Mild goosebumps for little spooks
For families looking for some mildly spooky fun beyond the traditional activities, St. Louis' favorite attractions and destinations offer great options:
Boo Fest | Six Flags
Bring your little monsters to Six Flags on select dates Sept. 16-Oct. 29 for Boo Fest. Note that at night the park transforms for Fright Fest, which is better suited to guests ages 13 and up.
Pumpkin Plunge | Renaud Center
Bring your little sea monster to Renaud Center in O'Fallon to dive for pumpkins during the annual Pumpkin Plunge Oct. 6. Kids ages 3-12 can participate at 5:30-6:30 p.m. or 7-8 p.m. Kids ages 1-5 can participate in a Jr. Pumpkin Plunge in the kiddie pool area from 11 a.m.-noon. Registration is required and space is limited. Admission is $12 for the Jr. Pumpkin Plunge and $17 for the Pumpkin Plunge. Parents and siblings can participate at a discounted rate. Discounts are also available for Renaud members. Visit the City of O'Fallon website to register beginning Sept. 1.
Pumpkin Glow | Des Peres Pond
Pack a picnic dinner, s'mores fixings and your own pumpkin to launch at the Pumpkin Glow on Des Peres Pond Oct. 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m.. The cost (per pumpkin) is $15 for members/residents and $18 for nonresidents.
Dunkin' for Pumpkins | WREC
Kids ages 4-12 can hunt for floating pumpkins during this Halloween-themed 90-minute swim session at the WREC in Wentzville Oct. 6, 5:30-7 p.m. Preregistration is required for Dunkin' for Pumpkins; the cost is $16 ($14 for Wentzville residents).
Party in the Patch | Shaw Park
Celebrate the spookiest night of the year (Friday the 13th!) at Party in the Patch in Shaw Park. Registration is $8 per child in advance ($13 at the event) and includes a hot dog dinner. The event also includes hayrides, crafts, games, inflatables and more. Party in the Patch is 6-8 p.m. Oct. 13.
Screen on the Green: "E.T." | Blanchette Park (EDITOR'S NOTE: Screen on the Green has been rescheduled for Oct. 20. Family Camp Out in the Park has been canceled.)
Pack a blanket and spend the evening at a free outdoor showing of "E.T." during Screen on the Green at 7:15 p.m. Oct. 13 at Blanchette Park. Movie snacks will be available for purchase; no outside food or drinks are allowed. For the ultimate spooky experience, pack a tent and sleeping bags and stay for Family Camp Out in the Park. Reservations are $60 per family of four and include dinner, s'mores, an overnight campout in Blanchette Park, reserved seating for the movie and breakfast.
Not-So-Haunted House | The Magic House
Little ones can visit The Magic House's Not-So-Haunted House for storybook character visits, trick-or-treating and a scavenger hunt. Dates for the Not-So-Haunted House are Oct. 13-15, Oct. 20-22 and Oct. 27-29. The event is included with museum admission.
Boo at the Zoo | Saint Louis Zoo
Visit the Saint Louis Zoo Oct. 13-29 for spectacular Halloween decorations, roaming entertainers and more during Boo at the Zoo. Tickets start at $13 for nonmembers ($10 for members). Note that the zoo will host a sensory-friendly night Oct. 16; tickets are $10 for both members and nonmembers.
Frights & Heights | Gateway Arch
Little bats will find sky-high fun at Frights & Heights 6:30-10 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Gateway Arch. New this year: General admission will be free, though reservations will be required. The event includes ghost stories, puppet shows, music, crafts, games, face painting, balloon animals and trick-or-treating. For an additional fee, families can purchase tickets for Trick or Tram, a haunted Tram Ride to the Top. Every child will receive a ticket for a free one-hour St. Louis Riverfront Cruise, good for the 2024 season.
Legends & Lanterns | Main Street St. Charles
Meet some devilishly delightful Halloween characters at the free Legends & Lanterns festival Oct. 14-15, Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 27-29 in Historic St. Charles. For an added treat, explore during the Pumpkin Glow (Oct. 27-28), when the streets will be illuminated by glowing jack-o-lanterns.
Howl-o-ween Fest | Purina Farms
Bring your family (and your little dog, too!) to Purina Farms for trick-or-treating, magic shows, wagon rides, live animal petting areas, a costume paw-ty and more during Howl-o-ween Fest Oct. 27-29, 3:30-8 p.m. Advance parking registration is required; the cost is $20 per car and includes event admission and giveaways.
Bring your little boo in their costume to Trick or Track at The National Museum of Transportation Oct. 21 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the museum will also host Trick-or-Track by Night, which will feature spooky train rides. Note that separate tickets are required for the nighttime event.
Haunt-ish House | HealthWorks! Kids' Museum St. Louis
Get tips to keep those bones healthy and enjoy a night of mildly spooky Halloween fun at the Haunt-ish House Oct. 21, 5-8 p.m. at HealthWorks! Kids' Museum St. Louis. Tickets are $7 (free for members and children ages 3 and under).
Pumpkin Plunge | Indoor Aquatic Center in Maryland Heights
Kids ages 12 and under can dive for a pumpkin to decorate at the Pumpkin Plunge Oct. 27 at the Indoor Aquatic Center in Maryland Heights. Kids ages 6 and under will dive from 5-6 p.m., followed by ages 7-12 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The cost is $20 for nonresidents.
