We’re thrilled to bring you an epic round of activities to make this your best Halloween yet. There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re looking for a party, a haunted house, kids’ activities, or a little of everything. Read on to get inspired.
1. Party it up at the Crawloween Pub Crawl
CrawlSF’s highly-anticipated Crawloween is here, and it’s sure to be an absolutely unforgettable spooky time. Put together your best costume and get ready to join over 10,000 crawlers at over 25 participating bars on October 28, 29, and 31. Tickets start at $10 and are on sale now.
2. Trick-or-treat on the beach at the Great HauntWay
September has only just begun, but it’s never too early to get in the mood for spooky season. The Great Highway’s massive Halloween block party, affectionately called the Great HauntWay, is gearing up for the ultimate trick-or-treating experience for kids and families on Sunday, October 30 from 1-4pm. Take the kids or sign up to run a trick-or-treating booth.
3. Get spooky with these hauntingly beautiful Halloween concerts by candlelight
The extremely popular concert series known simply as Candlelight is turning heads right now in San Francisco! This month, Candlelight will host some gorgeous Halloween-themed concerts in an intimate environment surrounded by hundreds of luminous candles. Get ready for classical versions of “Thriller,” the Stranger Things theme, the Psycho theme, the Ghostbusters theme, “This is Halloween” from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and many more.
- October 20, 27 – A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at St. Ignatius Church
- October 13, 28 – A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at the International Art Museum of America
4. Explore Halloween Haunt on JFK Promenade
JFK Drive has been overtaken by Promenade Play Days, a series of exciting events and public art during the fall months. They’ll host Halloween Haunt on October 28, a family-friendly Halloween event with decorations and seasonal attractions.
5. Bring the family to Thrill-O-Ween at Thrive City
Thrive City at Chase Center is hosting Thrill-O-Ween, a family-friendly Halloween experience on Saturday, October 29th from 2pm-7 pm. The event includes a pumpkin patch, trick-or-treat stations, a hay maze, and a screening of The Addams Family 2.
6. Spend the day at Castro Family Halloween
The Castro Family Halloween Block Party & Costume Contest is coming up on October 30 from 11am-5pm. Take the kids in your life and snap some free photos with the wicked witch and her friends, go trick-or-treating, enjoy Drag Queen Storytime and performances, and a cast your vote at a pet costume contest.
7. Browse our list of lively Halloween parties coming up
Halloween weekend is upon us and SF is brimming with Halloween events in every corner of the city. Pumpkin patches and haunted houses are lovely but if you’re looking to throw on a costume, join a bar crawl and dance the night away then this list is for you.
8. Enjoy spooky movies and a harvest festival at the Ferry Building
The Ferry Building will put on a family-friendly harvest festival from October 28-30 with kids’ activities, cooking demos, trick-or-treating, and a movie night, courtesy of Foodwise and the Ferry Building Marketplace.
- Oct. 28 – Movie Night – 7pm Hocus Pocus, 9pm Jaws
- Oct. 29 – Farmers’ Market pop-ups on the Ferry Terminal Plaza
- Oct. 30 – Trick or Treat and Scavenger Hunt
9. The California Academy of Sciences will host a Halloween-themed NightLife this month
NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences is one of our favorite ongoing events, and they’re going all out with a special “NightLife of the Living Dead” theme on October 27. Enjoy a scary good drag show courtesy of Reparations and the Rice Rockettes, learn about zombie ants, and create an eery charm bracelet with the Museum of Craft and Design.
10. Test your bravery at some local haunted houses and attractions
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, from the family-friendly to the downright terrifying. Here are a few of our favorites, but be sure to see the rest of the list here.
“The Summoning” at SF Mint
The San Francisco Mint has been transformed into the ultimate immersive haunted show, complete with a vampire bar serving themed cocktails and snacks. See it through November 5.
“Unhinged: Nightshade’s Curse” at the Winchester Mystery House
brings an old-timey haunted carnival with spooky sideshows onto the mansion’s grounds. Guests can wander the halls of the mansion for an immersive and spine-chilling haunted experience, and then decompress at the Spookeasy Bar with fun themed cocktails and food. See it through October 31.
