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Halloween Weekend 2023 in San Francisco: Trick-or-Treat and More Things To Do with Kids

Trick-or-Treat...It's Halloween time in the Bay Area! Photo by Joe Shlabotnik courtesy of Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Trick-or-Treat...It's Halloween time in the Bay Area! Photo by Joe Shlabotnik courtesy of Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
10/25/23 - By Sandra Lee

Looking for the best things to do in San Francisco and the Bay Area this Halloween weekend? The city is positively bursting with Halloween parades, costume contests, and more family-friendly events to add to your list for this weekend.

Calling all goblins, ghosts, and ghouls: Halloween is here! There are so many spooky things to do in San Francisco from now until Tuesday. Get scared at a haunted house in San Jose, trick-or-treat with the animals at the zoo, go on a Halloween rain ride in Felton, and jam out to Halloween fun in Oakland. These are just our best-of-the-best picks, too—there are also a ton of free events throughout Bay Area communities and plenty of not-so-scary events for little ones in every neighborhood from San Jose to Oakland and beyond. You'll find all our Halloween activities on our San Francisco Bay Family Event Calendar. Happy Halloween! 

For more Halloween haunts, check out the top Halloween events in San Francisco, fill up those candy buckets at the best places to trick-or-treat on Halloween in San Francisco, and visit the best pumpkin patches in the Bay Area. Everything you need for Halloween is in our Halloween Events and Activities Guide for San Francisco Kids. 

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Go wild for trick-or-treating at the zoo. Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Zoo
Go wild for trick-or-treating at the zoo. Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Zoo

Best Things To Do Halloween Weekend in San Francisco Bay Area

Goblin Jamboree

Sausalito - Wednesday - Sunday, October 25 - 29, 2023
The Goblin Jamboree is back at the BADM. Wear your favorite costume and enjoy activities like a hay maze, a glow party, a slime banquet, web weaving, interactive spooky science, and pumpkin hollow. READ MORE

Boo at the Zoo

Oakland - Wednesday - Sunday, October 25 - 29, 2023
Boo at the Zoo is back at the Oakland Zoo every day for the whole month of October. This family-friendly event is super popular and this year includes a 500-bale hay maze, larger-than-life Halloween decorations, and animal x-ray scavenger hunt. Grab an event guide and OCHO candy bar to get in on all the activities.  READ MORE

2023 Japantown Halloween Carnival

San Francisco - Friday, October 27, 2023
Little ghosts and goblins are welcome to the annual Japantown Halloween Carnival with JCYC! Come out for a great night of Halloween fun including Halloween crafts activities, cultural and community performances, a haunted hallway, a bounce house, and a costume parade and contest for kids.  READ MORE

Scaregrove Halloween Event

San Francisco - Friday, October 27, 2023
Free
Enjoy carnival rides, hay rides, a costume contest, a haunted house (for ages 10 and under), arts and crafts, a climbing wall, the San Francisco Public Library's Bookmobile, the Randall Museum's "Randall on the Road" activity truck, food for sale, live entertainment, and more! READ MORE

The Haunted Trail of Pleasant Hill

Pleasant Hill - Friday, October 27, 2023
Free
Take a Halloween-themed stroll at Pleasant Hill Park with the whole family for a fun nighttime adventure.  Starting behind the Teen Center, families can stroll the not-so-scary trail to see Halloween displays and themed activities. Each participant gets a goody bag at the end of the trail.  READ MORE

Supernatural at the Academy of Arts & Science

San Francisco - Friday, October 27, 2023
This beloved event is back at the California Academy of Arts & Sciences! The family-friendly event has all sorts of activities for kids of all ages: a silent disco, trick-or-treating, magic shows, live animal demonstrations, photo booths, crafts, face painting, mad scientist meet 'n' greets, and more.  READ MORE

Tricks and Treats at Great America

Santa Clara - Friday & Saturday - October 27 & 28, 2023
Great America is back with Tricks and Treats this year, a Halloween event that is all fun with none of the scary stuff. Guests can choose the path of Tricks, which includes Icky Ville and Spooky Spires, or the path of Treats, with Sweet Tooth Acres and Everfall.  READ MORE

