D.C.'s best Halloween experiences worth leaving the crypt for
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Get wild at Night of the Living Zoo. Photo: Pixel Me/Smithsonian
It's spooky season, and D.C. is serving up everything from haunted forests to boozy haunts.
The big picture: We've rounded up 12 Halloween experiences worth leaving the crypt for — whether you're after a good scare, killer cocktail or epic costume party.
👻 For a good scare
Markoff's Haunted Forest: Venture into the dark woods of Dickerson, Maryland, for one of the region's most terrifying traditions — a mile-plus haunted trail, zombie-filled town and DJ-fueled "cursed village." Select nights through Nov. 8, $25+
🗝️ Workhouse Haunt: A former prison in Lorton, Virginia, is creepy enough. Add haunted flashlight tours, and you've got nightmares for weeks. Weekends through Oct. 30
Soul Strolls: Take a spirited walk through Congressional Cemetery, where costumed storytellers bring the historic burial ground to life. Select nights Oct. 16–Nov. 1
🍸 For boos and booze
Frankenstein's Cocktail Lab: Channel your inner mad scientist at Puttery in Penn Quarter, where a 90-minute interactive cocktail experience turns drinks into bubbling potions. Through Oct. 31, $20+
🐯 Night of the Living Zoo: The zoo goes wild after dark with unlimited drinks, DJs, tarot readings and select exhibit access. Costumes encouraged, adults only. Oct. 23, 7–11pm, $75+
Nightmare on the Avenue: Del Ray's Halloween pop-up is back with spooky decor, creepy cocktails and themed bites. Come for a drink, or make a night of it at the Halloween bash. Through Nov. 1
🧛 Drunk Dracula: One actor downs five shots before tackling Bram Stoker's vampire classic in a hilariously unhinged, 90-minute performance at the Sage Theatre downtown. Through Nov. 7, tickets $53+
🦇 For the unexpected
Explorers Table: Bats, booze and fine dining? Nat Geo's new Museum of Exploration is hosting a Halloween-eve dinner with Amparo Fondita chef Christian Irabién, bat expert Rodrigo Medellín and tequila specialist David Suro-Piñera. Expect a feast, bat-friendly mezcals and tequilas, and tales of the creatures that help make those spirits possible. Oct. 30, 7–10pm, $350
- For something more budget-friendly, the museum is also hosting a Spooky Night Out party on Oct. 29 ($40).
🎬 Late Night: Haunted Hall: The National Building Museum gets dark with silent horror films, ghost stories, a scavenger hunt and live music inside its cavernous hall (costumes encouraged). Perfect for horror buffs looking for frights and culture. Oct. 29, $20
17th Street High Heel Race: Forget running from monsters. D.C.'s most fabulous Halloween tradition brings costumed racers, drag queens and a wildly entertaining crowd to Dupont Circle. Oct. 27, festivities 5–10pm, free
🎃 For the little monsters
Boo at the Zoo: Kids can trick-or-treat at more than 25 stations, encounter spooky decorations and explore select animal houses after dark. Costumes encouraged, of course. Oct. 16–18, 6–8:30pm, $35
🏴☠️ Bonus: For a less traditional Halloween adventure, the Mansion on O Street is hosting a seasonal treasure hunt through its famously quirky rooms and secret doors, starting Oct. 23.