Halloween in the Bay Area (San Francisco, the East Bay, the Peninsula and the South Bay) offers plenty of choices, from pumpkin patches in Half Moon Bay and costume events at the zoos to the Japantown carnival and haunted attractions for adults. Based on the dates and prices we could confirm on official pages as of October 18, 2026, here is our roundup of Bay Area Halloween 2026 for families with kids, couples and solo visitors alike.

What you’ll learn in this article

Hours and traffic tips for the Half Moon Bay pumpkin festival and pumpkin patches
Dates and prices of Halloween events for kids, including the zoos and Children’s Fairyland
The Japantown Halloween Carnival (Oct. 30), plus prices and age limits for haunted attractions for adults

Dates, times and prices were checked on the organizers’ official pages as of October 18, 2026. They may change, so please check the latest information at each link before you go.

Bay Area Halloween 2026 at a glance

Event	Dates (2026)	Location	Price
Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival	Sat., Oct. 17 and Sun., Oct. 18, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.	Half Moon Bay	Free
Lemos Farm (pumpkin patch)	Daily in October, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.	Half Moon Bay	Check the official site
Arata’s Pumpkin Farm (hay maze)	October: Sun.–Thu. 9 a.m.–6:30 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m.–10:30 p.m.	Half Moon Bay	Check the official site
Oakland Zoo “Boo at the Zoo”	Weekends, Oct. 17–Nov. 1	Oakland	Regular admission (reservation required)
San Francisco Zoo “Boo at the Zoo”	Sat., Oct. 31, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.	San Francisco	Included with regular admission
Fairyland “Fall Fest”	Oct. 18, 24 and 25, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.	Oakland	Check the official site
Fairyland “Mad Magic!”	Sat., Oct. 31, noon–7 p.m.	Oakland	Check the official site
Alamo Scare	Sun., Oct. 25, 4–6 p.m.	San Francisco	Free
Japantown Halloween Carnival	Fri., Oct. 30, 6–8 p.m.	JCCCNC, San Francisco	$5 (free for ages 2 and under)
Pirates of Emerson (haunted attraction)	Select nights, Oct. 2–Nov. 1	Pleasanton	From $38
Festival Fright Nights (Winchester)	Select nights, Sept. 18–Nov. 1	San Jose	From $59.99

Pumpkin patches and the harvest festival in Half Moon Bay

This seaside town is about 45 minutes by car from San Francisco, and in October pumpkin patches line Hwy 92.

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival (Oct. 17 and 18)

Dates: Sat., Oct. 17 and Sun., Oct. 18, 2026, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (Oct. 18, the day this article was published, is the final day)
Location: Main Street (Mill St. to Spruce St.), Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Price: Free admission
Getting there: SamTrans buses stop near the festival. If you drive, use the paid parking lots run by local organizations
Official page: Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival

This is the 54th edition of the harvest festival. The winning pumpkin from the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off (Oct. 12) is displayed on Main St., and there is a costume contest (10 a.m.), a pie-eating contest (2 p.m.), about 250 artist booths and live music. Pets are not allowed (except service dogs). The festival is held on a mid-October weekend every year, so if you are reading this after it has ended, use it as a reference for next year.

Lemos Farm

Hours: Daily 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. in October; Saturdays and Sundays only, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., in November
Location: 12320 San Mateo Rd (on Hwy 92), Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Price: Tickets are sold online. Check the official website for prices (you must sign a liability waiver in advance)
Official page: Lemos Farm

A pumpkin patch that leans toward an amusement park, with attractions for little kids such as pony rides, a mini train and a haunted house. Check the official website for which attractions are included with admission.

The hay maze at Arata’s Pumpkin Farm

Hours: In October, Sun.–Thu. 9 a.m.–6:30 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 9 a.m.–10:30 p.m.
Location: 185 Verde Rd (on Hwy 1), Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Price: Check the official website for admission and maze prices
Official page: Arata’s Pumpkin Farm

The signature attraction is a full-scale hay maze (Hay Maze). The farm stays open into the night on Fridays and Saturdays, and the maze after dark is best for kids of elementary school age and up. On October weekends, traffic backs up badly near the intersection of Hwy 92 and Hwy 1, so consider arriving early in the morning or taking the Hwy 1 route via Pacifica.

