60+ Halloween Bucket List Ideas That Make October Feel Spooktacular

By the time October rolls around, I go all in with my love of haunted houses and finding the best costume parties. But even with all of that, I always feel like there’s more I want to do. That’s why I started putting together a Halloween bucket list. It keeps me from letting the season slip by too fast and gives me an excuse to try a few new traditions along the way.

These Halloween bucket list ideas mix everything I already love about October with fresh ways to celebrate, from ghost-filled getaways to small, creative rituals at home. If you’re the type who lives for spooky season too, this list will help you make the most of every last day before November hits.

Classic Halloween Traditions

Halloween wouldn’t be the same without the tried-and-true traditions we’ve all grown up with. These are the activities that give October its personality.

1. Carve a pumpkin and light it on your porch.
2. Go trick-or-treating in full costume, no matter your age.
3. Decorate your house with cobwebs and skeletons to set the mood.
4. Dress pets in costumes for hilarious photos.
5. Bake pumpkin seeds after carving.
6. Hang a spooky wreath on your door.
7. Put together a DIY costume from thrift store finds.
8. Turn your yard into a graveyard with fake tombstones.
9. Do tarot card readings with friends.

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Haunted Fun

If October is known for anything, it’s scaring yourself silly on purpose. Haunted attractions are everywhere this time of year, and leaning into the creepy side of things is half the fun.

10. Visit a haunted house in your city.
11. Walk through a haunted corn maze at night.
12. Try a ghost tour in a historic town.
13. Do a séance or Ouija board for fun.
14. Go to a horror escape room with friends.
15. Camp out in a supposedly haunted spot and see what happens.
16. Watch scary movies back-to-back for a fright marathon.
17. Stream true crime or paranormal podcasts on a chilly evening.
18. Play a murder mystery game with friends.

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Candy and Treats

Halloween food is a celebration in itself, from bags of candy to kitchen projects with a spooky twist. This category is all about eating your way through October in the most festive way possible.

19. Host a Halloween candy trade after trick-or-treating.
20. Bake spiderweb cupcakes with black icing.
21. Make caramel apples and roll them in toppings.
22. Do a blind candy taste test with friends.
23. Make candy bark with candy corn and pretzels.
24. Decorate sugar cookies as bats and ghosts.
25. Try making homemade Reese’s cups.
26. Drink apple cider with a cinnamon stick.
27. Try a pumpkin spice latte just once.
28. Leave candy bowls at work for coworkers.

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Festivals and Outings

October is packed with events if you know where to look. Local towns, farms, and cities love throwing festivals, and they’re perfect for getting outside before winter locks in. These are the outings that make Halloween season feel bigger than just one night.

29. Visit a pumpkin patch and find the weirdest one.
30. Go apple picking and bring home a bag to bake with.
31. Check out a Halloween parade in your town.
32. Enter a costume contest at a bar or community center.
33. Visit a fall fair for rides and games.
34. Go to Oktoberfest celebrations near you.
35. Tour a historic cemetery during an event.
36. Attend a spooky play or musical.
37. Take a hayride through decorated fields.
38. Walk through a neighborhood famous for Halloween décor.

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DIY Halloween Projects

DIY projects bring the season to life, whether you’re making props, decorations, or costumes. These are budget-friendly, fun, and often end up being the most memorable part of October.

39. Create fake cobwebs with cotton batting.
40. Craft your own tombstones out of foam board.
41. Paint pumpkins instead of carving.
42. DIY a witch’s cauldron with glow sticks.
43. Make paper lanterns with ghost faces.
44. Cut bats from black paper for wall art.
45. Turn old jars into potion bottles with labels.
46. Make slime in orange and green colors.
47. Make fake blood with corn syrup for fun.

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Offbeat & Quirky Fun

Halloween can be silly and ridiculous, too. These ideas bring out the playful side of October, where the goal is just to laugh and lean into the weird.

48. Host a pumpkin rolling race down the street.
49. Do a mummy wrap contest with toilet paper.
50. Try pumpkin bowling with pins set up in the yard.
51. Play Halloween charades at a party.
52. Do a scary face makeup challenge and see who nails it.
53. Have a costume swap with friends from past years.
54. Make up scary stories on the spot and vote on the best.
55. Play “guess the candy in the jar”.
56. Turn your garage into a one-night haunted maze.
57. Put a skeleton in your passenger seat for laughs.

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Travel and Bucket-List Destinations

Halloween is a whole season, and some places take it more seriously than others. If you’re willing to travel, these spots make October unforgettable with its history, creativity, and a level of Halloween spirit that’s tough to beat.

58. Visit Salem, Massachusetts during October.
59. Go to Sleepy Hollow, New York for Headless Horseman fun.
60. Celebrate Día de los Muertos in Mexico with parades and altars.
61. Travel to New Orleans for haunted tours.
62. See Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania, Romania for Halloween week.
63. Visit Disney’s Halloween events at Disneyland or Disney World.
64. Check out Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights.
65. Tour Edinburgh’s haunted underground vaults.
66. See London’s ghost tours in October.
67. Get scared the bejeezus out of at Six Flag’s Fright Night.