‘Tis the season of scary movies, costume parties, and everything pumpkin we can get our hands on. While here in Texas the weather is a bit indifferent, there’s still plenty of ways to enjoy the autumn in Dallas. Read on to discover 40 terrific things to do in Dallas this October!
1. House of Spirits
Indulge in expertly crafted cocktails in a lavishly eerie haunted mansion while enjoying a night filled with extravagant entertainment, enchanting music, surreal magic, eerie characters, and interactive experiences for guests.
This one-of-a-kind, 21+ Halloween event is designed exclusively for adults! With over 100,000 attendees having already reveled in House of Spirits, this year promises even more surprises in Dallas!
Alexander Mansion – The Dallas Woman’s Forum, 4607 Ross Ave, Dallas, TX 75204
2. Astra Lumina
Astra Lumina is making its way to Dallas, transforming Trinity Forest Adventure Park into an enchanting night walk where visitors can experience the magic of stars descending to Earth. Wander through a mystical landscape illuminated by radiant light, cosmic imagery, and ethereal melodies.
Brought to life by the creative team at Moment Factory, Astra Lumina Dallas marks the 23rd installment in the captivating Lumina Night Walk series. Prepare for an otherworldly journey unlike any other!
Trinity Forest Adventure Park, 1800 Dowdy Ferry Rd, Dallas, TX 75217
3. Dark Hour Haunted House
Enter the spine-chilling world of Dark Hour Haunted House in Dallas! With frighteningly realistic live actors and cutting-edge special effects, your worst nightmares come alive, immersing you in terrifying realms like you’ve never experienced. Make this Halloween unforgettable by visiting one of the most highly rated haunted houses in the DFW area!
701 Taylor Dr, Plano, TX 75074
4. Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue
Collect resources, take on mobs, and chop down trees at this the new Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue. The experience is comprised of three biomes, wherein visitors can go on a quest wielding their Orb of Interaction on an interactive scavenger hunt as they mine for gems, ward creepers, spired, and skeletons in an immersive atmosphere.
5. Experience Harry Potter in Austin
Experience the magical world of Harry Potter this fall in Austin at Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience. Here, witches, wizards, and muggles (we won’t tell) can Encounter enchanting creatures and iconic characters in a captivating Forbidden Forest adventure inspired by the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.
Immerse yourself in the wonder of the wizarding world, exploring awe-inspiring moments in an unforgettable journey. Don’t let this magical experience pass you by—tickets are available now!
6. Stroll through the Enchanting Pumpkin Garden at the Dallas Arboretum
Every year, the Dallas Arboretum holds their beloved (and highly acclaimed) autumn festival. You know what they say: “everything is bigger in Texas” — well that seems to be the case at the Arboretum. In its 19th year, the festival will feature a dazzling display of autumn flowers embellished with the likes of 100,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash courtesy of Floydada, Texas. Additionally, you’ll be able to stroll by the four 20-foot tall pumpkin cottages!
7-8. Experience an Amazing Candlelight Concert
Start your fall in Dallas magically with at Fever Originals wildly popular Candlelight series in the form of intimate concerts lit by candlelight at breathtaking venues. Highlights in October include:
9. Dallas Dia de los Muertos Parade and Festival
The massive Dia de los Muertos Parade and Festival returns to Dallas for its fifth year this October. Taking place on Saturday, October 26, the festival is set to feature a full-scale celebration complete with vibrant floats, tasty concessions, live music, arts, crafts, and much more!
Dallas City Hall 1500 Marilla St.
10. Go on a Halloween Bar Crawl
Embrace the eerie ambiance of the season in a fashionable manner by joining the Dallas Halloween Bar Crawl. It’s the ultimate way to explore the trendiest establishments in town with a single, comprehensive access pass!
Revel in exclusive drink offers, gain entry to top-notch nightclubs, and indulge in additional benefits that will elevate your Halloween celebration at some of the city’s most exceptional destinations. You can anticipate live performances, complimentary welcome shots, and a variety of other exciting surprises along the way.
11. Cosmic Howl at Meow Wolf
The psychedelic wonderland that is Meow Wolf has something special in store for Halloween enthusiasts this October. Over the course of the month, Meow Wolf is hosting a variety of special themed events for Cosmic Howl, including Creature Feature screenings, pumpkin painting workshops, art jams, and 21+ Halloween parties.
