I am definitely one of those weirdos that love to make lists. If you read my about me section of my blog you will see that making lists is one of my favorite things. Of course some of my favorite lists are my bucket lists. I have a bucket list of places I want to eat, murals I want to see, and I even have a list of things I want to do for Halloween. Number one item I have on my Halloween bucket list is Pumpkin Nights in Arlington, Texas.
I guess I shouldn’t say have it on my bucket list, I should say had it on my bucket list. Cause I checked this one off my list!! There is only one word to describe my experience at the Pumpkin Nights…..EPIC! This incredible farm has been converted into a Halloween trail filled with pumpkins formed into different creatures and objects.
From a 40 ft dragon, through the webs of giant spiders, and a pumpkin version of under the sea, there are so many different fantastical lands all filled with pumpkins. If I were to pick my favorite thing to do in Texas for Halloween, without a doubt, Pumpkin Nights is the coolest Halloween event ever!
Basic Information:
Admission: weekday-ages 13+ $18, ages 4-12 $12, ages 3 and under FREE, weekends- ages 13+ $26, ages 4-12 $18, ages 3 and under FREE
Parking Admission: $10 per vehicle, they take cash or card
How to reserve a ticket: click here to reserve online
Hours: Fri-Sun 6pm-11pm, Tues Closed, Mon & Wed-Thurs 6pm-10:30pm
Tips For Pumpkin Nights:
- Book your time for 6pm! This way you get to walk through in the light and in the dark. It was so cool to see all the details before it got dark, BUT you can not miss seeing it at night. So if you get there are 6pm you can walk through in the light and the dark for both amazing experiences.
- Buy your tickets online. You can buy them at the gate, but chances are they sold out about a week before you go. If you don’t book about a week to 2 weeks in advance you probably will not get to go.
- Bring water! It gets so smoky and super dusty, so unless you want to spend a minimum of $3 for 1 water bottle bring some water!
- Don’t bring strollers, bring a wagon. My first suggestion is to not bring either a stroller or wagon, just because they are such an inconvenience here with the loose dirt path. But I understand if you don’t want to risk having to carry a toddler all night long. If you need it to help carry your tired kids, bring a wagon, not a stroller. You will spend the entire evening trying to get the tires out of the loose dirt. I saw it happen to so many people!
- Go on a weekday. Weekends are so much more busy AND more expensive.
- Get your tickets soon! They go so fast and you do not want to miss out.
- There is a $10 parking fee on top of admission. Cash is so much faster than card!
- If you have toddlers that like to wander, dress them in white or something that will glow in the blacklight. It just makes it easier to keep track of them in the dark.
- Bring your camera! There are photo ops all over the trail and employees all around to take pictures for you!
- It is super dusty so do what you need to prepare for that. Wear closed toed shoes to keep your feet clean, wear your glasses instead of contacts to help with the dust getting in your eyes, and bring an inhaler if you have any sort of breathing issues. Water will help clear your throat of all the dust as well.
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Lets Walk The Trail:
Pumpkin Passage
The most iconic walk of all the Pumpkin Nights is the entrance. Walk underneath a ton of giant pumpkin and a ton of other lit pumpkins.
Large Bunnies
Glowing giant, inflatable bunnies. Why not!?
The Forbidden City
A 40 ft Asian dragon blows smoke over the a pool illuminated by tons of pumpkin lanterns. Can you find the pumpkin turtles?
Moon
You can never say you haven’t touched to moon, cause it is big and bright and on the ground! Look to the sky too, cause there are giant pumpkin dragonflies and butterflies flying through the trees.
Enchanted Forest
Walk through a village of pumpkin houses, home to the pumpkin gnomes!
Snow
Its not to early for snow right? Cause it is comin down! Gotta keep those pumpkin snow man cold somehow!
The Great Hall
“ I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!” I have always wanted to walk through the castle of Harry Potter and see all of the glowing floating pumpkins…oh wait now you can! Lets not forget the added smoke for a really cool effect.
Monster Mash
Kids area!! Pumpkin see-saws, a giant movie screen, and a lot of pumpkin monsters!
Maravilla Lane
Lets not forget another very important holiday that happens in fall, Dia De Los Muertos! I mean this is Texas so we have to honor our Hispanic heritage!! Walk under a hundreds of papel picados, dance to the mariachi music, and be sure to honor your ancestors by putting their name on the giant tree!
Pirates Cove
Did for buried treasure in the sand lot of the Pirates cove. If you get enough coins, win a prize! Also you may walk through a live pirate pumpkin war complete with a giant pirate ship.
Spiders Webs
Carefully walk into a giant spiderweb, surrounded by giant pumpkin spiders….if you dare!
Neon Reef
My favorite part of the whole walk! Lets go under the sea! Surrounded by glow in the dark bubbles and seaweed, look above to see the pumpkin fish and pumpkin scuba divers! Keep an eye out for the giant pumpkin octopus!!
The Market Area
The beginning is the end, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of all the fun! At the market area, you can watch as men juggle fire, eat some delicious treats, shop around the different vendors, watch live pumpkin carving artists, and walk around a outdoor museum of pumpkin art! Also there are a ton of photo ops!
FAQs
How Many Times Can I Walk Through The Trail?
You can walk through as many times as you would like! We went at 6pm so that we could walk through in the light and then again when it was dark! There is no time limit to how long you can be here, I mean at least not till it closes.
Are Tickets Sold At The Door?
Technically yes, but the likelihood of you actually getting a ticket is pretty much 0.1%! Online reservations must be reserved in advance.
Are There Lines?
Yes. There is a line to park. That took us about 20 minutes and we came at the least busiest slot.
Is The Trail Wheelchair Accessible?
Technically you could push a wheel chair here, BUT it is a farm and the entire trail is dirt. Really loose dirt! I saw so many people struggling to push strollers through. So even though you could push a wheelchair through I really do not recommend it.
What Happens If It Rains?
They are still open during minor rainstorms, if the weather turns severe, they will temporarily close and send a message to those with reservations to rearrange the date and time (free of charge).
Are There Restrooms On The Trail?
There are no restrooms along the trail, they are only at the beginning/end.
How Long Is The Trail?
The entire trail from start to finish is only 0.5 mile.
Can I Bring My Dog?
No, unless it is a service animal.
Is There Food?
Yes! At the beginning/end there are a ton of vendor tents set up will all kinds of food and drinks. There are also picnic tables too.
Can I Dress Up?
Yes!! Just be sure not to bring props like weapons.
Is this a good place for kids?
This is a GREAT place for kids!! I loved it as an adult because of all the photo ops and I loved the details, my toddlers loved the kids area and the pirate area where they could dig for prizes. My older nieces and nephews enjoyed it and even my older parents loved it. It is just the perfect place for all ages!
Other Fun Things To Do Near Arlington, Texas:
Walk through the pumpkin houses at The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Pick a pumpkin at the St James Episcopal Church in Dallas
