How much do you love Halloween?
While some people are satisfied with one spooky night of autumn delight, there's one town south of the border that takes the holiday to another level.
Located in Oregon roughly an hour north of Portland, the historic city of St. Helens celebrates Halloween from mid-September until Oct. 31. The city calls the annual celebration The Spirit of Halloweentown and it offers a plethora of things to do for people of all ages. Named after the 1998 movie Halloweentown, the city served as the main filming location.
If you're heading from Vancouver, it should take approximately five hours to drive down. Be sure to factor in border crossing wait times, and be aware that traffic through Seattle and south into Olympia can be quite bad at times and can stretch your road trip time by an hour or two, or more.
Attractions at Halloweentown open daily at 10 a.m. and typically close in the evening between 4 and 5 p.m. The main plaza with the pumpkins, The Vendors Village and the pirate area are open every weekend.
The plaza with the pumpkins is open daily for photos and The Vendors Village is also open for shopping, tasty dining, face painting, and more on weekends. Pirates and withes are also spotted entertaining passersby.
Check out a full list of special events and spooktacular activities in the daily schedule.
You can also purchase "One Big Ticket Spirit of Halloweentown 2022" which includes Sand Island Adventure, with the new water taxi trip (this feature is not sold separately).
Check-in is on South 1st Street for your tickets and includes:
- Sand Island Adventure Water Taxi and Hunt: Ride across the river on a water shuttle to Sand Island. After disembarking, guests walk the nature path and see the incredible pumpkin carvings by artist Wade Lapp. Next, they follow the trail and find the "resident Big Foot" and grab a selfie. You can also Participate in an all-ages scavenger hunt along the way. Try your hand at our Disc Golf Challenge or Ladder Challenge and win big prizes. Challenge others to our Can Jam game. Sit around a fire and answer "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?" questions while you toast a marshmallow and enjoy some other tasty treats included in your adventure.
- The new Spirit of Halloweentown Train to Whispers in the Woods: Meet the live characters along the trail and score a treat. Find the hidden forest characters hidden in the trees.
- Haunted House: Come and check out the new additions and get your scream on.
- The Pumpkin Puzzle Plaza: Perfect for games and photos and home to the resident Mermaid Una at select times in October.
Check out a full list of attractions.
COVID-19 considerations at Halloween
Portland's mask mandate has been lifted but some event organizers may request or recommend mask-wearing.
Additionally, some event organizers and venues may require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test for admission. Other events may be cancelled, postponed or held virtually. You can check individual event websites for the most up-to-date information.
