23 Fun Things for Adults to Do on Halloween (That You’ll Actually Enjoy)
Halloween is definitely one of my favorite holidays…I mean, dressing up in awesome costumes, spooky decorations, carving pumpkins, haunted houses. It is unbeatable.
Unfortunately, it often feels like all the cool things about Halloween, from trick and treating to wearing itchy polyester costumes to pillowcases full of candy, are made and marketed for kids. As adults, the best we can hope for on Halloween is wild raves or spending the night indoors watching the same spooky movies over and over.
Don’t get me wrong, as a homebody, that’s a great way to spend Halloween. But I want more fun for us. More ways to celebrate this spooky season.
So, whether you are looking to party like a rockstar, curl up on your couch and enjoy scary movies, or DIY some awesome spooky decorations that transform your living room into your Halloween Pinterest board, this list has your name written all over it.
Here is my list of things for adults to do this Halloween that are actually fun. And not just parties and drinking. I am talking spooky decor, murder mystery dinners, horror movie marathons, and so much more.
And yep, I’ve got a freebie for you: a cute printable bucket list ( one filled out and one blank so you can make it your own). You can grab them down below.
23 Fun Things for Adults to Do This Halloween
1. Host a Themed Costume Party
Forget the lazy “wear whatever” Halloween party. Host a themed party- 90s retro, spooky glam, iconic villains, and anything in between.
Themed parties force everyone to try harder with their costumes, making for an interesting party. Besides, nothing bonds adults faster than awkward wigs and Dollar Tree props.
This could even be a murder mystery dinner.
To make it more fun, have award prizes for best costumes and set up a mini photo booth with Halloween props to capture the fabulous costumes.
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2. Have a Horror Movie Marathon
This is one of my favorite ways to celebrate Halloween. I mean, my favorite spooky snacks, a few Halloween decorations, and I am all set. You can have friends over to really get into that Halloween spirit.
Whether scary classics, slow-burn psychological thrillers, cheesy vintage slashers, or a specific franchise, this is an excellent way to spend Halloween.
3. DIY Haunted House or Haunted Backyard
I know it can feel intimidating to try to create a haunted house or backyard. But you don’t have to break the bank or overdo it. Drape some sheets, plug in a fog machine, light up some witchy candles, and cue in the creepiest playlist ever. Simple, right?
Whether you are having friends and family over, or just you and your significant other, or merely you and your cat, creating a haunted house or backyard is oddly therapeutic.
If you absolutely detest doing all the work, you can opt for a local Halloween experience. From haunted hayrides to carved pumpkin competition, there are so many great events that are fun for adults.
4. Make Halloween-themed Cocktails and Mocktails
Time to stir up something absolutely wicked. Connect with your inner mixologist and create creepy drinks. Think “Bloody Marys,” “zombie punch,” or “witch’s brew.”
Decorate with dry ice for that foggy, spooky vibe and garnish with something creepy like eyeball olives.
If you feel overwhelmed, ask your guests to bring their spooky cocktails or mocktails. That way, you don’t have to do everything yourself.
5. Carve Up and Paint Pumpkins
This is a grown-up edition. Not your typical elementary school pumpkin mess. Get spooky drinks, put on a cool playlist, and host a pumpkin decorating night with family and friends.
Carve up spooky faces and paint quirky designs. You can even make it a competition to really bring that competitive edge.
6. Bake Spooky Treats or Host a Halloween Potluck
What’s better than one tray of witchy fingers Halloween cookies? Ten trays of weirdly adorable and possibly spooky Halloween snacks from friends and family.
Whether you opt for Pinterest witch cookies, or a cheese board with eyeball olives, a themed potluck makes for that Halloween spirit.
More on HALLOWEEN
Fun Healthy Halloween Snacks Ideas
Planning a Halloween potluck or festive treats that won’t leave you in a sugar coma, check out our fun healthy Halloween snacks everybody will love.
7. Have a Halloween Game Night
If your idea for the perfect Halloween evening doesn’t involve leaving the house ( I see you, my fellow introverts), then have an unforgettable spooky game night.
Invite your favorite people and break out the spooky games. I am talking “Betrayal at House on the Hill” or “Werewolf”
It can even be a Halloween-themed trivia night. You know, questions about horror movies, Halloween history, and spooky folklore. If you are having trouble coming up with interesting questions, I suggest looking on Etsy.
Add spooky drinks, snacks, and a fog machine for those eerie vibes.
8. Halloween-themed DIY Crafts
This is the time to grab that hot glue and discover your inner Pinterest witch. The options are endless; you can make potion bottles from old wine bottles, design creepy wreaths, craft ghostly garlands, or make custom masks.
You can even get on the popular TikTok thrifted ghost painting trend, which is super cute.
9. Host a Costume Contest (In-person or Online)
Whether you are dressing up with your friends or jumping on a video call to see how your family did on their costumes this year, a costume contest is pure adult Halloween gold.
Make it interesting with different award categories from “Best dressed” to “Most creative” to “Most unrecognizable.” Toss in a few cheap trophies, and we have a Halloween party every adult will love.
10. Go to a Haunted House or Halloween Attraction
Sometimes the best way to celebrate Halloween as an adult is to go to a haunted house and scream to feel alive. Whether it is a haunted house, haunted maze, haunted car wash, or historical ghost tour, tag along with your friends and wear shoes you can run in and go experience some jump scares.
