Key takeaways
- Seattle: the Underground Tour, Pike Place Market ghost walks and valley pumpkin farms.
- Portland: Fright Town, Shanghai Tunnels lore, Lone Fir Cemetery and Sauvie Island farms.
- Side trips: Hood River's Fruit Loop, Port Townsend, the Iron Goat Trail and the Oregon coast.
- Pack rain gear and waterproof boots : farm fields turn to mud fast.
The Pacific Northwest doesn't need fake fog. In October, real mist drifts through cedar forests and over the water, early darkness falls by 6 p.m., and rain patters on old brick buildings with long histories. It's a perfect setting for a Halloween season that balances spooky city tours with some of the best farm country in the West.
Seattle
The Underground Tour
Beneath Pioneer Square lie the remains of the original city streets, buried when Seattle regraded its downtown after the Great Fire of 1889. The long-running Underground Tour leads visitors through these dim passages with humor and history : and the atmosphere is perfect for October.
Pike Place Market ghost tours
Pike Place Market, open since 1907, is one of the oldest continuously operating public farmers markets in the U.S. : and, according to local storytellers, one of the most haunted places in Seattle. Evening ghost tours share its legends.
Pioneer Square and historic ghosts
Seattle's oldest neighborhood has its share of tales, including stories attached to historic pubs and buildings. Several companies run walking ghost tours in October.
Family Halloween in the city
Seattle's zoo, aquarium and science center have traditionally hosted Halloween events for kids, and neighborhoods with older homes and sidewalks draw big trick-or-treat crowds. Check current-year schedules.
Seattle-area pumpkin farms
The river valleys north and east of Seattle are packed with fall farms:
- Snohomish valley farms : a cluster of popular pumpkin farms with corn mazes, hayrides and festivals, about 30–45 minutes north of Seattle.
- Remlinger Farms (Carnation) : a Snoqualmie Valley institution with a fall festival, rides and U-pick pumpkins.
- Issaquah and the Eastside : family farms with pumpkin patches and corn mazes.
See America's Best Pumpkin Patches and How to Plan the Perfect Family Pumpkin-Patch Day.
Portland
Fright Town
One of the Northwest's biggest haunted attractions, Fright Town packs multiple haunted houses into a downtown venue each October : see America's Best Haunted Houses.
The Shanghai Tunnels
Beneath Old Town, a network of basements and passages fuels legends of sailors "shanghaied" in the 1800s. Historians debate how true the stories are, but the tours are atmospheric and popular in October.
Lone Fir Cemetery
One of Portland's oldest cemeteries, Lone Fir is a peaceful, tree-filled park by day. The Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery have long hosted October history tours focusing on its residents' more dramatic departures.
Haunted hotels and pubs
Portland's historic hotels and brewpub-hotels, including converted historic properties, share their own ghost lore : some old buildings even offer "haunted" room stays.
Portland-area pumpkin farms
- Sauvie Island : a rural island in the Columbia River just north of the city, home to several pumpkin farms, corn mazes and hayrides, including The Pumpkin Patch.
- Roloff Farms (Hillsboro) : a popular pumpkin season destination west of Portland.
- Willamette Valley farms : wine-country farms with pumpkins and harvest events.
Haunted forests and wild places
The Northwest's forests are naturally eerie : moss-draped, dripping and silent. Atmospheric fall walks include:
- Forest Park, Portland : one of the largest urban forests in the U.S., misty and mysterious on autumn mornings.
- The Iron Goat Trail near Stevens Pass, Washington : a trail along the old Great Northern railway grade near Wellington, site of the deadly 1910 avalanche that swept trains into a ravine. It's a powerful, haunting place to learn history.
- Olympic Peninsula rainforests : the Hoh and Quinault rainforests feel otherworldly in the fog.
Always check trail conditions; early snow can arrive at elevation in October.
Side trips
| Destination | Why go |
|---|---|
| Hood River, Oregon | The Fruit Loop of orchards and farm stands with apples, pears and pumpkins under Mount Hood |
| Port Townsend, Washington | Victorian seaport and Manresa Castle, a historic hotel known for ghost stories |
| Leavenworth, Washington | Bavarian-style mountain town known for its Oktoberfest celebrations in October |
| Oregon coast | Heceta Head Lighthouse, with its keeper's house ghost legends, and stormy beaches |
| Astoria, Oregon | Historic river town with maritime history and moody views |
Sample 5-day itinerary
- Seattle: Underground Tour, Pike Place Market, evening ghost walk.
- Snohomish or Snoqualmie valley: pumpkin farm, corn maze, cider.
- Drive to Portland (about three hours), with a stop in Olympia or Centralia.
- Portland: Sauvie Island pumpkin farms by day, Fright Town or Shanghai Tunnels by night.
- Hood River: Fruit Loop orchards and the Columbia River Gorge.
Practical tips
- Rain gear is essential, and waterproof boots for muddy fields.
- Daylight is short : plan farm visits early.
- Book haunted attractions for weekend nights in advance.
- Watch mountain weather if you head to the passes.
- Ferries add a beautiful dimension to trips around Puget Sound.
For the broader national picture, see America's Best Halloween Destinations, or compare with the California Halloween Road Trip.
Questions & answers
What is there to do for Halloween in Seattle?
Seattle visitors can take the historic Underground Tour in Pioneer Square, join ghost walks around Pike Place Market, visit pumpkin farms in the Snohomish and Snoqualmie valleys, see zoo and aquarium Halloween events, and explore haunted attractions around the region.
What are the best pumpkin patches near Portland?
Popular choices include The Pumpkin Patch and other farms on Sauvie Island, Roloff Farms in Hillsboro, and farms in the Willamette Valley and along Hood River's Fruit Loop.
What are the Shanghai Tunnels in Portland?
The Shanghai Tunnels are a network of basements and passages beneath Portland's Old Town. Popular legend says sailors were kidnapped or 'shanghaied' through them in the 1800s; historians debate how much of the legend is true, but tours tell the stories and the spaces are atmospheric.
Is Manresa Castle haunted?
Manresa Castle in Port Townsend, Washington, a Victorian mansion turned hotel, is known for ghost stories and is a popular stay for travelers who enjoy haunted history.
Tours, farm festivals and haunted attractions change schedules each season, and some trails and roads close in bad weather. Check details before you go.