Best Trick-or-Treat Neighborhoods in Marin

Halloween may be one of everyone's favorite holidays, but trick-or-treating is kind of a lost art these days. It used to be you'd just trick-or-treat in your neighborhood, but many communities just aren't Halloween friendly. In fact, it seems that many otherwise bustling neighborhoods become ghost towns, so to speak, on Halloween night.

If you happen to live in a place that does go all out for Halloween, then you're in luck! Otherwise, you might want to seek out another nearby neighborhood in which to find that Halloween spirit—plenty of families in Marin County do.

Here's our list of Marin's top (in no particular order) trick-or-treat Halloween hot spots for 2023, as chosen by our readers, friends, and social media followers. If you're sure you know of a neighborhood where the trick-or-treat action is even better than these, let us know. (Of course if you want to keep your favorite Marin trick-or-treat spot a secret, that's OK, too.)

Saturday, October 28

• Downtown Novato—The Downtown Novato Business Association safe trick-or-treat event takes place along Grant Avenue from 11 am to 2 pm. Put on your costume and come have some fun!
• Bon Air Center, Greenbrae—Bring non-perishable food donations for the SF-Marin Food Bank and get a trick-or-treat bag, then trick-or-treat at Bon Air shops and restaurants from 11 am–2 pm. Enjoy face painting, balloon twisting, learn a costumed pet parade and more.
• Downtown San Rafael—Bring your little ones in costume for treats from participating merchants all up and down Fourth Street from 1–3 pm. There will be a pet costume contest, too! 

Tuesday, October 31

• Hamilton, Novato—The Hamilton neighborhood in Novato is full of families and enjoys a close-knight, small-town atmosphere. It's the go-to trick-or-treat spot of many Marin families.
• Knight Drive, San Rafael—This street in San Rafael's Glenwood neighborhood is safe, and has plenty of decorated homes and Halloween spirit and atmosphere.
• Marinwood, San Rafael—This neighborhood between San Rafael and Novato resembles something you'd see in Leave it to Beaver or another depiction of '50s suburban life. Check out all the Halloween decorations, and stay for the trick-or-treating.
• Sycamore Avenue, Mill Valley—This leafy residential street is home to a great park (Sycamore Park) and plenty of families. It becomes a party in the streets on Halloween!
• Caledonia Street, Sausalito. Away from the touristy hustle and bustle of Bridgeway, the Caledonia Street neighborhood is where the locals come to shop and dine. Caledonia and its nearby streets are a great place to trick-or-treat, too. It's also where Sausalito's city-sponsored trick-or-treat lane, haunted house, and other Halloween activities take place from 5:45–8 pm.
• Heatherwood, Larkspur—Located near Heatherwood park, adjacent to Redwood High School, this Larkspur neighborhood is is a local favorite for Halloween. Head to Heather Way for trick-or-treat action.
• Devonshire Drive and Center Road, Novato—This neighborhood goes all-out for Halloween, making this a fantastic and safe trick-or-treat spot in western Novato.

Please keep in mind that a lot of people know about these neighborhoods, and it can get pretty crowded with all the out-of-towners driving in. Be prepared for a potential parking challenge, be patient, and make sure you watch for trick-or-treaters in the dark. Safety first!

Don't forget that you're a guest in someone else's neighborhood, so be considerate, patient, kind, and courteous. But above all, have loads of Halloween fun!