The cackling of witches and the crinkling of candy bars mark the beginning of Halloween. Bloomington, Saint Paul, and Minneapolis are some of the best places to celebrate the creepiest holiday.
Stay central to all the Halloween fun in Bloomington, MN, home of Mall of America® and over 40 unique hotels. Mall of America celebrates Halloween with Nickelodeon “Boo”niverse at Nickelodeon Universe® and Twin Cities Fear Fest, a new haunted experience. Check rates and availability for your Halloween getaway!
The number of events and activities the Twin Cities have to offer make visiting for the holiday well worth the trip. And since Bloomington is central to both Minneapolis and Saint Paul, you’ll get the best of what both cities offer.
Family-Friendly Activities
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Halloween for the whole family, look no further.
Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular
Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Minnesota Zoo
At this special experience, you’ll walk through an enchanted forest decorated with thousands of illuminated pumpkins. Special effects and music, along with creative displays of all different sizes of pumpkins, make the zoo a perfect location for a date night or family-friendly outing. Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is open September 26 – November 2. Tickets sold online only.
Pumpkin Picking
Pick out your own pumpkin from numerous patches near the metro area. Afton Apple Orchard in Hastings, Luceline Orchard in Watertown, and Sever’s Fall Festival in Shakopee are just a few of the local favorite spots to pick a pumpkin. Some patches and farms offer pumpkin-carving opportunities, too.
Mall of America
While Mall of America is fun year-round, during Halloween a bit of spook is added in. During the month of October, Nickelodeon Universe is transformed into Nickelodeon “Boo”niverse, a creepier version of the amusement park. Rides and Nickelodeon characters will be given a scary twist, and professional sculptors will be on hand to carve you a special pumpkin. Check out all the events planned September 15 – October 31.
A new experience at Mall of America will add in a bit of a spook to your shopping experience. Twin Cities Fear Fest is a limited-time-only haunted house located on Level 2, East at MOA. Open select nights from September 26-November 2, Twin Cities Fear Fest offers two different haunted houses for thrill seekers to explore. Guests ages 21 and over can also enjoy an alcoholic beverage at Elvira Pop Up Bar before or after they experience the haunt!
Twin Cities Fear Fest
Haunted Houses For All
For scary fun throughout fall and during the Halloween season, there are a number of haunted houses and frightening attractions across the Twin Cities and in surrounding suburbs that are waiting to scare your socks off—or come close to it.
Held on the grounds of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, Phantom’s Feast is held Thursdays-Sundays in October and is hosted by Jim Cunningham. Enjoy an evening of delicious food and drinks plus ghost stories in a spooky atmosphere. Also in the west metro, Chaska’s Scream Town is a collection of seven different haunted houses plus a haunted hayride through the forest.
Valleyfair amusement park’s ValleyScare is back! On select nights enjoy terrifying haunted mazes, sinister scare zones, exhilarating live shows, and specialty food & drink. For a more family-friendly experience, check out their Tricks and Treats event that welcomes the whole family, whether you prefer the Land of Tricks, with spooky, gross, and weird adventures, or the Land of Treats, which gives the vibe of a cozy fall festival. Valleyfair is just a short jaunt from Bloomington and a must-see during the Halloween season.
As the home of Mall of America®, Bloomington offers over 520 stores and attractions like Nickelodeon Universe® and SEA LIFE® at Mall of America. With over 40 hotels, family-friendly options and a light rail, you’re always near the Halloween action.
