No matter what your tolerance level for spooky Halloween fun, there are plenty of options in the area that cater to the fearful and the fearless.
Head to Hillsborough River State Park on Friday and Saturday, October 22 and 23, for its 18th Annual Haunted Woods from 6–10 p.m. Activities, including nightly coloring and costume contests and tram rides on Saturday through the festively decorated campground, will keep children entertained. The highlight of the evening is the haunted trail, not recommended for young children.
“People don’t stick around to find out if a buzzing chainsaw being wielded by the guy jumping out of the woods has a blade on it or not,” says park ranger and haunted trail leader Brian Snyder.
The park is located at 15402 U.S. Hwy. 301 N. in Thonotosassa. Park entrance fees for the event are $5 for adults and children 6 and up; children 5 and under are free. For more information, visit www.floridastateparks.org/hillsboroughriver.
For haunted trail options closer to home, just watch for signs that pop up on the side of the road in the FishHawk area. Sometimes these local homegrown trails offer more frights and chills than their larger theme park counterparts.
Too terrifying for the tykes? Head on over to Center Place on Sunday, October 24, from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. for the 13th Annual Halloween Horribles Parade at Center Place in Brandon. Costumed munchkins 10 and under are invited to take part in a Halloween parade around Center Place. Treat stations, manned by local civic clubs and businesses, will be set up along the parade route.
“Instead of scary Frankenstein monsters and werewolves, we have Ronald McDonald and the Chick-fil-A cow,” says Center Place staff Sue McElligott. “Even adults dress up for this event.”
Tickets, now available, are free but are limited to 800 children and can be picked up at Center Place, located at 619 Vonderburg Rd., Ste. B, in Brandon. For more information call 685-8888.
Whatever your age and fright factor, find something in the area this Halloween season.
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