StayAreasHalloween in London: scares, ghost tours, family days and where to stay
No parade, but plenty of scares: theme-park fright nights, after-dark trails, Tower ghosts and costume parties. Halloween 2026 is a Saturday, and half-term runs 24 Oct – 1 Nov.
Where to stay for Halloween
Stay in Shoreditch
Shoreditch is where London does Halloween night: XOYO and the bars around Old Street throw costume nights, and the Jack the Ripper walks start a short walk away at Aldgate East. Hotels cost less than in the West End, and Leicester Square is 20 minutes away for the ghost walks and the Ghost Bus.
- Mid-range hotel
- ~$240
- To Leicester Square
- 20 min
- To the airport
- 50 min
Prefer somewhere else? Compare all areas in London
What's on
Properly scary
Thorpe Park Fright Nights
The UK's biggest scare event, with six mazes including the new pitch-black Tenement. Buy a ticket with the mazes included.
Selected dates, 2 Oct – 1 Nov · Very scary
Jack the Ripper walks
Two-hour evening walks through Whitechapel, starting by Aldgate East.
Every evening · Mildly spooky
Ghost walks and the Ghost Bus
75 minutes of theatre on an old Routemaster from Trafalgar Square, at 6pm, 7:30pm and 9pm.
Nightly · walks 26 & 31 Oct · Mildly spooky
The London Dungeon
Adds a Halloween show, Curse of the Mummy, by Westminster Bridge.
17 Oct – 1 Nov · Spooky
Halloween for families
Halloween at Kew
A 1.5 km after-dark trail with fire artists and Frankenstein's lab. Book a timed slot.
16 Oct – 1 Nov · Mildly spooky
Halloween at the Tower of London
Ghosts roam the Tower, included with a normal ticket. Costumes aren't allowed.
24 Oct – 1 Nov · Mildly spooky
Halloween at Hampton Court Palace
Haunted projections, a pumpkin trail and ghost stories. Costumes welcome, masks not.
24 Oct – 1 Nov · Mildly spooky
Chessington Howl'o'ween
The gentler theme-park Halloween, with trick-or-treat trails.
From 3 Oct · daily 17 Oct – 1 Nov · Mildly spooky
Harry Potter Studio Tour: Dark Arts
Darker sets and effects at the Studio Tour. Book ahead; trains leave from Euston.
16 Sep – 8 Nov · Mildly spooky
Halloween Happenings in Kensington
Free workshops and treats on High Street Kensington, plus a Holland Park party on the 31st.
24–31 Oct · Free
Cemeteries
Highgate Cemetery
Victorian tombs and the Egyptian Avenue, open to explore on your own.
Daily, 10am–5pm · Mildly spooky
Parties and nightlife
elrow Horroween at The Drumsheds
A daytime costume party with theatrical sets, 1pm to 10:30pm.
Sat 31 Oct
Clubs on Halloween night
Ministry of Sound, XOYO, Studio 338 and Shoreditch's bars all throw costume nights.
Sat 31 Oct · 18+
Duran Duran at The O2
A Halloween-night gig with a silent disco before the show.
Sat 31 Oct
Written by the StayAreas editorial team · Updated Oct 2026 · How we research our guides
FAQs
Is Halloween a big deal in London?
Smaller than in the US, with no city-wide parade, but there are plenty of fright nights, after-dark trails, ghost tours and parties in the second half of October.
What is the scariest Halloween event near London?
Thorpe Park Fright Nights, with six scare mazes including the new pitch-black Tenement, on selected dates until 1 November 2026. It's recommended for 13 and over and is under an hour from central London.
Can you wear a Halloween costume to the Tower of London?
No. Visitors in costume are refused entry. Hampton Court Palace does allow costumes, without masks, fake blood or realistic weapons.
What can families do in London at Halloween?
Halloween at Kew, the ghosts at the Tower of London and Hampton Court, Chessington's Howl'o'ween and the free Halloween trail in Kensington, mostly during half-term from 24 October to 1 November.
Where should I stay in London for Halloween?
Shoreditch for parties and ghost walks, Kensington for family events and Kew, and Covent Garden for a central base.