The Tampa Bay area offers a ton of Halloween options, from major theme park scares to family-friendly fun. Here are some of the most popular attractions and types of events:
•Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: A separately ticketed nighttime event featuring haunted houses, scare zones, sinister live shows, and thrilling rides in the dark.
•Scream-A-Geddon Horror Park (Dade City): An immersive horror experience with multiple haunted houses and outdoor trails designed to be very intense.
•Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail (Plant City): A miniature horror theme park with multiple outdoor haunted trails, an escape room, and laser tag.
•UNDead in the Water: A unique haunted attraction held on the historic SS American Victory, a WWII cargo ship in Tampa.
•Haunted Trails and Houses: Other local haunts like Pemberton Haunted Acres and various independently run haunted houses often pop up.
For Family-Friendly Fun:
•Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa at Lowry Park: A family-friendly Halloween event with glowing exhibits, eerie characters, and Halloween-themed activities.
•Busch Gardens Kandy’s Sweetacular Celebration (Daytime): A daytime event with trick-or-treating, a costume parade, themed activities, and meeting characters, included with park admission.•Riverwalk Trick or Treat (Tampa): A free community event where local businesses hand out candy along the Tampa Riverwalk.
•Pied Piper’s Haunted Carnival (Armature Works): Offers a Kid Zone during the day with carnival rides, games, and activities like pumpkin painting before transitioning to an adult party at night.
•Halloween on Central (St. Pete): A large, free street fair with trick-or-treating, costume contests, food trucks, and entertainment.
•Pumpkin Patches & Fall Festivals: Numerous farms and locations host seasonal events, often including corn mazes, hayrides, pumpkin patches, and family games, such as Harvest Holler Corn Maze and various church/community patches.
•Other Unique Experiences:
•Ghost Tours: The Tampa Bay area is known for its history, and you can find tours in places like Ybor City or the Tampa Theatre that focus on local legends and haunted history.
•Nightmare on Franklin Street at Tampa Theatre: The historic theater hosts a month of Halloween classic movie screenings, ghost tours, and spooky stage shows.
•Pirate Water Taxi Haunted River Tours: A spooky nighttime adventure cruise on the water.
Since events and dates can change yearly, it’s always best to check the official websites for the most current information, including dates, times, and ticket prices for the specific year you plan to go.
