Halloween Date Ideas for Every Kind of Couple
Couples celebrate Halloween differently, and that’s what makes it so much fun. For some, it’s all about the thrill, while for others, it’s a cozy night in with scary movies and delicious treats. Luckily, there are plenty of Halloween date ideas to explore, no matter your vibe as a couple.
Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:
- 👻 Hardcore Halloween fans: couples who live for all things spooky.
- 🕯️ Homebodies: couples who prefer a cozy Halloween date night at home.
- 🎉 Party lovers: couples who see Halloween as the ultimate excuse to dress up and party.
- 🌍 Long-distance couples: partners celebrating virtually but still making it special.
Halloween Date Activities for Hardcore Fans 🎃
If you’re the couple who starts decorating in September and has your costume planned months ahead, this section is for you. You live for the spooky season and want every Halloween moment to be an adventure.
1. Find the Perfect Costume for Halloween
Half the fun of Halloween is choosing the perfect costume that makes you and your partner stand out. Costumes show off your personality as a couple: are you creative, funny, classic, or last-minute planners?
Putting your outfits together is one of the best ways to bond and share a few laughs before the big night.
Some costume ideas:
- Solo costumes (for couples who don’t want to match). Maybe you’re a witch and a vampire, or a pirate and a ghost. These costumes are complementary but not identical.
- Spooky classics: Think Frankenstein’s monster and his bride, Dracula and Mina, or a pair of plague doctors. Good Housekeeping has rounded up some of the best spooky costume ideas for couples who love a good scare.
- Silly or funny Halloween costumes for couples: If you love humor, you’ll adore these unique and hilarious ideas from Diana Maria & Co., from “Jim and Pam from The Office” to creative interpretations of common phrases and concepts like “Instagram vs. Reality.”
2. Go Trick or Treating
Who says trick-or-treating is just for kids? Halloween is the perfect time (besides Christmas) to unleash your inner child. Dress up, grab matching candy buckets, and visit a few local houses or community events.
Relive your childhood together or, if you’re shy, tag along with younger relatives while you sneak some candy for yourselves.
3. Go to Your Local Halloween Fair
Many towns or neighbourhoods host Halloween fairs where you can play games, try local treats, and visit themed attractions.
Halloween fairs are also great halloween date ideas for new couples. In this atmosphere, you can have fun and enjoy each other’s company without the pressure of a formal date.
4. Go to a Halloween Parade and Flaunt Your Costume
Parades are vibrant public celebrations of creativity. Dancing in costume, cheering for others, and taking photos together makes for unforgettable memories (and Instagram-worthy moments).
Suggestion: One of the most famous Halloween parades is the “Thriller Dance” in New York City (and other major U.S. cities), where people dress up in iconic Michael Jackson outfits and dance to his hit song “Thriller.”
5. Visit a Fortune Teller
Whether you believe in it or not, visiting a fortune teller makes for a unique and memorable Halloween date idea. And it’s not all about crystal balls in dark tents — there are plenty of ways to explore your “fate” together:
- Tarot reading
- Birth chart reading
- Palmistry (interpreting the lines on your hands)
- Numerology
- Tasseography (reading coffee grounds or tea leaves)
6. Do a Halloween Couple Photoshoot
Capture the spooky season with a creative photo session, either a professional shoot or a DIY setup with a tripod and props like fog machines, candlelight, spider webs, and carved pumpkins.
Over time, this can become a fun Halloween tradition for you as a couple, where each year you try to outdo your last costume or backdrop.
Halloween Date Night Ideas at Home 🏚️
Not every Halloween date needs to be loud or public. Staying in doesn’t mean missing out on the fun. Here are some Halloween date ideas at home for couples that are as romantic as they are festive.
1. Decorate for Halloween
Set the mood together by decorating your space and turn it into a shared activity:
- Shop for decorations
- Hang them up
- Snap a few photos
- Store them for next year.
It’s a simple but fun way to learn each other’s tastes and make decisions as a team. And for long-term couples who’ve already been through many decorating phases, Halloween decorating can be a fun way to rediscover the joy of doing something playful together.
2. Play Fun Couple Games
Want an intimate idea for a Halloween date night at home that doesn’t require much preparation? Try answering couple questions together. Apps like Couple Joy make it easy with fun prompts that spark laughter and genuine connection.
Start with “This or That” questions inspired by day-to-day life, famous stories, characters, or pop culture moments to lighten the mood:
- Dracula or Frankenstein?
- Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?
- Pumpkin pie or apple pie?
Then talk about your answers to see how your tastes align. You’d be surprised how animated conversations can get from simply choosing your favorite Halloween treat or costume!
