Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, which changes the math for Tampa parents. You're not squeezing trick-or-treating in after school. You've got a whole weekend, plus five weeks of zoo nights, theme park afternoons, and trunk-or-treats leading up to it.
The hard part isn't finding Halloween events in Tampa. It's figuring out which ones are actually built for kids and which ones will send your six-year-old home with nightmares. This guide sorts that out. Every date below was checked against the organizer's own page in late September 2026, but things move, so tap through before you drive.
The big Halloween events in Tampa for kids
Creatures of the Night at ZooTampa
This is the one most Tampa families end up at, and for good reason. The zoo stays open after dark with costumed characters, a dance party with zombies, a walk-through "haunted neighborhood" aimed at families, and themed food. It's spooky in a costume-shop way, not a jump-scare way.
- When: Select nights, Sept. 26 to Oct. 31, 2026, 4 to 10 p.m. (member preview Sept. 25). Fridays through Sundays in October, plus Fri. Oct. 30 and Sat. Oct. 31.
- Cost: Included with a ZooTampa membership or a "Zoo Fun" ticket. Zoo Fun tickets are blocked out on Oct. 10, 17 and 24. Separate after-4 p.m. event tickets have run about $35 to $40.
- Tip: The zoo itself says Fridays and Sundays are the better nights. Saturdays are packed.
- Where: 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa
If you already have a Zoo Fun ticket from earlier in the year, this is basically free. Our ZooTampa family guide covers parking and the rest of the park.
Halloween Spooktacular at Busch Gardens
The daytime, kid-friendly side of Busch Gardens' Halloween. Think costume parade, trick-or-treat stations, and story time, with the regular kids' rides running as usual.
- When: Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 12 to Nov. 1, 2026, noon to 4 p.m.
- Cost: Included with park admission or pass
- Best for: Toddlers through about age 10
Here's the thing to know: Howl-O-Scream runs at the same park on select nights (Sept. 11 to Oct. 31) and is a completely different event. Busch Gardens describes its haunted houses as "quite intense" and not suitable for younger children, and it's not included with regular admission. If you're doing the Spooktacular, plan to leave well before evening. More on the park in our Busch Gardens with kids guide.
Guppyween at The Florida Aquarium
Probably the best deal on this list if you have little kids. Children in costume get in free with a paid parent or guardian, but only at the ticket window, not online.
- When: Oct. 24 to 31, 2026, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- What's there: Trick-or-treating (Oct. 24, 25 and 31), costumed divers, underwater pumpkin carving, "creepy critter" animal encounters
- Sensory-friendly session: Sunday, Oct. 25, 8 to 9 a.m., before opening. Lights and sound are adjusted, $10 per guest, free for members.
- Where: 701 Channelside Dr., Tampa
Pair it with the Florida Aquarium guide if it's your first visit.
Jurassic Haunt at Dinosaur World (Plant City)
Dinosaur World turns into a lit-up night park with a haunted train ride, glowing trails, face painting, and "scare zones" that stay on the playful side. This year's theme is "Pirates of the Prehistoric."
- When: Select nights, Sept. 26 to Nov. 1, 2026, starting at 4 p.m.
- Cost: Online sale price $19.95 (regularly $24.95); kids 2 and under free
- Where: 5145 Harvey Tew Rd., Plant City, about 30 minutes east of downtown Tampa
It's a good fit for dinosaur-obsessed kids who are too young for anything truly scary. See our Dinosaur World guide for daytime tips.
Museum Halloween events
These are smaller, calmer, and usually sell out, so book early.
| Event | Date (2026) | Time | Cost | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spooktacular Science at MOSI | Sat., Oct. 17 | 6 to 9 p.m. | $20 kids, $30 adults | Ages 5 to 12 who like experiments |
| A Night at the Museum, Tampa Bay History Center | Sat., Oct. 24 | 2 to 6:30 p.m. (timed entry from 3) | $20 | Trick-or-treating through the galleries |
| Spooky Science, Glazer Children's Museum | Throughout October | Museum hours | Museum admission | Preschool and early elementary |
| Fright Light laser show at MOSI | Fri., Oct. 30 | 6:30 p.m. | $13 ($10 members) | Older kids |
The History Center event requires reservations and has sold out in past years. MOSI details are on our MOSI guide.
Free trick-or-treat and trunk-or-treat events
Tampa Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat
Free, downtown, and well organized. There are 50-plus treat stations along the Riverwalk, a "Thriller" flash mob at 4:30, a costume contest at 5, and Ghostbusters on a big screen at 7:15.
