Halloween Richmond Style
While the thought of trekking through masses of breathtaking fall foliage is wholesome and natural, not everyone visits Richmond seeking such thrills – in fact, a great many come seeking supernatural chills. For the intrepid spook-seeker, Central Virginia provides a perfect destination for Halloween fun!
There are plenty of happy haunts in Richmond and the surrounding region in October. Here are a few that you shouldn’t miss!
Halloween Haunt at King’s Dominion (Doswell) and Howl-o-Scream at Busch Gardens (Williamsburg): a frightening experience awaits you at the region’s two most popular amusement parks. Costumed characters, elaborate decorations, themed shows and always-terrifying rides await. Check websites for hours of operation and various rates of admission.
Visit “Poe’s Pumpkin Patch” at the Edgar Allen Poe museum on October 29, 2011 at 12:00 PM. Or, attend the October “Unhappy Hour – The Telltale Heart” on October 27.
Capital Creepers “Eerie Nights” Ghost Tours of Richmond: Running September 16 to October 29, Eerie Nights tours run through historic Shockoe Bottom. Your “Ghoul Guide”, a member of the walking dead, will provide a spooky narrative of each stop including legends and accounts of paranormal activity. Families are welcome, but the tours are for mature audiences, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is $13.
Love a good haunted house? Stop by the Blood Lake Haunted House. A name as scary as “Blood Lake” needs no further introduction! Or, try the Creepy Hollow Screams Park with “live” actors, animatronics, illusions and even hayrides.
Haunts of Richmond Ghost Tours: September 15 – November 3; Four freaky itineraries include “Shadows of Shockoe”, “Haunted Capitol Hill”, “Church Hill Chillers” and “Spirits and Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl”. Want to encounter the Ghost of Mr. Poe? Dying to find out who haunts various Civil War landmarks? Join your Ghost Host for a walking (and even a “crawling”) tour of Richmond’s scariest spots. Advance-purchase tickets are $13/adult and $10/child. Higher price at the door.
Things that Go Bump in the Night (Henricus): Go way back in time to historical Henricus and hear the legends that settlers would have shared as they settled a strange new world. 400 years of ghost stories told by period interpreters will be sure to keep you wide awake all night.
Goblins and Gourds at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden: There is family-friendly fun on tap at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on Saturday, October 23 from 1 PM – 4 PM in the Children’s Garden. Pumpkin carving demonstrations, pumpkin painting and storytelling will keep little goblins happy for hours. The event is just one of many “October Oddities” hosted by the Garden.
Where will you spend Halloween night? Rely on your favorite Historic Richmond Inn to provide you with the comfort you’ll crave after a frightening night on the town!