Getting Spooky with the Kids – Hallzooween at the Cincinnati Zoo 2019

We decided to spend two days at Hallzooween at the Cincinnati Zoo to feel like we got the full experience. The first day Michael had to work so it was a Mommy/daughter day. We went back for round two with him so that’s why the girls are wearing different costumes in some pictures. The idea behind Hallzooween is that it’s a family-friendly Halloween celebration appropriate for all ages. There is nothing too scary. There are rules about costumes on their website. Children need to bring their own treat bags. Hallzooween is only on the weekend. Saturday was much busier than Sunday but they were both decently busy. I was worried about parking, especially after pulling up to a sign saying lot full but they pointed me around the corner. They have additional parking lots, so no worries.

The girls were really excited by the idea of wearing costumes at the zoo. Isabella was a witch both days but wore different costumes. Octavia was Cinderella and a fairy. The fairy wings were very glittery and we all ended up with a little sparkle. Octavia couldn’t wait to show her “pretty outfits” to her favorite animals. She really loves Sam the Eagle. We watched the bird show over the summer and she has been obsessed with him ever since.

There are treat stations positioned along the main path around the zoo. The treats were different at some of the stations on the second day. Honestly, I was a little confused by some of the treats. Each stop included a piece of candy but some of them were giving out coupons or some form of advertisement. I thought that this was an event completely by the zoo and was expecting something more like a trunk or treat but with tents. It wasn’t bad but it was definitely obvious that the treats were being provided by other vendors. The girls received a sucker at one tent that had a sticker ad on the wrapper. It was smart perhaps but also a little tacky. (I want to say that I hate being critical of a place. We do love the Cincinnati Zoo and this doesn’t change our feelings about the zoo at all. This is still a fun way to spend a family day. However, we strive for complete honesty on this blog and I would have felt inauthentic if we didn’t mention any of this.)

There was a tent that had ballerinas from a local show to take pictures with the kids. They were beautiful. They gave out a piece of candy too. One of the days Charlie Brown and Woodstock were near the front. Octavia got a kick out of them.

We rode the carousel both days. Octavia wanted to ride on the chair behind Isabella. I never know what this kid is going to do! There was a Magic show twice a day. We caught part of it one day. Isabella is really into magic so this was for her.

 

 

We got to pet an armadillo! This was pretty cool. We hung out with the manatees and fish for ages because they were feeling photogenic.

We didn’t ride the train the day that we went without Michael because the line was so long on Saturday. It was much better on Sunday. The train ride had a Hogwarts theme that was really cute. There were decorations along the edge of the tracks. Our favorite was a sign that asked if you could find Professor Lupin that was strategically placed by the wolves. So cute! There was an area decorated with spiders and webs with a “Forbidden Forest” sign.

The building next to the train is a gift shop during the summer but had been completely transformed into a Halloween fun stop for the kids. It was decorated in a Hogwarts theme too. When we entered, there was a lady with a sorting hat. The kids reach into it and pull out a colored stone to represent their house. They put their rocks in little bags for them to take home. This area was completely ad-free and was more like what I was expecting.

The next table was fake tattoos. The girls both got lightning bolts. The next station was photo props to get a picture with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Isabella is currently binge reading her way through the Harry Potter series and was super excited about all of this.

The next set of tables were two lovely ladies painting fingernails. Isabella and Octavia couldn’t wait to get their nails pretty. They were more excited than normal because I haven’t been able to paint their nails for the last few weeks due to an injury. There was a table at the front with a huge puzzle and a game. Just outside the building was an area to get your hair sprayed the color of your Hogwarts house. Octavia pulled Ravenclaw out of the hat but wanted red hair. Red is her favorite color. The man was super nice about it and said: “Harry Potter wanted to be Griffendor too.” They shared a really sweet moment. Of course, she got the glitter spray when offered too. This girl and her love of sparkle!

We finished the loop around the zoo, stopping to see animals along the way. These were such fun family days in Cincinnati. This is a great zoo and worth a visit anytime.

Happy Travels!