Southern Nevada is brimming with activities for the spooky season. From pumpkin patches to haunted attractions, eerie dining experiences and nightmarish media events, there is something for everyone. Below are some of the frightening festivities happening in and around Las Vegas.
Pay a visit to a pumpkin patch
When it comes to pumpkin patches, there are two giants within the city: Halloween Town and Seasonal Adventures. Combined, these chains operate six pumpkin patches across the valley.
Halloween Town manages three locations. The original is in Boca Park, but additional locations include Halloween Town Silverado Ranch and the Halloween Town on Rainbow Boulevard and Warm Springs Road. All day passes range from $25 to $35 on weekdays, and $30 to $40 on weekends, depending on the location. Single tickets are always $1, but a family pack will cost $20 on weekdays and $25 on weekends at all locations, according to the Halloween Town website.
Seasonal Adventures has locations throughout California and Nevada. Its three local pumpkin patches are in Centennial, Spring Valley and Henderson. Admission and parking are free, however there is a ticket system for accessing rides and most rides take between one and four tickets at a time. One ticket costs $1.35, while visitors may purchase 20 tickets for $26 or 40 tickets for $49.
According to the Seasonal Adventures website, its pumpkin patches are open daily until Oct. 31, and will be closing for the season at 7 p.m. on Halloween. The locations will then usher in the sales of Christmas trees.
Gilcrease Orchard is a more traditional option than the previously mentioned pumpkin patches.
Since 1920, the Gilcrease family has been farming in Las Vegas. A “pick and pay” orchard at Gilcrease has been maintained since the ‘70s, and more recently, a pumpkin patch. In addition to pumpkins, which sell for 75 cents per pound, Gilcrease Orchard also sells fall-themed concessions.
Gilcrease’s hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. It will be closing for the season after Oct. 30. Reservations are not required to attend.
Those seeking an authentic pumpkin patch experience can find it at the Moapa Valley Corn Maze. Located between Las Vegas and Mesquite, the drive to this pumpkin patch is about 50 miles. Moapa Valley Corn Maze allows guests to pick pumpkins and melons right off the vine for 50 cents per pound. Admission to this pumpkin patch is $12, which includes access to some of its festivities. After dark, there is a haunted corn maze, hayride, and barn to visit for an extra fee. Zombie paintball is also available for $25. The last day of the season is Oct. 31.
Horrifying haunted attractions
Fan-favorites Asylum and Hotel Fear have returned to the Meadows Mall parking lot for the Halloween season. These haunted houses are priced at $47 for a combined ticket. Asylum and Hotel Fear run every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in October from 6:30 p.m. until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and until 10 p.m. on the other nights, according to the website. The haunted houses will also be open on Monday, Oct. 31.
Boulder City is offering a few spooky attractions, such as the Haunted Boulder City ghost and UFO tour and the Train of Terror. The ghost walk is an hour-long guided tour of downtown Boulder City which discusses the paranormal, uncanny history of the area. Admission is currently $19.95 for adults and $12.95 for children ages 12 and under. The all-ages tours are scheduled to continue every weekend until the end of the year.
The Train of Terror has a Nevada Test Site theme for its Halloween train ride this year. In total, the experience lasts an hour and a half, and is rated PG13. Tickets are either $35 or $50, depending on which class guests choose to sit in. First class tickets include early boarding and a hazmat suit. The final dates for the Train of Terror will be Oct. 28, 29 and 30.
Magical Forest is open for HallOVeen with its haunted, 2.5-acre harvest. There are rides, trick-or-treating opportunities, games, gifts and food stations at this family-friendly event. Single tickets cost $22, while a four pack is $80 and a six pack is $108. HallOVeen’s doors are open from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. nightly, and the attraction is scheduled every evening until Oct. 30.
Springs Preserve is also hosting its annual Haunted Harvest again. Parking is free and the event is all ages, with dates spanning from Oct. 28 through 30 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Non-members can expect to pay $9 for admission, and members will be granted access for $8. Reservations are required to attend.
Eerie eats
Nightmare Cafe is a year-round eatery that specializes in spooky themes. The cafe features a menu full of Halloween puns, walls covered in horror movie murals, and a bar with chilling cocktails. The restaurant is located on Commerce Street and Colorado Avenue, and is open Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m.
Halloween Emporium and Haunted Tea Room doubles as a small business and cafe. Upon entering, customers are greeted with wall-to-wall Halloween memorabilia for sale. Items range from knick knacks to clothing, jewelry, and large-scale decorations. The shop also features a Polaroid booth where patrons may pose for an instant, printed picture.
There are also loose leaf teas, coffees, and ciders to try. These can all be ordered to-go or while walking around the store.
Macabre music and movie events
Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall helped locals ring in the Halloween season with special screenings of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The film, which is celebrating its 30-year anniversary, showed three times, the first on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m., and twice on Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
A double feature of “Creature from the Black Lagoon” and “Phantom of the Opera” took place on Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. Like other theaters, Sam’s Town is also screening the newly released horror films “Halloween Ends,” “Smile” and “Terrifier 2.” General admission to the theater at Sam’s Town is $9.50, and children and seniors may enter for $5.
The Las Vegas String Quartet is partnering with Saws and Strings, a frightful live music event that is both an interactive haunted house and an orchestra concert. From Oct. 28 through Oct. 31, Saws and Strings is pairing songs with scares. Tickets are $36.49 for general seating and $59.99 for the VIP section.
Whether you want to spend the spooky season picking pumpkins, escaping creepy attractions, consuming spooky cuisine, or taking in the sights and sounds of the season, there is surely an event for it.
