Spooky paintball, forest, zoo? Places in Washington that transform for Halloween season
It’s the season of transformation — summer transformed to fall, and schedules were adjusted accordingly. Plus, many are preparing for another transformation: what they will become for Halloween. It’s the one night each year when everyone dons a costume and can be someone, or something, else for a while.
But people aren’t the only ones who transform for Halloween. With the popularity and commercialization of the holiday, organizations, places and companies are taking part in the festivities as well. Much like the Museum of Flight in Seattle acts as the Museum of Fright or Point Defiance Zoo hosts Zoo Boo, the haunted renditions are temporary.
As you are brainstorming your costume or assembling pieces of an outfit, these locations across Washington state are preparing their spooky season makeovers.
Check out these seasonally-rebranded options in the Evergreen State.
Halloween transformations in eastern Washington
Benton & Franklin counties
Throughout the year, you might take the family or a group of adults to play paintball at Red Dot Paintball Field in Richland. At least, until October comes around, when the paintball field is transformed into the Field of Screams on Fridays and Saturdays.
Approximately an hour-long walk through several scary themes, you’ll experience an asylum, clown hall, gate to hell and more. Topped off with a zombie outbreak thrill ride complete with paintball shooters, you’ll definitely find your freaky fill at the Field of Screams.
Various price points are offered, starting at $39.95 for a Haunt Pass and Outbreak access. Order online for a reserved space. The haunt is recommended for ages 12 and up, but kids 8 and up can get in with parent permission.
Maybe you travel down Clearwater Ave. all the time. Maybe you use it every day, passing Bella’s Office Furniture and Mirage in central Kennewick. But once October is underway, you’ll be driving past a transformed space, a Frightmare.
Your ticket includes access to the haunted house, an escape room experience and a zombie blast. There will also be live entertainment, a beer and wine tap room, an arcade and a supply of food trucks for before and after your haunt.
Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.
Halloween transformations in western Washington
Pierce county
Ever wanted to go to the zoo in costume? Head to the Zoo Boo for a decorated zoo experience, with costumes encouraged at the Point Defiance Zoo. Some of the many limited-time features include the animals enjoying pumpkin treats, a design-your-own moth wings station and more.
Zoo Boo is held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. October 19 and 20. A regular zoo ticket or membership will grant entry. You’ll also get to stop by the Pacific Seas Aquarium, so make sure to stop by the Northwest Waters habitat, where divers will be carving pumpkins underwater.
Ever stop by Frontier Park in Graham? Most of the time it’s used for casual recreation, but it also hosts the Pierce County Fair and other events. But from October 24 through 28, part of the park is closed for Haunted Headlights, a family-friendly Halloween light show.
Buy a ticket to drive through the path, meeting spooky characters along the way. Tickets are only available online for $10.
Most of the year, Grand Farms in Vaughn is an optimal outdoor event center, hosting weddings and parties. But parts of October are reserved for My Haunted Forest, a horror-themed immersive haunt with a medieval twist.
Back for their biggest year ever, My Haunted Forest has expanded the scare experience, introduced new characters, upgraded the pyrotechnics display and increased availability this year.
A low-scare hour is offered from 6 to 7 p.m. for families with young children, where actors are in costume but do not try to scare participants. Kids under 10 are encouraged to visit during this time.
The Historic Freighthouse Square/Station in Tacoma is a shopping center in modern times, but the large building used to serve as a freight house for the Milwaukee Railroad. But on fall weekends, you can head underground to Frighthouse Station, “where lights fade and hopes dwindle,” according to the haunt’s website. The 15,000 square foot basement was reportedly used for corpse storage during the second World War.
The space is transformed into a brand new horror experience each year, with new rooms and overarching themes. If you love a story-driven experience, check out the Forbidden Lore upon arrival and look for hidden clues.
Tickets for the haunt are available online starting at $20. The recommended age range is 12 and up.
King county
For one day each October, the Museum of Flight in Seattle becomes the Museum of Fright. On top of the air and space museum it normally operates as, interspersed throughout the galleries will be Halloween games and activities.
Admission is free for anyone in costume under age 18.
If you visit Wild Waves Water Park during the most of the year, it is a themed water amusement park full of thrill rides. But if you visit during a weekend in October, you’ll catch the Wild Waves Fright Fest. As the park describes it, Fright Fest activities are “fun by day, fright by night.”
Enjoy family-friendly Halloween fun in the park during the day. Once 6 p.m. hits, scare actors emerge, fog is turned on and scare zones are opened for willing participants.
Thurston county
Not impressed by a single location’s transformation? Head to Bucoda, the town that rebrands into Boo-coda for all of October. With a population of less than 600 people, the entire town is part of the festivities. There’s family-friendly fun and adult-recommended horror, whatever you desire.
Stop by the town gym for a spooky haunted house experience — rumor has it that the gym is actually haunted.
Boo-coda also hosts hearse processional events, casket races and a group recreation of the “Thriller” dance. For families, there is a less scary haunted house, a harvest festival and a “haunted market,” along with numerous costume contests throughout the month.