Best Halloween Events in DC for Kids & Families (2026)
Spooky season is officially here in the DMV! 🎃
Between finding costumes, carving pumpkins, school celebrations, trick-or-treating, and all the Halloween events happening around DC, October can fill up fast.
So, we did some of the searching for you.
We rounded up some of our favorite family-friendly Halloween events happening across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia this October—from trick-or-treating at the National Zoo to spooky science, LEGO monsters, pumpkin-filled afternoons, and plenty of opportunities to wear those costumes more than once.
Grab your calendar (and maybe your pumpkin spice latte), because October is looking good.
Boo at the Zoo
Smithsonian’s National Zoo | Washington, DC
📅 October 16–18, 2026
⏰ 6:00–8:30 PM
💲 $35 per person; parking additional
👻 Best for: Families who want the full Halloween experience
🎟️ Tickets required
Boo at the Zoo is one of those classic DC Halloween traditions that deserves a spot on the family calendar.
Dress everyone up and head to the National Zoo after hours for trick-or-treating throughout the park, festive Halloween displays, special animal-viewing opportunities, and plenty of not-so-scary fun.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Parent Tip: This is one we’d plan ahead for rather than deciding on at the last minute. Tickets are required, and parking costs less when purchased in advance. Costumes are encouraged, but adults cannot wear full-face masks.
Boo at the Zoo Event Details & Tickets
Air & Scare
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center | Chantilly, VA
📅 October 24, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
💲 Free; parking $15
🚀 Best for: Kids who love airplanes, space, science, and Halloween
🎟️ Free tickets required for outdoor activities
Halloween + airplanes + science? We’re in.
The National Air and Space Museum’s annual Air & Scare celebration brings Halloween to the Udvar-Hazy Center with trick-or-treating, spooky experiments, crafts, story times, a costume runway, and other activities inside and outside the museum.
The outdoor portion requires a free timed ticket, while the indoor portion does not require an event ticket.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Parent Tip: Don’t assume “free” means you can simply show up for everything. If you want to participate in the outdoor activities, reserve your free tickets ahead of time.
PumpkinPalooza
Alethia Tanner Park | NoMa, Washington, DC
📅 October 28, 2026
⏰ Starts at 4:00 PM
💲 Free
🎃 Best for: An easy weekday Halloween outing
Sometimes you don’t need an entire day-long Halloween adventure. You just want to put the kids in their costumes and go do something fun.
PumpkinPalooza is perfect for that.
The annual NoMa celebration includes a pick-your-own pumpkin patch with free pumpkins, costumed characters, alpacas, a costume parade, food, and an outdoor movie to finish the evening.
And yes—the pumpkins really are free.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Parent Tip: Costumes are encouraged for both people and pets, so this could be the perfect opportunity for the four-legged member of the family to finally show off that costume too.
Brick-or-Treat
LEGO Discovery Center Washington, D.C. | Springfield, VA
📅 October 1–31, 2026
⏰ During regular attraction hours
💲 Included with regular admission
👻 Best for: LEGO-loving kids and a weather-proof Halloween day
If your little one would happily spend an entire afternoon building with LEGO bricks, this one is an easy win.
Brick-or-Treat takes over LEGO Discovery Center throughout October with Halloween-themed activities, including monster-themed LEGO builds, creative workshops, and The Great Monster Chase 4D movie.
Because it runs all month, it’s also a great option when your schedule doesn’t line up with one of the big one-day Halloween celebrations.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Parent Tip: Keep this one in your back pocket for a rainy or chilly October weekend. Most of the fun is indoors, so the weather doesn’t have to ruin your Halloween plans.
Brick-or-Treat Event Details & Tickets
Harbor Halloween
National Harbor | National Harbor, MD
📅 October 25, 2026
⏰ 12:30–3:00 PM
💲 Many activities are free
🍭 Best for: An afternoon of trick-or-treating with plenty of extras
Harbor Halloween packs a lot into one afternoon.
Kids can trick-or-treat at more than 30 participating National Harbor restaurants and retailers, watch Hocus Pocus on the Plaza Screen, check out the pumpkin-carving contest, and enjoy Halloween activities around the waterfront.
There’s even a Pet Pawrade, so your furry family members don’t have to miss out.
