Halloween in London 2026: where to go, events, decorated streets and trick or treat

In short

• Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday 31 October. Many events are already running and continue until 1 November.
• With children: the Halloween at Kew light trail, ghosts at the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace, the pumpkin patch at Hobbledown Heath, and a free trail at the Science Museum (booking required).
• Evenings and adults: Fright Nights at Thorpe Park, rooftop cinema at Battersea Power Station, ghost walks, the Ghost Bus Tour and a silent disco at the London Transport Museum.
• Decorated streets: Notting Hill (spectacularly decorated houses), Covent Garden and Kew Gardens (autumn decorations and Halloween pop-ups). Looking is free.
• Tickets: prices in this guide are "from" prices (as of October 2026). Many events sell out, so check ticket availability with the organiser.
• Watch out for costumes: the Tower of London won't admit people in fancy dress, and Hampton Court Palace has restrictions (no masks, fake blood or glitter).
• Getting home: the Night Tube runs on Halloween night (Saturday into Sunday), and the clocks went back on 25 October, so it gets dark early.

Events for families with children

"From" prices, as of October 2026. Check availability and times with the organiser before you buy tickets.

Halloween at Kew

This is an evening trail of lights among the plants. Kew divides the evening into three stages, so it is easy to match the scares to your child's age:

• Daylight (until 18:00) – for the youngest.
• Twilight (18:00–19:30) – a bit scarier.
• Moonlight (after 19:30) – the scariest, but still for everyone.

You'll meet Dracula and the Headless Horseman, see fire shows and a new "cursed tomb". Last entry is at 20:30, and there are only three entrances: Victoria Gate, Elizabeth Gate and Brentford Gate. Family and child tickets are available. Members pay £16.75 / £20.55 (off-peak / peak). Check at booking which date is which.

Important rules:

• The £1 tickets for people on Universal Credit or Pension Credit do not cover this event.
• No refunds or exchanges on tickets.
• The organiser expects it to sell out.
• Bikes, scooters and roller skates are banned (except electric wheelchairs).

Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace

Both palaces belong to Historic Royal Palaces, and the Halloween programme is included in the admission ticket.

• Tower of London has ghosts (a poet, a pirate, a queen, an astronomer and a bear) and the Haunted Forge, a gathering of ghosts at 11:15, 12:45 and 14:45. It is a family programme that delights more than it frightens.
• Hampton Court Palace has projections, sound effects and ghosts (including Shakespeare), plus a trail of pumpkins and scarecrows in the Wilderness garden. Stories in the King's Guard Chamber (about 15 minutes) run daily at 11:30, 12:15, 13:00, 13:45, 14:30 and 15:15. There may be darkness, loud noises, flashing lights and sudden scares, so bear that in mind for more sensitive children.

For the fancy dress rules, see the "Costumes" section.

More for children

• Hobbledown Heath – a pumpkin patch, and in the evening tickets with live music, fire shows and stilt walkers.
• Science Museum – a Halloween trail through the galleries (including a "merman" and a lucky black cat). Entry is free, but you must book a ticket. Wonderlab is paid separately.
• Go Ape – the Halloween Potion Hunt at Battersea Park and Alexandra Palace.
• Museum of Illusions – in October every child gets a puzzle and a sweet.
• Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – "Dark Arts" is included in the standard ticket price.

Evenings and events for adults

"From" prices, as of October 2026. Many events have age limits, and tickets go quickly.

Notes on the table:

• The Ghastly Ghost Tour runs Wednesday to Friday, so there is no tour on Saturday 31 October. Pick a weekday date or another event from the list.
• Fright Nights at Thorpe Park is for ages 13 and over. You can reach the park by train to Staines.
• The rooftop cinema is dinner and a film on a single ticket. Each night has a different film.

Historic sites and museums with a spooky reputation

Visit London also recommends:

• Tower of London – the Haunted Forge, ghost stories performed by actors and a Ghost Tour with a Yeoman Warder. According to Historic Royal Palaces, the night-time Ghost Tours with a Yeoman Warder are available from 8 November, need a separate ticket and are recommended for ages 12 and over. So they are not yet running at Halloween.
• London Dungeon – the immersive "Curse of the Mummy" event (Victorian era).
• Clink Prison Museum – "ghost hunter" tours.

