October half term is always one of the most fun with so many themed events running! Whether you’re looking for Halloween days out or Autumnal fun I have you covered! From free events to big days out you will find plenty of ideas to fill the week.

Halloween Days Out

Big Days Out

1. Halloween at Blenheim Palace – Woodstock-  20th – 29th October. A spooky, fun-filled, after dark trail for all the family. Watch out for flickering flames in a fiendish fire garden, daring fire artists and grinning pumpkins aglow. Wind your way through the illuminated haunted woods filled with creepy neon cobwebs, ghastly ghouls, wicked witches, larger-than life spiders and beastly bats.
2. Horrid Half Term at Blenheim Palace – Woodstock – 21st – 29th October Enjoy pumpkin decorating, spooky storytelling, a variety of garden games, a family circus show, mesmerising fire performances and so much more. As well as all that, if you’re brave enough you can hop aboard our miniature train and chug through the Terrifying Tunnel.If that’s not enough, inside our Adventure Play we will be holding a Haunted Hunt. If you are an annual pass holder some of this event event is included, parts of it you need to purchase an Adventure Playground ticket for (the above Halloween after dark trail you need a separate ticket for).
3. Spook-Fest at Aldenham Country Park – Elstree – 14th-31st October. Follow the spooky trail, ride on the Horrid Hay Tractor ride, carve pumpkins, climb through the spider maze and much more! We’ve been for the last two years and it’s one of our favourite Halloween events. Here’s our review of Aldenham Country Park.
4. The Moon Witch’s Halloween Adventure at Tumblestone – Henley – 21st – 29th October. Folk of Tumblestone Hollow will be reading stories from ‘The Moon Witch and The Thief’ and giving away spooky temporary transfers. This year you will also find the Moon Witch hiding in the shadows, trying to steal the Moon Stone from our beloved Stone Circle. There will be pumpkins galore and a halloween trail around Tumblestone Hollow and the gardens at Stonor Park. Here’s our review of Tumblestone. Hollow.
5. Hogshaw School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at Hogshaw Farm – Buckingham – 21st – 29th October. Follow our herbology tutor down to the pumpkin patch to collect your specimen for decorating and spot fellow Wizard School pupils getting up to mischief around the farm. For pumpkins, potions, broomsticks, owls & more. We went to Hogshaw Farm’s Halloween event last year and highly recommend it!
6. Hallo’Welly’Ween at Wellington Country Park – Riseley – 21st – 29th October. Watch spooky shows, listen witches stories, get up close with creepy crawlies with the ZooLab team, pick a pumpkin and carve it, ride the Halloween train, and get involved with slime making, fizzy pumpkins and the witches supermarket in the pop up play village. Plus all the usual fun at Welly Park, one of our favourite days out!
7. Howl’O’Ween at Chessington World of Adventure – Chessington 7th-30th October. The mischievous Wild Witches of Adventure Point have conjured up a devilish spell this Howl’o’ween and brought back to life spooktacular characters across the Resort. You’ll find loads of ghastly creatures across the resort, special Halloween attractions and shows, including a special show for little ones.
8. Pumpkin Festival at Willows Activity Farm – St Albans – 14th, 15th, 19th -31st October. Pick your pumpkin from Willow’s Pumpkin Patch, take photos in the gourd grotto and enjoy a full programme of pumpkin-tastic fun including all your Willows favourites.
9. Halloween at Bucklebury Farm – Bucklebury – 21st-31st October. Walk along the the spooky trail, choose and carve a pumpkin and go on a scarecrow trail. Plus the usual fun of the farm and tractors rides.
10. Haunted Half Term at Waddesdon Manor – Waddesdon – 21st – 29th October. Take part in a fact filled Trick or Treat Skeleton Trail. Join Zoolab for their Creepy Critters show (21st + 22nd) learning about some spooky and gruesome animals and insects or just sit back and relax in the powerhouse with some classic family Halloween films or try your luck at a vintage game. Enjoy a Halloween themed afternoon tea, let them have their face painted (28th + 29th) and buy a pumpkin to carve at home. Waddesdon are going all out for half term this year! Best of all? From 21 October until 29 October, children get free entry to the house and grounds at Waddesdon!
11. Halloween Spectacular at Chiltern Open Air Museum 27th October. Bring the family to an unforgettable, unmissable evening of spooky fun for all ages in the unique and atmospheric setting of the Museum’s historic buildings and woods. They will have fire breathing performances, a bonfire, marshmallow toasting, spooky horses, a magician, scary storytelling (and not so scary!), craft activities, a scary walk and more. There are 2 entry times – 5pm and 6pm.
12. Halloween Extavaganza at Kew Little Pigs 21st – 31st October. Visit the Halloween themed farm and take part in our treasure hunt to win prizes! and all the Piggy Pet and Playing you can handle!

Pumpkin Patches

My biggest piece of advice for visiting pumpkin patches is to go sooner than later. It’s much better to visit when the fields are full of pumpkins than nearly empty!

