Kid-Friendly Halloween in the DC Area
Kid-friendly Halloween activities can be hard to find if you live in an apartment complex or busy neighborhood with few other kids. But Washington, DC has no shortage of daytime trick-or-treat events to celebrate spooky season.
Trick-or-Treat in Washington, DC
Harbor Halloween: Do your little ones have trouble staying up late for Halloween fun? Take them to National Harbor in costume on October 22 from 12:00 to 3 pm for afternoon treats! 30 locations will be handing out candy from 12:30 to 2:30. Enjoy the movie Hocus Pocus at 1:00 pm plus other events like a pumpkin carving contest, pet parade, and more.
Boo at the Zoo: 2023 TBD. Take your kids dressed in their Halloween best to the National Zoo October 28, 29, or 30 at 5:30 pm to enjoy 30 treat stations. Plus, find after hours viewing of the Elephant Community Center, Small Mammal House, Reptile Discovery Center, and more! Tickets are $35 for non members. Everyone over 2 needs a ticket. Ideal for ages 4-12.
Family Trick-or-Treat at Metrobar: 2023 TBD. Bring the whole family to Metrobar near the Rhode Island metro stop from 3 to 6 pm on October 29. Dress up in your best costume for treats, live music, and spooky entertainment. Free admission.
Who Says Boo at Tudor Place: Take your little ones to Tudor Place for a day of Halloween stories, crafts, and music at 10 am on November 1st. The program will last about 45 minutes and is recommended for children 18 months to 4 years. $6.50 per child and free for accompanying adults. Registration is required.
Hill-o-ween: Capitol Hill’s largest Halloween Festival is back in person this year on Friday, October 27 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Find pumpkin carving, dance parties, and a costume contest. Located in Eastern Market on 7th Street.
Mount Vernon Trick-or-Treat: Enjoy a day of Halloween fun with the kids at Mount Vernon. Visit in costume on October 28 from 2 to 6 pm. Trick-or-treat on the grounds and enjoy lots of other 18th-century fall activities. Find a puppet show, baking demonstration, live music, and a costume parade. $25 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.
Pumpkin Patches
Cox Farms in Centreville, Virginia: Cox Farms is open for fall Thursday to Monday from September 23 to November 7. Enjoy food, music, slides, a hayride, pumpkins, and a corn maze. If your little ones aren’t in school yet, consider visiting Monday, Thursday, or Friday for discount days. Cox Farm is also open to birthday parties and large parties on the weekends.
Belvedere Plantation in Fredericksburg, Virginia: Enjoy pig races, a giant slide, a corn maze, pedal tractor rides, a zipline, a petting zoo, and of course a hayride to the pumpkin patch. The plantation also has a market where you can purchase jams, pies, cider, and even pumpkin carving supplies. Open Thursday – Sunday plus Indigenous People’s Day from September 16 to November 4.
Back Home on the Farm in Harrisonburg, Virginia: This pumpkin patch is a trek from DC but worth it for fewer crowds and a day in the Shenandoah Valley. Here you’ll find a petting zoo, pig races, a carousel, games, and a huge corn maze. Don’t forget to take a hayride to the pumpkin patch! Tickets are $12 daily. The fall season is long – September 1 to October 31. Plus, check out their blog for kid-friendly craft and cooking ideas. Read about our visit!
Blue Ridge Mountain Maze in Roseland, Virginia: Corn Maze in the Plains has moved to a new location near Blue Toad Hard Cider. They will be open for hayrides, pumpkin picking, and maze navigating Friday-Sunday from September 23 to November 5 (closed September 29). Tickets are $13 and children under 3 are free. If your kids can stay up a little later, enjoy the not-so-scary maze at night.
Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch in Middletown, Maryland: 2023 dates TBD. Jumbo’s has a petting zoo, pony rides, a corn maze, and a hayride to the pumpkin patch. There is also a store where you can purchase jellies and bakery items as well as seasonal wreaths, crafts, and candles. Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm from September 24 to October 31. Admission includes hayrides, corn maze, petting zoon, and games. Pay as you go for pumpkins, food, corn cannon, and face painting. Read about our visit!
Summer’s Farm in Frederick, Maryland: Summer’s Farm has a corn maze, a pumpkin train, pig races, slides, a giant straw mountain, and a pumpkin patch. Firework shows will also be held every Friday and Saturday night starting September 29. Open September 16 through October 31 for fall fun. Tickets are $19.50 (purchased online) on weekends but discounted during the week. Private campfires are also available at night for up to 50 people. Read about our visit!