Ghost Dances: A Día De Los Muertos Tale Of Two Worlds

Redwood City - Friday & Saturday, October 27 & 28, 2023
In celebration of the Day of the Dead, Peninsula Ballet Theater is presenting a beautiful dance show featuring company dancers, Ballet Folklorico Mexican de Carlos, and Calpulli Tonalehqueh (Aztec dancers).  READ MORE

Halloween Jam at Children's Fairyland

Oakland - Friday - Sunday, October 27 - 29, 2023
This six-day event is filled with spooky (but not scary) creepy, crawly Halloween fun Friday-Sunday. Kids can enjoy a scavenger hunt with treat stations as they follow the tale of the spider family, show off their costumes in the "Monster Mash Parade", and dance at the bubble party.  READ MORE

FUNtazmagoria 2023

Santa Rosa - Frida - Sunday, October 27 - 29, 2023
The Children's Museum of Sonoma County transforms into a family-friendly art studio to celebrate Halloween. The Mad Scientist lab has potions, creepy critters, and tons of cool things to explore. The Art Studio is Glow in the Dark-themed with spider webs, ghostly shapes, and even slime. It's a not-so-scary Halloween event for the whole family.  READ MORE

Halloween Carnival with Dia de Los Muertos Celebration

Rohnert Park - Saturday, October 28, 2023
Free
Rohnert Park is hosting a Halloween carnival and Dia de Los Muertos celebration for the whole family before trick-or-treating on the big day. Enjoy carnival games, a haunted house, live performances, exotic animals, magic shows by Perry the Magician, and community altars (ofrendas).  Other activities include a pumpkin walk, arts and crafts, face painting, and Aztec and Ballet Folklorico dancers.  READ MORE

History Park Children's Halloween Haunt

San Jose - Saturday, October 28, 2023
History Park transforms into a haunted, family-friendly location with a ton of activities to celebrate Halloween! Crafts, activities, and trick-or-treating, with a grand finale of a single showing of the traditional Light Show.  READ MORE

Trick-or-Treat on Fourth Street

San Rafael - Saturday, October 28, 2023
Free
Bring the whole crew to 4th St. in Downtown San Rafael for a day of Halloween fun. Merchants are welcoming kids and families to come dressed in their favorite costumes for some trick-or-treating, trunk-or-treating from the festive SR Police Car, costume contests, and music by the Marin Girls Chorus.  Stick around for the pet costume contest where winners get prizes and goodie bags.  READ MORE

Monster Bash

Mountain View - Saturday, October 28, 2023
Free
Rengstorff Park in Mountain View is transformed into a Halloween wonderland filled with treats like a twisty maze, spooky games, live performances, stilt walkers, inflatables, ooey gooey zone, Dia de los Muertos celebrations, and much more.  READ MORE

Halloween Land!

Richmond - Saturday, October 28, 2023
Free
Trick-or-treaters get to explore a mesmerizing pumpkin patch where they can pick out the perfect pumpkin to take home and carve into a jack-o'-lantern masterpiece. But watch out, because there might be some mysterious and magical guests lurking around the patch! Little ones can participate in the super special costume parade where they can show off their creative and spooky outfits while competing for the best costume award. The parade will be led by some truly enchanting Halloween Land characters. READ MORE

Halloween Haunted Hangar

San Carlos - Saturday & Sunday, October 28 & 29, 2023
Halloween is on full display at the Hiller Aviation Museum, with decorations and the famous Great Pumpkin scavenger hunt. The weekends are especially fun with activities like aircraft checkouts, cockpit exploration glider, and helicopter construction, as well as Kids' Carnival, Haunted Hanger Festival, and Pumpkin Drop.  READ MORE

Six Flags Boo Fest

Vallejo - Saturday & Sunday, October 28 & 29, 2023
Six Flags Boo Fest is a family-friendly Halloween event with no scary rides or activities, just fun for even the littlest of ghosts. Taking place during the daytime only, families can enjoy Halloween-themed animal shows, trick-or-treating, and family-friendly rides.  READ MORE