The Couple Joy app also works for every couple, no matter what stage you’re in:
- Long-term partners can turn up the heat with a few spicy questions
- Newer couples might prefer lighter, “get to know you” prompts like “What’s your fondest childhood memory?” or “What moment in your life felt like a scene straight out of a movie?”
3. Watch Halloween Movies
Movie marathons are possibly the most popular Halloween date ideas for couples staying in. To make it more interactive, turn it into a game:
- Create a bingo card with horror clichés (e.g. gang splitting up or jump scares)
- Try a drinking game (e.g. take a sip every time someone screams and a shot when a character dies).
Below are some of our Halloween movie recommendations for couples.
For the laughs:
- Beetlejuice
- Scary Movie
- The Addams Family
For the horror:
- Halloween
- The Conjuring
- The Nightmare on Elmstreet
4. Enjoy a Candle-Lit Dinner with Spooky Decorations and Food
Turn off the lights, set the table with black candles, orange napkins, and themed treats, play your favorite Halloween music, and enjoy a cozy dinner with your partner.
For an even better experience, cook the meal together–it’s a fun way to connect! You can find creative recipes on BBC Good Food, from pumpkin hummus to fake edible blood to decorate the cookies.
5. Carve Pumpkins
It’s time to get messy and creative! Carve pumpkins side by side, post them on social media, and see which one gets the most likes.
Tip: If you’ve never carved a pumpkin before or feel like you need help, follow this YouTube tutorial.
6. Read Scary Books Together
This one’s for the bookworms! Reading marathons have become a cozy trend among couples on TikTok and YouTube. The idea is simple: set a timeframe (usually 24 h), pick two or three spooky books, gather snacks and a blanket, and settle into your favorite reading spot.
Check in with each other as you read: share thoughts, talk about your favorite scenes, or motivate each other to keep going.
7. Try Halloween-Themed Drinks and Cocktails
Turn your kitchen into a mini potion lab and experiment with Halloween-inspired drinks. You can try recipes from Delish: from spicy apple cider margaritas to pumpkin spice white russians.
8. Solve a Murder Mystery Board Game
The murder mystery genre has made its way into board games too. There are plenty of options where you and your partner team up to solve a case (you can check BoardGameGeek’s selection of the best murder mystery board games), working together against the game itself.
Halloween Date Ideas for Adventurous Couples ✈️
If you and your partner love travel and adrenaline, these Halloween date activities will get your hearts racing.
1. Travel to a Spooky Destination
Explore haunted legends and eerie landmarks such as:
- Salem, Massachusetts: The famous site of the Salem witch trails.
- Hoia Baciu Forest, Romania: Known as the world’s most haunted forest.
- Sleepy Hollow, New York: The home of the Headless Horseman.
- The Catacombs of Paris: Underground tunnels lined with human remains.
- Isla de las Muñecas, Mexico: An island covered in old, creepy dolls.
Besides exploring the uncanny, according to a psychology experiment, people who went through a nerve-wracking situation (like crossing a shaky bridge) ended up feeling more drawn to each other!
2. Visit a Haunted House or Castle
If you’d rather skip the crowds, try visiting a haunted house or castle. Some of these places even offer overnight accommodations!
United States
- Winchester Mystery House, California: A haunted mansion full of secret doors and staircases.
- Lizzie Borden House, Massachusetts: The site of one of America’s most infamous crimes.
Europe
- Leap Castle, Ireland: Said to be haunted by spirits from its dark past.
- Houska Castle, Czech Republic: Built over a “gateway to hell.”
Asia
- Bhangarh Fort, India: Known as India’s most haunted fort.
- Himuro Mansion, Japan: This site inspired the horror game Fatal Frame.
Africa
- Castle of Good Hope, South Africa: Cape Town’s oldest building, rumored to echo with the footsteps of ghostly soldiers.
- Nottingham Road Hotel, South Africa: A charming spot where guests have reported ghost encounters.
South America
- La Recoleta Cemetery, Argentina: A maze of mausoleums in Buenos Aires.
- Gran Hotel Viena, Argentina: An abandoned hotel that attracts ghost hunters (currently closed for the public).
3. Do a Ghost Tour
Cities like Edinburgh, Prague, and New Orleans are famous for ghost tours. Many include real historical stories and nighttime walks through old cemeteries or tunnels.
It’s a fun way for couples to explore new places, laugh off jump scares, and hold on to each other when things get spooky.
Tip: Document your trips using the Couple Joy app’s journal feature to capture photos, notes, and milestones from your travels and mark each spot you visited on your shared world map!
