Best Places to Visit for Halloween with Kids
There’s something extra fun about celebrating Halloween as a family. The costumes, the candy, and the festive decorations make it one of the most kid-friendly holidays of the year. If you’re looking to travel this fall, there are plenty of destinations across the country that offer family-friendly Halloween fun without being too spooky. In this guide, explore the best places to visit for Halloween in the US with kids. From theme park events designed just for families to towns that fully embrace the holiday spirit, these destinations will make your October getaway both memorable and easy to enjoy.
Theme Parks for Family Halloween Fun
Theme parks are often some of the best places to visit for Halloween because they already specialize in bringing stories to life. In October, many of them reimagine their rides and shows to fit the season, and the results are magical rather than frightening. For families, that means trick-or-treat stations, dance parties with favorite characters, and themed decorations.
LEGOLAND Florida: Brick or Treat
Brick or Treat at LEGOLAND Florida runs on select weekends in October and is included with park admission.
During Brick or Treat at LEGOLAND Florida, families can walk through trick-or-treat trails, stop at candy stations, and meet characters dressed in Halloween costumes. Oversized LEGO pumpkins, spiders, and skeletons are set up around the park, adding to the atmosphere without being scary.
Kids enjoy the dance parties and the chance to build Halloween-themed LEGO creations at activity tables. An evening parade with floats and music wraps up the day, and it has become a tradition for many families in central Florida. Most visitors spend the morning on rides, then shift to the Halloween activities in the afternoon.
Seasonal treats are sold throughout the park, sometimes with limited-time options like pumpkin milkshakes or cupcakes. LEGOLAND is one of the best places to visit for Halloween because everything is designed for kids from the start.
Sesame Place: The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular
Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pennsylvania is a top pick for families with toddlers and preschoolers looking for a fun, festive, and not-so-scary Halloween experience. Each fall, the park transforms for The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular, running on select dates from September 13 through November 2, 2025. The family-friendly celebration fills the park with themed shows, a colorful Halloween parade, trick-or-treat stations, and plenty of opportunities to meet your favorite Sesame Street friends in costume.
Highlights include the brand-new Count-Along Castle Halloween Maze, where kids can count their way through twisting hallways, and the always-popular Sesame Street Halloween Parade, complete with decorated floats and music. Little ones can also join the scarecrow scavenger hunt, enjoy Halloween dance parties and shows, and stop for photos with Elmo, Abby, Cookie Monster, and more—dressed in their Halloween best. Most rides stay open during the event, and food stands serve seasonal snacks, making it easy to balance playtime with a quick bite.
While the Spooktacular is included with general admission, Sesame Place also offers extra-special events on select dates. On October 31, families can purchase tickets for the park’s Not-Too-Spooky Halloween Party, a three-hour evening celebration from 4–7 p.m. with trick-or-treating, a costume showcase, rides, and plenty of character meet-and-greets. Other special dates include the Hello Halloween Spectacular (September 13) and a Halloween Costume Contest (October 26).
Between the parades, scavenger hunts, maze, and extra-special events, Sesame Place makes it easy for little ones to enjoy the magic of Halloween without the scares—whether you visit on a weekend in September or on Halloween night itself.
Disney Parks: Halloween Celebrations for Families
Disneyland California
From late August through Halloween, Disneyland in Anaheim turns into a seasonal celebration with carved pumpkins on Main Street, costumed characters, and themed attractions. Families can ride Haunted Mansion Holiday with its Nightmare Before Christmas overlay, or head to Cars Land where the rides are dressed up with Halloween details. At night, Halloween Screams fills the sky with fireworks and projections. There are also special snacks like pumpkin churros and caramel apples.
The Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure is the park’s main Halloween event. This separately ticketed evening includes trick-or-treat trails, costumed character meet-and-greets, and the Frightfully Fun Parade. Families often attend in costume, making it part of the fun. Tickets sell out quickly, but if you can attend, it’s one of the best places to visit for Halloween in the US with kids.
Walt Disney World Orlando
Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party on select nights from mid-August through October. Families can enter as early as 4 pm and enjoy the park before the party begins. Once it starts, kids collect candy at trick-or-treat stations, watch Mickey’s Boo-To-You Parade, and see the castle light up with fireworks during Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular. Storybook Circus is transformed for younger children, and dance parties keep the energy going through the evening.
Characters appear in Halloween costumes, and families are encouraged to dress up, too. Exclusive snacks, themed merchandise, and PhotoPass pictures make it easy to bring home memories from the event. Because it runs late into the evening, the party works best for school-age kids who can stay awake to enjoy it all. For families already planning a trip to Orlando, this is one of the most popular and family-friendly Halloween events in the country.
Family-Friendly Halloween Towns
Small towns across the country have built reputations for being some of the best places to visit for Halloween. Streets are lined with pumpkins, local shops decorate their windows, and weekend events give families a full calendar of things to do.
