Can’t wait for Holiday Light Season? Get a sneak peak with homes that decorate for the Halloween season. 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. In addition, we’ve rounded up some fun Halloween-themed driving and walking tours. Here are our recommendations for the best Halloween houses, decorations and attractions to light up the night in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Beat the Christmas crowds and drive by for some spookier displays.
More Fall Tours: Minnesota’s fall color season usually hits in September. Enjoy some fall color viewing with these ideas that Gianna has gathered.
Looking for haunted house experiences? We share some of those in our Twin Cities Halloween Events for Teens & Tweens.
Halloween Houses and Haunted Driving Tours
Load up your favorite fall treats and some hot apple cider. 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 locations around Waconia. 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 9-19, 2025.
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 24-25, 2025 from 6:30pm-9:30pm.
3. Lights On Copper Oaks
3173 Copper Oaks Place, Woodbury, MN 55125
Talking pumpkins, tombstones, spiders and 2500 pixels of house lights! Halloween decor will be up from October 1st through 31st. Confirmed for 2025.
4. Halloween Havoc House Tour
Farmington, MN 55024
The City of Farmington’s spookiest Halloween Houses will be ready for viewing mid-October through Halloween. The city will have maps available for self-guided scares. Halloween Houses will be ready to view by October 12, 2025.
5. Holiday Lights of Woodbury
8846 Glacier Road, Woodbury, MN 55125
15 Halloween songs synched to lights, including a motion-triggered jump scare. Get ready for a fun Halloween fright! Runs October 1st through 31st.
6. Sperry Tower
1401-1407 Towerview Rd, Eagan, MN 55121
This nearly-200 foot tower has over five thousand LED bulbs that the city lights up to celebrate holidays and special events. It will be lit with Orange & Black lights for Halloween. October 31, 2025..
7. Halloween House in Otsego
14234 91st Street NE, Otsego MN 55330
The Feros tell us they have over 50+ skeletons, 110 tombstone, 2 dragons, a headless horseman, levitating grim reaper, night predator, giant spider, an electric chair, guillotine and numerous other yard decorations this year. New in 2025 – a Ferris wheel and a 15 foot worricrow. Lights are on 6 pm until 11 pm each night. The homeowners ask that visitors stay behind the lighted fence when enjoying the display. Verified by homeowners for 2025.
8. Pomish Manor
3256 Ensign Ave North, Minneapolis, MN 55427
The Pomish Family offers an annual Halloween Drive By/Food donation event. Decorations are lit from 6:30-9pm, October 23, 26 & 29, 2025. Verified by the Homeowner for 2025.
9. Durrant Family Projection
1839 Laramee Lane, Centerville, MN 55449
Back in a new location, Halloween lighting will be on display nightly all October. Verified for 2024.
Reader Recommendations
Want more? Check out these recommendations from our readers:
- Randy recommends the house at 7608 Iris Drive North, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428
- Jackie Recommends: Peterson’s Purgatory, 6300 Block Richfield, MN 55423 and Terrors on 10th, 71st St. between 10th and 11th Ave South, Richfield, MN 55423. She tells us that both homes have been decorating all out for years.
- Kenneth suggests we check out two homes on West River Road: 8901 W River Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55444 and 7900 W River Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55444
- Lisa in Maple Grove submitted her household’s glorious graveyard decorations: 17301 91st Ave N, Maple Grove 55311.
Halloween Decorations & Attractions for a Walking Tour
1. Pumpkin Displays at the Arb
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN 55318
Gate Admission: $20-$25/ages 16+; Kids Free. Find online tickets here.
One weekend in September, Glass Pumpkin will be on display in the Snyder Building and Morgan Terrace. Fall is also a great time for sunflowers! September 12-14, 2025.
2. Halloween in Excelsior Business Decorating 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. Saturday, October 25, 2025.
3. 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 23 – Friday November 3, 2025.
4. Severs Straw Sculptures & Installations
Sever’s Festival, 3121 150th Street West, Shakopee, MN 55379
Included with admission to the Fall Festival are the straw sculptures and installations. Stroll through fun sculptures made of straw. $19-$45/pp for ages 4+. Open Weekends and MEA, September 13 – October 26, 2025
5. BareBones Halloween Extravaganza
Powderhorn Park, 3400 15th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407
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. Traditionally Halloween week. Oct 30-31 & Nov 1-2, 2025.
6. The Great Pumpkin Trail
Pinehaven Farm, 28186 Kettle River Blvd, Wyoming, MN 55092
Walk this family-friendly, half-mile trail featuring more than 10,000 intricately carved and glowing pumpkins. The trail includes a giant pumpkin tunnel and fun themed areas. Bring your camera for some great autumn family photos. October 3–November 2, 2025. Ticket prices: $16-$26.
7. 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. October 11, 17-18, 2025. Free, but Space Limited and Reservations Required.
8. Parkers Lake Cemetery Tours
Parkers Lake Cemetery, 1700 Niagara Lane N., Plymouth MN 55447
A guided, dusk walk through the cemetery hearing stories, history and interesting facts. Thursdays, Oct 2, 16 & 30, 2025; 5-7pm. Pre-register here.
9. Fridley Halloween Tour
Homes around Fridley will be decorated and on display October 15-31, 2025. Maps available to the public beginning October 15th.
10. 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.
Once Halloween is over, keep the fun going with our great big list of Twin Cities & Greater Minnesota Christmas & Holiday Light Displays
Hello, I’m putting up a light show this year for Halloween and Christmas in Woodbury. I’d appreciate being featured in your holiday lights list around the cities.
Thanks, Jeff. I’m adding your home, now.
Hi,
We have been doing a Halloween Drive By/Food donation event for the past 3 years. We decorate the outside of our home and actually we have been listed as a home to visit during Halloween. Two years ago there was a short segment on WCCO Television on us. (if you google Pomish Manor you can see the segment.
Our home is decorated and we started a Halloween DriveBy Food Drive on 2019….. tomorrow, the 28th is our 2nd Drive By for the season…..6:30-9
Pomish Manor….3256 Ensign Ave N, New Hope
Thank you, Liz. I’ve added your home. We would love to hear how your food drive goes.
This place is ridiculous. 8901 W River Rd
Minneapolis, MN 55444
United States And this one is just down the road 7900 W River Rd
Minneapolis, MN 55444
United States
Thanks Kenneth. Are you using “ridiculous” in a good way — like “over the top”? Either way, you have me curious and I want to go drive by tonight.
Peterson’s purgatory in Richfield needs to be on here as well as “terrors on 10th” – corner of 10th Avenue and 71st Street in Richfield. Both have been going all out for years and worth a visit.
Thank you, Jackie.
We’ll share your recommendations.
7608 iris dr n brooklyn park is kind of cool
Thank you Randy. We’ll share your recommendation.
Please add our glorious graveyard decorations to you list!
17301 91st Ave N, Maple Grove 55311
Thanks, Lisa: We’ll try to reach out to you early next year, so you can get on our 2023 list.
Hello,
I would love for you to consider my house as a destination. For a drive by. We put a lot into it every year and it take us a month to set up everything. We won the Mounds View decorations contest last year. My address is 5406 Adams street Mounds View mn 55112. It is best viewed at night with lights and fog machines. Just my way of giving back to a great community.
Thank you
Joe Ihrig
Thanks, Joe! We’ll add your home and all of this information.