A fun farm in the Half Moon Bay Area, it’s been a Bay Area favorite since the 1980s. There is a train ride, pony rides, a haunted house, a petting zoo, and so much more.  We took the kids when they were younger, and they loved running around the farm, picking out pumpkins, playing on the rides, and my son wanted to do the train ride over and over again.  This is great for kids who are 70 lbs. or less.  Once your child hits 70 lbs., the rides they can enjoy becomes limited.  You can buy timed entry passes online for either the morning or the afternoon. Tickets will be sold at the door but are not guaranteed and may be limited if capacity is reached. 

This one is a bit of a drive, but worth it.  Out near Tracy, there is Dell’Osso Farms.  It’s known for its elaborate corn maze, where you can quite literally get lost in the corn.  They also have rides, bounce houses, a haunted castle and more.  We went when my son was a toddler, but I have wanted to return with older ones for a long time.  It really is a fun experience for any age, even adults.  And there is a food court and gift shop, so you can spend a whole enjoyable day here.  This one opens September 30^th – Halloween.  Check online to pre-purchase tickets.   

A gorgeous farm out in  Marin county, this popular apple picking farm is only Sundays in September and October for picking.  You can pick from Orin, Pinova, Candy Crisp, and Jonagold varieties for $2 a pound.  Kids love going along and picking the apples off the tree, as well as checking out the animals and the hay stack to climb.  You will go nuts picking apples, and dreaming of pies.  They do not have a shop for food, so make sure to pack a lunch or plan to stop someplace accordingly.  This place is popular to make sure to reserve your spot ahead of time.  They normally sell out before Sunday so do not count on being able to walk in. 

Located in Sebastopol, a cute town along the ocean that was features in Hitchcock’s “The Birds”, it’s a popular spot in Sonoma County to go Apple Picking.  It’s about an hour from San Francisco but feels like a world away.  The $35 fee covers a Saturday U-Pick time slot. Apples are $4 a pound.

We did this train ride last Halloween and it turned out to be an amazing surprise find.  Just outside Sacramento, it’s a 2-hour affair that includes an hour steam train ride through the farmlands outside Sacramento, trick or treating with the costumed attendants, fun games with prizes in the field outside after the ride including some panning for gems, a costume contest, and a pumpkin to take home from the pumpkin patch.  The seating is mostly open-air seating.  Kids are encouraged to attend in costume, making it a fun outing for the day. 

Closer to home, there is a fun little steam train ride right in the hills of Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA.  It’s a small train, for little ones, but it takes you though the hills of the park, helping you feel far away from the urban sprawl just a few miles from the spot.  It’s very affordable, with five rides being just $16.  Each ride is about 15 minutes, and we usually rode it at least 2x when we went with the kids when they were little.  No need to make reservations but know that it can get crowded on the weekend and you might have to wait in line. 

One of the newer ballets by the Oakland Ballet Company, it celebrates the Mexican culture and centers around Día de Los Muertos.  It takes place in 2 locations, at the Hammer Theater in San Jose the weekend before Halloween (Oct 28th & 29th), and at the beautiful Paramount Theater, an art deco theater rich with history in downtown Oakland the weekend after Dia de Los Muertos (Nov3rd & 4th).  

The Oakland Zoo is back with its fun holiday themed events.  This year Boo at the Zoo is everyday in October.  A hay maze, a self-guided scavenger hunt, goodie bags with treats, and children are encouraged to come in costume (no inflatable costumes, they scare the animals).  There will be a costume contest this year where the winners will receive tickets to Glowfari!  Make sure to book your tickets in advance, they will sell out!

Out in Vallejo is the Six Flags Discovery Kindgom full of huge thrill roller coasters for your teens and kiddie rides for the littles, and moderate thrill rides for those in-between.  One of the most anticipated events of the year is Fright Fest.  Held at night, there are haunted houses, scare zones, and shows.  This is really aims at the teens and older who can handle and want to be scared out of their minds.  This year, they added Kids Boo Fest.  During the day, there is trick or treating and family friendly Halloween activities for those who don’t want to be a victim of jump scares.  Costumes encouraged!  Make sure make your reservations.  Both are included in your 2023 Season Pass.  (If you want to know more about navigating Six Flags check out Trips with Tykes blog )