“Tricks and Treats” at Great America
This family-friendly Halloween event has two themed sides: The Land of Tricks, filled with all things slimy, creepy, and spooky; and the Land of Treats, which capitalizes on the coziness of fall and Halloween nostalgia. See it through October 31.
“Mayhem Mansion” at the Haas-Lilienthal House
San Francisco’s Haas-Lilienthal mansion in Pac Heights will be transformed into the ultimate haunted mansion in this guided tour experience, complete with a 21+ Spookeasy bar. See it on October 21-22 and 27-29.
11. Explore the haunted side of San Francisco
Do you know about the spirits that haunt our historic city? Consider taking a tour this month to get in touch with SF’s spooky side:
SF Ghost Haunt Walking Tour
Learn about the haunted Victorian homes of Pacific Heights, the haunted trees of abolitionist Mary Ellen Pleasant, the Chambers Mansion poltergeists, and more. This special Halloween version led by Christian Cagigal will take you looking for ghosts yourself!
Haunted SF: Ghosts, Murder, and Mystery
Here’s another SF ghost tour that takes you through Chinatown alleyways and the old Gold Rush district with your own ghost hunting equipment! Learn about forgotten graves, notorious brothels, and the underground “Shanghai” tunnels.
More haunted places in SF
See our breakdown of the most haunted spots in the city, including Alcatraz, Stow Lake, the Queen Anne Hotel, and more.
12. Pick the perfect pumpkin at a local patch
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. See the full list here.
Lemos Farm
This enormous farm in Half Moon Bay has awesome pumpkin picking as well as a haunted house, pony rides, train rides, hay rides, a petting zoo, and a deli. Open daily in October and weekends through November 20.
Alameda Point Pumpkin Patch
This expansive pumpkin patch in the East Bay is great for families. In addition to the pumpkins, you’ll find a 4-story ship slide, bouncy houses, a petting zoo, human hamster balls, a mini train, space balls and an “adult chill area.” Open through November 1.
Cool Patch Pumpkins
This amazing U-pick pumpkin patch has edible and nonedible pumpkins, gourds, squash, and more. But Cool Patch is especially worth the drive for its enormous world record-holding corn maze! Open through October 31.
13. Put together an unforgettable Halloween look at these local costume shops
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. See the full list of costume shops here.
Haight Street Costumes
If you want to ditch the flimsy action hero costume and really turn heads, this is the place to go. They have a jaw-dropping amount of era and genre-specific outfits for rent that will make you the envy of any party you attend.
Piedmont Boutique
Piedmont Boutique specializes in disco-party wear, drag queen regalia, and classic Burning Man fashions. Imagine floor-to-ceiling displays of pink faux fur bikinis, silver sequin shorts, neon green wigs and so much more.
Decades of Fashion
Decades of Fashion prides itself on “100 years of fashion,” stretching from the 1890s to the 1980s. Whether your costume dreams include Gatsby-era garb or a hippie chic look, they probably have exactly what you’re looking for.
14. Stock up on delicious fall treats at these SF eateries
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. See the full roundup here.
Harvest Festival ice cream series from Salt & Straw
Check out Salt and Straw’s epic seasonal ice cream series featuring flavors like Caramel Apple Sherbet, Plum and Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread, and Spiced Goat Cheese Pumpkin Pie.
Pumpkin everything at Noe Valley Bakery
Chow down on pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin spice cookies, and more. Not to mention their gingerbread scones, pecan tartlet, and ghost pumpkin cutout cookies.
Gourmet Halloween candy at Miette Patisserie
This charming shop sells beautifully delicate pumpkin cheesecake, cupcakes, cakes, macarons, and other pastries! Catch them this fall stocked up on gourmet Halloween candy, including licorice, chocolates, nuts, gummies, Turkish Delight, and more.
15. Watch scary movies under the stars at The Cut Outdoor Cinema
There’s a new outdoor cinema in town, and it’s not going anywhere! The Cut Outdoor Cinema has just opened at The Crossing at East Cut in Downtown SF. As the Bay’s first year-round outdoor cinema, it’s promising some amazing weekend movie nights featuring everything from cult classics to local indie films on a jumbo LED screen. This month’s screenings include Vertigo, Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, and all of the Harry Potters.