Can’t wait for Holiday Light Season? Get a sneak peak with these Halloween Decorations. Many of our favorite homes with holiday light displays actually kick off the season in October with a Halloween display to add a little horror to their neighborhoods. Here are our recommendations for the best Halloween houses, decorations and attractions to light up the night in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Beat the crowds and drive by for some spookier displays.
While peak fall color season usually hits in September around here, you might be able to combine some of these drives with some fall color viewing. Gianna has the details here.
Looking for haunted house experiences? We share some of those in our Twin Cities Halloween Events for Teens & Tweens.
Best Halloween Houses and Haunts for a Drive-By Experience in the Twin Cities
Your kids will scream for some of these Halloween attractions and you don’t even have to get out of the car.
1. Annual Waconia Scarecrow Tour
Waconia, MN 55387
This self-guided tour features scarecrows and pumpkins in creative settings at over 30 locations. Past years have featured witches and ghosts along with less-scary displays, Drive through the City of Waconia, pick up a ballot from area businesses, and vote for your favorite scarecrow. October 13-23, 2022.
2. Halloween Capital of the World
Anoka, MN 55303
Anoka’s House Decorating Contest is back. Anoka homeowners decorate porches and create front lawn scenes. The city marks homes on the list that are family-friendly and/or have live action, so parents can plan their tour accordingly. Drive through and enjoy the creations from your car. Public viewing is October 28 & 29thfrom 7-9pm.
3. Halloween Havoc House Tour
Farmington, MN 55024
The City of Farmington’s spookiest Halloween Houses will be ready for viewing October 17th through Halloween. The city will have maps available for self-guided scares.
4. Langness Lights
9610 223rd Street North Forest Lake, MN 55025
The Langness family’s home has been on our Christmas lights list and now they’ll be offering a creepy house display from October 21-October 31, 2022. If you stop for this synchronized thrill, remember not to block driveways during your Halloween fun.
5. Plymouth Lights: Halloween at the Fischer’s Place
16700 33rd Ave N, Plymouth MN
Sun-Thurs: 5:30-9:30; Fri-Sat: 5:30-10pm. Decorated for Halloween in 2021 with cool light up features and animatronics, including a giant spider, floating ghosts, glowing jack-o-lanterns and even Snoopy. We’re hoping to see fun props and spooky decorations again in 2022.
6. PD Shimmers
4320 Ithaca Lane N, Plymouth MN & 4100 Juneau Ln N, Plymouth MN
Loved for their huge Christmas light show, PD Shimmers has decided to cut back on the Holiday lights and focus on Halloween with spooky projections of skeletons, ghouls, and more. October 27-30, 2022 from 7-9pm.
7. Porter’s Holiday Lights Show
13596 Hollins Ct., Apple Valley, MN 55124
Tune to FM frequency 87.9. Halloween show beginning October 11th. Sunday to Thursday 7-9pm; Friday & Saturday 7-10pm.
8. Schultz Family Lights/Holiday Lights on York
1526 York Ave, St. Paul 55106
2022’s Halloween display is up with a cemetery, clown horror, ghosts and pumpkins and more. Listen to on your car radio; synchronized to 91.5. Collecting food shelf donations for the holiday season. 5-10 pm. In 2021, they collected 2600 pounds of food for the food shelf during the Halloween season.
9. Sperry Tower
1401-1407 Towerview Rd, Eagan, MN 55121
This nearly-200 foot tower has over five through LED bults that the city lights up to celebrate holidays and special events. It will be lit with Orange & Black lights for Halloween.
Best Halloween Decorations & Attractions for a Walking Tour
1. Scarecrows in the Gardens
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Dr, Chaska, MN 55318
Gate Admission: $15/adult; Kids Free; Reservations Required
Hike or bike through the arboretum grounds to view a collection of scarecrows that have taken up residency at the arboretum on Scarecrow Hill. Sept. 17- Oct. 31, 2022.
2. Candy Cane Lane – Halloween Display
1994 Herschel Street, Roseville, MN 55113
Kicking off the Holiday season with a Halloween Display, Candy Cane Lane offers a walking path daily from 9am-9pm.
3. Halloween in Excelsior Decor Contest
Downtown Excelsior, MN 55331.
Stroll past Excelsior store fronts all done up in their best autumn decor while trick-or-treaters haunt downtown from 10am-2pm. The window contest will be judged at noon. October 29, 2022.
4. Vadnais Heights Community Scarecrow Trail
Community Park, 641 E County Rd F, Vadnais Heights, MN 55127
Families can walk the Scarecrow Trail during park hours. Visitors are encouraged to take pictures with the funniest or most creative scarecrows, and vote for your favorite before you leave. Thursday, October 27 – Wednesday, November 2, 2022.
5. Severs Straw Sculptures & Installations
Sever’s Festival, 3121 150th Street West, Shakopee, MN 55379
Back to festival style in 2022. Included with admission to the Fall Festival are the straw sculptures and installations. Stroll through fun sculptures made of straw. $19/pp for ages 4+.
6. Ghosts of Anoka Walking Tour
Anoka County Historical Society, 2135 North 3rd Avenue, Anoka, MN 55303
Families with bigger kids may enjoy going on Anoka’s Halloween Ghost Tour. Bring a flashlight and learn about odd happenings and eerie encounters in Anoka’s historic neighborhoods. Expect to spend an hour to an hour and a half walking around town (approx. 1 mile) $15/pp.
7. BareBones Halloween Extravaganza
This annual pageant includes larger-than-life puppetry, drama, stilting, dance, fire, song, and music and even a 12-foot skeleton puppet! While this is more of an outdoor show than a walking tour, after the performance, audience can mingle with the cast. October 28, 29, 30, and 31. Tickets $20/pp.
8. Thuney’s Haunted Graveyard
15394 Uplander St NW, Andover, MN 55304
Created especially for kids who aren’t quite big enough for Haunted Houses. The Thunbergs offer animatronic zombies, creatures and ghouls, plus dozens of actors in Halloween Costumes for kids to enjoy a slightly less scary nightmare. Free, but Space Limited and Reservations Required.
9. Pick a Pumpkin Patch
For the littlest kids, just strolling through a pumpkin patch can be enough of a Halloween adventure. Pick One: The Best Twin Cities Pumpkin Patches.
Add some of these tours to your Halloween fun list. For more ideas including trick-or-treating, parties, pumpkin carving outdoor Halloween movies, haunted hayrides and more see our full Family Guide to Twin Cities Halloween Events.