Trick-or-treat! Soon, you’ll be hearing those three words at your door — or even helping kiddos remember to say them as they go house to house in your neighborhood. It’s adorable to see the creativity of kids’ Halloween costumes as they hunt around the block for the best Halloween candy. But no matter how cute your family group costume is, neighbors won’t welcome a knock at the door before they have the candy set up or late into the night. That’s why it’s so important to know what time trick-or-treating starts. We’ve compiled the trick-or-treating hours of major U.S. cities so kids can have safe and respectful fun this Halloween, whether they are going to a trunk-or-treat event or going door to door.
What is the best time to go trick-or-treating?
Most trick-or-treaters head out at sunset after dinnertime. Sunset can vary by location, but 5:30 or 6 p.m. is a common start time, and kids should be home by 9 p.m. If you run out of candy or are “closed” to trick-or-treaters after a certain time of night, you can turn your porch light off. But don’t be surprised if witches and ghosts still show up at your door in search for more goodies!
Before you go knocking on any doors, remember to practice important Halloween safety measures like only eating sealed candy, avoiding poorly-lit areas and bringing a flashlight or wearing reflective clothing. Happy Halloween!
Trick-or-Treat hours in areas across the country:
Each city can differ in local guidelines for trick-or-treating on their streets, but there's a general window in mind for most Americans. A 2015 poll conducted by FiveThirtyEight suggests that most Americans agreed that trick-or-treaters should start arriving by 6 p.m. and be finished by 9 p.m. at the latest.
Here's when Trick-or-Treating usually occurs in the following cities:
- Atlanta: The city has no set hours, but events like trunk-or-treat will take place between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
- Boston: The Boston Police Department has recommended that trick-or-treating end no later than 8:30 p.m.
- Chicago: The city has no set hours, but many Chicago trick-or-treat hours end between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- Cincinnati: Hours for the city and surrounding suburbs range between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., per local outlets.
- Cleveland: Trick-or-treating takes place from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m., according to local outlets.
- Denver: The city has no set hours, but some citywide events may end as early as 5 p.m., according to local outlets.
- Indianapolis: The city is hosting trick-or-treaters from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m., reports IndyStar news.
- Las Vegas: The city hosts activities for all ages starting at 5 p.m., according to the city website. The Clark County “Inside by 9” campaign recommends all children finish trick-or-treating by 9 p.m. on Halloween.
- New York City: Events take place across many areas of the city all day on Halloween, according to the New York City Department of Transportation.
- Philadelphia: The city doesn’t have set trick-or-treating hours, but events take place on and around Halloween, according to Visit Philadelphia.
- Phoenix: The Street Transportation Department of Phoenix says popular trick-or-treat hours are from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Pittsburgh: The city of Pittsburgh announced trick-or-treating will take place from 5:30 p.m. through 7:30 p.m.
- San Antonio: Hours vary, but younger children can start trick-or-treating as early as 4:30 p.m. while older kids start closer to 7 p.m., suggests a local outlet.
- San Diego: While there is no set time for trick-or-treating, some activities in the area will occur from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- San Francisco: There are no set hours for trick-or-treat, but several events will take place on and around Halloween, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
- San Jose: The city of San Jose has said peak trick-or-treat hours are between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- Seattle: There are no set hours, but some trick-or-treating events happen from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Washington D.C.: Trunk-or-treat events will take place between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., according to a statement from Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Before you head out, remember to bring a flashlight, look both ways before crossing the road and make sure your family stays together on the streets, per Safe Kids Worldwide. And if you choose to stay in, don't fret — there are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween at home this year. Check out our best ideas below.
Zee Krstic is a content strategy manager for Hearst Magazines, leading audience acquisition and affiliate revenue growth for Country Living, House Beautiful, ELLE Decor and VERANDA. He previously served as Health Editor for Good Housekeeping between 2019 and 2023, covering news, wellness trends and executing product reviews in conjunction with the Good Housekeeping Institute. Prior to joining Hearst, Zee fostered a background in women's lifestyle media with seven-plus years of digital editorial experience, including as a site-wide editor at Martha Stewart Living. Zee currently produces design and lifestyle service content as a contributor; he has written about food and dining for Time, among other publications.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
