6 Clever Ways to Spend Halloween with Your Furry Friend
Photo by Ben Hanson on Unsplash
Halloween offers another chance to have fun with your furry friend during the holidays. But what's a traveling pet parent to do when you're out of town on this ghoulish day? If you're looking for some inspiration or creative ways to spend Halloween with your pet pals while on the go, read on for these six fun tips:
1. Take a Halloween Hike
While everyone is trick-or-treating in the mall, you can take advantage of the great outdoors and head on a Halloween hike with your best furry friend. If you want to meet new people, consider joining a local "Howl-o-Ween" hike or create your own adventure with your travel buddies or family. For instance, you can make a Halloween scavenger hunt while hiking with your human and furry friends. Before you head out on the walk, choose a fun or tasty prize for your pet pack and consider hiding some of your pup's favorite toys. You can even hide some Halloween-inspired bags of treats on the hike, such as this Bocce's Bakery Witches Brew soft chewy treats. Give your hiking pack some scavenger hunt cards to mark off the items their dog finds, and the person who finds the most items wins! And if your cat is up for the adventure, you can bring him, too. Just make some adjustments to make your hike more cat-friendly, which may mean opting for a cat-friendly backpack like this Texsens Innovative Traveler Bubble Backpack.
2. Host a Howl-o-Ween at Your Hotel
If you're more of a homebody or just want to stay indoors on a rainy Halloween night, consider hosting your own Howl-o-Ween soiree in your hotel room. Hop on over to a local Party City or DoorDash your Halloween decorations to your hotel. Is your pup a howler? Offer special music for your guests, play a harmonica, and watch your pooch howl along. Use this opportunity to get creative and have a howling good time!
3. Hop on Over to a Yappy Hour
Love happy hour? Well, attending a Yappy Hour is one of the best ways to combine having a good time with your pet while meeting new people or just catching a vibe of the scene. Halloween presents the perfect time to find a local Yappy Hour participating in this year's ghoulish festivities. Check out the 5 O'Clock Somewhere Yappy Hour at the Margaritaville Hotel in San Diego. This rooftop Halloween-themed Yappy Hour takes place from 4-6pm on Thursday, October 31st, 2024, and includes a costume contest with a prize that consists of a dining credit, a unique amenity for your pup, and a one-night stay at the resort. Also, 20 percent of proceeds benefit the San Diego Humane Society. Expect toys and treats for your furry friends and a unique Doggy Menu with your pup's choice of "Barktails" like a Puppuccino or Pawgarita and some "Bark Bites," including a Bacon Bark Burger.
4. Create a Cat-Friendly DIY Haunted House
On vacation with your favorite feline? Give her something to explore without tearing up your pet-friendly Airbnb, even when you're out enjoying a ghost tour, and build a DIY Haunted House. Include a back scratcher, corrugated cardboard, and a dangling mouse or fish toy to give your cat some activities to keep them busy in their custom haunted house. You can paint it black, draw spider webs, and add tasty snacks to a fishing line or a feather for your cat to catch and snatch.
5. Enjoy a Pumpkin Patch
October is a great time to head to a local pumpkin patch with your pet. Check out these dog-friendly pumpkin patches across the United States:
Outhouse Orchards in North Salem, NY: Enjoy hayrides and a corn maze at this dog-friendly pumpkin patch, but make sure Fido is on a leash.
Arata's Pumpkin Farm in Half Moon Bay, CA: Enjoy pumpkin picking with your pet and hop on a hayride.
Louisburg Cider Mill's 2024 Family Farm Season in Louisburg, KS: Frolic through the 10-acre corn maze with your dog, or enjoy the pumpkin patch, tire tower, hay wagon rides, and more!
Mr. Jack O' Laterns Pumpkin Patch in West Palm Beach, FL: You can head to this magical pumpkin patch with your dog as long as she's on a leash and enjoy a wide variety of things to do, from a haunted maze to pumpkin bowling to a photo station for capturing great memories with your favorite pup.
Pumpkin Nights at Howell Farms in Arlington, TX: Put a leash on your pooch and get ready to enjoy this interactive pumpkin patch at this pet-friendly farm.
6. Wind Down With a Movie 🍿 Night In
Not every moment with your furry friend needs to be spent outdoors, even when on your trip out of town. Whether the day has been filled with exciting times dashing around with your dog trick-or-treating or you're still exhausted from jet lag, you can opt for a movie night with your furry friend. Grab some popcorn 🍿 and a few savory snacks for your witty kitty 🐱 and opt for some horror comedies or whatever scary genre fits your fancy. We like old 80s and 90s classics like anything from Gremlins, Beetlejuice, or Tremors. Try some of these snacks:
For Humans:
Candy like these Zero Sugar Jolly Ranchers or Annie's Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies Halloween Candy.
Fruit platter with furry-like fruit, such as coconut or kiwi.
For Pets:
Wrapping it Up
Halloween is a fun time to spend quality time with your pet. Whether you head to a local pumpkin patch or stay in for a Gremlins' themed Howl-O-Ween hotel party, there are many options to take advantage of even when you're out and about traveling. How do you plan to spend Halloween with your furry friends?