11. Attend a Local Halloween Party or Bar Crawl
Bar crawls are the ultimate mark of adult Halloween. I mean, we have adult money and can actually order drinks and bar hop.
And there’s something magical about walking into a bar and seeing a vampire flirting with a pirate.
Bar crawls are an absolute vibe. Themed drinks, custom contests, and loads of people completely lost in the Halloween spirit.
12. Visit a Pumpkin Patch or Corn Maze (At night)
Sure, Halloween is fun and just a little spooky, until you are lost in a maze at 10 pm and start questioning your life choices.
Pumpkin patches and nighttime corn mazes are super fun, a little spooky, and great for couples or a group of friends.
13. Take a Ghost Tour in Your City
There’s always that one building in the outskirts of town with some haunted reputation. Or maybe there’s a local haunted hotel, historic mansion, or old graveyard that just gives off the wrong vibes.
Ghostly adventures mix history, storytelling, or just enough creepy to make you double-check your locks when you get home.
14. Go on a Spooky Night Hike or Bonfire
If your idea of fun involves stars and nature, then this is for you. Night hikes with headlamps are super thrilling. And a bonfire with marshmallows and horror stories is peak Fall energy.
15. Watch a Halloween Play or Outdoor Movie Screening
Nothing beats a chill night of watching “Hocus Pocus” or “Rocky Horror Picture Show” under the stars with your fellow weirdos.
Look for pop-up screenings, theater shows, or drive-ins.
You could even set up a projector in your backyard and watch a horror movie of your choice.
Trust me, there’s nothing like a scary movie under the stars on a chilly October night. Here is a budget-friendly projector that offers value for money.
16. Dine at a Halloween-themed Pop-up or Restaurant Event
Some local pop-ups or restaurants go all out for Halloween with moody lights, themed menus, and spooky cocktails.
So you can make your Halloween plan this year about fine dining with a spooky twist.
You know, drinking a black martini while being serenaded by a singing skeleton.
17. Book a spot at an Escape Room Challenge.
Want to test your friendships and puzzle-solving skills while being locked in a haunted asylum? You’ve got to try Halloween escape rooms.
You’ll scream, argue, panic, laugh, and either crack the code and escape on time or be trapped for eternity! Just kidding.
18. Attend a Halloween Comedy or Improv Show
Look for Halloween comedy or improv shows that go full dark humor. Expect stand-up acts about bad costumes, childhood traumas( with a comedy twist), or improv with zombies. You’ll laugh and probably cringe, but you’ll definitely have a great night.
19. Have a Halloween Photoshoot in Costume for Adults
Look, it is definitely a bad Halloween if you spent hours hot-gluing spiders to your Halloween costume and didn’t take a picture!
Create a DIY setup at home with a fog machine, moody lighting, and Halloween-themed backdrops such as ivy walls and creepy mirrors. Here is one simple backdrop you can get on Amazon.
Make them Instagram worthy.
20. Read a Chilling Book or Host a Spooky Book Club Night
Yes, not all Halloween scares need strobe lights and loud screaming. Sometimes, the spookiest of nights is more chill. A good ghost story and a mug of cider.
Keep it simple. Choose a thriller or horror novel( nothing too long, we are grown and very busy), light some moody candles, and invite all the big readers in your friend group to discuss precisely what you’d do differently if you were trapped ( spoiler: probably die first.)
Picture discussing “Dracula” by moody candlelight with a goblet of red wine in hand. Super spooky, right?
21. Do a Halloween Puzzle or Color-by-Number for Adults
This is the perfect Halloween plan for introverts, the anxious minds, or anyone looking to do something quiet that doesn’t involve cleaning pumpkin guts off the kitchen counter tomorrow.
A simple spooky jigsaw puzzle, a color-by-number vampire scene, or even a simple Halloween crossword is a super low-effort way for an adult to enjoy Halloween without fuss.
22. Host a Witchy Night In with Tarot, Crystals, and Candles
Witchcore is having a moment right now, and trust me, you don’t want to miss it. Pull out the tarot deck, set the mood with some witchy black candles, some moonstone crystals, and get this witchy night started.
Remember, play some ethereal background music to really get the vibes going.
Whether you believe in magic or not, whether you are playing pretend, this is spooky self-care at its finest.
23. Plan a Spooky Spa Night
Haunted luxury, anyone? I am talking black bath bombs, charcoal masks, pumpkin-spice scrubs, blood-red nail polish, and a chilling playlist.
You can invite a few friends or keep it solo.
Remember, it is all about pampering yourself.
Free Halloween Bucket List Printable
Here’s your cute printable bucket list (one filled out and one blank, so you can make it your own).
Get the Your Halloween Bucket List Printable
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Final Thoughts on Halloween Ideas for Adults
There you have it, 23 Halloween activities that are actually fun for adults who still want to celebrate Halloween and feel all the spooky vibes.
Whether you are planning a solo spooky spa night or a costume party that turns into an unforgettable murder mystery, the spooky season is yours to own.
My advice is to mix and match the low-key, cozy, and creepy, and create your own Halloween traditions.
And whatever you do, remember to take pictures. Because nothing says Halloween adult celebration like an Instagram-worthy picture that shows you crushing your costume.
Happy Halloween, my loves. And Happy Haunting.
