Austin Halloween Guide 2026: From a Local

For four years, Austin was home. And some of my favorite Halloween memories happened right here: screaming my way through House of Torment with friends, posing at every haunted photo op, and planning masked costumes weeks ahead. This month, I am heading back to Austin for the first time since we moved, Oct 22 to 25, and you better believe I checked what is happening around town.

So whether you live here, are visiting like me, or just want an excuse for a weekend in the city that does weird so well, here is my local’s guide to Halloween in Austin for 2026. Haunted houses, Halloween bar pop-ups, family events, pumpkin patches, Día de los Muertos, ghost tours, and spooky movies, all in one place.

If you want the story behind my trip, read my letter, Returning to Austin in Midlife. And if you are still deciding where to go for Halloween, Austin made my 11 Best Places to Travel for Halloween in 2026 guide as my personal bonus pick.

Quick picks

The best weekends to go

• Oct 16 to 18: Boo at the Zoo, the Halloween Children’s Concert at the Long Center (Sun, 3 PM), and plenty of open haunted house nights before the crowds peak.
• Oct 23 to 25 (my weekend): The Viva la Vida parade and festival, Truck or Treat, the Bullock Museum Spooktacular, and StrawFest. This is the weekend I would pick.
• Halloween weekend, Oct 30 and 31: Freaky Deaky, costume parties, and Sixth Street. It is the biggest and the busiest.

Haunted houses and scare attractions

House of Torment. The one I always come back to. This year has three haunted houses, including Jason Universe: Survive the Night, plus extras like Phobia: Sensory Overload and a 21+ secret bar called the Nocturne Sanctum. Select nights through Nov 8, from $19.99 (prices change by night). The haunt says it may be too intense for kids 12 and under. 2632 Ridgepoint Dr. houseoftorment.com

Bat City Scaregrounds, Buda. Three outdoor haunts on one ticket, including RITUAL, new for 2026. Remaining nights: Oct 16 to 18, 22 to 25, and 29 to 31. Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 to 11 PM, Thursdays and Sundays 7:30 to 10 PM. From about $28. Recommended for ages 12 and up. 14101 S Turnersville Rd, Buda. batcityscaregrounds.com

Scare for a Cure: Terror Toys, Manor. A nonprofit haunt with a creepy toy theme, about an hour long. Weekends in October plus Thursdays Oct 22 and 29, with the final night Oct 30. $40 on Thursdays, $50 on Fridays and Saturdays. Recommended for ages 13 and up. They say they are selling out fast. scareforacure.org

Fatal Fear Haunted House. A community haunt that supports local nonprofits, now in a bigger space at 15701 La Hacienda Dr. Oct 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, and 31 at 7 PM. $25.

Scream Hollow, Smithville. Worth the drive (about 45 minutes) if you want a full Halloween park. Fridays through Sundays through Nov 1. From $27. Designed for ages 12 and up. screamhollow.com

Haunted Shores at Volente Beach, Leander. A lighter, family-friendly spooky boat ride. Fridays and Saturdays in October at 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30 PM. Timed tickets; check the site for current prices. volentebeach.com/hauntedshores

UNDEAD: Haunted House of Dances by Ventana Ballet. Something different: an immersive Halloween dance show. Oct 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, and 31 at 7:30 PM, and Oct 24 at 6 and 8:30 PM. East Side Performing Arts, 979 Springdale Rd. From $35. Rated R and recommended for ages 16 and up. Tickets

Halloween bar pop-ups (21+)

Austin goes all in on Halloween bars. Here are my picks from this year’s lineup:

• Black Lagoon at King Bee. A haunted tiki bar with collectible spooky glassware. Through Oct 31. 1906 E 12th St. blacklagoonpopup.com
• Davy Jones' Locker at Copperhead Club. A haunted shipwreck tiki bar with flaming cocktails. Through Oct 30.
• Fear Fair at Sign Bar. A haunted clown maze with themed cocktails. Through Nov 1. $14.50 for the maze with live actors. 21+ after 7 PM. 9909 FM 969. signbartexas.com
• Frankenstein’s Mad Scientist Cocktail Lab at Wanderlust Wine Co. Test-tube cocktails that bubble when you mix them. From about $21 with a 90-minute reservation and a welcome cocktail. On Oct 31, there is a Monster Mash Halloween party with a costume contest. Downtown, 610 N I-35. Book here
• Twisted Carnival at Gibson Street Bar. Circus horror, with private tables inside a cage. Through Nov 1. 1109 S Lamar Blvd. gibsonstreetbar.com
• Moe’s Tavern at Nickel City. A Simpsons-themed takeover. Through Oct 31. 1133 E 11th St.

