Housing in Austin is terrifying. No, not the pricing (which is a real horror), but the delightfully frightful decor that dons each house for Halloween. Austinites are dead serious about celebrating this macabre holiday properly, transforming their yards into graveyards, and turning their homes hostile. It’s a full-on keeping up with the Jim Joneses out there. Enjoy the cooler weather as winter creeps closer, and wander around these spooktacular streets as you take in all the scenery.

Please remember these are still places where people live, so be respectful of monsters when you visit.

North Austin

PHOTO CREDIT: @HYDEPARKHANGS INSTAGRAM

Hyde Park

The Victorian architecture naturally lends itself to giving off a good Addams or Munster’s vibe, but don’t think this historic neighborhood’s not going to go all out for spooky season. Especially between Avenue F & G, roughly near 43rd Street, you can expect to find people setting up haunted walkthroughs and creepy scenes in their yards. Why they don’t change the name to Jekyll Park ( Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), is beyond us.

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Allandale

This classic tree-lined neighborhood of course has the means to bust out the twelve-foot skellys. Add in they also have the Austin Memorial Park Cemetery sitting snug in the middle of the hood, and you have a perfect mixture of real and faux tombstones to wander past.

The can’t miss house in this hood has to be @Allandalehalloweenhouse. Taking things beyond the typical setup, they turn the front of their house into a full-on crumbling log cabin straight out of the haunted woods of your nightmares.

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PHOTO CREDIT: @ILY_ATX INSTAGRAM

Clarksville

Woodlawn looming over the neighborhood like our very own Haunted Mansion coupled with the several streets of historic homes create even more space for spirits to roam freely. Neighbors go all out and cover their cottages with massive spider webs, ghastly ghosts, and all the classic tropes, but one house continues to go above and beyond this earthly plane. The historic Haskell House hosts an annual haunted house with witchy activities to lift your spirits.

Check here to see if they are doing it this year.

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PHOTO CREDIT: @JESSEJOHNMARTIN INSTAGRAM

Tarrytown

If any neighborhood is going to go big for decorations and give out the big bars, it’s Tarrytown. Even if you can’t stand the campy nature of Halloween decor, you can’t deny the autumnal charm of Tarrytown and more specifically, the Methodist Church. Their Georgian architecture evokes New England vibes with a lawn overrun with pumpkins, it’s peak Halloween if you’re more into Charlie Brown than Charles Manson.

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PHOTO CREDIT: BARRINGTON HALLOWEEN FACEBOOK

Barrington St. 

You’re forgiven if this particular street isn’t a part of your mental map of Austin the way that Burnet or Lamar might be, but this Halloween, it’s time to add it. This sleepy northern neighborhood has one neighbor who summons all the creativity in Austin to turn their home into full on Hollywood level sets. No year is the same, except for the level of wow factor they bring to create that classic old Austin magic we desperately need right now.

Stay up to date when the home is ready to welcome some grim guests here.

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PHOTO CREDIT: MIKE AND MANDI STINE

Leander

The deeper into suburbia you go, the higher the chance you take to see some truly spooky stuff. For over seven years now, Mike and Mandi Stine in Ridgewood North up in Leander have been terrorizing the neighborhood for a good cause. Turning their house into a horror, they continue to lead Leander into every Halloween with ghoulish delight. Typically set up to accept donations for a charity, feel good knowing your screams are going to make the world a happier place.

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South Austin

PHOTO CREDIT: @INTERRANTE INSTAGRAM

Ford St.

The entirety of the Zilker neighborhood comes alive for Halloween, but the closed-off Ford St. is the undead heart of it all. Neighbors and nightmares can wander the streets as they explore all the kitchy homemade haunted garages and mazes set up for the holiday. If you want to be really scared, however, look at the going rate of a home here. Now that’ll keep you up all night.

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PHOTO CREDIT: DIAGON ALLEY FACEBOOK

Vintage Place

Deep inside Circle C Ranch, you’ll find a slice of the wizarding world hiding out amongst the not-so-little boxes made of ticky tacky on the hillside. While the whole subdivision will chip in and create its own Hogsmeade with the centerpiece being Diagon Alley Austin. They turn their home into a full-on model of Hogwarts Castle with lighting and decorations that capture the magic of the beloved series.

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Kyle

The drive down 35 is scary enough to some drivers, but for those willing to brave the traffic, there’s a spooktacular surprise deep in the exurbs of Austin. Kyle couple Milburn and Rhonda King are Halloween royalty in their subdivision. Covering their entire yard in aliens, ghouls, a headless horseman, a talking plant, and even a candy-spewing dragon. Essentially, the Kings of Kyle make it worthwhile to visit for your spooky season fix of over-the-top decorations.

Circle C

Check out Bud Hasert’s Ork Fortress in Circle C! Bud sculpted and painted all the little Orks and Goblins standing guard, and the Ork War Boss watches over all the trick-or-treaters…and occasionally throws out insults…and farts. The yard has custom lights, fog machines, four different audio soundtracks, and a movie Dungeon in the driveway.

Southeast Austin

McKinney Heights

Got a favorite haunt we forgot? Let us know at [email protected]!

This write-up was modified from an original Do512 page by Deven Wilson