The BEST Halloween Events for Kids in Tampa Bay + MORE Fun!

Spooky SZN will be here before we know it which means it’s time for us to share our annual list of our favorite Halloween events for kids in Tampa Bay!! Get ready to round up your little ghouls and goblins for a spooktacular day or night out in Tampa Bay at one of these awesome Halloween events. And, don’t forget — we’ve curated a list of awesome pumpkin patches in Tampa Bay including fall festivals.

*We’ll continue to update this post as events are announced.

Featured Halloween Events for Kids in Tampa Bay:

Halloween Harvest at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

• Dates: Saturdays and Sundays September 7 – November 3, 2024
• Cost: Included with theme park admission

Halloween Harvest is a NEW event to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay! Join Kandy the witch at her new Sweetactular Celebration, go trick-or-treating, participate in activities, games, and more! Then from October 5-27, celebrate with your Sesame Street friends at the Sesame Street Safari of Fun!

• Dates: Weekends September 14-October 27, 2024 (Saturdays only in September)
• Cost: Included with daily admission
• Includes trick-or-treating

Don’t miss this Halloween party built just for kids at LEGOLAND Florida Resort in Winter Haven. Kids can enjoy spooky LEGO building activities (they might even learn some cool LEGO building tricks from the pros!), trick-or-treating in the new candy zones, new event-exclusive character meet-and-greets, along with the V.I.M. (Very Important Monster) Dance Party, new fireworks, and more! You can even climb aboard The Disco Dragon coaster for a groovy Halloween monster jam. We’re dishing on all the details here: Brick or Treat at LEGOLAND Florida: Here’s what to expect in 2024.

• Dates: Select Nights from September 27-October 27, 2024
• Cost: $5 reservation fee for Zoo Members and “Pay for a Day” ticket holders which you’ll get back as a voucher and tickets range from $29.94-$39.95 for non-member tickets tickets

Tampa Bay’s number-one family Halloween event returns in September! Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa is full of eerie family fun for everyone! Ghouls and goblins of all ages can enjoy howling outdoor experiences, mischievous characters, creepy culinary treats, and much more! NEW this year: The Vampire Ball with hosts Count Chirop and Countess Tera. There will also be a new Vikings Victory Party, Troll Cave, Howliday House Light Show, and Spider Queen Dining Hall Oasis. Head on over here to see what it was like at ZooTampa’s Creatures of the Night in 2024.

• 2024 Dates TBA
• Location: 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater
• Cost: Included with daily admission

Info from 2023 FYI: Dive into a family-friendly Halloween Spooktacular at Clearwater Marine Aquarium with spooky decorations and activities for all ages October 27 through October 31. Guests can enjoy underwater pumpkin carving, a trail of creepy creatures, mazes and more. Visit CMA on Oct. 31 from 3pm-7pm for an evening of eerie excitement, featuring a live DJ, costume contest and trick-or-treat candy stations for kids! This is a great alternative to Halloween night trick-or-treating in a neighborhood.

MORE of the BEST Halloween Events for Kids in Tampa Bay

*Listed in order of launch date.

• Dates: Fridays and Saturdays from September 27-October 26, 2024
• Location: 11919 Alric Pottberg Rd, Shady Hills
• Cost: TBA

Come out to the Concourse for Spooky Train Rides and Scary Trail! The train is now DOUBLE the length of years past! There will be many activities for the kids so come out and have a spooky time!

SPOOKALA!

• Dates: October 4-6, 2024
• Location: 4800 US Hwy 301 North, Tampa

Head to The Florida State Fairgrounds for SPOOKALA! Presented by Busch Gardens’ Howl O Scream. Meet some of your favorite celebrities from Halloween and horror films and TV shows such as Walton Goggins, Howie Mandel, Alan Tudyk, Danny Trejo, Marley Shelton, Zach Galligan, and more.

• October 4-27, 2024 select days between 6:15 pm-9:45 pm
• Convention Center/ Marriott Water Street (Stop 7 location)
• Cost: $35 for adults ages 13 and up, $25 ages 2-12

The Pirate Water Taxi is one of our favorite ways to get around downtown Tampa. But during the Halloween season, the water taxi gets a haunted twist! Pirate Water Taxi will again offer Haunted River Tours on select evenings this year, serving up spooky tales of Tampa hauntings and ghost stories. Tours last 45-50 minutes.

• Dates: October 5-27, 2024
• Cost: Included with theme park admission.

Once kids have experienced Spooktacular, they can head on over to Sesame Street Safari of Fun for a Halloween-themed adventure featuring a sing-along show, Count von Count’s Not-too-Spooky Howl-O-Ween Radio Show, a Dance Party with their favorite characters, and more!

