Trick-or-treating, costume parties, and all kinds of Halloween fun
By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher on Sep 27, 2013
Embark on a family getaway next month and the chances are excellent that you’ll run across more than a few goblins, ghouls, and ghosts. Here’s a sampling of kid-friendly hotels and resorts that dial up the spooky fun in October:
Great Wolf Lodge
Where: Eleven locations in the US and Canada, including Williamsburg, VA and Grand Mound, WA Why: Because “Howl-O-ween” at this popular chain of indoor water park resorts features a trick-or-treat trail, “monster bash” dance party, costume parade, spooktacular story hour, and more. The Package: The Howl-O-Ween Package starts at $199.99 on weeknights ($299.99 on weekends) and includes lodging, unlimited water park admission, and Halloween festivities. Available Oct. 10-31, 2013. Use promo code HOWL.
(MORE: View a family trip journal: Williamsburg with kids.)
Woodloch Resort
Where: Hawley, PA Why: Because fun-filled weekends at this all-inclusive Poconos resort include a haunted hayride, scavenger hunt, costume party, pumpkin hunt, ghost stories by the campfire, and many other fall activities. The Package: The two-night Spooktacular Weekend Package includes lodging, meals, and activities and starts at $199 per adult. Available Oct. 18-20 and 25-27, 2013.
Barton Creek Resort
Where: Austin, TX Why: Because during laid-back October weekends at this family-friendly golf resort in Texas Hill Country, kids can busy themselves in the family room with creepy crafts and ghoulish games (from Oct. 5), or enjoy a Halloween-themed family-friendly matinee and snack in the “Spooky Cinema” (from Oct. 11). The Package: The Fall into Fun Package starts at $199 a night for a family of four—a 20-30 percent savings off á la carte pricing—and includes lodging, daily breakfast, and milk and cookies for the kids. Available through Dec. 30, 2013.
Nickelodeon Family Suites
Where: Orlando, FL Why: Because October is “Nick or Treat” month at the wildly popular Nick Hotel. Weekend activities range from paint-your-own-pumpkins and Halloween games to trick-or-treating with favorite Nickelodeon characters. There’s a “Spooky Splash Bash” on Friday nights, and “Nick After Dark” on Saturday evenings with spooky movies, snacks, and plenty of slime. The Package: Two-bedroom family suites start at $124 a night on October weekends; the rate includes Halloween-themed happenings around the resort.
(MORE: Find a parent-recommended kid-friendly hotel in Orlando.)
The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation
Where: Greensboro, GA Why: Because this luxury resort on the shores of Lake Oconee epitomizes southern hospitality as it celebrates Halloween every weekend in October, with trick-or-treating and spooky storytelling at night. Kids ages 5 to 12 can also play during the day at the Ritz Kids Club, open all year. The Package: The Great Pumpkin Package starts at $419 a night and includes accommodations in a resort view room, a pumpkin and carving kit, Halloween festivities, and $25-per-night resort credit.
John Carver Inn & Spa
Where: Plymouth, MA Why: Because one of historic Plymouth’s most family-friendly inns has a Halloween package that delivers a big price cut on lodging and includes two tickets to a local corn maze and two tickets to a 90-minute “Ghosts & Legends” walking tour, which points out the most haunted spots in town (including the inn). The Package: The Haunted Stays and Corn Maize Package, available on Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 2, 2013, starts at $155 per night—a savings of up to 30 percent.
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher contributed this to www.MiniTime.com.
