Halloween Activities That Give Me Shivers!

I wanted to share all of my favorite upcoming Halloween events in the area, but OH MY there are so many. I got overwhelmed at the thought!

However, I did find a great link from WRAL that had tons of activities. I have a couple issues with the link, though. It's not organized by date of the event. The activities are listed in alphabetical order according to the location of the event, and some of the events have already passed. So, I picked out my favorites for your convenience. This is truly just the tip of the iceberg, so I recommend visiting their site anyway.

Family Fun Night Spooktacular at Marbles is an event exclusively offered for special needs kids. It's designed to offer a calmer, quieter version of Marbles. This event is free for kids with special needs and their families and kids are encouraged to wear costumes. It's from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 25 at Marbles in downtown Raleigh.

Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary has been showing night time scary movies since Oct. 23 and will continue through Oct. 27. Movies start at dusk but the gates open at 6 p.m. and the cost is $3 per person. Kids under 12 are free. Some of the movies are Rated R, so they're not all kid friendly. Visit their website for more information. The Spiderwick Chronicles shows on Friday, Oct. 26 and is PG.

Gobblins Groove Family Dance is at Halle Cultural Arts Center in Apex on Friday, Oct. 26 from 7-9:30 p.m.  It's a family dance party! Youth and teens must be accompanied by adults. Costumes are encouraged. The cost is $5 per couple and $2 per additional child. There will be a dance contest, and snacks and punch will be provided.

Trick of Treat in Downtown Fuquay-Varina is Friday, Oct. 26, from 2-5 p.m. on North Main Street in, you guessed it, downtown Fuquay-Varina. The downtown merchants will hang signs that say, "Trick or Treat Here!" and will pass out treats along the business district. Want to enjoy Halloween early, this is a great way to kick off the trick-or-treating fun.

Boo at the Zoo is Saturday, Oct. 27 & Sunday, Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the NC Zoo in Asheboro. There will be trick-or-treat games, a kids' costume contest and live entertainment throughout the park. The cost is $12 for adults and $8 for kids 2-12.

My little pumpkin at Marbles.

New Hope Valley Railway's Halloween Express is a Halloween-themed train ride on a real diesel train and is on Saturday, Oct. 27. Trains depart starting at 4 p.m. and are about an hour. The last train runs at 7:45 p.m. The cost is $10 per rider. Click the link above for more details. Tickets must be purchased in advance, click here for their website.  

The Kooky Spooky Halloween Party at Marbles is Saturday, October 27 from 6-9 p.m. Advanced tickets for non members are $10 and at the door they are $12 per person. Wear your costumes to Marbles Kids Museum and enjoy family fun, including wrap mommy or daddy like a mummy, a Monster Mash Dance Party, hide-and-seek maze fort, Potions fun and so much more. 

Natural History Halloween is at the Natural History Museum in Raleigh on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free for all, but designed for those 2-12 years of age. There will be a costume contest for the kids, live spooky animals, face painting, crafts, games, prizes and more. The Natural History Museum is located at 11 W. Jones Street in Raleigh.
Hays Halloween House Drive by in Cary and Halloween Light Show in Holly Springs are incredibly decorated homes (or so I've heard) you can drive by and check out most nights through Halloween. They're already decorated and ready to go, so you can visit tonight! The Hays Halloween house is located at 4309 Hawksong Place in Cary and can be viewed from dusk to 10 p.m. on weekends and dusk to 9 p.m. on week days, weather permitting. The other is at 804 Linden Ridge Drive in Holly Springs. I haven't had a chance to do this, yet, but the website shared that if your radio is on 93.5 FM, the lights sing you a couple Halloween songs. I'm not sure what that entails, exactly, but it's worth checking out!


Also of note was the Raleigh Living Dead party on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 4-11 p.m., and the Tricks and Treats Halloween Bash in Cary on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 5-9 p.m.

Have fun and enjoy what our area has to offer this Halloween! I know I will!

It's a Park; It's a School - STOP You're Both Right!

I packed up the girls and a small lunch and headed out for a picnic at Middle Creek School/Park, which is in that part of Cary, NC that really could be Holly Springs or Apex, too. I was a little worried that I was driving to a school that wouldn't let you play during school hours. But this was a true park, and it wasn't an issue.

