Halloween Train Rides 2009

Well, it’s mid-October and I have no idea how that happened. As the time has been whizzing past me lately I suddenly realized that we’re half way to Halloween. This means pumpkin patches, haunted trolley tours, Fright Nights and Halloween train rides at Stanley Park and Bear Creek Park.

Photo credit: ri.co on Flickr

Stanley Park Ghost Train
When: October 9th – November 1, 2009. Nightly between 6:00pm and 10:00pm

Where: Google Map

Theme: Zombies. Voodoo gods. Wild Women of the Woods. Three-headed dogs. Mexican witches’ brew.

Extras: Face painting, shadow puppet theatre, Haunted Farmyard (with spooky petting zoo animals). Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights the Stanley Park Ecology Society hosts “Creatures of the Night” walks around the park as well. These walks are $3 for children and $4 for adults.

Train cost: Adult $10, children & youth 2-18, seniors 65+ are $6. They also offer a dinner package if you’d like to eat at the Old Spaghetti Factory ahead of time, starting at $11.50 for children. You can purchase tickets on the day you’d like to ride however as it could sell out, you can also get them online in advance.

Bear Creek Park
When: October 10th to October 31st from 10:00am to 5:00pm (daytime program) and October 16 to October 31 6:30pm to 10:00pm (nighttime program)

Where: Google Map

Theme: Daytime Halloween fun for kids, Nighttime Frightful Train and Haunted Forest.

Extras: The Daytime program includes a train ride through the Halloween Forest Display, the chance to make Halloween crafts, play Halloween-themed games, kids get a candy treat, and everyone can take home a farm-fresh pumpkin. The 9th annual Nighttime ghost train program is a little less “kid friendly” and focuses on the Haunted Forest. “Designed to scare and startle older folks and mature youngsters,” popular characters are back such as Chainsaw Charlie.

Train Cost: Daytime, adults $5, children (2 to 12 yrs) $6, children (under 2 yrs): $3.50, babies free. Nighttime, kids (12 and under) $5, adults $7.50.

There are so many options available and I like that Bear Creek has a “Daytime” option. One of these days I will make it out to a Stanley Park Ecology Society Walk, whether it be for “Creatures of the Night” or for their Christmas time “Hum Bug Hike”.