4. Try a Halloween Room Escape
If you’re not traveling this time of year, try a Halloween-themed escape room, just the two of you or with another couple.
This is a Halloween double date idea that tests your ability to cooperate and solve problems together (just don’t get too competitive!).
5. Rent a Cabin Away from Home
Here’s the coziest option from these adventurous Halloween date ideas: rent a cabin in the mountains, the woods, or anywhere far from home. Unplug from the world, light a fire, and share ghost stories under the stars.
6. Go to a Bonfire or Hayride
If your area allows, join a local bonfire (in the woods or the beach) or hayride. These classic fall experiences create cozy, romantic moments under the night sky.
Safety tip: Dress properly and check local regulations before exploring any haunted or forested area.
Halloween Date Ideas for Couples who Love Partying 🎊
If your idea of romance is dancing all night and meeting new people, you’ll love these Halloween date night ideas.
1. Host Your Own Halloween Party
This is the perfect time to host your own party. If it’s your first time throwing one together, you’re in for a wild (and fun) ride and maybe even an important step in your relationship. Plan it as a team and divide the tasks:
- Decorations: House Beautiful has some great Halloween decorating ideas to spark your imagination.
- Food: You can find our favorite spooky recipes in the section above.
- Drinks: Check out the Halloween cocktail ideas we shared earlier.
- Activities: From couple games to mystery board games.
- Music: Set the vibe with this Halloween Spotify playlist.
2. Go to a Costume Contest Party
Who doesn’t like a Halloween costume contest?
Compete for “Best Couple Costume,” or, if you’d rather skip the spotlight, volunteer as judges and rate everyone else’s looks. Over time, this can become your tradition: try and outdo last year’s performance and win the most rewards.
3. Go to a Halloween Club Night
If you and your partner love to dance, check out a local bar or club hosting a Halloween night. Many places organize themed parties with costume contests, spooky cocktails, and live DJs. Halloween’s the perfect excuse to dress up and hit the dance floor.
4. Attend the Dracula Castle Party
Yes, it’s real! The Vampire Ball at Bran Castle in Romania is one of the most exclusive Halloween events in the world, limited to just 100 guests. The experience includes after-dark access to the castle, candlelit dinner, live DJ, and dancing in the courtyard, among others.
It’s a once-in-a lifetime experience (bucket list-worthy) and one of the most unique Halloween date ideas!
5. Host or Join a Murder Mystery Party
If you love puzzles and a bit of drama, a murder mystery party is the ultimate Halloween date night idea. In these games, one person plays the victim, another is the murderer, and everyone else takes on roles like detectives, witnesses, or suspects. The goal is to uncover who did it — and how — before time runs out.
Host one at home with your friends (bonus points if you both write the storyline!), or join a local event to meet other people.
Virtual Halloween Date Ideas (for Long-Distance Couples) 🤳
Even if you can’t be in the same place during Halloween, technology makes it easy to celebrate together, there are lots of creative date ideas for long-distance couples that can make the night feel special.
1. Have a Halloween Zoom Call
Distance doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate! Dress up, light some candles, and share your favorite Halloween treats over a video call. You can even sync your decorations or create a shared spooky playlist to set the mood together.
2. Host a Virtual Party
Gather mutual friends or other couples online for a virtual costume contest, spooky trivia night, or themed drinking game. Add a few fun challenges (like karaoke or horror-movie charades) to keep everyone laughing.
3. Watch Movies Together
Use apps that allow you to watch movies at the same or do it over Zoom. Chat, react, and rate the jump scares together. It’s almost like sitting side by side (minus the popcorn sharing).
4. Play Couple Questions
Keep your virtual Halloween date fun with the CoupleJoy app’s questions. You can ask each other themed “Never Have I Ever,” or “Who’s More Likely To,” and “Would You Rather,” questions like:
- “Would you rather spend a night in a haunted mansion or a graveyard?”
- “Never have I ever used a Ouija board.”
- “Who’s more likely to stay five minutes inside a coffin for a bet?”
5. Comment on Celebrity Costumes
Celebrities go all out for Halloween with their costume choices, and now it’s your turn to be the fashion critics. Scroll through social media together, rate the looks, and maybe even get some inspiration for your future couple costumes.
Make Halloween Special 👻
No matter how you spend it — in costume, under the covers, or miles apart — Halloween is the perfect excuse to have fun and grow closer as a couple. Keep those memories alive and make every season special with the Couple Joy app.
After all, the best Halloween date ideas are the ones that bring you closer together.
Photos: Freepik