Source: CultureMap Austin’s 2026 Halloween pop-up roundup

Family-friendly Halloween

• Boo at the Zoo, Austin Zoo. A spooky train ride and a haunted house, with scares toned down for little ones. Remaining nights: Oct 16, 17, 23, and 24, 5:45 to 9 PM. About $25 per person; buy ahead. austinzoo.org
• Pumpkin Nights at Pioneer Farms. A half-mile trail of more than 10,000 carved pumpkins. Through Oct 31, from $20, timed tickets in advance only. pumpkinnights.com/austin
• Spooktacular at the Bullock Museum. STEM activities and Día de los Muertos crafts. Fri, Oct 23, 5 to 8 PM. Free; costumes encouraged.
• SAFE Alliance Truck or Treat at Q2 Stadium. Sat, Oct 24, 10 AM to 2 PM. $20 to $50. Wear closed-toe shoes, and bring ear protection for the little ones. safeaustin.org
• StrawFest at UMLAUF Sculpture Garden. Pumpkin painting, a costume parade, and a visit from the Austin Bat Refuge. Sun, Oct 25, 11 AM to 4 PM. Free; RSVP recommended. umlaufsculpture.org
• Trick or Treat on the Trail, Boggy Creek Greenbelt. A car-free candy trail with a blacklight dance party. Fri, Oct 30, 6 to 8 PM. Free.
• Free trick-or-treat events on Sat, Oct 24: the AISD Trunk or Treat at Nelson Field (5 to 8 PM), the YMCA Spooktacular at four branches (5 to 7 PM), and the Kalahari Spooktacular in Round Rock (5 to 9 PM; free admission, $30 parking).
• Austin Public Library Halloween Party with Mariachi Amor. Sat, Oct 31, 1 PM, Little Walnut Creek Branch. Free, all ages.

Pumpkin patches near Austin

• Sweet Berry Farm, Marble Falls. Free entry; pumpkins sold by the pound. Thursday through Sunday plus Mondays, through Nov 29. sweetberryfarm.com
• Hill Country Pumpkins. Free entry, daily 9 AM to 8 PM through Oct 31. 9600 US-290 W.
• Sweet Eats Adventure Farm, Georgetown. Daily through Oct 30. Free on weekdays, $5 on weekends.
• Texas Pumpkin Fest, Leander. Weekends through Nov 1, $15.

Día de los Muertos

Viva la Vida Festival and Parade. This is my favorite free event of the season. The Mexic-Arte Museum’s 43rd annual celebration starts with a Grand Procession along Sixth Street at noon, then a festival at 4th Street and Congress Avenue until 6 PM, with ofrenda floats, art activities, a lowrider exhibition, and live music. Sat, Oct 24. Free and all ages. mexic-artemuseum.org

Día de los Muertos at Waterloo Greenway. Community altars, ballet folklórico, mariachi, and an artisan market. Sun, Nov 1, 4 to 8 PM, Moody Amphitheater. Free.

Ghost tours and haunted history

Austin’s Haunted Mansions. A ghost investigation inside the oldest part of Chateau Bellevue, which is rarely open to the public, plus a walk through the historic Bremond Block. Oct 16, 17, 23, and 29 at 8 PM, and Oct 24 at 7 PM. $45. austinghosttours.com

Year-round ghost walks. Several companies run nightly downtown ghost tours and haunted pub crawls, including The Original Austin Ghost Tours and Ghost City Tours. Check their sites for current times and prices.

The Driskill Hotel. Austin’s grand 1886 hotel on Sixth Street is famous for its ghost stories. Even if you are not staying there, stop in for a drink at the bar and look around the lobby.

Spooky movie nights

• Panic at the Paramount. The Paramount’s horror series runs through Oct 28 across downtown venues, $15. austintheatre.org
• Behind the Scream with David Arquette. A 30th-anniversary screening of Scream plus a Q&A. Wed, Oct 28, 7 PM, Bass Concert Hall. Tickets
• Alamo Drafthouse of Horrors. Horror classics all month through Oct 31. drafthouse.com
• Free outdoor movie: The Nightmare Before Christmas at Community First! Village, Fri, Oct 30, 6:30 PM.

