Bay Area Halloween Happenings 2013

Halloween is coming up. And if your kids are anything like mine, they've been talking about it since school began. Here's a list of activities to consider. Please add your favorites to the list!

SAN FRANCISCO

SUPERNATURAL HALLOWEEN PARTY 2013
What: Celebrate with the creepy-crawlies, including trick-or-treating, face painting, dancing, costume parade,  photo booth, stiltwalkers, magicians, live music, animal shows, pumpkin carving demonstrtions, photo booths, planetarium show, food and drinks and more. Come in costume.
Where: California Academy of Sciences, SF
When: Saturday 10/26 from 5-9 p.m.
Who: everyone
Cost: adults $50, kids 17 and under $35. Kids one and younger are free. And anything over $30 is tax-deductible
More info: here

STERN GROVE'S "SCAREGROVE"

When: Friday, October 25 from 3-9
What: Haunted house, hay rides, arts & crafts, inflatables, carnival rides
Cost: $8/person - all inclusive
Who: the whole family
More info: Scaregrove


BOO AT THE ZOO
What: Lots of activities including candy stations, take-home crafts, pictures with Casper the Friendly Ghost, pumpkin stomp and chomp (animals get treats), haunted nature trails, animal feedings, and critter encounters (snakes and owls) and creepy, crawly adventures at the critter zoo.
When: October 19-20, 26-27, from 11-3
Cost: free with paid zoo admission
Who: anyone
Where: San Francisco Zoo
More Info: Costumes are fine, but no rubber masks so you don't scare the animals.

ANNUAL SPOOK PARADE AND COSTUME CONTEST
What: Costume contest
When: Thursday, October 31 from 3-5:30
Where: Serramonte Center, Daly City
Cost: free
More info: For kids 12 and under, win prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place costumes


TREASURE ISLAND
What: Howl-o-ween at the Flea Market and pumpkin patch; trick-or-treating at the 300+ flea market booths
Where: Treasure Island
When: October 26-27, 10-4
Cost: $3/ages 12+, free under age 12
More info: Bring socks for a sock drive. More info here.

OLD NAVY FLAGSHIP STORE
What: Halloween story time and treasure hunt with goodies. 
Where: Old Navy Flagship store, 4th and Market
When: Saturday, October 26 from 1-5
Cost: Free
More info: All Halloween merchandise will be 50% off.


PENINSULA

GREAT AMERICA - SNOOPY EVENTS
What: Great America has a number of kid-friendly Halloween activities, including Snoopy's Costume Party where kids can trick-or-treat with Snoopy and the gang. This is not a scary event (unless your kids are freaked out by giant versions of the Peanuts characters, which to be honest, I am). They'll have pumpkin decorating, and a "foam-tastic pumpkin patch" which does look like fun. There's a talking plastic pumpkin, and a few of the rides have been transformed into scarier versions of what they already are, which means they added some cobwebs and spiders to them.   
When: weekends in October through October 27
Cost: free with park admission
Who: kids 12 and under
More info: here

What: Great America Halloween Haunt. For the older kids, there are haunted mazes, sinister stage shows, themed scare zones, a twisted attraction plus rides.
When: now through October 27; 7 p.m.to midnight
Cost: $27.99+

CURIODYSSEY - SLITHER AND SQUEAK
When: Friday, October 25, 6-8pm
What: Slither and Squeak -Discover the science behind the spooky things you see at Halloween! Museum educators will expose haunted house tricks of the trade and reveal to visitors how those creepy, scary things happen. Wear your costume and meet CuriOdyssey’s nocturnal animals, experiment hands-on with spooky science, and take part in science-inspired trick-or-treating. Watch the debut of their new wildlife show - Night and Day. Buy cupcakes from Kara's Cupcakes Karavan.
Tickets: limited, must purchase in advance Here
Cost: $12-$15 (free for those under age 2)
More info: here
Where: CuriOdyssey, 1651 Coyote Point Dr., San Mateo


HILLER AVIATION HAUNTED HANGER
What: Halloween event and helicopter pumpkin drop (crafts, exhibits, carnival, candy, prizes)
When: Saturday, October 26 from 10-12:30 (pumpkin drop is at 12:15)
Where: Hillier Aviation Museum in San Carlos
Cost: free with museum admission
Who: everyone
More info: here

HILLSDALE SHOPPING CENTER
What: Trick-or-treating, magician, puppet show,balloons, and crafts
Where: Hillsdale Mall, 60 31st Avenue, San Mateo
When: Thursday, 10/31 from 5-6 p.m. (trick-or-treating is 5-6 only)
More info: Here
Cost: Free

HALF MOON BAY
What: Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival (street fair)
Where: Main Street - downtown Half Moon Bay
When: Saturday/Sunday, October 18-19 from 9-5
More info: here
Cost: Free (though you may have to pay for parking)

SAN JOSE
What: Spellbound - a celebration of books and make-believe; wear costumes and go to healthy treat stations, learn about chemistry, and maybe you'll win a book.
Where: Children's Discovery Museum, San Jose
When: Thursday, October 31 from 10-4:30
More info: here
Cost: free with admission

MARIN
Check Ronnie's Awesome List for October. It's now Halloween specific, but there are tons of Marin events.

HALLOWEEN OPEN HOUSE  
What: Marine Science Sunday - Creatures of the Deep. Docent-led tours at 11, 1 and 3. Trick-or-treat marine mammal trivia, wander through the haunted whale bone graveyard, mystery box touch stations, Halloween costumes encouraged.
Where: Marine Mammal Center, Marin Headlands, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito
When: Sunday, October 27 from 10-5
Cost: free
More info: 

EAST BAY

JACK O'LANTERN JAMBOREE
What: Rides, parades, goody bags, treats, crafts, jumpy houses, pirate school, balloon animals, clowns and more
Where: Children's Fairyland, Oakland
When: Saturday and Sunday, 10/26 and 27
Cost: $10 ($5/members)
More info: here