Halloween events for kids (zoos, parks and Fairyland)

Oakland Zoo “Boo at the Zoo” (weekends, Oct. 17–Nov. 1)

Dates: Saturdays and Sundays from Sat., Oct. 17 to Sun., Nov. 1, 2026
Location: Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Rd, Oakland, CA 94605
Price: Included with regular admission (general admission requires an advance reservation). Parking is paid
Official page: Oakland Zoo – Boo at the Zoo

Activities include a card hunt to collect limited-edition trading cards, insect encounters at 1 p.m. on Saturdays and reptile encounters at 1 p.m. on Sundays, and a costume contest at noon on Saturdays, Oct. 17, 24 and 31, at the Wildlife Theater. Inflatable costumes are not allowed. Opening hours vary by day, so check the official site.

San Francisco Zoo “Boo at the Zoo” (Oct. 31)

Date: Sat., Oct. 31, 2026, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Location: San Francisco Zoo, Sloat Blvd at The Great Highway, San Francisco, CA 94132
Price: Included with regular admission (or an annual pass)
Nearest stop: A short walk from SF Zoo station, the last stop on the Muni L Taraval line
Official page: San Francisco Zoo – Boo at the Zoo

There is a costume parade at 11 a.m. and a costume contest at noon (four categories: family, animal, individual and toddler). With “pumpkin enrichment,” where the animals smash and eat pumpkins, plus candy booths, crafts, a DJ and face painting, you can easily spend half a day. Masks that cover the whole face are not allowed.

Children’s Fairyland “Fall Fest” and “Halloween Jam: Mad Magic!”

Fall Fest: Sun., Oct. 18, Sat., Oct. 24 and Sun., Oct. 25, 2026, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. A pool of fallen leaves and fall crafts
Halloween Jam: Mad Magic!: Sat., Oct. 31, 2026, noon–7 p.m. Trick-or-treating around the park, performances, a DJ, food trucks and more
Location: Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave, Oakland, CA 94610 (on the shore of Lake Merritt)
Price: Check the official page for special event prices
Official page: Children’s Fairyland – Halloween Jam: Mad Magic!

This is a small amusement park for kids 8 and under, and adults cannot enter without a child. On October 31 the event runs until after sunset, so it suits families who want their kids to experience nighttime trick-or-treating in a safe place.

Alamo Scare (trick-or-treating at Alamo Square, Oct. 25)

Date: Sun., Oct. 25, 2026, 4–6 p.m.
Location: Steiner St. (Hayes St. to Grove St.), San Francisco. The street in front of the “Painted Ladies”
Price: Free
Official page: Alamo Square NA – Alamo Scare

A community-organized event where kids can trick-or-treat in front of a famous landmark, with a costume swap also planned. It ends while it is still light out, so it is a good fit for families with kids.

Japan-related: Japantown Halloween Carnival (Oct. 30)

Date: Fri., Oct. 30, 2026, 6–8 p.m.
Location: JCCCNC, 1840 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Price: $5 (pay at the entrance on the day). Free for ages 2 and under
Nearest transit: Muni 38 Geary, 2 Sutter and 22 Fillmore buses. Japan Center parking is also available
Official page: JCCCNC – Halloween Carnival

A carnival for kids held every year by the Japanese American community center JCCCNC (Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California) and the youth organization JCYC. There are crafts, cultural performances, bounce houses, and a costume parade and contest (with awards for cutest, scariest, most creative, best overall and best group). In 2026, the usual haunted house, “Haunted Hallway,” is taking a year off because of building renovations.

Many people there speak Japanese, so the atmosphere is welcoming even for families taking part in an American Halloween for the first time. For tips on exploring the neighborhood, see San Francisco Japantown Guide (2026 Edition). Individually wrapped Japanese snacks to hand out at home are available at Nijiya and Mitsuwa San Jose, which we cover in our guide to 5 Japanese supermarkets in the Bay Area.

