Day Trips
October in Tampa Bay: Kid Friendly Pumpkin Patches, Fall Festivals, Halloween Celebrations, & More!
We may not have significantly cooler weather and vivid fall colored leaves, but Tampa Bay makes up for that with a great variety of fall activities! Check out some of our favorites!
On Going Pumpkin Patches and Activities:
Fox Squirrel Corn Maze
3002 Charlie Taylor Road N
Plant City, FL 33565
Adults: $10 + tax (18yrs+)
Youth: $ 9 + tax (3yrs – 17yrs)
2 and Under: Free
Fox Squirrel Corn Maze is open October 4th thru October 26th on Saturday and Sundays, starting at 10 a.m. gates close at 5 p.m. Guests are asked to exit the maze by 7 p.m. Fox Squirrel Corn Maze boasts everything from traditional tractor pulled hay rides, a pumpkin patch, games, butterflies and pony rides; to antiques, homemade jams, jellies, breads, arts and crafts. And, of course the main attraction, a 5 acre corn maze planted and designed to amuse visitors of all ages.
Sweet Fields Farm
17250 Benes Roush Rd.
Masaryktown, FL 34604
Fall Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch and Activities Admission:
12 years and older $9.50 each + tax
3 years-11 years $5.00 each + tax
2 years and under are Free
Open Weekends Sept. 27th thru Nov. 2nd 10 am-5 pm (last admission 4 pm), Open Special hours: October 20th (Monday 10 am-2 pm), Open Special hours: October 27th (Monday 10 am-2 pm)
Activities include a pumpkin patch and a maze. Check out Michelle’s adventure to this corn maze!
HydroHarvest Farms
1101 Shell Point Rd E
Ruskin, FL
Free admission
Opens October 4, 2014 from 10 am-5 pm
“Our Pumpkin Patch is open for the Pumpkin Hunters. It’s free, we have loads of Pumpkins for sale and the kids will have a blast rocking and rolling through the Pumpkins and Hay. It’s no fun going to a boring old store and getting a Pumpkin. It’s much more fun getting pictures of the kids, having fun picking out just the right Jack O Lantern or any of our Prize Winners or Specialty Pumpkins and Gourds. Best of all the kids can haul them to the barn in a wagon and out to the car. We have lots of carving kits and stencils, too. Don’t forget to include a real Hay Bale and some Real Cornstalks in your Halloween décor.”
Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival
5500 CR 675
Bradenton, FL 34211
October 11-12 & 18-19 & 25-26, 2014 from 9 am – 5 pm
Admission $10 * Parking $5 *Children 12 and under free, $2 off Coupon for admission on Facebook; Corn Maze $2
The Pumpkin Festival includes: 100+ Craft Booths • Live Music • Live Shows • Pioneer Trades Village • Hayrides • Chainsaw Sculptor • Petting Zoo • Barnyard Playground • Juggler • Frog Jumping Championship
Other attractions are brought in from an outside source and have their own pricing: Pumpkins • Charity Pumpkin Games • Pony Rides • Corn Maze Scarecrow Displays • Homemade Ice Cream • Farm Roasted Sweet Corn • Food Galore • Pumpkin Pie • Rock Climbing Wall• Power Jump • Face Painting • Children’s Train Ride • Fresh Produce •Butterfly Experience
Zoo Boo at Lowry Park Zoo
7530 N Boulevard
Tampa, FL
October 3-4, 10-12, 17-19, 23-26 & 30 – November 1
Celebrate our 16th year of fun and fear with hair-raising haunts and eerie adventures for monsters of all ages. Don’t miss this haunting holiday tradition with thrills, chills and family frights! Get ready to get spooked with 6 frightfully fun haunted houses. Each attraction is assigned a “skull” rating of one to seven to indicate the scare factor. Seven is the scariest. Very scary! Little boys and “ghouls” (ages 11 and under) are invited to come in their most spooktacular attire.
Seal Swim School
19509 N Dale Mabry Hwy
Lutz, FL 33549
Pumpkin Patch
Starting October 1st and through the entire month, our Child Friendly Pumpkin Patch is open to the public. Be sure to take advantage of all our great picture spots.
Hyde Park Village
1602 W. Snow Ave.
Tampa, FL
Pumpkin Patch:
Bring your family to the Pumpkin Patch at Hyde Park Village where you’ll find plump pumpkins in all shapes and sizes, as well as festive photo opportunities! Hyde Park Village’s Pumpkin Patch is open Friday, October 10 through Thursday, October 30 by the fountain.
Pumpkin Patch Hours:
- Monday – Friday, 12 to 8 PM
- Saturday – Sunday, 9 AM to 8 PM
*The Pumpkin Patch will be open until 9 PM on Saturday, October 11 for the Fall Festival & Craft Beer BREWhaha.
