Best UK attractions for Halloween 2023 to visit for a last-minute spookfest
The final day of October is looming and ghosts and ghouls are gearing up for some hair-raising horror to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve 2023.
While traditional trick-or-treating trips might basket a questionably flavoured Chupa Chups lolly or two, braving the beasts of scream parks, cracking the case of a murder mystery and devilish family-friendly fun at haunted castles are the ultimate spooky attractions to sink your fangs into.
Unorganised fright seekers need not worry; eleventh-hour DIY-style costumes are all the rage for those not keen to dress up as Barbie, Wednesday Addams or Ratatouille’s Remy and Linguini (an underdog couples costume). Plus, a splash of fake blood is bound to blend in with the circus of possessed nuns and gory zombies that await.
From the frightening forests of North Wales to London’s bone-chilling dungeons and Derry’s sinister street parade, here are 13 of the UK’s top haunts for this halloweekend and beyond.
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Shocktoberfest at Tulleys Farm
Location: Crawley
Tulleys Farm’s world-famous Shocktoberfest is back for another year of screams, haunts and hellish attractions in Crawley. Picture creepy clown towns, running from penitentiary prisoners and a circus of horrors with spooky street theatre surprises and shocking electric chairs. By day, rather than tricks, the Tulleys Pumpkin Patch Festival is full of sweet autumnal treats for the whole family to pick.
Xscream Pass from £44.95, 29 September-31 October.
Fright Night at Thorpe Park
Location: Chertsey
The ultimate fear fest, Thorpe Park’s adrenaline-fuelled thrills transform into the playground from hell once the sun goes down and designated scare zones come to life. Weave through Lucifer’s Lair, Mawkin Meadow and knock on Death’s Doors before riding the iconic rollercoasters under the cover of darkness.
Pre-booked tickets from £39pp, 6-31 October.
Ffear Fforest at Zip World
Location: Betws-y-Coed
Brace yourself for North Wales’ eerie Ffear Fforest of jump scares this weekend with night passes that include cursed alpine coasters and bounce nets swarmed with killer clowns. If that wasn’t enough, a 100ft trapdoor drop, Europe’s largest five-seater swing and a paintball range with an emphasis on survival skills guarantee you’ll be hoarse from screaming.
From £33pp, 12 October-1 November.
The Exorcism of Peter Moore at the London Dungeon
Location: Waterloo, London
Head deep into the London Dungeon this October for a trip back to 1814 with the cursed whispers of Peter Moore’s lost soul to face your demons on a haunting experience in the darkness. With exorcism shows, escape rooms and a Rotten Royals event also new for 2023, it’ll be a harrowing Halloween for those brave enough to venture to the dungeon.
Online entry tickets from £29.50 per adult, 13-31 October.
The Haunted Castle at Warwick Castle
Location: Warwick
You’ll find a thousand years of creepy history and half-term family fun at Warwick Castle’s haunted Halloween extravaganza. Mysterious mazes, eerie entertainment – including the Witches of Warwick magic show – and frightful delights greet families to the stone fortress for some mischief with the castle’s spookiest residents.
Tickets from £27pp, 21 October-5 November.
A Jack the Ripper Tour of Whitechapel
Location: Whitechapel, London
This walking tour investigating one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers offers an atmospheric route around the darker recesses of Whitechapel and Spitalfields, treading the Victorian East End for a unique perspective on the case after nightfall.
Tickets £15pp, weeknights at 7pm from Aldgate Station.
Poisoned Chalice Cocktail Experience at The Mind Palace
Location: Shepherd’s Bush, London
If an unforgettable cocktail mystery experience in a secret Sherlock speakeasy is more your thing, take on The Case of the Poisoned Chalice in West London’s The Mind Palace bar to crack the case and quench your thirst. The riddled refreshment evening includes a welcome drink, a set of four cases to solve and the chance to concoct your own cocktail creation.
Tickets for £35 per adult, Wednesday to Saturday.
FEAR Scream Park in Avon Valley
Location: Bristol
Avon Valley’s FEAR Scream Park promises fearless visitors a “bloody good night” with five scare mazes, fire shows and funfair rides welcoming all over 16. For an additional fee, there’s even an immersive The Exorcism show for guests to battle to save the soul of the demonic Evelyn Grace. Family-friendly FEARless nights also offer a tamed-down experience with just a few frights and far less sinister street performers.
FEAR Pass from £35pp, 13-31 October.
Scare Kingdom Scream Park
Location: Blackburn
Pushing the boundaries of the daunting Halloween maze, Scare Kingdom Scream Park in Blackburn is celebrating 15 years of twisted tricks with menacing mazes, haunted houses and mind-bending live performances at Mrs Dowsons Farm Park. Think hellish hospitals, murderous undertakers and unholy chapel-themed lineups as you play the victim in your very own horror movie.
Tickets £21.99 for over 13s only, 6 October-4 November.
Derry Halloween Festival 2023
Location: Derry
Hosts of Europe’s largest Halloween festival, Derry welcomes the spirit of Samhain for four nights of chilling street celebrations every year, showcasing a fearsome display of folklore, history and heritage. Visitors to the carnival in Northern Ireland’s Walled City can expect fireworks, Jack-o’-lantern competitions and a harvest market for foodies amid the magic and mayhem.
The Awakening the Walled City Trail, parade and fireworks are free to attend. Zombie Laser Tag tickets from £25pp, 30 October.
Ghost in the Machine Hijingo
Location: Shoreditch,London
This Halloween, London’s bingo hotspot Hijingo is hosting dystopian horror nights, Ghost in the Machine, that feature immersive bingo rounds, horror-themed cocktails and the chance to win cash prizes or a European holiday if you’ve dressed to impress in the spirit of spooky season. Join the “spine-tingling” show this weekend for six chances to win big.
From £12pp, 26-31 October.
True Crime Tours at the Real Mary King’s Close
Location: Edinburgh
The closes of Old Town Edinburgh, shrouded in shocking tales of crime and punishment, are investigated on this one-hour True Crime Tour of the forgotten streets’ fascinatingly dark and very real past. Undaunted true crime fans will confront the witch trials and the case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as they walk the winding passageways of Mary King’s Close.
Adult tickets for £25, 13-31 October.
Halloween at the Natural History Museum
Location: Kensington, London
For an adult’s only fright night of entertainment and spooky science, explore the dark side of the Natural History Museum under the glow of its weird and wonderful exhibits. The – fancy dress encouraged – evening of scares, complete with a silent disco and crowd-free tank room tours of preserved specimens, takes place on Tuesday.
Adult tickets from £39, 31 October.
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