• Dates: October 9-31, 2024
• Location: 1534 Mound St., Sarasota

This Halloween-themed light show will transform our Historic Spanish Point campus into “Spooky Point,” where visitors will discover fantastic (but not too scary) creations around every turn. Guests will follow an eerily lit path through the woods, encountering flying “ghost orchids,” giant “bat orchids,” dangling “spider orchids,” vine-twisted skeletons, and other surprises along the way. There also will be plenty of pumpkins and a hay maze to test your wits after a nighttime walk through the woods.

Food and beverages available for purchase, including fall favorites like candy apples, popcorn, and hot cocoa.

• Dates: October 11,12, 18, 19, 26, and 27, 2024
• Location: 5145 Harvey Tew Rd., Plant City

Are you brave enough to face the curse of Dinosaur World’s first haunted house? Head to the park after hours to hear the tales of a group of explorers who have unearthed something they shouldn’t have. The curse is spreading and it’s up to you to break it! Tickets start at $15.

• Date: October 12, 2024
• Location: 201 Highland Ave, Largo, FL
• Cost: Free

Spend a fun afternoon with the Southwest Rec team during the Pint-Sized Halloween Party. We will have a spooky good time with a variety of games, crafts and snacks. It is highly encouraged for you to wear your costume!

• Dates: October 16, 2024 from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm
• Cost: $45 per person

Tampa Bay Watch is hosting Haunted History Tour of Tampa Bay cruises that will tell you all about the creepy animals that call the bay home and even some ghostly tales of the city. Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center is hosting even more spooky Halloween-themed activities for kids throughout the month.

MOSI’s Spooktacular Science: A Halloween Extravaganza!

• October 18, 2024 from 6 pm- 8 pm
• Location: 4801 E. Fowler Ave. Tampa
• Cost: Free for members

Gather your costumes and head to MOSI for this members-only eerie event! MOSI will be transformed into a haunted wonderland where science meets the supernatural. There will be interactive experiments, spooky exhibits, and trick-or-treat adventures.

• Dates: October 18 and 19, 2024 (Time TBA)
• Location: Hillsborough River State Park

The Hillsborough River State Park Preservation Society is hosting a haunted trail at the park along with a costume contest, live music, and treats as an alternative to trick-or-treating! Follow them on Facebook to stay tuned for more details!

• Date: Sunday, October 27, 2024
• Location: 1925 4th Street North, St. Petersburg
• Cost: Free for members/$18 for non-members

This year’s event is packed with fang-tastic activities for kids of all ages. Craft your very own monster pets, hanging bats, and beaded spiders, and show off your spooky creativity. Join in the fun with broom races, a mummy wrapping contest, and Halloween story time. Watch pumpkins explode, experience the thrills of our mad scientist segment, and strut your stuff in their red carpet costume contest! Don’t forget to get your face painted to complete your spooky transformation.

This year, they’re excited to introduce the Eeks-Factor Room, brought to you by the Reptile Discovery Center. Step inside if you dare and discover if you can handle the creepy crawlies waiting for you. Are you ready to find out if fear is not a factor for you—the Great Ex way?

• Date: October 25, 2024 at 10:00 am
• Location: 201 Highland Ave, Largo, FL
• Cost: Free

Bring your kiddos dressed in their Halloween costumes for a night of trick-or-treating around Largo City Hall. Bags and candy will be provided. This is an outdoor event. Adults can also take home a Trick-or-Tree at the end of the event to plant at home. Learn more at playlargo.com.

• Friday, October 25 from 5:30-9:30 pm
• Location: 11901 146th St., Largo, FL 33774
• Cost: $5 for ages 3 and up

For a spooky good time, bring the family out to McGough Nature Park for a night to explore a spooky nature trail, candy scavenger hunt, animal shows, and more! Tickets are $5 per person. Kids three and younger are free. You can learn more and book your tickets by visiting playlargo.com.

• Date: October 26, 2024 from 4 pm- 7 pm
• LocationL Downtown Tampa Riverwalk
• Cost: FREE

Trick or treating on the Riverwalk is back where kids and their families can visit more than 50 different treat stations while enjoying other fun activities including the annual Halloween Lighted Boat Parade which starts at 6:30pm, benefiting the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

• Date: October 26, 2024 from 4 pm-9 pm
• Location: Zephyr Park: 38116 5th Ave. in Zephyrhills
• Cost: Free to attend

Head to Zephry Park for an evening of spooktacular activities and treats, a haunted house and haunted forest, games, live entertainment, and more. You can start the celebration early over at Wizard Fest in Downtown Zephyrhills at the Clock Plaza from 11 am -3 pm on the same day for vendors, scavenger hunt, raffles, and more.

• Date: October 26, 2024 from 6 pm-9 pm
• Location: Seminole Heights Garden Center, Tampa
• Cost: $3 per person, $15 for a family of 5 or more

This beloved annual event will sell out fast, so be sure to purchase your tickets in advance to secure your spot. TRIBE Seminole Heights’ Spooky Stroll features tons of family-friendly fun including costumed characters, trick-or-treat stations, a pumpkin patch, a creepy house tour, fun games, and MORE! In the past, it has taken about 60-90 minutes to complete the stroll.

