The best things to do on Halloween in London

With its story revolving around the witches in The Wizard of Oz and thematically spot-on set pieces, the massively successful Wicked musical has been a mainstay of Halloween since first opening in London in 2006. The production’s splashy musical numbers are entertaining for adults and kids alike. The musical is permanently at home at the renowned Apollo Victoria Theatre, a stunning Art Deco venue with over two thousand seats.

Hoxton Street Monster Supplies is a unique London store offering an array of spooky products, from bottled smog to marshmallow brain food, catering to both the living and undead since 1818. Behind its traditional façade lies a trove of quirky items appealing to both adults and children. More than just a shop, Hoxton Street Monster Supplies also operates as a charitable venture for the Ministry of Stories.

London's famed Natural History Museum is open after hours on Halloween, letting visitors explore the dark side of its skeleton-filled galleries. You'll be able to learn about the more misunderstood members of the natural world, sip on a cocktail and shake, rattle and roll in the silent disco beneath Hope the blue whale. For an extra creepy experience, tack on a tour of the museum's tank room, which holds millions of wet specimens stored in alcohol.

Throughout October, the West End's only remaining independent cinema shows a selection of classic Halloween films from all of cinema's history. Timeless classics such as "The Thing" and “Suspiria” will be screened alongside newer features such as “Mandy” and “Longlegs”. They're also hosting a classic horror all-nighter. Check out the programme online and find the right fright night for you.

Decades on, the gruesome crimes of Jack the Ripper continue to fascinate and horrify. The Jack the Ripper Tour takes you to each of the murder scenes, providing insight into the bloody crimes. Taking you back to Victorian-era Whitechapel, the walking tour has a particularly sinister note to it in October. The tours run twice daily.

This year, Kew Gardens are getting in on the Halloween game with a brand-new trail designed by the same folks as their acclaimed Christmas at Kew event. As you walk the grounds, you'll be able to see a fiendish fire garden, brave fire artists, glowing pumpkins, neon cobwebs, and other ghostly displays, with warm seasonal treats on hand to help warm you up despite all the chills.

For Halloween, the imposing Tower of London fortress by the Thames digs deep into its bloody history to bring its many scary stories to life. During the family-friendly adventure, you'll wander the grounds, encountering the roaming ghosts of this former prison's inmates, while eerie projections and sound effects provide glimpses of the spirit world.

In both name and deeds, Henry VIII sure does sound like the villain of a long-running horror film franchise. His royal home, Hampton Court Palace, leans into the scariness in October, setting up atmospheric projections and creepy sound effects throughout its dark winding corridors and courtyards to bring its infamous ghosts to unlife. The family-friendly adventure finishes off with some scary stories and a finally a comforting treat in the café.

ZSL London Zoo is calling all little monsters for a variety of fun, family-friendly Halloween events and workshops this October. Little ones can try their hand at decorating a pumpkin, navigate a graveyard of extinct species, explore the pumpkin patch and search for the Golden Pumpkin, attend talks and demonstrations about terrifying animals, and more.

One London's last remaining 1950s-style ballrooms, the Rivoli Ballroom features a majestic preserved interior and exterior, and regularly hosts all sorts of events, from live music to salsa classes and more. For Halloween, it's setting up as a pop-up cinema and screening classic spooky films such as “The Shining” and “The Lost Boys”, as well as more family-friendly movies like “Hocus Pocus”.

Covent Garden Market brings scary Halloween vibes to the very heart of the capital. At the Halloween Boo-Bash at the end of October, there will be free treat bags and cookies for the kids in the best costumes, along with live music, a bouncy castle, a colouring corner, photo opportunities, and more. You can also grab a Halloween-themed snack from one of the many restaurants in the area, or even stop by a day early for the Fall Food Fair, with fun autumnal events such as pumpkin bowling and gourd checkers.

Between the Bridges, the fun all-day destination in South Bank, is hosting a number of different events for this year's Halloween festivities. You can start with a special Joker-themed edition of UKG Bingo on 25 October and a spooky version of Between the Bridges' monthly drag brunch the next day. A week later, round things off with Ogrepalooza, the ultimate Halloween party featuring the UK's #1 Shrek tribute band.

One of London's favourite outdoor cinemas will be screening frighteningly fantastic films throughout October. At the Rooftop Cinema in Peckham, you'll be able to watch classics such as “American Psycho” and “Halloween” alongside modern-day releases such as “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and “Maxxxine”. They're also throwing a big Halloween bash on 26 October.

Popular event organizers Perplex are hosting their biggest Halloween party to date. They're taking over the One Marylebone venue for three successive days, bringing a jam-packed DJ line-up to the grand Grade-I listed church. The festivities are themed after the Mexican Day of the Dead, so you can expect a lot of fascinating fancy dress.