There is a chill in the air. The sun sets earlier each day. Your kid has changed her mind six times about what to wear. She is coming up with the best way to maximize her candy haul.
Yep — it’s spooky season. The Baltimore area is absolutely packed with great activities to keep your whole family busy all October long. Let Baltimore’s Child help you find the not-so-spooky places to show off your costume this Halloween.
Some of the best activities are places you already go to all the time. Many local libraries host Halloween events in the weeks leading up to the big day. Some elementary schools have parades for your little ones to show off their costumes. Consider bringing younger siblings to march alongside in their Halloween finery as well. Here are out picks for Halloween in and around Baltimore.
Get Spooky in Nature
Baltimore County’s Recreation and Parks department has several terrific kid-appropriate Halloween-themed events this year.
Winfield Recreation Center is hosting a Not So Scary Halloween story time at 10 a.m. Oct. 14. Stretch your creativity and create your very own Halloween Fairy House out of natural materials from the forest at the Holt Center for the Performing Arts at 3 p.m. Oct. 12.
If you’d like to get out and explore with your little one, go on a walk with a naturalist guide at 10 a.m. Oct. 25 through the Silly Spooky Halloween Trek in Cromwell Valley Park.
Held at the Oregon Ridge Nature Center, Trick and Treats on the Ridge starts at 3 p.m. on Halloween along a quarter-mile trail with several guided stops where kids can learn about plants and animals. Bring a treat bag to collect treats at each stop. Be sure to dress in comfortable clothing.
Find more information and register for ticketed events at baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/recreation.
Haunted Hayrides
With haunted and not-haunted hayrides available, Bedlam in the Boro over in Lineboro, Maryland, has everything you need to scare (or not scare) everyone in your whole crew. Presented by the Lineboro Volunteer Fire Department in Carroll County, this kid-friendly hayride will take place 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 12, weather permitting.
The haunted hayride is an intense 3-mile-long fright fest that will fulfill your fear needs. But if that hayride isn’t scary enough, do you dare step foot into the haunted house, too? With 3,200 square feet of lurking terror, this is not for the faint of heart.
If you’re looking for a tamer and friendlier haunting, the Bedlam Bypass Kids Zone will keep that smile on your face. Scoot on over to the pumpkin patch where each child may choose a free pumpkin included with their ticket.
Keep the fun rolling with carnival games and fun concessions available for purchase. Ticket pricing and other information is available at bedlamintheboro.com.
Ghost Tours
Get (not too) frightened as a family on a (not too) spooky ghost tour! Locally owned and operated, Baltimore Ghost Tours has been running ghost tours for nearly a quarter of a century. Enjoy the crisp autumn air on a one-hour walk with a highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide in costume.
When purchasing tickets online or over the phone, make sure to select the kid-friendly option, as Baltimore Ghost Tours offers several tours, most of which are not suitable for children. Additional info is available at baltimoreghosttours.com.
Halloween and Harvest Fun
Parkville is home to Weber’s Cider Mill Farm, a pumpkin patch and orchard where you can get some Halloween fun in the daytime hours. Running through Nov. 2, the Weber Fall Harvest Days feature a hay maze, hayride, pumpkin picking, family-friendly spooky walk and other activities good for all ages. Consider snapping a few pictures for this year’s holiday cards!
There are additional activities available on the weekends. Concessions are available, as well as food truck options on weekends, too. All tickets must be purchased in advance online at weberscidermillfarm.com, and they often sell out early.
Not-So-Spooky Halloween Fun in Pennsylvania
Looking for a day trip? There are lots of great options that are little more than an hour away, including these creepy and kooky experiences in Pennsylvania.
Hersheypark is hosting its annual Hersheypark Halloween in Hershey. Enjoy 50 rides and attractions with the purchase of your ticket. (Rides are weather and maintenance permitting.) Children 12 and younger can stop at 14 candy stops along the Hershey trick-or-treat trail. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes that do not obstruct ride restraints, cover more than half of the face or have components that could be mistaken for a weapon. Find more details on rules and regulations regarding costumes at hersheypark.com.
Stroll down the Avenue of the Afterlife in the daytime hours for maximum fun with minimum fear. This fear-free area features places to eat, a live DJ dance party and live street performers. At nighttime, this area transforms into the very scary Dark Nights experience. Skip the scares and see it before sunset. Make sure to bring your appetite along with your costume. Hersheypark is offering 50 seasonal food items, and not just the sweet stuff! Park tickets and add-on experiences are available for advance purchase online.
Visit Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster for another terrific day trip. The annual Happy Hauntings runs from noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 26. Featuring more than 30 family-friendly attractions, there is enough to keep you busy all day long. Kids will love making their way through Mayhem’s Amazing Hay Maze and enjoy a scavenger hunt, dancing at the Halloween Bubble Bash and listening to a not-spooky story time. Children 12 and younger can dress up and hit the trick-or-treasure trail. Make sure to catch one (or more) of the live interactive theater programs that run throughout the day. Ticketing and other important information is available online.
Katie Schubert went to a very scary haunted house while trying to impress her now-husband early on in their relationship. She hasn’t been in one since.