Special Events:
Overnight Zoo Boo at Lowry Park Zoo
7530 N Boulevard
Tampa, FL
It’s a spooktacular night to stay at the Zoo…if you dare! Have a ghoulishly good time as you enjoy the haunted houses, rides, and more at ZooBoo. You will also get to explore behind-the-scenes and meet nocturnal creatures during this sinister sleepover.
Program Information:
- Ages: K-8 grade students and their family members
- 6:45 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- $40 per participant
- Adults must be accompanied by a child. Sorry, no “adults only.”
Online registration required no later than one week prior. Click HERE to register.
Hyde Park Village Fall Festival & Craft Beer BREWhaha
1602 W. Snow Ave.
Tampa, FL
Saturday, October 11, 2014 from 4 to 9 PM
Hyde Park Village presents the Fall Festival & Craft Beer BREWhaha, a family-friendly celebration of autumn with live entertainment on two stages, hay rides, face painting, food trucks and craft beer on Saturday, October 11, 2014 from 4 to 9 PM. *Please note: there is NO trick-or-treating at this event.
Complimentary activities include hay rides, a caricature artist, face painters and a variety of other interactive fall activities by a variety of event participants and sponsors.
Seal Swim School Family Fun Festival
19509 N Dale Mabry Hwy
Lutz, FL 33549
Saturday, October 18th from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Free and Fun for the entire family
Trick-or-Treat at the Mall
Largo Mall
10500 Ulmerton Road
Largo, FL
Saturday, October 18
Kids in costume can go trick-or-treating at the mall, with DJ dancing, games, a Halloween creation station and face painting. Free. Noon-2 p.m. Saturday. The trick or treat portion will be first from 11 am to noon at the stores. Then the Halloween carnival will be held near the theater from noon until 2 pm.
Autumn Harvest
Pinellas Pioneer Settlement
2900 31st St. S
St. Petersburg, FL
Saturday, October 18 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m
This old-fashioned fall celebration and farmer’s market has hay rides, a hay maze, bobbing for apples, sack races, pumpkin carving contest and more. Free; charge for games, hayrides and maze.
John’s Pass Seafood Festival
12901 Gulf Boulevard
Saint Petersburg, Florida 33708
Friday-Saturday-Sunday October 24-26. There will festivities for the whole family at the annual Seafood Festival. John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk. Friday 3-11 pm Halloween Block Party, Saturday 10-8 pm Battle in the Gulf Tournament Weigh In. Sunday 10-6 pm Best Chef Cook-off, Peoples Choice awards. Jimmy Buffett Tribute, Sauce Boss & Caribbean Chillers. Kids activities & costume contest.
Kate Jackon’s Fall Festival
Kate Jackson Community Center
821 S. Rome Ave.
Tampa, FL 33606
Free admission!
Friday, October 24 5 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
The fun includes face painting, game booths, and a tour through the haunted park!
Hoedown Fall Festival
Kiddy Up Ranch
10740 Brian Lane,
New Port Richey, FL
Friday, October 24 at 5 p.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 25 at 4 p.m.-9 p.m.
Friday Night events include: Rootin Tootin Chili Cookoff, bounce house, arts and crafts, pony rides from 5 to 7 pm ($3 per person), dancing, music, and the Famous Haunted Hayride at dusk ($5.00 per person). Saturday events include: Great food, music, arts and crafts vendors, petting zoo, bounce house, fall festival games, Home Depot Kids crafts, trick or treating, and costume contest at 6:30 pm. Pony Rides from 4 to 7 pm ($3 per person), Carriage Rides 4:30 to 7:30 pm ($5.00 per person), hayrides 4 to 7:30 pm ($3.00 per person), and Haunted Hayride at dusk ($5.00 per person). $1.00 Grounds fee per car both days. Proceeds benefit Kiddy Up Ranch’s equine therapy programs.
Little Monsters Promenade and Pumpkin Patch
Centro Ybor
1600 E 7th Ave
Tampa, FL 33605
Saturday, October 25, 11:00 am-4:00 pm; Trick-or-Treating from 11:30 am-1:30 pm
Kids can choose a free pumpkin to decorate from more than 750-1000 in a fenced pumpkin patch in Centro Ybor courtyard. Then, kids show off their costumes while trick-or-treating among the Centro Ybor merchants from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
HydroHarvest Farms 9th Annual Boo Fest
1101 Shell Point Rd E
Ruskin, FL
Free admission
9th Annual Boo Fest will be Saturday, October 25 from 12:00 am-3:00 pm. Wear Your Costumes to this free event! Decorate Pumpkins, play games, and make crafts.
Guppyween
Florida Aquarium
701 Channelside Dr.
Tampa, FL 33602
Sunday, October 26, 4 pm – 8 pm
Kids in Costume: $5
Adults (age 12yrs and older): $15
Florida Aquarium Members: Free Admission
Join us on the only day we let wild animals, ghosts and princesses roam the aquarium- Guppyween! Trick-or-treat tank-to-tank among over 20,000 sea creatures, making for the perfect family-friendly Halloween event. Entertainment and treats will be provided, so come dressed in your best costume!