Washington State is known for its raw beauty and unsurpassed wilderness. But when the season swings to October and All Hallows’ Eve nears, the Evergreen State reveals its darker, spookier side. This is the season of spooks and specters, ghosts and ghouls, and below are 9 perfect ways to celebrate Halloween throughout the state, if you dare!
Halloween and candy go hand-in-hand and there’s no better place to stock up on these sweet treats than Candy Tyme. With several convenient locations in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, and Vancouver, you’ll find over 200 containers of almost any kind of candy imaginable. Everything is sold at one price so you can mix and match to your heart’s content, and they have Mexican, sugar-free, bulk, and special packaged options that will help make your Halloween celebration sweet.
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Visit one of the top-rated haunted houses in the area, if you dare. Fright Factory in Buckley, Washington, is not child-friendly, and even adults have a hard time making it through without screaming. Groups are kept small to maximize the experience, so be prepared. Open the month of October, this indoor haunting is worth the admission fee.
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Styled after the Parisian bistros that combined dance, music, and theater with food and drink, Can Can Cabaret in Seattle offers something more ghoulish for Halloween. Their special show, “This is Halloween” is being presented for the holiday season along with your favorite palate-pleasing appetizers, sandwiches, entrees, and desserts. Special “spirits” like Cat’s Paw and Velvet Devil are also available.
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Open since 1978, Lakewood Costumes has been providing everything to make dressing up fun and easy. Whether you’re looking for a specific theme for your child’s birthday party or frightening Halloween costumes for trick or treat, they have it all. Great selection and helpful staff will make sure you find exactly what you want from body paint to clothing, shoes, and wigs, to body prosthetics and props.
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Legend has it that the spirit of a murdered Native American woman roams the cemetery on moonlight nights. What would you do if you saw her wandering through the graveyard? This is not an organized public event, so please exercise restraint when visiting as it is still used for burials.
What better way to get to know Seattle than by participating in a city-wide scavenger hunt? Created by Urban Adventure Quest, this self-guided application-driven quest takes you all over the city searching for specific points of interest and solving challenges. During October, you’ll get to see all the spooky decorations and take part in Halloween festivities of choice as you’re making your way around town. This hunt is perfect for groups and folks who want to learn more about this part of Washington.
Lions and tigers and gargoyles, oh, my! Once used to ward off evil spirits and serve as a welcoming beacon for cathedrals and other public buildings, gargoyles are now getting their due attention at Gargoyles Statuary in the University District of Seattle. In addition to these strange winged creations, there are Celtic, pagan, and metaphysical merchandise for sale and unique gifts that you won’t find anywhere else.
Grit City Ghost Tours happen every month in Tacoma, where history comes alive with the dead and the undead. Hear about actual historic events that took place in the city that have been undiscovered for years. Featuring a new location each time, you’ll be led by a knowledgeable guide into areas and buildings after dark that you would never suspect have a hidden past. These two-hour tours require comfortable shoes, curiosity, and an open mind.
Built in the late 1880s and used as a family home, Meeker Mansion in Puyallup, Washington, is a grand picture of life in the Golden Age of the area. With hand-painted ceilings and stained glass windows throughout the house, you would never suspect that it was haunted. After the deaths of owners Ezra and Eliza Meeker, the mansion had several other uses, including a hospital and a home for women affected by the Civil War. Rumors say that the original owners liked the house so much that they never left, and whispers can be heard at night. Come visit and see if you catch a whiff of Eliza’s favorite perfume in the air.
