St. Augustine, Florida, known as the nation’s oldest city, is preparing for a busy Halloween season with a range of haunted tours and family-friendly events throughout October. The city’s historic sites, including ancient cemeteries and the Spanish fortress, serve as the backdrop for these activities.
Nightly ghost tours are scheduled to take visitors through St. Augustine’s streets, sharing stories from the city’s past. Among them are Night Watchman Ghost Tours, which present history from the perspective of former night watchmen, and Ghosts & Gravestones, which offers rides on the Trolley of Doom through downtown.
Additional tours include St. Augustine Dark History Tour, Ghost Tours of St. Augustine, Old Jail After Dark, Nightly Spirits Ghost Tours, A Ghostly Encounter, GhoSt Augustine, and After Dark Investigations.
Weekend events expand to include Florida Water Tours’ Moonlit Mysteries: Haunted History Boat Tour and The Beetlejuice Pub Crawl with Tasting Tours. St. Augustine Haunted in Pink runs from October 30 to November 2 with guided rides in pink carts featuring ghost stories.
The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum will host “Mortality & Mourning: Women in Black” every Friday and Saturday in October to highlight historical coping methods with loss in the 19th century. The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum will offer its Dark of the Moon Ghost Experience each weekend night in October.
On October 18, Old St. Johns County Jail: A Haunting Experience will open its doors for a special event at the historic jail. From October 24-26, EstuSCARY Haunted Trail at GTM Research Reserve invites guests to explore an eerie trail on South Beach Hammock Trail.
Castillo by Candlelight: Sharks in the Moat takes place on October 25 at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument where visitors can learn about local legends.
Other fall festivities include Sykes Family Farms Crop Maze running weekends from October 4 to November 2 with activities such as a corn maze and hayrides. CROCtoberfest – Brew at the ZOO! is an adults-only evening event featuring beer tastings at a local zoo.
Improv Spooktacular at Third Space Improv offers comedy performances based on audience suggestions starting October 18 through November 1. Limelight Theatre hosts “Dark and Stormy Night” storytelling by Tale Tellers of St. Augustine on October 22.
A charity run/walk called Jail Break 5K is scheduled for October 25 followed by a Halloween party and costume contest. Scream City Con 2025 will be held from October 25-26 as an immersive horror convention with autograph sessions and cosplay contests.
The Headless Bangers Costume Ball returns for its ninth year on October 25 with live music and costume competitions. Poetry Open Mic at The Waterworks allows poets to read their work while in costume on October 26.
Séance Sketches at St. Augustine Art Association provides an art workshop exploring techniques like blind mark-making under candlelight.
For children’s activities, Creatures of the Night at St. Alligator Farm Zoological Park runs from October 24-26 offering trick-or-treating among animal exhibits. Ximenez-Fatio House Museum holds daytime trick-or-treating during its Harvest Festival on October 25.
Tricks and Treats at the St. Augustine Beach Police Department occurs on October 24 with games and treats for families; Hastings Trunk or Treat & Movie in the Park follows on October 25 in historic Hastings.
The annual St. George Street Trick or Treat transforms downtown into a treat-giving area as participating stores hand out candy to costumed visitors.
Florida’s Historic Coast stretches between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville and includes areas such as Ponte Vedra and Hastings along with miles of Atlantic beaches (https://www.floridashistoriccoast.com/). Visitor information centers are located throughout the region for those seeking travel details or event schedules.
