Top things to do for Halloween in London
It's Halloween season, that time of year when the nights are getting darker, the leaves are falling from the trees and everyone is drinking Pumpkin Spice Latte. From scary shows to frightful outings, you’ll be scared. Discover fun things to do in London with kids and join the Halloween Kids Tour!
Where to celebrate Halloween in London’s top attractions?
Some of London’s top attractions are getting a spooktacular makeover for Halloween, whilst others have the fear factor all year long. Don’t miss out on the spookiest attractions and book your tickets early.
The London Dungeon
Enter if you dare! Join The London Dungeon this October and embark on a chilling journey through 1000 years of the city’s gruesome past. Walk the foggy streets and go back to a time where the plague blighted the capital, torture was the norm, and Guy Fawkes sought to change the city forever. Throughout October, The London Dungeon is darker, scarier and even more extreme, making this a popular attraction throughout the most terrifying month of the year.
How to get there?
Yellow route: hop off at stop 3 London Eye
Blue route: hop off at stop 22 Westminster Bridge
Tower of London
From October 26th to November 3rd, stay alert and keep your senses sharp. The walls of the Tower of London are home to a thousand years of history.
As you make your way through the Tower, you might catch a glimpse of white on the stairs or the trace of a Tudor robe passing by a door. You might spot a mediaeval queen on a twisted throne, a Roman soldier near the remains of the London Wall or the wizard Earl concocting potions in his apothecary.
In the shadow of the White Tower, a ruined garden offers a glimpse of the lost palace that once stood here. Presently, its twisted roots, crumbling walls, and locked windows house spirits that are on the brink of awakening. This is a family escapade crafted to spook, but not to horrify. Take a trail when you arrive and make a note of the ghosts you see during your visit.
How to get there?
Yellow route: hop off at stop 9 Tower of London
Madame Tussauds’ Chamber of Horrors
First presented to the British public in 1818, when Marie Tussaud toured the UK with her travelling wax exhibition, the Chamber of Horrors will once again shed light on some of London's darkest crime scenes of the last 150 years.
The experience remains true to Marie Tussaud's original vision: it features individuals whose various crimes all had a significant impact on Britain's social and criminal history and were well documented by the media of the time.
How to get there?
Green route: hop off at stop 41 Euston Station
Halloween at Harry Potter Studios - Discover the Dark Arts
Don’t let the Death Eaters dampen your Halloween spirit when you discover the Dark Arts on the Warner Bros Studio Tour from September 13th to November 10th. The Great Hall is seasonally decorated with over 100 pumpkins hanging from the ceiling and a Halloween feast is laid out across the tables. You can also discover the filming secrets behind the Dark Arts and duels against Death Eaters in live demonstrations.
Visit London with the Halloween Kids tour
From October 19th to November 3rd, hop on board the Halloween Kids Tour with your family. Discover London, its landmarks, and its history told by our guide, filled with spooky anecdotes. Children will enjoy surprises, candy, and paper masks, and are encouraged to wear their best costumes for a chance to win more treats and a family ticket for our Christmas tour!
Where to attend spooky shows and Halloween screenings?
After your London bus tour, if you want to celebrate the theatricality of the season, scare yourself senseless with horror films at the cinema or enjoy a theatre show with a spooky twist this Halloween.
See Wicked the Musical
If you haven’t already seen one of the longest-running musicals in London’s theatre history, where have you been? Based on characters from The Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
The show is a little less scary than most Halloween experiences and, as such, is a little more family-friendly. Don’t miss out and book your tickets at the Apollo Victoria Theatre to watch a West End classic this Halloween!
How to get there?
Yellow route: hop off at stop 13 Buckingham Palace
Blue route: hop off at stop 19 Buckingham Palace
Fright Night Cinema at the Rivoli Ballroom
Looking for Halloween film events in London? From October 28th to November 2nd, head over to the Rivoli Ballroom, which will be offering a series of Fright Night screenings. Rediscover The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Lost Boys, The Shining and family friendly films such as Ghostbusters (1984), Casper and Hocus Pocus.
Halloween Jazz Ball
No one loved fancy dress parties more than the young people of the Jazz Age. So come along to a spooky and elegant evening at The Candlelight Club, a speakeasy jazz bar on October 26th and 27th.
Mingle with ghostly flappers, vampire witches, charming devils and coquettish black cats in an abandoned ballroom filled with cobwebs and gutter lanterns. Elise Roth and her High Spirits will liven up the dance floor with songs from the 1920s and 1930s. The mystery of the Orient, Suri Sumatra, will electrify the stage with her disturbing burlesque.
You can come just to drink and dance, or book a table with champagne. Feeling peckish? You can book the three-course dinner option (which includes a table reserved for you all evening) or pre-order a menu of snacks and dishes to share.
So there you have the main Halloween events. There’s plenty to keep you entertained this October in London. If you want to discover the city in another way for trick and treating, take a look at our self-guided walking tours with our Tootwalk’s feature.