News
Blog | 6 min read
Spooky season in Greater Richmond: 12 ways to enjoy your Hallo-Weekend
October 29, 2026
Greater Richmond has centuries worth of ghost stories, working farms with pumpkin patches, and a theme park that turns into a haunt every fall. Here are 12 Halloween stops across the region, grouped by locality so you can plan a day or two around wherever you are.
City of Richmond
Poe Museum
Edgar Allan Poe spent formative years in Richmond, and this museum in Shockoe Bottom is dedicated to him. It preserves the Old Stone House, Richmond’s oldest standing residence. It also has the Poe Shrine and an Enchanted Garden inspired by one of his poems, where the museum’s resident cats, Edgar and Tib, roam. Plan for about an hour and save time for the garden. Tickets are required but can be bought upon arrival, with prices varying by age and eligibility.
Hollywood Cemetery
This 135-acre hillside cemetery above the James River is the final resting place of two U.S. presidents, James Monroe and John Tyler, plus thousands of Confederate soldiers. It’s also where the Richmond Vampire legend plays out, so it pairs well with a ghost tour. Walk or drive through the grounds at your own pace. Entry to the grounds is free, though The Valentine also offers paid guided tours.
Shockoe Bottom Ghost Tours
Richmond’s oldest neighborhood, Shockoe Bottom, is also claimed to be its most haunted. Several companies run lantern-lit walking tours with local historians, featuring stories ranging from the Richmond Vampire legend to the Church Hill Tunnel collapse. Pick your tour based on the route and mood you want. It’s highly recommended to buy tickets in advance since this is peak tour time. Options include Haunts of Richmond, Richmond Ghosts by US Ghost Adventures and Strange Richmond Tours.
Halloween on Hanover Avenue
At the heart of Richmond’s Fan District lies Hanover Ave, home to pure Halloween tradition. Every Halloween, concentrated mainly along the 1900 through 2100 blocks of Hanover Ave, thousands of trick-or-treaters pack the street for the free candy and elaborate decorations, with kids coming from all over the city. Residents go big on decor, so it’s worth it even if you’re not looking for candy, but for some great spooky views. Since this is a residential area, it is an unofficial event, meaning no hours or tickets. If you want smaller crowds, go early, but expect the street to still be busy.
Squirrel-O-Ween at CarMax Park
The Richmond Flying Squirrels are hosting their annual Halloween party at their new ballpark, CarMax Park, for the first time. Kids can trick-or-treat through the stadium, make crafts and ride hayrides around the warning track. This is a free event on Friday, October 30 from 5 – 7:30 pm.
Henrico County
Gallmeyer Farms Pumpkin Patch
Grab a wheelbarrow and pick your own pumpkin right from the field. The farm also sells gourds, mums and fall décor, and has a play area and picnic spot. It’s a low-key, inexpensive family outing close to downtown. Entry, parking and hayrides are free, all you pay for is the pumpkin you’re bringing home. Open daily through October 31, and remember to leave pets at home!
Creepy Hollow Scream Park
Enjoy a spooky walk through the woods near Short Pump with live actors, animatronics and illusions. There are four haunts on two trails (Scream Forest, Nightmare Labs, Farrington Asylum and Axl’s Dark Carnival), with a midway point and bonfire in between. Buy tickets in advance for convenience, as the on-site ticket booth is cash only (there is an ATM on site). Gates open at 7 and the walk starts at 7:30, recommended for older kids and adults. Remaining nights are October 29, 30 and 31.
Chesterfield County
Chesterfield Berry Farm
This working farm along the Appomattox River turns into a fall destination every October. Pick your own pumpkin from the field, and look for weekend fall festival fun like hayrides, a corn maze and pig races. Pumpkins are priced by the pick, and some activities have separate fees, so check the farm’s website for current admission and hours before you go.
Henricus Historical Park: “Things That Go Bump in the Night
Take a guided tour through this re-created 1611 settlement after dark, while costumed interpreters perform old English folklore about witches, ghosts, goblins and all the things that went bump in the night for colonial Virginians. It’s a history-meets-haunts evening unlike anything else in the region. Tickets are required and sold by time slot, with tours leaving every 15 minutes starting at 7 pm on Thursday, October 29 and Friday, October 30, and you’ll want to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Use personal discretion for bringing young children.
Hanover County
Ashland Berry Farm
By day, it’s a family pumpkin patch with a 30-acre field, hayrides, Fort Pumpkin and a donut shop. Parking is free, and you can take on the All-You-Can-Carry pumpkin challenge for a flat price. By night, it becomes Terror on the Farm, where a haunted hayride carries you into the woods for four new scares: Revenge of the Scarecrow, Voodoo: Blood & Bones, Ghost Town 3D and Booger Woods. Afterward, warm up by the bonfire with fresh doughnuts and hand-cut fries. Terror on the Farm requires tickets (starting at $27) and runs through October 31; recommended for older kids and adults.
Cold Harbor Battlefield & Hanover Tavern
Walk the grounds of Cold Harbor Battlefield in Mechanicsville, site of one of the Civil War’s bloodiest battles, where local legend says a ghost has been spotted. It’s free to visit and best explored in daylight. Afterward, head to Hanover Tavern for a meal. It’s one of the few surviving colonial-era taverns in the country, and George Washington, Patrick Henry and the Marquis de Lafayette are among the famous guests who stopped by. Today, you can sit down for lunch or dinner in the same historic rooms. Reservations are recommended, especially on a busy weekend.
Kings Dominion Halloween Haunt
The region’s biggest scare. Halloween Haunt runs select nights until November 1, with haunted mazes, scare zones and live shows. New this year is Diablo: The Infernal Path, a maze based on the Blizzard video game. Park admission is required, and the mazes require a Haunted Attractions Pass (starting at $10 per night, plus admission, or packages starting at $55). Scare zones and shows are included with admission. The park doesn’t recommend the event for children under 13, though families can enjoy daytime Tricks and Treats on select dates.
Spooky autumnal events for everyone
No matter how you celebrate, Greater Richmond has a spooky stop for you. If you have time, take a trip around the region and soak up as much spookiness as you can. Start with a ghost tour in Shockoe Bottom on Friday, pick the perfect pumpkin in Hanover or Chesterfield on Saturday, and end the night at Kings Dominion’s Halloween Haunt. With so many ways to celebrate across the city and the counties, you can build a Hallo-Weekend that fits your crew, whether that means a family pumpkin patch or a night of frights. For time efficiency and for entry, buy tickets in advance when you can and double-check current hours before you head out. Happy Halloween, Greater Richmond!
