What are the best things to do in the Des Moines area for Halloween?

Many teens in Iowa complain that there’s nothing to do here, so this is what to do when you’re bored on a spooky October night. The first thing you should do is a classic haunted house, for this, there are many options. One of the most iconic haunted houses in Des Moines is called Slaughterhouse started by the Biggs family in 2011. During this attraction, you’ll experience zombies, twists & turns, and big animatronics. Sophomore Red Frank stated  “Usually things like this don’t scare me, but my throat was sore from screaming. If you’re not into jumpscares and gore, this isn’t the place for you, but if you are it’s perfect.” The Slaughterhouse hours of operation are Friday/Saturdays 7 pm-12 am and Thursdays and Sundays 7 pm-10 pm. Tickets are $25-30$ depending on the night. 

Another haunted house you can go to is Linn’s Supermarket Haunted House. Starting in 1984 it is one of the oldest haunted houses in Des Moines. In this attraction, you’ll start in a pitch-black tunnel that leads to the basement of horrors. A fun piece of trivia about Linn’s Supermarket Haunted House is that it also functions as a locally owned grocery store, meaning one day you spend your time there filled with suspense and scares, and another you can buy your groceries. Admission is $25. 

If you’re not interested in scary things, there are many non-spooky things you can do, one example is Howell’s Pumpkin Patch, where there’s not only a tractor ride through a corn maze and a beautiful greenhouse where you can get flowers. For the kids, there’s a pumpkin cannon, where they can see a pumpkin shoot through the air. You can also swim in the corn bin (yuck) and go down the cow slide. I asked Junior, Chuchu Ladu about her experience there. “The aesthetics were amazing, it put me in the Halloween spirit.” Admission is 15$, and kids under 2 get in free.

If you’re not an outdoorsy fan, there’s nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned movie! For Hocus Pocus’s 30th anniversary, it’s being shown at the majority of theaters across the country, or you could see Nun 2 or Saw X for more of a suspenseful experience. In conclusion, there are many things to do if you’re bored this Halloween season!