Halloween weekend

• Freaky Deaky 2026: The Revival. Austin’s Halloween EDM festival is back, Oct 30 and 31, at the Travis County Expo Center. Two-day passes from $169. freakydeaky.com
• Sixth Street on Halloween night. Sixth Street turns into a giant costume party. Expect street closures and a heavy police presence, and leave glass and open containers at home. The Austin Police Department usually shares its Halloween safety and closure plan the week of Halloween, so check it before you go.
• Grown-up Halloween parties. The Fairmont Austin’s Haunted Rooftop Halloween Party (Oct 31, 9 PM), and Terror Terrace, a Halloween variety show at the Fallout Theater (Oct 29 to Nov 1, 18+).

Classic Austin stops between the scares

These are not Halloween events, just the Austin classics. On F1 weekend, book ahead or go early.

• Terry Black's Barbecue. Central Texas barbecue and brisket. terryblacksbbq.com
• Franklin Barbecue. Famous brisket. Plan for a long line. franklinbbq.com
• Uchi. Upscale Japanese for a special night out. uchiaustin.com
• Loro. A casual Asian smokehouse. loroeats.com
• Matt's El Rancho. A longtime Austin Tex-Mex favorite. mattselrancho.com
• Stubb's Bar-B-Q. Barbecue and live music. stubbsaustin.com
• Antone's Nightclub. Austin's home of the blues. antonesnightclub.com
• Elephant Room. A basement jazz club downtown. elephantroom.com
• Parker Jazz Club. Seated live jazz and cocktails. parkerjazzclub.com

If I had one Austin Halloween weekend

Friday: Dinner, then House of Torment. Finish with a nightcap at Black Lagoon.

Saturday: The Viva la Vida parade at noon, the festival in the afternoon, and a ghost tour that night.

Sunday: StrawFest at UMLAUF, then a slow brunch before heading home.

Tips from a former local

• Buy tickets ahead. The best haunted houses, Boo at the Zoo, and Pumpkin Nights all sell timed tickets, and weekends go first.
• Plan your ride. Parking downtown on a festival or Halloween weekend is tough. Rideshare, or park once and walk.
• Go on a weeknight if you can. Haunted houses are less crowded and often cost less Thursday or Sunday.
• Check the weather. Austin can still be warm in late October, so plan your costume and water accordingly.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Between haunted houses, parades, and Sixth Street, you will walk more than you think.

Austin Halloween FAQ

What is the best haunted house in Austin? House of Torment is Austin’s best-known haunt, with three houses this year. For an outdoor option, Bat City Scaregrounds in Buda has three haunts on one ticket.

What are free Halloween events in Austin? The Viva la Vida Festival and Parade, StrawFest at UMLAUF, Trick or Treat on the Trail at Boggy Creek Greenbelt, the AISD Trunk or Treat, the YMCA Spooktacular, and the Bullock Museum Spooktacular are all free.

Where can kids celebrate Halloween in Austin? Boo at the Zoo, Pumpkin Nights at Pioneer Farms, the Bullock Museum Spooktacular, and the free trick-or-treat events on Oct 24 are great for families.

What is happening on Sixth Street for Halloween? Sixth Street becomes a huge costume party on Halloween night, with street closures and a strong police presence. Check the Austin Police Department’s Halloween plan the week of Halloween.

Tag Me! 🎃

If you head to Austin this Halloween, or maybe you just have a great costume, tag me on social media @justjellypodcast. I want to see it!

Before You Go…

Know someone planning Halloween in Austin? Share this resource with them! Whether they are looking for a haunted house, a spooky cocktail, a family night out, or a free festival, there is a little something here for everyone.

And if you enjoy resources like this, come hang out with me on Sunday mornings! Subscribe to The Sunday Scoop 🗞️, my weekly newsletter filled with midlife conversations, helpful resources, upcoming adventures, and a little bit of everything in between.

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Till next time, stay sweet out there.

I love you,
Jenn ❤️

Dates, prices, and details were checked October 15, 2026. Events change, so confirm on the official sites before you go.