Theatre

If you prefer your scares sitting down:

• Paranormal Activity – Ambassadors Theatre WC2H 9ND; 15+; from £44; until February 2027.
• Wicked – Apollo Victoria; 7+; from £31.25.
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Palace Theatre; 10+; from £31.25.
• Witness for the Prosecution (London County Hall) and The Mousetrap (St Martin's Theatre).

Decorated streets and neighbourhoods

• Notting Hill – according to Visit London, you're sure to see spectacularly decorated houses there.
• Covent Garden – autumn decorations and Halloween pop-ups. The London Transport Museum, with its silent disco, is nearby.
• Kew Gardens – autumn decorations and pop-ups, and in the evening the Halloween at Kew light trail.

Looking at decorations costs nothing. View the houses in Notting Hill from the pavement and watch out for traffic, especially after dark.

Trick or treat in the UK

In Britain, children go from door to door and knock where they can see decorations or a lit pumpkin. A light that is off, or a "no trick or treat" poster, means: don't knock. That isn't rudeness, just a request from residents.

British police advise (the advice applies across the UK, not just London; source: Avon and Somerset Police):

• Children should go with an adult.
• Only knock at homes where you know the residents.
• Avoid doors with a "no trick or treat" poster.
• Stick to well-lit streets and take a torch.
• Don't split up the group.
• Don't go into other people's homes; stay on the doorstep.
• Don't scare older or vulnerable people.
• Think about road safety and being visible.

Costumes: where you can and can't wear them

• Tower of London: no fancy dress. People in costume will not be admitted. Change after your visit.
• Hampton Court Palace: costumes are allowed, but no realistic weapons or props, no sharp objects, and no fake blood or glitter. A costume must not trail on the ground, and masks are not allowed.
• Hijingo (Shoreditch): fancy dress welcome (18+).
• Other events: check the rules on the organiser's website.

Budget: free and paid

Free:

• looking at the decorations in Notting Hill and Covent Garden,
• the Halloween trail at the Science Museum (free entry, but you must book a ticket),
• trick or treat in your own neighbourhood, if it is safe and with an adult.

Paid ("from" prices, as of October 2026):

The Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace include their Halloween programme in the admission ticket, but the ticket itself is paid.

Getting there and back

• The Night Tube runs on Friday and Saturday nights on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and Windrush lines. So it will run on Halloween night (Saturday into Sunday). Off-peak fares and daily capping apply when you pay with Oyster or contactless. Details are on the TfL website.
• Night buses run as well. Check your route before you set off.
• The clocks went back on 25 October (GOV.UK), so it gets dark early. Plan the journey home with children and take a torch.
• Incident on the Tube: British Transport Police, text 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40. In an emergency, call 999.

Safety and the law

• Fireworks: people under 18 cannot buy fireworks (categories 2 and 3). They must not be set off between 23:00 and 7:00, so on Halloween no later than 23:00 (exceptions apply to Bonfire Night, New Year's Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year). The on-the-spot fine is £90 (as of October 2026), and illegal use can lead to an unlimited fine and 6 months in prison. Details: GOV.UK.
• Eggs and flour: throwing them at houses is criminal damage and can lead to arrest. It isn't worth it.
• Numbers: report non-urgent matters on 101 and emergencies on 999. How medical help and emergency numbers work is explained in the guide NHS in practice.

For residents: neighbours and the festival at your door

• Check on older neighbours, as knocks on the door in the evening can be stressful for them.
• If you don't want visitors, put a "Sorry, no trick or treaters here" poster in your window. The police make such posters available to print.
• Planning a party? Let your neighbours know.

Plans may change

Plans may change: check the organiser's website before you go. This guide collects information from organisers' websites, Visit London, TfL, GOV.UK and the police (as of October 2026). Dates, times, prices and ticket availability may change.