Things to do over October half-term

22 - 31 October 2021. Test your nerves and stamina as you make your way through the interactive horror gardens at Fonmon Castle. 

Watch out for ghosts, ghouls and chainsaw wielding mad men. All tickets £14.50 + 50p booking fee.

23 – 30 October 2021 plus weekends in October. Visit Pembrokeshire Pumpkin Farm, Moylgrove, Pembrokeshire and pick your own ready for Halloween. There is not only a pumpkin patch, but a spooky trail in the wild flower meadow. Children can play hide and seek among the spooky hay bales and visit the wooded area for a Halloween experience.

23, 24 and 27 – 31 October 2021. Enjoy a spooky experience at Cosmeston medieval village after dark. The village will be lit up with thousands of lights for the Halloween Festival, with ghost stories, special effects and scary installations. There will also be pumpkin carving and a guided trail. Meet the people of the village, including the coffin maker and the butcher. There’s also a children’s fairground and food and drink.

23 - 31 October 2021. Silver Mountain Experience, Ponterwyd, Mid Wales

Dark, creepy underground mines and Halloween - what could be scarier? Head to the Silver Mountain Experience near Aberystwyth for some top Halloween action. There's a great mixture of events depending on your 'prepared-to-be-scared' level - from not-so-scary fancy dress and 'Trick or Treat' trails to the terrifying 'Terror Mountain' for over 12s. 

23 - 31 October online.

Make half-term amazing with a virtual visit to one of our wonderful museums. Our annual Welsh Museums Festival has moved online this year and has some fab events for all the family. Visit the Welsh Museum Festival's events page to find out how you can get involved from the comfort of your own home!

There's plenty of family fun to be had during the half-term at various Cadw sites. Blaenavon Ironworks is hosting a spooky Halloween week, including fascinating history and folklore evening tours. Head to Chepstow Castle for a creepy Halloween trail, or meet Mysterious Maud in Castell Coch. Discover ‘ye horrible historie’ of Tretower or have Halloween family fun in Harlech Castle. 

There's a variety of half-term activities for the family at the National Botanic Garden of Wales. During the half term week there will be a creepy crawly zoo and mammal tracking walks plus craft activities and owl pellet-dissecting. Come on a Monday or Friday and the pooch can join the family too as it’s Doggy Day.

Enjoy garden walks and stunning autumn colour, with the chance to discover incredible tropical plants in the world’s largest glasshouse. Check out the British Bird of Prey Centre, housing over 20 native birds of prey and offering guests close encounters with hawks, falcons, kestrels, kites, buzzards and a golden eagle. Book online or call 01558 667149.

23 - 31 October 2021. There's a number of family fun events taking place in Carew Castle during the half-term, with horrible histories, a skeleton trail and Halloween hi-jinks with the the forest fairy friends.

Enjoy a Big Wild Halloween this October half term, with spooky, nature-filled events for all ages to enjoy at RSPB Cymru nature reserves. Events include the Spooky South Stack Trail in Anglesey on 23 October.

25 - 29 October 2021. There's a range of spooky activities for the October half term, including terrific tales and furry beast talks at Amelia Trust Farm in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. Book in advance.

25 - 31 October 2021. There are different free events each day on Mumbles Pier, Swansea Bay. How does find the pumpkin, Halloween cupcake decorating, a wizard magic show or a Halloween dance extravaganza sound?

27 - 31 October 2021. Enjoy family events at the Welsh Wildlife Centre, Cilgerran, Cardigan during the half-term holidays. During the week there’s loads of family fun including finding out about mini-beasts, bird watching, indoor craft activities and outdoor nature walks.

There’s also a self-led Halloween Quiz Trail from 29 – 31 October between 10 am and 3.30 pm, with a small prize per child. Activities are suitable for children aged 3 and over.

Booking in advance is recommended.

28 - 30 October 2021. All aboard for terrifying tricks and terrific treats! Put your best Halloween outfits on and catch the Talyllyn Railway in southern Snowdonia this Halloween for a scary steam train trip to the creepy Dolgoch woods. There’s also a 2 course meal included. You'll need to book in advance via the Talyllyn Railway website. Adults £25, children £13, includes meal and train ride. 

29 - 30 October 2021. Be prepared to be scared! All aboard the Halloween Trains in Bala. Trains will depart from Llanuwchllyn at 17:00 and 18:00. 

29 - 31 October 2021. Enjoy spooky films at the Underground Cinema in Cardiff Castle. In the castle’s 15th century undercroft watch monstrously good family films, including Hocus Pocus, Adams Family Values and Paranorman.

30 October 2021. Screening movies throughout the day, in the Bradenstoke Hall. Dress for the occasion in your spookiest Halloween costumes.

An all-family favourite, Scoob! (2020) is the perfect film to enjoy with your little terrors being screened at 2pm. Tickets £7.50 - £12

Also showing are The Lost Boys and Hocus Pocus.

30 October 2021. The Porth Eirias 1K Kids Halloween Fun Run is a fun and friendly run along the North Wales Coastal path for 3-15 year olds. The 1K route is way-marked and extremely flat. There will be a Kids' medal, with superb event centre facilities and of course, some truly inspiring running.

This year runners are being encouraged to dress up in their most wacky Halloween costumes!

All week, across Wales.

Tech and the great outdoors come together in the free Wales Coast Path app for the 870-mile Wales Coast Path. It uses augmented reality to bring the coast to life. Use it to uncover wondrous legends through interactive learning, play family-friendly games and wander paths to particular points of interest along the Welsh coast. Get some outside inspiration from the itineraries page on the Wales Coast Path website.

There's plenty more happening across Wales during October - head to our October events page for more info.