoria Theatre is welcoming back SF’s favorite Star Wars burlesque show! The Empire Strips Back has sold over 500,000 tickets across the globe, selling out in cities like L.A., Chicago, and New York. Don’t miss out on its newest SF run.
Celebrate Halloween after dark at the de Young with music, food, costumes, and special exhibition access. If you want a museum night that still feels like a party, the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park hosts a Late Night Editions Halloween Eve celebration with DJs, drinks, Off the Grid food vendors, and access to the Treasures of the Pharaohs exhibition. This 21+ event runs from 6–10 PM and offers both general and VIP tickets.
Embrace the spooky season at The Nightmare Bar, an immersive 90-minute Halloween pop-up filled with horror-inspired décor, interactive games, and killer themed cocktails. It’s the perfect spot to throw on a costume, grab your included welcome drink, and snap some spooky photos with your crew in a lively atmosphere that’s more festive hangout than terrifying haunted house.
See Practical Magic 2 on the giant Oracle Park scoreboard — costumes, themed photos and themed drinks included!
Oracle Park will host a Halloween movie night on Thursday, October 29 featuring Practical Magic 2; doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the film begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $28 and guests can enjoy costumes, themed food and a midnight margarita bar.
Candlelight presents breathtaking classical concerts in over 100 cities around the world, and we can’t wait to see their special upcoming Halloween-themed shows. Settle into an intimate space lit only by a sea of flickering candles, an ambiance that melds beautifully with live renditions of haunting Halloween melodies. Listen to classical renditions of the Stranger Things theme, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and the Beetlejuice soundtrack.
Free Halloween block party in the Castro on Oct. 31 with music, food, and a costume contest!
The Castro Night Market returns for a free Halloween block party on Saturday, October 31, featuring food vendors, three stages of live performances, a costume contest, and family trick-or-treating.
Costumes encouraged — join Fright NightLife for a spooky 21+ Halloween party with performances, tarot, and food.
The California Academy of Sciences hosts Fright NightLife, a 21+ Halloween-themed NightLife party with cocktails, drag performances, scare actors, tarot reading, a zombie gaming zone, face painting, a themed marketplace, and Off the Grid food trucks.
Filoli is known for its historic orchard, which they take full advantage of during the fall, but the immersive Nightfall event is a great opportunity to explore the estate and gardens in all their spooky autumnal splendor. Visit for a seasonal-themed bar and plenty of spirited decorations.
Experience the 1920 silent classic with a live organ accompaniment in the majestic Grace Cathedral. For a Halloween night outing with a vintage twist, head to Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill for a screening of the 1920 silent film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, accompanied by a live organ score by Dorothy Papadakos. The event starts at 8:00 PM on Friday, October 30, with tickets priced between $25 and $35.
Apple picking and hot chocolate are all good and well, but if you’re looking for something a bit spookier you’re in the right place. We’ve rounded up some of the best haunted houses in the Bay Area, from the family-friendly to the downright terrifying. Favorites include Fear Overload Scream Park in Newark and a new immersive haunted experience at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose.
Dance the night away at Ghost Palace — an 8-hour Halloween rave at the Palace of Fine Arts.
San Francisco Ghost Palace 2026 is an 8-hour Halloween concert and dance party at the Palace of Fine Arts on October 30, featuring multiple stages with DJs, drag performances, immersive art, silent disco, foam pit, and food trucks. Tickets are on sale and start at $134.26 including fees.
Bring the family for a free Halloween concert at the historic Spreckels Bandshell.
On October 31, the Spreckels Temple of Music (the Bandshell) in Golden Gate Park will host Charity and the JAMband for a free, family-friendly Halloween concert with sing-alongs from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.; costumes are welcome and the park offers weekly free shows through early November.
We’re lucky to live right near Half Moon Bay, the pumpkin capital of the world! Whether you’re looking for family activities with kids or getting ahead of your Halloween decorating, these excellent Bay Area farms and pumpkin patches have got you covered with seasonal events to boot. Some of our favorites include Lemos Farm in Half Moon Bay and Spina Farms in Morgan Hill.
San Francisco’s Crosstown Trail is launching Walktober, a month-long program of guided hikes and nature outings across the city from October 3–31, 2026.
You can sign up to join the “Beach to Brewery” Halloween finale on October 31, which ends with drinks at Standard Deviant Brewing.
Halloween always brings multiple lively pub crawls to the streets of San Francisco. Here are a few to consider:
- Trick or Drink – Oct. 24, 30, and 31, 2026
- Walk With Spirits – Select Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 31
- Crawloween – Oct. 24, 30, 31, and Nov. 1, 2026
Even the bravest of guests do a double-take on these creepy San Francisco ghost tours, many of which draw on haunting tales from the city’s Gold Rush and Barbary Coast days. Crank up your ghost gear and get ready for one of the most memorable tours of the city that will have you looking at ordinary landmarks in an entirely new light.
The Exploratorium’s Thursday After Dark events allow you to explore the science museum late at night, complete with special presentations and a bar. This October they’ll host a Día de los Muertos-themed event on Oct. 22 and the fan-favorite “Creepatorium” for Halloween on Oct. 29.
Every year we curate a list of the best Halloween parties coming to SF nightclubs, bars, and event spaces. You can bet on a full lineup of live shows and great DJs at popular destinations, including DNA Lounge, The Great Northern, Public Works, and many more.
SF residents love any excuse to throw on a costume and hit the streets, so it’s no surprise that we also have a treasure trove of vintage, thrift, and costume shops, where you can find the perfect Halloween look. From the era- and genre-specific outfits for rent at Haight Street Costumes, to authentic vintage outfits at Decades of Fashion, these are the best places to put your costume together.
It’s hard to deny that the fall season brings some of the best flavors on the calendar. We’re talking pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and every scent that you want wafting through your kitchen. Well, that fact is certainly not lost on San Francisco’s bakeries, cafes, and ice cream shops, because they are busy churning out an epic lineup of delicious treats. BRB, picking up some gourmet candy at Miette Patisserie…
Do you know which San Francisco landmarks have spooky stories attached to them? Whether or not you believe in ghosts, these local places are undeniably creepy. From the White Lady of Stow Lake to the spirit of Mary Lake at the Queen Anne Hotel, here are the best ghost stories in SF that you never knew about.
San Francisco witches swear by these delightful metaphysical shops, crystal stores, and herbal apothecaries. From the beautifully curated Sword and Rose in Cole Valley, to the taxidermied oddities found in the Mission’s Paxton Gate, you’ll find plenty of places to get in touch with your occult side.