Cheshire's Spooktacular October: Halloween & Half Term Magic Await!

Halloween in the Woods at BeWILDerwood

From 3 October to 1 November, BeWILDerwood Cheshire sets its Twig or Treat Trail loose in the woods. Younger explorers can track down BeWILDerwood's characters, work out who's left treats and who's left only twigs, then collect mystery letters to unscramble a secret word and claim a prize. It's worth booking early: there's a limited number of discounted dates on offer before they sell out, then 12.5% off any advance booking after that.

Fright Fiesta and Land of Lights at Gulliver's World

Over in Warrington, Gulliver's World is throwing open its gates for Fright Fiesta, running from 10 October to 1 November. Expect a lively, festival-style atmosphere brimming with colour, costumes and music, plus friendly frights, eerie encounters and spooktacular rides for all the family. Tickets start from £19, and there's a Spooky Sleepover option too if you fancy making a night of it.

Once Fright Fiesta wraps up, the resort transforms again for Land of Lights, opening on 24 October and running right through to the end of January. This year's one-mile trail winds through twelve glowing dreamworlds, complete with illuminated dinosaurs, storybook scenes and plenty of street food to keep you going. Super early bird tickets start from £10, so it's worth signing up to the mailing list at landoflights.co.uk before they go.

Scarecrows, Spooky Tours and Candlelight at the National Trust

Cheshire's National Trust properties always do autumn well, and there's plenty on across the county this Halloween.

At Quarry Bank in Wilmslow, the very first Scarecrow Festival runs from 3 October to 1 November. Help poor Sally Scarecrow learn a trick or two as you hunt down ten characterful scarecrows dotted around the estate, then head indoors for autumn crafts, storytelling and a play space built for smaller visitors. For something properly spooky, there are also Apprentice House spooky tours, suitable for children aged six and up, though spaces are limited and tickets are only available on the day from Visitor Reception.

Head to Lyme, on the edge of the Peak District near Disley, for Doors to Hallowtide, an interactive outdoor art installation running from 17 October to 1 November. Step through a series of mysterious doorways to uncover local folklore, historic traditions and ghost stories across Lyme's 1,400-acre estate. If you'd rather your Halloween came with a soundtrack, Lyme's Chapel is also hosting a Halloween Concert by Candlelight on 30 October, part of its regular candlelit concert series. Doors open at 6pm with the music starting at 6.30pm, and every ticket includes a welcome glass of prosecco or a soft drink.

Horrible History and Family Fun at Storyhouse

Chester's Storyhouse is turning October into a proper celebration of the gruesome and the giggly.

Horrible Histories: Terrible Tudors and Awful Egyptians take to the Storyhouse stage from 22 to 25 October, bringing Terry Deary's books to life with outrageous facts, larger-than-life characters and eye-popping 3D effects. Families can catch one show or double the fun with both.

There's plenty for younger theatregoers too. Romeo and Juliet (For Kids) runs at the Garret Theatre from 24 to 30 October, a fast-paced, hour-long retelling of Shakespeare's classic developed as part of Storyhouse's WayWord Festival and a great way to introduce little ones to the Bard.

The free Horrible Hunt runs alongside it on 24 and 25 October, sending families off around the building on a Horrible Histories-inspired quest for budding historians and fans of all things gruesome and gory. Then on 27 October, Funny Fest takes over with a morning of pay-what-you-can comedy from 10am, courtesy of Farshore and Beano, complete with free workshops, face painting, scavenger hunts and a comic for every child to take home. Halloween day itself is the big finish: the Family Friendly Broadway Rave kicks off at 1pm with a costumed dance party and showtunes for all the family, before Joss Arnott Dance: Meet the Hatter brings a visually stunning dance and multimedia retelling of the Mad Hatter's story from Lewis Carroll's Wonderland at 6pm on 31 October.

A Cosmic Half Term at Jodrell Bank

If Halloween isn't for your family, Jodrell Bank has plenty to enjoy over half term, from cosmic science shows to a Grand Day Out with Wallace and Gromit. Catch a Curious Kids Science Show, explore the grounds on the Mission: Explore trail, get creative at the space crafts station, and get up close to the iconic Lovell Telescope with Discover the Dish. There's also a full rotation of Space Dome films to enjoy. Look out for Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out, showing in the immersive Space Dome on 24 and 25 October, a real treat for fans of Wensleydale and rockets alike.

Skeletons, Pumpkins and Open-Air Screams at Tatton Park

Tatton Park in Knutsford is easily one of the busiest spots in the region this Halloween, with something new to discover almost every week.

The gardens get a frightfully fun makeover for Skellies and Wellies, a trail of jokey skeletons running from 24 October to 1 November. Over at the farm, the ever-popular Pumpkin Patch is open on selected dates between 10 and 31 October, where you can meet the farmyard animals before picking your own pumpkin straight from the field. A Farm entry ticket is needed alongside your pumpkin ticket for everyone in the group, so it's worth booking both together.

For something a little more immersive, Myth, Magic and Mystery invites families with children aged seven to eleven to explore Halloween superstitions and historic folklore, with a spot of potion brewing thrown in. Sessions run at 10.30am and 1.30pm on 29, 30 and 31 October, priced at £15 per person including parkland entry, meeting at the Old Hall.

And when the sun goes down on 27 October, Tatton Park's outdoor cinema takes over with a Halloween double bill under the stars: Hocus Pocus at 4pm, followed by the cult classic The Lost Boys at 7.15pm.