Have some spooky fun with these Halloween activities

By Sarah Motteler     10/29/24 11:11pm

Halloween is quickly approaching, and on its heels comes the unofficial start of the holiday season. If you’re trying to enjoy the end of autumn before your pumpkin spice is replaced with peppermint and the Monster Mash by Mariah Carey, read further for some festive activities.

Haunted houses

The Houston area offers several haunted houses and similar experiences for those with  a hunger for horror. Houston Scream Fest, located south of Houston by Hobby Airport, offers concerts, carnival games and a food court in addition to four separate haunted house experiences. 

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Phobia, located off of the Sam Houston Parkway by Brookside village, offers a staggering eight haunted houses, each with unique themes. The Houston Terror Dome offers escape rooms, a “selfie saloon” and a paintball shooting gallery in addition to its haunted houses.

“Nightly Spirits” ghost tour

Located in downtown, Nightly Spirits offers combination ghost tours and pub crawls that feature the haunted history and illustrious ales of Houston. 

Their signature “Booze and Boos” guided tour lasts two and a half hours and explores several haunted sites, including a few bars that have more than one kind of spirit. If you can’t manage to squeeze in their Halloween tour, don’t fret.  “Booze and Boos” runs all year.

Zoo Boo

If you’re looking for a Halloween experience that’s more cute than creepy, head to the nearby Houston Zoo for their annual “Zoo Boo” experience. For the whole month of October, the zoo is decked out in its seasonal best, with pumpkins and photo-ops aplenty. Extended hours are also available on certain dates, allowing visitors to admire the sparkle and decor until 9:30 p.m.

Thrifting for Halloween costumes

If you’re looking to dress up for the  day but haven’t put together a costume yet, don’t fret. Houston’s thrift shops are full of unique clothes and eclectic accessories to round out your Halloween fit without straining your wallet. As a bonus, you’ll be shrinking your environmental impact: 35 million Halloween costumes are thrown out in the U.S. every year, but by purchasing pieces second-hand rather than a whole costume ready-made, you’ll be reducing that number.

Festive baking

To make it feel like fall, even though it’s still in the high ’80s, do some seasonal baking! Look to YouTube or Pinterest for visual inspiration – there are no shortage of recipes that use autumnal flavors like pumpkin, apple and cinnamon, among others. Be on the lookout for deals at the grocery store, especially as the season wraps up and stores need to get rid of their old stack before wintry ingredients hit the shelves. If you’re planning on going on an “evening run” on Halloween, make sure to pick up a can of shaving cream while you’re out.

Budget option: Freaky fruit

Don’t have a car? Grocery store out of pumpkins or carving tools? This thrifty option only needs a meal swipe or two and a Sharpie. Just grab a few fruits from the servery: oranges and bananas are best, but apples can work as well if they’re wrapped in plastic. Once you have your substitute gourds gathered, take your Sharpie and let your creativity run wild! You can draw a traditional jack-o’-lantern grin, spooky patterns, your professor’s face — the opportunities are endless.

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