Children in costume can also receive a free ride on The Capital Wheel with the purchase of an adult ticket during operating hours.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Parent Tip: Trick-or-treating runs from 12:30–2:30 PM, so we’d arrive toward the beginning rather than waiting until the end of the event.
Harbor Halloween Event Details
BOOtanica
Brookside Gardens | Wheaton, MD
📅 October 25, 2026
⏰ 3:00–5:00 PM
💲 $20 per participating child
🌱 Best for: Younger kids who enjoy crafts and hands-on activities
🎟️ Registration required
Looking for Halloween fun without anything too spooky?
BOOtanica gives Halloween a botanical twist.
Kids can come dressed in costume and make their way through indoor activity stations featuring trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating, seasonal crafts, and hands-on science activities inspired by fall.
One parent or caregiver can accompany each registered child without needing a separate registration.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Parent Tip: We especially like this one for families with younger children who want the costumes, candy, and Halloween excitement without the scares.
BOOtanica Event Details & Registration
Halloween Eye Spy Trains
Cabin John & Wheaton Regional Parks | Montgomery County, MD
📅 Saturdays & Sundays throughout October
⏰ 9:30 AM–4:30 PM
💲 Train rides start at $6 per person
🚂 Best for: Little kids and train lovers
For the younger Halloween crowd, Montgomery Parks turns its miniature trains into a Halloween Eye Spy adventure on weekends throughout October.
Kids receive an Eye Spy card and look for spooky characters hiding along the route while they ride through the park.
Cabin John becomes Trainsylvania, while Wheaton celebrates with Día de los Trenes.
It’s festive, simple, and a little more low-key than some of the DMV’s larger Halloween events.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Parent Tip: Pair the train ride with playground time or another park activity and you’ve got yourself an easy fall morning without needing to plan an entire day.
Halloween Eye Spy Train Details
Spooky Mad Science Expo
Patrick Henry Recreation Center | Alexandria, VA
📅 October 17, 2026
⏰ 3:00–7:00 PM
💲 Free
🔬 Best for: Curious kids and little scientists
If your child would choose an experiment over a haunted house, add this one to your calendar.
Alexandria’s Spooky Mad Science Expo combines Halloween fun with hands-on STEM activities, experiments, demonstrations, building, creating, and opportunities for kids to meet STEM professionals.
Even the costumes get a science twist—families are encouraged to show off their favorite STEAM-inspired looks.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Parent Tip: We love that this is a free option where kids have plenty to actually do. It’s especially fun for kids who may have aged out of some of the more toddler-focused Halloween activities.
Spooky Mad Science Expo Event Details
Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon
George Washington’s Mount Vernon | Mount Vernon, VA
📅 October 31, 2026
⏰ 2:00–5:00 PM
💲 General public: $31 ages 12+ / $26 ages 11 and under for trick-or-treat admission
🎃 Best for: Turning Halloween Day itself into an experience
🎟️ Tickets required
Want to do something special before neighborhood trick-or-treating begins?
George Washington’s Mount Vernon celebrates Halloween with trick-or-treating around the historic grounds, costumes, 18th-century entertainment and activities, and plenty of candy.
Kids receive a special Mount Vernon treat bag to collect candy throughout the property.
There’s also a nice bonus if you’re making an afternoon of it: kids can eat free at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant from 5:00–8:00 PM.
🌸 Cherry Blossom Parent Tip: Because the event ends at 5 PM, this can work really well as the first half of Halloween. Head home afterward for dinner or continue the fun with neighborhood trick-or-treating.
Mount Vernon Halloween Event Details & Tickets
Make Halloween a Little Easier This Year
We love the costumes, pumpkin patches, Halloween movies, trick-or-treating, and all the fun that comes with October.
Keeping track of the costumes, tickets, school parties, events, candy, and Halloween-night plans?
Maybe a little less. 😅
That’s why we created the FREE DMV Family Halloween Planner to help you keep the fun organized without adding one more thing to your mental load.
Inside you’ll find:
✓ Our Family’s October Bucket List
✓ Halloween event planning sheet
✓ Things-we-can’t-forget checklist
✓ Halloween night planner
✓ Family Halloween safety checklist
Print it, stick it on the fridge, and let the Halloween fun begin. 🎃