12. Rooftop Cinema Club
Spooky season returns to the Rooftop Cinema Club in Fort Worth this October. Kicking off with a screening of the nostalgic horror comedy, Hocus Pocus, the venue’s Halloween-themed program is set to feature a spine-chilling assortment of cult-classics like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre , The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and The Exorcist, as well as recent horror hits like Longlegs and Maxxxine, Harry Potter, Twilight, Halloweentown, and more!
13. Enter the Black Lagoon
Something wicked(ly fun) comes this way. This October, Nickel City in Fort Worth is transforming into an immersive Black Lagoon pop-up. Here, ghouls and goblins can enjoy terrific tunes, themed drinks, and all things Halloween!
14. Partake in Whiskey Wednesdays
Good drinks, fine hors d’oeuvres—all that’s missing to make it complete is you! Hosted by The Whiskey Spot, this Whiskey Wednesday is dedicated to sharing a selection of great spirits from around the world.
Expand your drink knowledge with other whiskey enthusiasts, sample some fine food, learn about great whiskey pairings, and get a first-hand education in whiskey mixology. But it’s not just about the whiskey: you’ll also make connections that will live beyond that last taste of fine food and drink.
- Enjoy an exclusive tasting event! Learn more about the tricks of the trade in the world of whiskey with a talk through with experts. Taste an array of whiskeys, including premium whiskeys from around the world to limited edition craft whiskeys that you can’t find at your local liquor store. During the tasting, indulge in making a jarcuterie with premium meats, cheeses and vegetables. The best will be in with the chance of winning a prize!
15. Tantalize Your Taste Buds At This Dining In The Dark Experience
Imagine stepping inside a restaurant blanketed in darkness and being served a sublime three-course meal – the flavours and textures of which are intensified by your remaining senses. Sounds a little bit incredible, right? An experience that’s been backed by psychologists as an ‘amplified’ way to enjoy food, the enticing ‘Dining In The Dark’ event is now open in Dallas so you can “see” for yourself.
16. Go for Dinner in the Haunted Castle Cafe
If you’re someone who embraces the Halloween vibe all year long, make your way to the Haunted Castle Cafe in Plano, a wickedly entertaining dining spot that combines gothic charm with a welcoming, family-friendly environment for guests of all ages. The real draw here is the cafe’s fully immersive gothic setting, blending the feel of a museum with the thrills of a haunted house.
17. Take a Spin in this Hidden Bowling Alley Inside Old Movie Theater
Recently opened, Bowlski’s Lakewood Theater is a live concert venue, candy counter, pool lounge, arcade, bar, and bowling alley. When it came to renovating the historical venue, Bowlski’s owners salvaged what they could of their predecessor.
18. Oak Lawn Halloween Block Party
One of the biggest Halloween street parties in Dallas returns to Cedar Springs Road on Saturday, October 26. The festive event is set to feature a costume promenade, food booths, live DJ performances, pop-up bars, DJs, and more!
Cedar Spring Rd & Oak Lawn Ave 3024 Oak Lawn Ave
19. Let The Good Times Roll At This Inventing Gaming Alley
Whether you’re young or an adult, games never get old. And while you can find a bowling alley in any given city in America, you’d be hard pressed to find pin toss anywhere else in the world (to our knowledge). Bowl Games in Dallas is a one-of-a-kind gaming bar that offers shuffleboard, foosball, and the aforementioned pin toss – a bowling and football hybrid that leaves no joy to spare.
20-22. Sneak Into A Speakeasy
There’s something special about speakeasies. The secretive, vicarious forbidden feel of transporting back to the prohibition make imbibing cocktails all the more tantalizing.
- The only sign post at this bar takes the form of two ambiguous As on a door in a crusty alleyway behind Henry’s Majestic. For those that can get past the initial sketch factor, however, a warm-lit cove of tantalizing libations await
23. Go Back To The Future
The 1980s are making a come back. Be it the nostalgia-saturated Stranger Things, kaleidoscopic fashion lines, or droves of new wave, synth-driven music flooding the sound waves. Travel back in time at McFly’s, the pub made in the image of what’s been called the most ’80s movie ever made.
