By Ry Glover | 10/6/2022
Spooky season is one of the best seasons in Redding. Not only do some of the area’s prime-time parks and private farms put on some seriously eerie Halloween-themed programming, but the overall area is also experiencing a downright sensational shift in seasonality.
In other words, spooky season in Redding coincides with shoulder season—one of Redding’s most underrated yet all-time greatest times of year for a visit!
So, if you’re feeling fall-festive or in the mood for a certified scare, be sure to place Redding high on your list of places to visit this autumn. Here are some memorable ways to make the most of it.
In short, Hawes has it all. Located 15 miles south of downtown Redding, Hawes Historic Farm is a sixth-generation farm offering up a seriously robust smorgasbord of fun. From thrilling rides to horse-drawn carriages and one of the best pumpkin patches in the North State, Hawes is a place where the phrase “family fun” comes to life in full force.
In the spooks department, Hawes has a Halloween showcase that’s downright legendary. For the entire month of October, Hawes Haunts offers a terrifying (and terrifyingly fun) lineup of offerings that have deservedly earned it the title of “Redding’s Best Haunts.” What sets Hawes Haunts apart is that these scares aren’t just ‘jump-scares’—each program has its own unique spooky backstory to add a psychological scare to the narrative as well.
OF NOTE: According to the Historic Hawes Farms website, “These haunts use fog, strobe lights, intense audio, extreme low visibility, damp or wet conditions, special effects, sudden action, and moving parts. Scenes are created for ages 18 and older and props may contain nudity, gore, and violent scenes, and are rated "R". Entering Hawes Haunts entails known and unanticipated risks that could result in physical or emotional injury.”
Distress calls have been heard from below ground. A search party is set loose to find a husband and other missing persons at an archaeological site along the Sacramento River. Will they—or you and your friends—return?
If there’s one thing more terrifying than a haunted cornfield, we’re yet to hear about it. Field of Terror is a haunted corn maze unlike any other.
Enter… if you dare. Sinister Workshop tells the tale of a reclusive boy named Tommy who loved to tinker, and who finally found his sinister calling in his deceased father’s abandoned workshop.
It’s the zombie apocalypse, and it’s up to you to stop them. Zombie Paintball offers an adrenaline-pumping chance to live out your morbid fascination with zombies… as well as the chance to (safely) shoot them with a paintball gun! It’s like a video game come to life. And it’s totally worth it.
If you prefer your adventures less bone-chilling and more chill, fear not: Hawes delivers the family fun goods in nearly every other department as well. Go-Kart rides are available. The pumpkin patch is a fun chance for young ones to get some fresh air. The mini roller coaster is exhilarating. And the train and tractor rides around the property are delightful for young kids. Not to mention, Hawes Farms is still a totally operational year-round farm with fresh produce and a fresh perspective on an old-world way of doing things.
Only 10 minutes east of downtown Redding, Nash Ranch is another must-mention (and must-visit!) pumpkin patch and haunted house. Since 2006, Nash Ranch has played host to the Dreams of Darkness haunted house—one of the longest haunted attractions in America in terms of the time it takes to walk through the entire house.
The journey is a multi-era, multi-epic experience that takes visitors on an “unguided path from the ghost towns of the Wild West, to the bayous and swamps of the Deep South, through the home of The Clown, encountering an unknowable terror at every turn.”
In other words, if you’re looking for a seriously scary place to celebrate spooky season, Nash Ranch delivers the goods.
Still not had enough scares? Then head on over to Redding's newest spooky event - the Redding Haunted House at the Monolith! Located right next to the Sundial Bridge, enjoy some spooks and scares every night from October 26th through the 31st, as well as food trucks and adult beverages. By your tickets online, or in person at the California Welcome Center Anderson.
Whether you’re visiting Redding for spooky season or shoulder season, this much is clear: this part of California is breathtakingly beautiful during the fall.
In fact, Northern California has one of the longest and most diverse fall color seasons of any region in the United States, especially in Redding and Shasta Cascade. With thousands of acres of nearby national forests and state and national parks—and hundreds of miles of trails—the Redding area is a serious show-stopper in the fall foliage department.
Fall is an incredibly picturesque time of year to visit the area's numerous lakes, rivers, and mountains. The Sacramento River National Recreation Trail is exploding with golden yellow cottonwoods. The fishing is popping off after the fall-run salmon spawn. And the temperatures and weather are spectacular.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable place to visit this Halloween (and fall in general), then you’d be hard-pressed to find a better destination than Redding.
