FRIDAY
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OCTOBER
Family-Friendly Halloween Events in San Francisco
San Francisco spreads Halloween across four things: Boo at the Zoo in daylight, Cal Academy's ticketed SuperNatural evening, Belvedere Street's car-free block on the 31st, and the Mission's Día de los Muertos two days later. The haunted houses here are built for adults.
Season: Oct–Nov 2 · Updated October 21, 2026 · refreshed weekly
Trick-or-treating on Halloween night
Belvedere Street in Cole Valley closes to cars every October 31 and has been the city's Halloween destination for over 50 years. Ghirardelli Square is the calm daytime alternative.
Belvedere Street — Cole Valley, San Francisco
A residential block closed to cars, where the houses go all-out and thousands of people come to see it.
Dates
- Every October 31, best at dusk
Tickets
Free and unticketed
Know before you go
- The crush peaks 7–8pm
- With kids under 5, arrive as it starts and work one side of the street
Who it's for
Kids who want the full scale of a Halloween night
Skip if
Crowds are the problem — this is thousands of people on one block
Spooky Square — Ghirardelli Square, San FranciscoVisit official site →
A Halloween afternoon in the square: a magic show, a pet costume contest and goodie bags.
Dates
- Saturday, Oct 31, 2026
- Magic show 1pm; pet costume contest 2–3pm at the fountain
Know before you go
- Goodie bags are first come, first served
- Dogs entering the contest must be registered by 10am that day
Who it's for
Toddlers, and families bringing a costumed dog
Skip if
You want Halloween-night atmosphere — this is an afternoon in a shopping square
Zoo and museum Halloween
Two options split by age: the zoo's daytime candy trail for the under-8s, and Cal Academy's ticketed evening for school-age kids. Both sit in or near Golden Gate Park, where the N-Judah and the 44 beat hunting for parking.
Boo at the Zoo — San Francisco ZooVisit official site →
A trick-or-treat candy booth, crafts, a costume parade and contest, and animals smashing pumpkins, inside the zoo you would visit anyway.
Dates
- Saturday, Oct 31, 2026, 10am–3pm
- Costume parade 11am; costume contest noon, with a toddler category
Tickets
Free with paid daytime zoo admission or membership
Know before you go
- Skip full-face masks — the zoo discourages them because they startle the animals
Who it's for
The under-8 crowd — it is the best-value Halloween day in the city
Skip if
You want spooky; this is candy and crafts in daylight
SuperNatural — California Academy of Sciences, San FranciscoVisit official site →
A museum evening with a silent disco, live animal demonstrations and trick-or-treat stations past the alligator swamp.
Dates
- Saturday, October 24, 2026, 6:30–9pm
Tickets
$60 adults, $45 kids 3–17, under 2 free — and no adult gets in without a child
Know before you go
- A popular night, so buy ahead
- Cal Academy's Thursday NightLife events in October are 21+; this is the all-ages one
Who it's for
School-age kids who have outgrown the candy-trail version
Skip if
You are counting cost — every adult pays full price and must bring a child
Día de los Muertos in the Mission, November 2
Two community events mark November 2, a Monday in 2026. This is a remembrance rather than a costume party, and families are genuinely welcome if they treat it that way.
Festival of Altars — Potrero del Sol Park, San FranciscoVisit official site →
Community altars honoring the dead, filling a neighborhood park — quiet and unhurried.
Dates
- No 2026 times posted yet
Who it's for
Any age, if you set the expectation that this is remembrance
Skip if
Your kid is coming for candy and costumes
Candlelight procession — Mission District, San Francisco
A candlelit walk along 24th Street that closes the evening.
Dates
- No 2026 start time or route posted yet
Know before you go
- Bring marigolds or a photo of someone you have lost, not a costume
- Face paint is traditional; superhero costumes are not
Who it's for
Kids who can handle an evening out
Skip if
Bedtime is early — it is an evening event on a school night
Not for young kids
The city's marquee haunt is built for adults and says so. For kid-level spooky, the zoo and Cal Academy are the answer.
Terror Vault — The Old Mint, San Francisco
An immersive haunt with live actors and real scares, one of the best in the country.
Know before you go
- R-rated, with nudity, gore and strong language — the producers' own description
- Timed slots, and late arrivals are not admitted
Skip if
Your child is under 13 — guests are 18+ with ID, and 13–17 only with a parent or guardian
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Upcoming Halloween events in San Francisco
The next 9 of 277 upcoming Halloween events across the Bay Area, refreshed daily.
Trick-or-Treat 2026 (Downtown Event Ctr, Fremont) — Miniature houses host trick-or-treating with 10 carnival games, 30‑minute time slots, indoor option if rain, for ages 2–10.
Monster Mash Bash (San Bruno Recreation & Aquatic Center) — Spooktacular Halloween celebration with festive community activities, all ages.
Costumed Halloween party at Almaden Community Center offers food, games, crafts, and stories provided by staff, $25 per child, for ages 3–5.
Spooky pumpkin decorating, candy and prize collection, tables, and a movie at Mayfair Community Center, $7 per person, free for children under 3, for ages 2 and under.
Pumpkins, friendly ghosts, and giggles fill the Castro Valley Community Center Pre‑K classroom with hands‑on crafts and silly games for ages 42 months–5.
Trunk-or-Treat at Willow Glen Community Center offers free candy, games, crafts, and a bounce house for all ages.
Art, crafts, haunted rooms and a scavenger hunt fill Bascom Community Center; clues collected solve a mystery, $5 per person, free for children 2 and under, all ages.
Trunk or Treat at Colma Community Center features candy collection from decorated car trunks, trunk decorating contests, and prize voting; free, all ages.
A Halloween magic show with tricks, treats, and costume characters on the Burlingame City Hall lawn, for ages 3–12.
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FAQ
Where is the best trick-or-treating in San Francisco?
Belvedere Street in Cole Valley, closed to cars every October 31 for decades. It is free, and it is crowded — dusk is the window with little kids, before the 7–8pm peak.
Is Día de los Muertos appropriate for kids?
Yes, approached as remembrance rather than Halloween. The Festival of Altars is contemplative and welcoming; the evening procession is crowded but calm. Bring marigolds or a photo instead of a costume.
Are there haunted houses in San Francisco for kids?
No. Terror Vault at the Old Mint is the city's marquee haunt: 18 and over, or 13 to 17 with a parent. For kid-level spooky, use SuperNatural or Boo at the Zoo.