• Date: October 26-27, 2024
• Sensory-Friendly Guppyween: October 26 from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm
• Cost: Museum admission. Children in costume get in for free with one paid adult.

Guppyween returns to the Florida Aquarium for a weekend filled with Halloween-themed activities, trick-or-treating, animal encounters, costumed divers, and even underwater pumpkin carving!

The sensory-friendly event will feature lights, sounds, and activities adapted accordingly throughout the event for individuals with differences. $10 per guest and free for members.

• Date: October 27, 2024 from 12:30 pm-2:30 pm
• 603 Channelside Drive, Tampa
• Cost: $34.95 and up

This Halloween-themed Boo Brunch cruise is a family-friendly adventure with fun costume contests, tricks and treats, a brunch buffet, and more. Each child will receive a complimentary pumpkin at the end of the cruise along with a cute photo opportunity before boarding.

• Date: October 27, 2024 from 12 pm-5 pm
• Central Ave in St. Pete between MLK and 31st St S
• Cost: Free

22 blocks are closed to cars and motor vehicles from noon-5 pm for this this family event will be filled with a parade of costumes, street performers, entertainment, and tons of Halloween fun!

• Date: October 27, 2024 from 4 pm-7:30 pm
• Location: 801 Water Street, Tampa
• Cost: $12.95-$16.95
• *Includes trick-or-treating

Trick-or-treat your way through the Tampa Bay History Center galleries in search of sweet rewards on Sunday, Oct. 22. Plan for an evening of games, crafts, costume characters, and more! Timed tickets are available now and children age 3 and younger are free.

Stay tuned as we await the dates for these events:

HALLOWEEN WALK the LIGHTS at SunKissed Acres, Dover

• Dates: 2024 Dates TBA
• Cost: TBA

Info from 2023 FYI: A Shimmering Lights Fall Festival for the whole family! Happening Thursday-Sunday nights in October, come walk the 1/3-mile walking trail featuring hundreds of themed lighted displays! Plus, outdoor movies, a light maze, scavenger hunt, games, face painting and FOAM play nights. They won’t make you landlubbers scrub the deck, but you may have to walk the plank

• Date: TBA
• Location: Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, 1101 Country Club Way S, St. Petersburg
• Cost: TBA

Boyd Hill Nature Preserves is hosting a spooky evening with Haunted Hikes with a family-friendly night on October 20. You and the kids will be guided on a hike filled with eerie stories and thrills. On October 21, they’ll host a hike for those 18 years old and older called Terror in the Woods that will turn up the spook factor!

• Dates: 2024 TBA
• 615 Channelside Drive, Tampa
• Cost: FREE

A haunted pirate shipwreck is heading to Sparkman Wharf with an evening of plenty of photos, live music, silly spooks for the kids, festive food and drinks, and MORE! This is a free community event. Some of the cool photo opportunities include a pirate jail, a siren’s sea swing, and the TAMPA sign will be decked out for the holidays too!

• Dates: 2024 TBA
• Location: 2606 Fairfield Ave S, St. Pete
• Cost: TBA

FloridaRAMA is launching an all-new Halloween event, ‘Hocus Focus’, a limited-time activation that includes an eyeball-themed scavenger hunt, Halloween activations in every exhibit, wearable glowing goodies, games, and more! You can take advantage of $3 off ticket prices during the Hocus Focus Early Bird sale through September 30.

Fright Nights at Folly Farm in Safety Harbor

• Date: 2024 TBA
• Location: 1538 Dr. MLK North, Safety Harbor
• Cost: TBA

The city of Safety Harbor has scheduled two nights of frightful fun at Folly Farm Nature Preserve. There will be a haunted trail you can explore, fall-themed activities, a campfire, children’s activities, and more!

For even MORE Halloween Fun, check out our Ultimate Guide to Fall Events in Tampa Bay here.

Halloween Costume Ideas

Our team is sharing some of our favorite DIY Halloween costume ideas.

Halloween Treats and Spooky Snack Ideas

Need some spooky inspiration for your child’s lunch box? Jenny P of @lunchboxmafia is dishing some ghoulishly good Halloween party snacks that also double as fun lunchbox additions! For a healthy twist, check out Ginain Grayes of @cookprayslay’s Healthy Halloween Snack Ideas.

Halloween Science Experiments

Glazer Children’s Museum shared some really cool spooky science experiments you can do at home for extra thrills including how to make ghost eggs!

Tell a Halloween Joke!

Q: Who won the skeleton beauty contest? A: No body!

We’ve got even more ghoulishly good Halloween jokes for kids to keep your kiddos laughing all day long!