Halloween 2021: Scare mazes, family attractions and special events across the UK to visit this October
8 October 2021, 12:55 | Updated: 11 October 2021, 15:07
The best Halloween mazes and attractions to visit in the UK in 2021 - from Thorpe Park to Alton Towers, plus family events in Somerset, and a spooky afternoon tea in Leeds
Forget Christmas, for many of us Halloween is *the* best holiday of the year - and we can't wait to spend the rest of October eating chocolate while dressed in our spookiest attire.
A great way to celebrate Halloween with the kids is to visit one of the many scary mazes and attractions in the country.
From Thorpe Park to Legoland, here are our pick of the best...
Thorpe Park Fright Night
Thorpe Park's Fright Night is as legendary as it is terrifying, and they've knocked it out the park with their spooky mazes this year.
The theme park is celebrating '20 Years Of Fear', as Fright Night has been going for two terrifying decades.
To mark the anniversary, the park has six 'scare zones' - including a terrifying maze, Trailers, set in a spooky theatre full of demons and killer clowns.
Fright Night runs from the 8th-10th October, and 15th October-Sunday 31st October.
Alton Towers Scarefest
Alton Towers have nailed it as usual with Scarefest this year, and have a brand-new attraction called Trick O Treat Town.
Visitors to the family-friendly attraction will be given a tote bag, and told to knock on doors in 'Spooky Avenue' the search of goodies.
The park also has a new maze, Darkest Depths, which is located on a ghost ship.
Scarefest runs from 8th-10th October, and 15th-31st October.
Chessington World of Adventures Resort Howl'O'Ween
Chessington's Howl'O'Ween is back with a bang and a brand-new show called The Wild Witches of Adventure Point.
The show is on daily at 12pm, and includes devilish spells bringing creepy characters to life.
There is also a family-friendly Forgotten Forest, as well as Vampire Villagers.
Howl'O'Ween runs from 16th October to 31st October.
Legoland Windsor Brick or Treat
Legoland have brought back their Brick or Treat event for 2021, which comes complete with a new show and activity trail.
Lord Vampyre’s Creepy Crypt Trail is a family-friendly area where kids can go on the hunt for treats, and they also have a brand new harbour show.
Legoland's Brick or Treat runs from 14th October-31st October.
Woman Bakes Incredibly Realistic Yet Disgusting Halloween Cakes.mp4
Hestercombe Gardens
Located in the heart of Somerset, Hestercombe Gardens has loads on for families this October half-term in the run up to Halloween.
From Saturday 23 - Sunday 31 October, families can get in to a flap on the Hestercombe Barmy Bats trail, meet creepy crawlies, enjoy a spooky science masterclass, and kids will love scary storytelling and exploring the spellbinding Potion Room.
Children will have a chance to brew their own potions to take home, create wizarding and witching wands, and find out more about some of the spookiest stories from the gorgeous house's history.
Autumn is a beautiful time to visit Hestercombe, so make sure you take plenty of time to look around the grounds, and drop in to the two play areas.
Children both young and old will enjoy building dens up in their new wild play area by the Charcoal Burner’s Camp.
An on-site restaurant, which offers a child-friendly menu with full table service. Plus tasty light bites, cakes, drinks and Halloween-themed treats are all available from cafe, Caffè + Gelato.
The London Dungeon
The London Dungeon has a brand-new show, ‘The Surgeon’, running from the 9th – 31st of October.
It deep dives into the devilish practice of surgery in the Victorian era. The hospitals of the Victorian era were the stuff of nightmares and riddled with disease, meaning often surgeons were little more than butchers.
Guests will join the gallery of an old operating theatre and watch through gritted teeth as the surgeon - reeking of rotting flesh, wearing a blood-soaked apron - cuts and chops his way through the horrendous history of Victorian age surgery with stomach churning sound effects and no anaesthetic.
Book ahead at www.thedungeons.com/london
Halloween High Tea
If your Halloween style is more Morticia than mortician, this classy tea will be right up your street.
Available from October 25th till 7th November at The Grand Pacific Leeds, the High Tea consists of a savoury crumpet, smoked salmon potato cake, chicken sandwich and a cheese sandwich.
The savoury section is also available for vegetarians which includes tofu sandwich, avocado potato cake and more!
Cake-wise, you'll have a selection of pumpkin macaron, s’mores, cinnamon scone, lemon tart and and other tasty treats.
The afternoon tea starts with £23 per person, cocktails - like the spooky margarita - are extra.
For more information and to book, visit their website
Halloween at Blenheim Palace
Get outdoors this half term and watch flickering flames in a fiendish fire garden, stomp through the crisp autumn leaves and find daring fire artists and grinning pumpkins aglow.
Wind your way through the illuminated haunted woods filled with creepy neon cobwebs, coffins that creak and bubbling cauldrons, before ducking for cover from the larger-than life spiders and beastly neon bats.
To round off your spooky adventure, toast some marshmallows and tuck in to a hot toddy while the kids enjoy a devilishly decadent hot chocolate.
Click here for more information, prices and opening times
Fear Island at Fantasy Island
Halloween fans and fear-loving families can enjoy some eerie-chills and spooky-thrills with four brand-new ghoulish interactive scare mazes popping up around the Skegness theme park, Fantasy Island.
Between October 9th and 31st October, you can test your nerves in Hellhole where you meet genetically modified WW2 soldiers who want to eat YOU.
The Haunting 2 is more child-friendly, and sees families led on a haphazard ghost hunt led by the zany Doctor Highgate.
There's also the Circus of Screams, and Pirates of Fear Island.
Fear Island will open at 11:00am and close at 6:00pm on the following dates:
- 9th – 10th October
- 16th – 17th October
- 20th – 24th October
- 27th - 31st October
Please see below for opening times of each attraction:
- Hellhole – 1pm – 6pm
- The Haunting 2 – 1pm – 6pm
- Killer Villa – 1pm - 6pm
- Psycho Vault Death Game – 1pm – 6pm
- The Pirates of Fear Island – 12pm, 3pm, 4:30pm
- Circus of Screams – 12:15pm, 2pm, 3:30pm, 5pm
Visit Fantasy Island for more information, and ticketing
