With its rich history, legends, and traditions, Virginia is the perfect place to celebrate Halloween. Every fall, dozens of family-friendly festivals, pumpkin patches, haunted tours, costumed parties, hayrides, and concerts ensure everyone stays in the best Halloween spirit.
The Great Pumpkin Fest at Kings Dominion (September 21–October 27, 2024)
The Great Pumpkin Fest is the annual seasonal celebration at Kings Dominion, an amusement park located in Doswell, Virginia, 20 miles (32 km) from Richmond. This top fall festival offers many scare-free Halloween activities for the whole family. Little ones can enjoy pumpkin decorating, the park’s Planet Snoopy kids’ area, Halloween-themed live shows, Sally’s Pumpkin Painting Patch, Franklin’s Scarecrow Hollow, Pig Pen’s People Washer, a petting zoo, and more. Trick-or-treating prizes await kids at the Great Pumpkin Fest Headquarters. A costume parade with Snoopy and all his friends takes place daily at 2 pm and 5 pm. The 1-day tickets start at $45.
Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream in Williamsburg (September 6–November 3, 2024)
Howl-O-Scream is a seasonal attraction at Busch Gardens Blvd in Williamsburg, VA, open from 10 am to 11 pm. Every day at 6 pm, creepy creatures take over the entire park, transforming it with five haunted houses, six terror-tories™, four sinister shows, and more. Unsuspecting horrors await visitors at every turn. Guests can also test their thrill threshold with nine world-class coasters at night, offering a completely different ride experience. Parental discretion is advised after 6 pm. The event is included with park admission, with day tickets starting at $69.99.
When in Williamsburg, you may also join the Ultimate and Bone-Chilling Ghost Tour and discover a lot about the dark past of the city.
Cox Farms Fields of Fear (September 20–November 2, 2024, on selected dates)
Cox Farms' Fields of Fear is one of Virginia's premier Halloween attractions. This haunted nighttime destination features the Dark Side Hayride, The Forest: Back 40, and the Cornightmare™ haunted cornfield walk. Visitors can also enjoy bonfires, delicious food, lively music, a six-lane slide, and other rides. The attraction is not recommended for children under 12 years old. Fields of Fear operates from 7:30-11 p.m., with tickets priced between $30-$40.
The Haunted Hill in Spotsylvania/Partlow (TBA 2024)
Haunted Hill is probably Virginia's scariest attraction. Located in the woods of Spotsylvania County near Partlow, Haunted Hills is designed to scare grown-ups, not kids. It includes a scary haywagon ride, dropping riders off deep in the woods. Then you will have to find your way through a mile haunted by zombies, ghouls, and clowns, find the exit in mazes, and survive other scares.