24. Tour Texas’s Most Haunted
Gather around the campfire, folks, for Halloween season is here. Ushering in the celebration of all that is spooky, we’ve compiled a list of the most haunted places in and around Texas as well as the grim tales that beseech them.
25. Level Up at this Boozy Arcade
Some of weren’t around in the ’80s, but that doesn’t stop us from the feeling of vivid nostalgia we have for new wave hits, technicolored-patterned jumpers, and all the zaniness the decade had to offer. This season, Dallasites can blast back to the ’80s at the new FlashBack RetroPub in Bishops Arts District!
26. Little Shop of Horrors
Enjoy all the laughs, musical numbers, and heartfelt moments of the cult-classic musical horror comedy Little Shop of Horrors as it takes the stage of the Majestic Theatre this October.
Majestic Theatre 1925 Elm St.
27-28. Sweetin’ Up at Dallas’ Best Bakeries
Treating yourself in the pandemic has become something of a lifestyle rather than a once-in-a-blue-moon event. If you need a sweet pick-me-up, or want to share the love, these Dallas bakeries have got all the goods.
- Withdraw for the Sprinkles Cupcakes’ ATM – Sprinkles is a small-batch bakery that whips up everything from decadent cupcakes to delicious ice cream.
29. Enjoy a Drink on the Patio
Enjoy the cool, crisp temperatures while you can, Dallas. Get out and about this southern winter at the city’s many great patios! Be it a sprawling, boot-stomping backyard or a rooftop vista with a view, there is a swell of wonderful outdoor venues to savor the season.
30-31. Sing (and Drink) From the Rooftops
Nothing quite says “living the highlife” like clinking glasses on a city rooftop. Touch the sky this season with a brunch, evening, or nightcap on the most jaw-dropping rooftops in Dallas.
- New York-based RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, has opened its first Texas outpost with a luxurious three-story establishment complete with a glass-encased rooftop restaurant.
32. Visit this Dazzling New Bohemian Cafe
A brand new oasis has opened in Dallas. Located in the back alley behind Tejas in the heart of Bishop Arts, Casablanca is a vibrant cafe transporting patrons to the Silk Road with its unparalleled ambience and dazzling variety of craft cocktails and shared plates.
33. Experience Pumpkin Pandemonium at Pumpkin Nights
For the rest of the season, Pumpkin Nights is inundating Howell Farms with an un-gourdly amount of fall festivity for their autumn-exclusive Pumpkin Nights event running all October long.
34. Beat The High Score At This Retro Arcade
We weren’t around in the 80s, but that doesn’t stop us from being nostalgic for new wave-style synth pop, campy horror movies, fluorescent jackets, and an underground bustling arcade culture. If you want to wreck it like Ralph, grab your Walkman and head down to the National Video Game Museum in Frisco, home to their “Pixel Dreams” retro arcade.
35. Enter a Xmas Explosion at This Tex-Mex Restaurant
There’s no such thing as having too many holiday lights. Neither is there such a thing as having too many fajitas. Do Christmas, but make it Tex-Mex at Campo Verde in Arlington for the most festive fajita experience you’ll have all year.
36. Eat The Best Tacos In Town
37. Visit the Spa Castle
Spa Castle in Carrollton is like the amusement park version of a spa, only instead of rides they have Himalayan salt rooms and hydrotherapy pools. The innovative spa blends together traditional Asian and European styles to create a fun and luxury experience all on its own.
38. Dine Royally
Savor the high life this fall at Monarch Restaurant. Perched on the 49th floor of The National, Monarch is designed with floor-to-ceiling windows, giving restaurant-goers the chance to dine on their wood-fired Italian dishes with an epic view of the city.
39. Eat Krabby Pattys IRL
.The Bikini Bottom burger comes to life this October! In celebration of 25 years of Spongebob Squarepants, Paramount and Wendy’s are collaborating on a limited-time Krabby Patty Kollab menu until October 27.
40. Cozy Up In The Nooks Of This Bookish Coffee Shop
For all the people out there who have ever been shushed at a library – this place for you. At the Funny Library Coffee Shop, guests are encouraged to crack up as much they are to crack open one of its many books.
See also: 9 terrific Halloween events in Dallas