1. PYO Pumpkins at Rectory Farm – Oxford –7th – 8th and 14th – 15th October) then running from 19th – 29th October.  Meet our friendly farm characters, pick and choose your own pumpkins to take home, jump on a tractor ride, get involved in some pumpkin crafts and garden games, farm characters and food trucks.
2. Pumpkins at The Patch MK – Milton Keynes – 7th – 29th October (selected dates). Way more than just a pumpkin patch! As well as there being loads of brilliant photo ops throughout the patch, you can also ride on the barrel train, play on the slides, climb the wall, play games including Zombie Knockdown and have your face painted. Read our review from visiting Pumpkins at The Patch MK 3 years ago (they’ve added loads more fun stuff since we went!).
3. High Lodge Farm PYO Pumpkin Patch and Spooky Trail – Culham (near Abingdon) – 22nd – 30th October. Tickets include entry to the PYO Pumpkin Patch, (pay for what you pick), Spooky Trail, Halloween games and refreshment area and the chance to play in our farm tractor. You can also PYO pumpkin by moonlight.
4. PYO Pumpkins at Millets Farm – Abingdon – 14th-31st October. There is loads going on at Millets Farm over Halloween including PYO pumpkins, a Halloween circus, spooky disco at Sprouts soft play barn.
5. Pick Your Own Pumpkins at Lillingstone Pick Your Own – Lillingstone 7th – 29th October (selected dates) – Collect a wheelbarrow and head down to the Pumpkin Patch bursting with home-grown pumpkins and squashes! Follow the spooky Halloween trail around the Maize Maze, climb aboard the pumpkin carriage for a trip around the farm on their tractor-trailor ride, play in the Play-Patch and go for a pony ride!
6. Pumpkin Festival at Odds Farm Park – High Wycombe – 21st – 29th October. PYO pumpkin ready to carve over at Carving Corner, have a go at our Halloween-themed Arts & Crafts and come to see what other spooky surprises we have in store! Plus all the usual fun at Odds Farm Park.

Children’s Classes, Workshops & Parties

1. Halloween Chocolate Workshops at Dr Chocs Windsor Chocolate Factory – Windsor – 3rd – 31st October. Make and paint some special chocolate ghouls and a chocolate lollypop before topping up with scary toppings.
2. Wizards Halloween Party at Robyns Nest – 24th October at Moss End and 26th October at Shinfield. Take part in spell lessons, wizard dance fun, photo opportunity and earn a wizard training certificate for child. Followed by a themed children’s afternoon tea – inc. themed sandwiches, sugar cookie, sweets, popcorn, cheese ‘broomstick’, ‘snitch’ cake pop, jelly & ‘butter beer’.
3. Halloween Party at Fego in Beaconsfield – 31st October. There will be food, drinks, games, competitions and Tricky Twister (the balloon man). Fancy dress essential.  To book pop in or email beaconsfield@fegocaffe.co.uk
4. Halloween Ghost Hunt at Wycombe Museum – 29th October. Come dressed up and ready to scare as you take part in ghoulish games and creepy crafts in this after-dark experience.
5. Halloween activities at The Cheese Shed in Nettlebed – 23rd – 27th October. These include Halloween cookie decorating, pumpkin carving and decorate a witch or wizards hat. The cheese toasties here are the best you will EVER have!
6. Halloween Skate at Oxford Ice Rink 27th October.
7. Halloween and Crafts at Discover Bucks Museum 23rd – 28th October. There is loads going on at Discover Bucks Museum including a brand new exhibition called I Grew Up in the 80s which looks really fun. They also have a Halloween trail running all week, a different craft activity each day and a Halloween Family Day on Saturday 28th October

Halloween Shows

1. John Lawson’s Halloween Circus at Millet’s Farm – Abingdon – 22nd – 28th October. This thrilling, fun family show, features lots of new and popular acts especially for the whole family to enjoy!

Halloween & Autumn Trails

1. Scarecrow Trail at Cliveden National Trust – 21st – 29th October. The scarecrow trail is free and runs from Sat 21 – Sun 29 October. Children can also make their own mini scarecrow (suggested donation of £2) to take home. The crafting activity runs from 1pm – 3pm daily. Plus standard entrance fee (keep an eye out for free National Trust passes – I often share these on my Instagram stories)
2. Binfield Scarecrow Hunt – Binfield – 21sts – 29th October – one of our favourite scarecrow trails as the residents of Binfield go all out with their Scarecrow making!
3. Pumpkin Hunt at Bunkers Hill Garden Shop – Kidlington – 9th – 31st October. This event is always raved about by The Family Ticket! Visit the nursery for the Pumpkin Hunt and vote for your favourite of the Handsome Heroes and Ugly Mug Pumpkin Parade.
4. Halloween Hunt in the Garden 21st October – 5th November. Find scarecrows hidden around Waterperry Gardens and collect a prize.
5. Pumpkin Hunt Trail at Wycombe Museum – 22nd – 29th October. Find hidden multicoloured pumpkins around the museum and gardens! Find them all, and solve a puzzle to claim your prize!
6. The Chalfont Creepy Crawl 31st October from 5pm. So many people have recommend this trail to me as it was a huge success last year! Follow their page for details on where to collect maps from.
7. Marlow Bottom’s Annual Scarecrow Festival 22nd – 29th October. Trail maps are available for £2 at Tin Town, Barn Club and Da Luca. We’ve done this trail twice and love it. The houses go to a lot of effort with the scarecrows and this year there at 74 houses taking part.
8. Princess Risborough Halloween Trail 28th October 1-4pm. Fancy Dress and Shop Window Art Trail. Match the retailer with the Halloween character painted on their window. Entry forms will be available from the haunted house tent positioned outside the front of Princes Risborough Library from 1pm.
9. Halloween Spooktacular Trail at Dinton Pastures 21st – 29th October. Buy a thrilling trail map for £2.50 per child and go on a mysterious journey through the park. Complete the trail and win a delicious reward. Dinton Pastures has an amazing playground to enjoy as well and is a beautiful place to go for a walk around the lake.

I have more to add to this guide so keep checking back!