Ready to visit Tampa's most haunted SHIP this Halloween?

Halloween is on a Saturday this year, so your plans better be good.

Okay besties, spooky season is HERE and Tampa Bay and Orlando are NOT playing this year. 🎃

I picked the 10 events and 5 bars I would actually leave my couch for. Some will scare you. Some are just cute with a drink in your hand. Pick your vibe and go. 👻

How I ranked them: every spot gets a score out of 10 for how fun it is, how good it looks on camera, and how easy it is to actually do right now.

PART 1: THE EVENTS

HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS (Universal Orlando)
Bestie score: 9.5/10
When: Aug 28 to Nov 1, select nights
The vibe: The big one. Year 35! 10 haunted houses and 4 scare zones. Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow are back, plus Sinners and Stranger Things 5 are in the lineup. Heads up: you need a separate ticket. Your daytime park ticket won’t get you in. 🎟️
Bestie tip: Want shorter lines? Go on Premium Scream Night, Oct 19.

HOWL-O-SCREAM (Busch Gardens Tampa Bay)
Bestie score: 9.0/10
When: Sept 11 to Oct 31, select nights
The vibe: Our hometown scare fest! 5 haunted houses, 2 new scare zones, and a brand new house called Anaconda. 🐍 The Fiends show is back too. Bonus: you can ride the coasters in the dark, which is a whole different kind of fun.
Bestie tip: No costumes allowed. Save the outfit for another night.

UNDEAD IN THE WATER (Channelside, Tampa)
Bestie score: 8.7/10
When: Sept 26, then Oct 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 and 31
The vibe: A zombie apocalypse on a real WWII cargo ship. 🧟‍♀️ You walk the decks and try to survive. Nothing else in Florida feels like this, and it’s right here in Tampa. This is a truly unique space, last year I ended dancing with a scary doll in the rain.
Bestie tip: Eat dinner in Channelside or Water Street first. Surviving takes energy.

SCREAM-A-GEDDON (Dade City)
Bestie score: 8.5/10
When: Now through Nov 1, select nights
The vibe: A whole horror park on 60 acres! 6 attractions, including Killgore’s 3D Circus and Zombie Paintball Assault (my FAVORITE). The new midway after a $2 million renovation has food trucks, fire pits, and a beer garden, so you can scream, then chill. 🔥 They’re partnering with creators to offer Giveaways!
Bestie tip: Buy online. It’s usually cheaper than the gate.

HOWL-O-SCREAM (SeaWorld Orlando)
Bestie score: 8.0/10
When: Sept 11 to Oct 31, select nights
The vibe: 5 houses, 6 scare zones, 5 themed bars, and 2 shows. The star is I Know What You Did Last Summer, their first ever movie house. 🔪 Tickets start at $45.99 each when you buy 2 or more.
Bestie tip: Not for kids under 13. No costumes here either.

YBOR CITY GHOST TOUR + HAUNTED PUB CRAWL (Ybor)
Bestie score: 7.0/10
When: The ghost tour runs nightly all year. Pub crawl dates vary.
The vibe: The low-scare pick. The ghost tour is about 2 hours and around $30. The Nightly Spirits pub crawl mixes ghost stories with bar stops for $29.95. Spooky stories AND a drink? Yes please. 🍻
Bestie tip: Perfect for a girls night. Eat at an Ybor spot first.

SIR HENRY’S HAUNTED TRAIL (Plant City)
Bestie score: 6.5/10
When: Opens Sept 25, select nights through Nov 1
The vibe: Outdoor haunted trails, a haunted hayride, escape games, AND laser tag. So much packed in. Tickets start around $27 and you have to buy them online ahead of time.
Bestie tip: Closed-toe shoes only. It may be too much for kids under 12.

GHOSTS OF TAMPA THEATRE TOUR (Downtown Tampa)
Bestie score: 6.5/10
When: Select dates around spooky season
The vibe: One of the prettiest buildings in Tampa, but make it spooky. 👻 You go from the lobby to backstage and hear the ghost stories. It’s only $15 and about 2 hours.
Bestie tip: These sell out fast. Don’t wait.

MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY (Magic Kingdom)
Bestie score: 6.5/10
When: Aug 7 to Oct 31
The vibe: Costumes, treats, and a cute low-scare Disney night. The catch? Disney’s site says all 2026 dates are sold out. I’m keeping it here so you know it exists. 😬
Bestie tip: If you try resale tickets, be careful.

HAUNTED WOODS (Hillsborough River State Park)
Bestie score: 6.5/10
When: Oct 16 and 17
The vibe: A community-style haunted trail that raises money for the park. It’s smaller and more cozy-scary. Ticket details aren’t out yet.
Bestie tip: Wear real shoes. It’s outdoors.

Spooky Season Prep: If you're planning on heavy Halloween makeup, late nights, or just want your skin glowing for all the spooky photos, our friends at Zenlife MD have you covered.

Part 2: THE HALLOWEEN THEMED BARS

THE HAUNTING at Strandhill Public (Tampa)
Bestie score: 9.0/10
When: Oct 1 to Nov 1 at 309 West Palm Ave
The vibe: A brand new Halloween pop-up from the team behind the Miracle holiday bars. Big decor, spooky surprises, special cocktails, and collectibles. 🎃 If you love a pop-up bar, this is your one.
Bestie tip: Go as soon as it opens and grab the collectibles.

DEAD COCONUT CLUB: HARVEST (Universal CityWalk)
Bestie score: 8.5/10
When: Select HHN nights, Aug 28 to Nov 1. Doors open at 5 PM.
The vibe: Red Coconut Club turns into an alien invasion at a small-town harvest festival. 👽 It’s free, all ages, and you don’t need an HHN ticket. New this year: light bites. This is my FAVORITE but has been very crowded.
Bestie tip: Perfect stop before or after HHN.

JOCK LINDSEY’S HALLOWEEN HANGAR BAR (Disney Springs)
Bestie score: 8.0/10
When: Aug 11 to Nov 9
The vibe: The cozy Halloween pick. Vintage decor, jack-o’-lanterns overhead, and playful instead of scary. Try the Midnight Relic with ube and edible glitter, or Fright of the Espresso, a flight of three cold brew cocktails. ☕
Bestie tip: Great for a lighter night after a big scare day.

DRACULA’S LEGACY WINE BAR (St. Pete and Tampa)
Bestie score: 7.5/10
When: Year-round
The vibe: A Dracula-themed wine bar with over 100 wines. 🍷 Vampire decor is everywhere, and there’s a throne for photos. It’s spooky all year, so there’s no rush, but it’s a date or girl’s night that is NOT boring.
Bestie tip: The St. Pete spot shares a courtyard with The Ale and the Witch, so you can bar hop.

HOUSE OF BLUES ORLANDO
Bestie score: 7.5/10
When: Seasonal, happening now
The vibe: Nightmare on Blues Street cocktails, served in souvenir glassware. 🍹 Details are light, so check their page before you go.

Now go get scared, bestie. 🎃

Tell me what I missed!

YourTampaBestie