Halloween Travel Ideas
Family-Friendly Halloween Trips for Kids
Whether the kids want to get spooked, experience the fall harvest or even just enjoy some candy on a big scale, here are some Halloween travel ideas:
Haunted Halloween Travel
Especially if you have older children, a trip to find haunted houses, haunted hotels or spooky destinations can be a lot of fun. You can find spooky travels at:
- Haunted hotels and inns - There are many hotels and inns that claim to have spooks and ghosts staying over. This could be a little intense or even too scary for tiny children, but teens could have a lot of fun with it. Just be sure they understand odds are good nothing spooky will really happen.
- Haunted houses - There are lots of commercially operated "haunted houses" that are just for entertainment throughout the country. Even those that don't operate year-round tend to open for the Halloween season. You might consider doing a parental walk-through first to be sure it isn't too scary for your child.
- Ghost towns - Get a real taste of the past by visiting a ghost town. These are fun stops for children, and some are even rather elaborate theme parks.
Halloween Harvest and Pumpkin Travel
There is just something special about the Halloween holiday. The air is a little crisper and fresher, the leaves are turning, and we all associate fall with certain harvest foods like pumpkins and apples. Here are some Halloween harvest trips:
- Pick-your-own getaway - Find a rural area nearby, and hit some local farms that allow kids to pick their own pumpkins or apples. This is a great way to teach children about the connection between land and farm to the table. Many farms have fun family activities like hay rides.
- Corn mazes - This is a great time of year to visit a corn maze. It's a fun way to help children (and parents) develop critical thinking and spend time at a farm.
- Farmer's markets - Many farmer's markets experience their last blast of the year during the Halloween harvest, so this is a fun time for kids to enjoy the market scene and pick out harvest goodies like pumpkins, gourds and apples. Take home some potted mums to be a centerpiece-souvenir combo on your dinner table.
Halloween Candy Travel
For pretty much all kids, nothing says Halloween better than candy. That's the real booty of the Halloween holiday. But why just settle for the local grocery store finds? Seek out some real candy by visiting a candy factory or a destination known for its sweet side. Here are some great Halloween candy stops:
- The South Bend Chocolate Co. - Located in South Bend, Ind., this Mecca of chocolate features a chocolate shop and factory tours. It's also next door to the College Football Hall of Fame (and in the University of Notre Dame's home town), which makes it fun for football-fan families. While you're in Northern Indiana, travel about 45 miles west to the amazing Albanese Confectionary to see candy being made (and taste it, of course).
- Chocolate Fetish - Located in Asheville, N.C., this is a chocolate shop that produces delicious chocolates, truffles, barks and frogs. You can watch the chocolate being created through windows. Kids and parents will also enjoy loading up on retro candy at Mast General Store in Asheville.
- Hershey Park - An entire theme park devoted to chocolate. 'Nuff said.
What do you think about this article?
More in Outdoor & Recreation
Latest Articles