Neighborhood Expert: Spooky Halloween activities

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA and D.C. with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].

I’ll admit — I don’t like scary movies, I don’t like scary haunted houses, but when I was a kid in my hometown of Slingerlands, New York the fire department always did an awesome Halloween event where kids could go to a haunted house and younger kids could bob for apples, do crafts, bounce house, donuts, and other activities for more candy.

It’s one of my fondest memories of my neighborhood. That’s why I LOVE the Vienna Halloween parade. But this year, I wanted to expand what I share with you.

You can read my annual list of Vienna Parade tips here. Full Disclosure: I haven’t verified the decorations from last year and whether they will be up again, but if you want to drop an address in the comments section, I’m sure everyone would appreciate it! This year Weichert is doing a Trunk or Treat in the back parking lot from 6-7 p.m. before the parade.

That said, did you know we have Ghost tours around the D.C. area? I knew this was a Boston thing, but turns out, we have several in the area too:

• Old Town Alexandria Ghost Tour: A walking tour operating since 1985! Led by a costumed guide with a lantern light, you get a ghost tour of Old Town.
• DC Ghosts: A walking tour featuring 8-12 stories from the D.C. history books. 

Here’s another resource that features more haunted/ghost tours.

Meadowlark Botanical Garden is doing a Halloween Scavenger Hunt on October 21 through October 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Dog O’Ween is taking place Saturday, November 4 at Shipgarten from 1-6 p.m.

Flagship Carwash is having a Car Wash of Doom event. Tickets are available online or in-person, now through October 28.

The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton has a “Haunt” trail this month, including Sensory Friendly times on October 15 (6:30-7:15 p.m.) for kids who want to experience it without the strong sounds and lights.

Also, word on the street is that the Vienna Halloween Horror house is coming back for 2023! Follow their Facebook page for information.

Regardless of how you spend the night, remember Vienna trick or treaters always go out on October 31st — school night or not!

The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com