For adults: haunted attractions

Pirates of Emerson (Pleasanton)

Dates: Select nights from Fri., Oct. 2 to Sun., Nov. 1, 2026. Check the official calendar for dates and times
Location: Alameda County Fairgrounds Gate 8, 2005 Valley Ave, Pleasanton, CA 94566
Price: General $48, Speed Pass $73, VIP $108, Two for You $38 (plus a $3.50 fee; premium dates cost extra)
Age: Recommended for ages 13 and up. Guests under 16 must be accompanied by someone 21 or older
Official page: Pirates of Emerson

A long-running East Bay attraction where you can go through four haunted houses. The entrance gate closes one hour before closing time. It is far from any train station, so driving is the usual way to get there.

Festival Fright Nights at Winchester Mystery House (San Jose)

Dates: Select nights from Fri., Sept. 18 to Sun., Nov. 1, 2026
Location: Winchester Mystery House, 525 S. Winchester Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128
Price: From $59.99 (online sales only; VIP is priced separately)
Age: The optional “Hide and Seek” is roughly equivalent to PG-13
Official page: Festival Fright Nights

The setting is a landmark known as a “haunted house,” and in 2026 three attractions (including the new “House of Spirits”) are included with every ticket. The speakeasy and games cost extra.

Costumes and trick-or-treating in San Francisco

The once-famous street Halloween in the Castro district (The Castro) is no longer held as an official city event. Even so, the night of October 31 gets lively, mainly around the bars, so families with kids should focus on daytime events, and adults going out at night should decide how they will get home before they head out.

In residential neighborhoods, the etiquette is to visit houses that have the porch light on and decorations up. There are also many “Safe Trick-or-Treat” events hosted by cities and schools (daytime events where kids collect candy from shops along a commercial street). On rainy or cold days, switching to indoor spots such as the Exploratorium or the California Academy of Sciences is another option. To see what is happening in other cities, check out Los Angeles Halloween 2026 and New York Halloween 2026.

What to wear, what to bring and things to watch out for

Temperature swings: Even when inland daytime temperatures top 20°C, evenings in San Francisco and Half Moon Bay drop to around 10°C. Bring a jacket you can wear over your costume.
Costume rules: The zoos prohibit inflatable costumes and masks that cover the whole face. Avoid props that look like weapons.
Traffic and reservations: On weekends in Half Moon Bay, Hwy 92 gets congested and parking is paid. The zoos may require advance reservations.
Safety at night: Give kids reflective gear or a light, and have them promise to stay with an adult. It is common practice to open candy at home and not to eat anything with torn wrapping.
End of daylight saving time: In 2026, daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, so if you have plans on the night of Oct. 31, keep the time change the next morning in mind.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Which events are good for small children (ages 2–5)?

Good options are Lemos Farm, Children’s Fairyland’s Fall Fest, the San Francisco Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo and Alamo Scare, all of which end during the day. The Japantown carnival is in the evening, but it is indoors and mostly attended by families, so it works for little kids too.

Q. Do I need reservations for the Half Moon Bay pumpkin patches?

Lemos Farm sells tickets online and also asks you to sign a liability waiver before your visit. Arata’s Pumpkin Farm does not list detailed prices or how to buy tickets on its official website, so check before you go. On weekends, we recommend arriving in the morning.

Q. Are there Halloween events for Japanese people?

The best known is the Japantown Halloween Carnival (hosted by JCCCNC, $5), held in San Francisco’s Japantown on Friday, October 30, with a costume contest and crafts.

Summary

Bay Area Halloween 2026 gives you something to choose every weekend: pumpkin patches in Half Moon Bay, the Oakland Zoo (weekends, Oct. 17–Nov. 1), the San Francisco Zoo and Children’s Fairyland (Oct. 31), Alamo Scare (Oct. 25) and the Japantown carnival (Oct. 30). For adults, there are Pirates of Emerson and Festival Fright Nights. Prices and reservation requirements differ by event, so check the official pages for the latest information before you go.

Sources and references (checked October 18, 2026)

This article is also available in Japanese.

Bay Area Halloween 2026 | Kids’ Events, Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Patches and the Japantown Carnival