- When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, 4 to 9 p.m.
- Where: Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park and along the Riverwalk
- Parking tip: Garages near the convention center fill up. Park farther north and walk the Riverwalk down, or use the Pirate Water Taxi.
Hillsborough County trunk-or-treats
Hillsborough County Parks runs free trunk-or-treats at several recreation centers. No registration, free candy, just show up in costume with a bag. Participating sites include Northdale Park, Mango Recreation Center (Fri., Oct. 30, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.), Ruskin Park (Fri., Oct. 30, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.), Bealsville (Thu., Oct. 29, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.), Keystone, Jackson Springs, Miller Park, Emanuel P. Johnson, and Victor Crist Community Center. Check the county's events page for the date at your nearest center.
Brandon, Riverview and east county
Brandon doesn't have one big municipal Halloween event. Instead, you get a lot of small ones, which honestly is better with little kids.
- Brandon Riverview Chamber Trick or Treat Street: Sat., Oct. 24, 5 to 8 p.m., 11311 Boyette Rd., Riverview. Free.
- Beef 'O' Brady's Bloomingdale Trick or Treat Street: Wed., Oct. 28, 5 to 7 p.m. Free.
- St. Andrew's UMC Trunk or Treat: Sat., Oct. 24, 2 to 5 p.m., 3315 S. Bryan Rd. Free, and a daylight option.
- First Baptist Church Brandon Trunk or Treat: Sat., Oct. 31, 6 to 8 p.m., 216 N. Parsons Ave. Free.
- Astro Skate of Brandon Halloween Skate: Sat., Oct. 31, costume contests all day, $10 plus skate rental.
- Wolfe's Produce Halloween Hayrides: Evenings, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., at the Riverview market on US 301. $10 per rider, 2 and under free. Family-oriented, not a haunted hayride.
For the rest of the year, our things to do in Brandon guide has you covered.
Halloween in St. Pete and Clearwater
Halloween on Central (St. Pete)
This one is huge. Twenty-two blocks of Central Avenue close to cars and fill up with costumes, vendors, music, and candy. It's billed as family-friendly, and there's a dedicated family zone ("Boo-levard of Play") on the 2600 and 2700 blocks plus a sensory area with non-food treats.
- When: Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, noon to 5 p.m.
- Cost: Free. PSTA buses, including the SunRunner, are fare-free during the event.
- Tip: With young kids, park yourself near the family zone. It's a big street festival, and the crowd gets thick in the middle of the afternoon.
St. Pete Pier and Clearwater
The St. Pete Pier runs fall events through October, but the late-October "Haunted Fest" there is a music festival, not a kids' event. Families are better off at Halloween on Central the same weekend. In Clearwater and Palm Harbor, check the city's Coachman Park calendar and your local library branch. Several Pinellas libraries run free kids' Halloween parties in mid-October. Our free things to do in St. Pete guide has more.
Haunted houses: which are OK for kids?
Searches for "haunted house Tampa" spike every October, and most of what comes up is not for children. A rough sorting:
Fine for most kids
- ZooTampa's walk-through haunted neighborhood at Creatures of the Night
- Dinosaur World's Jurassic Haunt
- Wolfe's Produce Halloween hayrides
Teens and adults only, in practice
- Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens. Intense haunted houses with live scare actors. Not recommended under 13, and teens need a chaperone.
- Stand-alone haunts such as Pemberton Haunted Acres in Plant City, which advertises itself as "the goriest haunted house in Tampa." Believe them.
- Night-time "haunted farm" add-ons at some fall festivals. Daytime at the same farm is usually fine; after dark is a different product.
A good test: if the website talks about "scare actors," "gore," or requires a waiver, it's not a first-grader event.
Halloween night itself
Halloween 2026 is a Saturday. We couldn't find any county-wide official trick-or-treat hours for Hillsborough or Pinellas, so it comes down to neighborhood custom. Most streets get going around dusk (sunset is about 6:45 p.m.) and wind down by 8 or 9. Your HOA or neighborhood Facebook group will know the local pattern.
It will probably still be in the 80s. Skip the fleece costumes, bring water, and put a glow stick or reflective tape on dark costumes. A lot of Tampa streets don't have sidewalks.
Planning around the rest of fall
If you want daytime fall fun without the Halloween theme, see our Tampa fall festivals guide for corn mazes and harvest festivals, and the pumpkin patch guide for where to pick one up. For other weekend ideas all year, there's our Tampa weekend events guide.