St. Helens, Oregon: Halloweentown Festival
St. Helens was the filming location for Disney Channel’s Halloweentown movie, and every October the town transforms to honor that history. Their Halloweentown Festival includes a giant pumpkin lighting ceremony, parades, costume contests, and themed activities throughout the month. Families can walk through the historic downtown, which is decorated with props and displays inspired by the film.
Vendors set up booths with food, crafts, and souvenirs, while local businesses join in with decorated storefronts. The festival includes activities for children such as pumpkin painting, face painting, and games. Special events vary from year to year but often include movie screenings, guest appearances from cast members, and live performances.
Families visiting St. Helens can spend the day exploring the festival before returning in the evening for the pumpkin lighting ceremony. Parking is available around town, and many events are walkable once you are in the historic district.
Anoka, Minnesota: Halloween Capital of the World
Anoka has been celebrating Halloween for more than a century and hosts one of the largest community-based events in the country. Each October, the town fills its calendar with parades, pumpkin carving contests, decorating competitions, and school programs that involve children directly. Families who visit can attend the main parade, where floats and marching bands move through the streets with crowds gathered on the sidewalks.
In addition to the parades, Anoka hosts a house decorating contest that families can enjoy while driving through town, along with pumpkin carving events that are open to visitors.
Visitors often stay in the Minneapolis area, where there are plenty of hotels and restaurants, and make the short trip to Anoka for the Halloween events.
Sleepy Hollow, New York: Lantern Tours and Storytelling
Sleepy Hollow is best known for Washington Irving’s tale of the Headless Horseman, and the town builds on that connection with events that families can enjoy. The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is the most popular, with paths lined by thousands of carved pumpkins arranged in glowing displays.
Families can also join lantern tours of historic sites, watch spooky (but not too) scary storytelling sessions designed for children, and see parades with costumed performers. The town itself is decorated for the season.
Because many of the activities take place at night, families often plan to spend the day exploring the Hudson Valley, and then head to Sleepy Hollow in the evening.
New Orleans, Louisiana: Family-friendly Halloween Celebrations
New Orleans is famous for Mardi Gras, but October brings a full calendar of Halloween fun events that work well for families. Boo Carre in the French Quarter mixes live music with trick-or-treating and children’s activities, all in a spot that’s easy to reach on foot. In City Park, Ghosts in the Oaks adds carnival rides, crafts, and candy stations that are designed with younger kids in mind.
The Audubon Zoo hosts Boo at the Zoo, where children can wear costumes, collect treats, and see animals along the way. The city’s largest event is the Krewe of Boo parade, with floats that toss candy and small souvenirs into the crowd as they roll through downtown. Families often add a stop at the Skeleton House on St. Charles Avenue, a private home decorated each year with dozens of skeletons posed in funny scenes that change each year.
Local Trunk or Treats and Farms
For families who want to stay closer to home, Trunk or Treat events and farm festivals are some of the easiest ways to celebrate Halloween. Schools, churches, and community centers often organize evenings where cars are decorated in a parking lot and kids go from trunk to trunk collecting candy. These events are simple and well-lit, often filled with neighbors and friends. They’re especially good for younger children.
Local farms add their own version of the holiday with pumpkin picking, hayrides, and corn mazes. Many set up small play areas, petting zoos, or seasonal food stands so families can spend a few hours outside without needing to plan a full day trip.
These community events may not be as famous as a parade or theme park celebration, but they often become traditions that children look forward to every year. They also show that the best places to visit for Halloween can often be close to home spending time together.
What to Bring for Halloween Events
As you plan your trip, a few small items make celebrating Halloween on the road a lot easier. Comfortable costumes are important, especially for kids who will be walking through farms, neighborhoods, or parades. We like to bring reusable trick-or-treat bags that fold flat in a suitcase but hold plenty of candy once you’re there. A light jacket or hoodie with a Halloween print keeps kids warm when the evening turns cool, and glow sticks or flashlights help them stay visible after dark. Snacks and refillable water bottles are always worth packing so you don’t have to rely only on event food stands.
If you’re looking for ideas, here are some of our favorite picks for family Halloween travel gear:
- Simple snacks and reusable water bottles
- Kid-friendly costumes that are lightweight and easy to layer
- Reusable trick-or-treat bags or totes
- Halloween pajamas or hoodies for cooler evenings
- Glow sticks and light-up bracelets for visibility
Final Thoughts
Halloween doesn’t just have to be about one night of trick-or-treating at home. From parades in New Orleans to pumpkin festivals in Oregon, there are plenty of places around the country where families can celebrate together. Each destination has its own way of making the season fun for kids.
If your family has a favorite Halloween spot, I’d love to hear about it. Share it with me on Instagram, so I can pass along even more ideas to other families looking for fun places to go. If you’re planning more fall adventures, don’t miss my guide to the best US fall foliage destinations with kids.
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