Dark Carnival | Lindenwood University
You'll find something for all ages at Lindenwood University's Dark Carnival, including a trunk or treat, inflatables, a magic show and crafts for little ghouls, and live music, a haunted house and a performace of "Carrie: The Musical" for older goblins.
Jack O'Lantern Trail | Faust Park
Trick-or-treaters can hunt for candy by the light of jack o'lanterns at the Jack O'Lantern Trail Oct. 27-28 in Faust Park. Admission is $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. For an additional $2, guests can add admission to the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, which will be transformed for Halloween. Follow the Jack O'Lantern Trail event on Facebook or call 314-615-8328 for more information.
Halloween Fun Fest | Crestwood
Visit Whitecliff Park in Crestwood for a day of monster fun Oct. 28. Halloween Fun Fest will include a DJ, inflatables, hayrides and food trucks. Admission is $5 per child.
Halloween Open House | St. Charles Fire Department
Stop by the St. Charles Fire Department for a free hot dog lunch, trick-or-treating, pumpkin painting and a tour of the fire station. Visit the City of St. Charles on Facebook for more information
Science Spooktacular | Saint Louis Science Center
Science gets spooky at the Saint Louis Science Center's Science Spooktacular, which returns to the museum Oct. 28-29.
Halloween Carnival | St. Peters (EDITOR'S NOTE: This event is now sold out.)
Ghouls and goblins ages 10 and under are invited to the St. Peters Rec-Plex for an afternoon of fun Oct. 28, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Pre-registration is required for the Halloween Carnival; the cost is $5 for nonmembers ($3 for members). The event includes a hot dog lunch, games and crafts. Children in costume will receive a treat.
Halloween Parade | Downtown Edwardsville, IL
Be part of the monster mash at the annual Halloween Parade Oct. 31 in downtown Edwardsville, Illinois. The parade kicks off at 6:30 p.m. and features floats, entertainers, marching bands and more.
Halloween Parade | Downtown Alton, IL
What could be more fitting than spending Halloween in a town that is rumored to be one of the most haunted spots in the country? Join the spirited celebration at the Halloween Parade Oct. 31 in Alton, Illinois. The parade kicks off at 7 p.m.; arrive early for trick-or-treating.
Medium-sized chills for mature monsters
If your little vampire has graduated past the trick-or-treating stage and is ready for a good fright, these pulse-pounding events and destinations are sure to deliver.
Haunted Hayrides | Eckert's
Scare up some fun on a Haunted Wagon Ride at Eckert's Farms Millstadt location; rides are offered on select weekends in fall.
Fright Fest | Six Flags
Visit Six Flags St. Louis on select dates Sept. 16-Oct. 29 for Fright Fest. During the day Boo Fest delivers kid-friendly fun with decorations and Halloween shows, but in the evening the place is crawling with spooky creatures of the night for guests ages 13 and up.
Fright at the Museum | City Museum
Take a journey into the extraordinary during City Museum's Fright at the Museum Sept. 28-Oct. 29. Brave visitors will find spooky decor, heart-pounding performances, speciality adult beverages and more.
Halloween Nights | Grant's Farm
Get the shivers on a haunted tram ride through Grant's Farm during Halloween Nights Oct. 6-29 (Thursdays through Sundays). Tickets are $12; additional fees apply for parking and some activities. Visit the Grant's Farm Event Calendar for tickets and more information.
Haunted Trail | Raging Rivers WaterPark
Raging Rivers WaterPark in Grafton, Illinois, will host a Haunted Trail Saturdays in October. Tickets start at $12.99 when purchased online and include a themed drink and admission to a 2-mile trail hike with dozens of scare zones. Note that the water park will offer kid-friendly daylight times, as well as darkness times for ages 16 and up.
Field of Nightmares | Brookdale Farms
The family-friendly farm attractions offered at Brookdale Farms during the day transform into something with a bit more "bite" at night. Brookdale Farms will unleash its new Field of Nightmares Sept. 29. The haunted outdoor attraction will be offered on select dates throughout October. Tickets are $45 each (or $40 each for groups of four or more).
Scarefest | Various locations
For those looking for a full-on freakout (think teens who are too "cool" to be scared of just about anything), Scarefest is sure to deliver. This group of attractions includes The Darkness Haunted House, the Lemp Brewery Haunted House, Creepyworld Screampark, Halloween-themed escape rooms, spooky mini-golf and more. The Darkness and Lemp Brewery haunted houses are both located in Soulard. Creepyworld, which features more than a dozen haunted attractions, a haunted hayride, and a haunted Christmas house, is located in Fenton.
Teen Halloween Hunt | Vago Park
More mature monsters (ages 10-14) can hunt for Halloween eggs Oct. 24, 6-8 p.m. in Vago Park. The event also includes pizza and prizes. Tickets for the Teen Halloween Hunt are $15.
Haunted Mansion Night | The Magic House
Explore the mysteries of this 120-year-old Victorian mansion during Haunted Mansion Night Oct. 27, 6-8:30 p.m. The event includes Dracula donuts, chilling beverages and exclusive tours. Tickets are $20 per person. Tours are recommended for guests ages 6 and up.
Night of Fright | Kinetic Center
Decorate your bike, skateboard or scooter and dress up for this costume contest and spooky movie night at the Kinetic Center in Dardenne Prairie. Night of Fright is 6-10 p.m. Oct. 27. Registration is $10.
Looking for fun for mummy and daddy? Check out these autumn date night ideas!
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