I really liked this park! I cannot believe how many times I've driven past it and never knew it was there. I don't think it's far from Crowder Park, which is Apex but could be Cary or Raleigh, too. As the crow flies, it looks like they're about 1-2 miles apart.

Of course, if it has a sandbox my kids love it, especially the 3-year-old. Also, there were two separate jungle gyms. Both were wonderful. The larger of the two had a bridge, several slides, monkey bars and slides. But I loved the other one because it was shaded by a large, permanent umbrella. The slides on the bigger one got a little hot so we cruised on over to the other one. There are lots of places for parents to sit that are really close to the equipment. There is a nice-size grassy area where you can kick around a ball or just play tag, and some people brought a little airplane and were flying it around behind us on what looked like a field. I wish I'd payed more attention to my surroundings. I think I was a little groggy. It really was a nice park. Also, something I hadn't seen until today, there was an actual rock for climbing. It was a huge draw for the older kids. J (3-year-old) had a little trouble with it but tried anyway, which I love.

I loved the shelter. It was very clean. I will definitely go back when I have more energy!

123 Middle Creek Park Drive
Cary, North Carolina 27539

HIGHLIGHTS: Beautiful play area, grassy spot to run around or kick a ball, shaded jungle gym, very clean sandbox, swings for big and very little kids, clean shelter, rock to climb (VERY COOL).

LOW LIGHTS: It got a little hot when we were there, and most of the area isn't very shady. Also, for my 1-year-old old, it's too easy to get to the parking lot quickly and since the school is nearby, there was a bit of "lunch break" traffic.

COST: Free!

Veterans Park In Holly Springs

The Jungle Gym

Half Mast on 9/11

Veterans Park in Holly Springs is convenient, new and cute. It was built in 2009, and is a very classy little playground, fitness trail and paved trail that loops around a little pond. 

The flags were at half mast when we checked it out Tuesday, as it was 9/11. I thought visiting the park was an appropriate way to honor the victims and the veterans who served our country during and after the Sept. 11 attacks. I just wished I'd planned it that way. It was an impromptu visit on my part.

The park has a 4.3-acre pond, picnic shelter, and a paved trail between Veterans Park & Jones Park. Jones Park, which I found today also, is just a park that sits behind one of the schools and has a couple ball fields from what I can tell. If I'm wrong, don't hesitate to let me know!

Veterans Park didn't entertain us long, but it was fun for about an hour. I plan to take a walk with the girls around the pond (about a half-mile trail). I think it would make for a pretty walk this fall!

600 Bikram Dr. 

Holly Springs, NC  27540

HIGHLIGHTS: Clean, newish park, nice jungle gym for little ones, clean & paved trails, nice view.

LOW LIGHTS: There's really not much to it. It's a short adventure at best.

COST: Free!

The Pond

Checking out the fitness trail equipment.

Kids Together (Or should it be Kids Spread Out?)

Marla Dorrel Park (or Kids Together) in Cary (near the corner of Tryon & Cary Parkway) is absolutely fantastic. This great park is loaded with things to do.

It's absolutely perfect for my kids -- lots of places to climb, different areas to explore, large sandy areas for digging and building castles, a couple sections of swings, little shelters for lunches, bathrooms really close by and pretty clean, too.  I had seen the park before, so I knew what to expect. But I didn't know how great my kids would respond and how imaginitive this park allows your kids to be.

Dani (17 months) climbed all over the place, ran, jumped and trotted across bridges, ate and threw sand (despite my best efforts to thwart these activities) and pretty much smiled her goofy little smile the entire time.

Jordan's new friend Addison
joined usat the park.

Jordan (almost 3) spent a little more time playing hide and seek, exploring, and pretending to be a restaurantour, dragon slayer and architect. I think the pictures will tell some of the story here. It was hard for me to enjoy as much as it's so spread out that I was running around after the girls most of the time. Doesn't make for much of a blog, but the pictures should help!

Either way, we had an awesome time and will definitely go back. I just wish it was a bit closer to Holly Springs.

111 Thurston Drive

Cary, North Carolina 27518

(919) 469-4061

HIGHLIGHTS: Tons to do for little toddlers and pre-schoolers, clean bathrooms close by.  

LOW LIGHTS: It's a little hike to Cary, and it's pretty spread out so a little harder to keep track of both girls at the same time.

COST: FREE