Boo at the Zoo San Francisco

San Francisco - Saturday & Sunday, October 28 & 29, 2023
Boo at the Zoo returns to the SF Zoo with a costume parade and contest, a giant hay maze, animal feedings, candy treat bags for kids, and tons of trick-or-treating.  READ MORE

Hip Hop Halloween

San Mateo - Saturday & Sunday, October 28 & 29, 2023
Halloween has some hip-hop swagger in the Bay Area! The dancers at Peninsula Lively Arts with guest dancers from the Tribe Dance Company bring a thrilling dance performance full of spooky fun. Frankenstein, Werewolf, Mummy, and more show off their skills on the dance floor.  READ MORE

Thomas and Percy’s Halloween Party

Felton - Saturday & Sunday, October 28 & 29, 2023
Roaring Camp Railroads is hosting the opportunity to take a ride with Percy and Thomas all decked out for Halloween. Other activities include storytelling, video viewing, temporary tattoos, a pumpkin patch, and an Imagination Station with arts and crafts. Sir Topham Hatt will be there for meet n' greets.  READ MORE

Trick-or-Treat at the Ferry Building

San Francisco - Sunday, October 29, 2023
Free
The Ferry Building is joining in on the Halloween spirit with a trick-or-treating event inside the Marketplace. Wear your costumes and enjoy face painting, live pumpkin carving demonstrations, tarot reading, and even a scavenger hunt.  Grab a trick-or-treat bag and head inside for all the Halloween fun.  READ MORE

Rockridge Halloween Parade

Oakland - Sunday, October 29, 2023
Free
College Avenue gets spooky for Rockridge's Annual Halloween Parade. Crafts with MOCHA, librarian storytime, sing-alongs, book giveaways, balloon twisters, magic tricks, and more are all in store at the Rockridge Public Library.  A second activities hub outside of College Ave. Presbyterian Church has DJ Danny Santos spinning Halloween hits, crafts for kids, and dancing for all ages.  Trick-or-treating and costume contests for kids and pets are all part of the fun.  READ MORE

13 Days of Halloween on the Wharf

Santa Cruz - Daily through Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Free
Enjoy 13 days of Halloween fun on the Santa Cruz Wharf. Print a BINGO card to find hidden pumpkins on the Wharf, snap a photo with your crew with the Monterey Bay and lighthouse as a backdrop, dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller", and taste delicious food specials each day.  READ MORE

Brick-or-Treat: MONSTER PARTY at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Bay Area!

Santa Clara - Daily through Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Scary fun awaits as the LEGO® Monsters take over LEGOLAND Discovery Center Bay Area and throw a Monster Party you don't want to miss. Monsterrific activities and an exclusive 4D Halloween movie - The Great Monster Chase await.  Additional activities include mini pumpkin building, monster games, create your own Halloween DOTS bracelet, working with a Master Model Builder for a special Halloween build, and more.  READ MORE

The Great Big BOO at Gilroy Gardens

Gilroy - Select dates through Tuesday, October 31, 2023
The Great Big BOO is back at Gilroy Gardens, with fun, not-so-spooky decorations, themed programming, live musical shows, games, rides, crafts, and light displays. Trick-or-treating on the BOO trail is a great event for the kiddos!  READ MORE

Unhinged: Housewarming

San Jose - Select dates through Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Winchester Mystery House is at it again with a scary haunted house show. This immersive indoor/outdoor experience has dark walks, special effects, and professional actors to scare you. The show is not suitable for kids under 13 years old, or older kids that are sensitive to scary elements. But if you have big kids who like jump scares, this is a unique-to-San Francisco Halloween event! READ MORE

Halloween on Solano

Solano - Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Free
Families enjoy trick-or-treating from stores and offices on Solano Ave. from 3-5 p.m. followed by a costume contest with a cash prize at Peralta Park at 5 p.m. READ MORE

Halloween Sausalito

Sausalito - Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Free
A Halloween parade, trick-or-treat lane, dog costume contest, and haunted house are all taking place in Sausalito on Halloween evening. Bring the whole family (including your four-legged family members) and have some spooky but not-so-scary fun.  READ MORE

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