Pumpkins at the ready! The scariest day of the year is fast approaching, and we’ve got a few treats (or could they be tricks?) up our sleeves for 2026.
Want to mark Halloween with some fun – or should we say freaky – days out this October? There are plenty of Halloween events and activities taking place across the North and Scotland. From chilling attractions in the heart of Yorkshire to spooktacular events in some of Scotland’s biggest cities, here are our top picks of the best places to go for Halloween this year in the UK - whether you’re looking for spine-tingling activities with friends or spook days out for the family.
Halloween in the City: The Manchester Monster Hunt
Where: Across Manchester City Centre
When: 24th October – 31st October
Cost: Free
The Halloween in the City festival takes place each year across Manchester, attracting people of all ages from far and wide and, this year the monsters turn ten years old! A highlight of the event has to be the monster invasion, which sees huge models of tentacled terrors and other creepy creatures dramatically draped over the city’s most well-known buildings. With 17 to spot, why not take a walking tour of the city and see how many you can find?
The festival programme is also set to include plenty of other family-friendly events, from fancy dress challenges to a Monster Rock Music Festival.
Sefton Park’s Spooky Welly Walk
Where: Sefton Park, Liverpool, L17 1AP
When: Saturday 24th October
Cost: £8 per person or £30 for a family ticket
A Halloween-themed family event, the Sefton Park Spooky Welly Walk is a great day out for the family in Liverpool. Packed full of Halloween activities, games and entertainment, you can enjoy some spooky and seasonal fun including creepy crafts and menacing mask making and there's even a freaky funfair, zombie fitness zone and a frankenslime making station!
York BID’s Ghosts in the Gardens
Where: Across the city’s green spaces and parks
When: 19th September - 1st November
Cost: Free
Known as the UK's most haunted city, York is the perfect destination for some spooktacular fun and this year there's ghostly sightings and stories that just refuse to be buried! You can discover them all with this year's Ghosts in the Garden trail across the city. Spooky sculptures have appeared across parks and green spaces, depicting historial figures from York's past. You'll find ghostly monks, Victorian ladies and even dangerous highwayman. It's a great way to learn about York's history whilst enjoying the gorgeous green spaces and fresh autumnal air! You can find the ghosts in 30 locations across York and, with 70 to find you'll be in for a packed day out! Pick up your map from York's Visitor Centre or you can download it online here.
The Anatomy Theatre at The Edinburgh Dungeon
Where: The Edinburgh Dungeon, 31 Market Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1DF
When: 3rd October – 1st November 2026
Cost: £19 per person or £54 for a group
It’s Halloween every day of the year at the Edinburgh Dungeons: a ghastly underground pit of despair which once housed some of the city’s most treacherous criminals. The venue on East Market Street is always a toe-curling place to visit. However, you’ll need to summon up even more courage than normal to make it through this year’s special Halloween event. If you're brave enough, you're invited to step inside The Anatomy Theatre and witness Victor Frankenstein as the monster rises once again this Halloween.
Leeds Scare Maze
Where: Heatons Court, Leeds, LS1 4AD
When: 9th October – 1st November
Cost: Only suitable for 12 years and above. Teenagers: £16.77, Adults: £27.77
For the first time ever, there’s a terrifying scare maze in the heart of Leeds. A fully immersive journey through darkness, suspense and fear with horrifying live actors, cinematic sets and carefully crafted scares designed to keep hearts racing and you jumping out of your skin. Only the bravest souls can tackle this scare – do you dare to experience it?
Halloween in Concert
Where: O2 City Hall, Northumberland Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8SF
When: 30th October
Cost: From £31.15 per person
A frighteningly good night of graveyard smash hits for all the family! As darkness falls across the land, join this amazing cast and live band as they bring stunning stage visuals and state-of-the-art production to celebrate all things Halloween - with a twist! This atmospheric show brings back to life some of the greatest spooky hits ever in one electrifying production. With songs including - Monster Mash, Highway to Hell, The Time Warp, Running Up That Hill, Hungry like the Wolf, Maneater, Bat out of Hell, It's a kind of Magic, She Wolf, and of course Thriller, there’ll be singing, laughter and maybe some Dancing in the Moonlight, as Newcastle celebrates the magic of Halloween, for one night only!
York Ghost Merchants Ghost Week
Where: The York Ghost Merchants, No 6 Shambles, York, YO1 7LZ
When: 24th October – 1st November
Cost: Free
As well as booking yourself onto one of the many York ghost walks hosted across the city, consider putting the York Ghost Merchants on your Halloween bucket list. The venue will also be hosting a series of events as part of Ghost Week. From ghost hunting tours that take you around York Minster’s gardens to ghost story readings at the Treasurer’s House, it’s a great way to get your spook on while seeing the sites of the city. And, if you’re lucky you might even find one of their quirky, sought-after ghosts to take home!
Mercat Tours ‘Haunted Halloween’ in Edinburgh
Where: 28 Blair Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QR
When: 25th October - 2nd November 2024
Cost: Adult: £29, Child: £22
It’s no secret that Scotland has a long association with Halloween. In fact, many of the holiday’s most popular traditions – from pumpkin carving to apple bobbing – actually stem from the country’s ancient Celtic festival, Samhain. With that in mind, Edinburgh’s medieval facades and centuries of history make it a prime candidate for a spooky weekend away with the kids. Why not book on one of Mercat Tours’ Halloween trails to really get to know the city’s spirit? Choose from a special witches edition of the tour or opt to seek some restless souls but, if you’re feeling extra brave take the Underground tour to explore the city’s haunted vaults.
Travelling to all the best Halloween events around the North and Scotland doesn’t need to be a nightmare. Remember to check before you travel and book your tickets in advance on our website or using the TPExpress app. For more travel inspiration, head over to our blog to read about some of our favourite places to see in the UK.
