October half term activities in Somerset 2023
If you’re looking for fun things to do in October half term in Somerset, I’ve put together a bumper list of family-friendly half term activities! From spooky-licious Halloween trails to pumpkin picking, train riding, theatre shows and awesome autumn walks, there’s tons of activities to keep kids entertained all over the county.
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October half term events
Pumpkin picking
One of autumn’s most delightful activities, pumpkin picking is fast becoming an October tradition in the UK. Whether you’re doing it for the ‘gram, prefer plucking your own gourd fresh from the soil or just love getting into the spirit of Halloween, I’ve rounded up the best places to go pumpkin picking in Somerset.
Halloween events Somerset
Ninesprings Halloween Trail, Yeovil
2023 date: 27 October
Pick up a trail leaflet from the frightful ‘Friends of Yeovil Country Park’ stall opposite Ninesprings Café between 11am – 2pm, and follow the pumpkin markers through the eerie woods. Find the missing letters hidden at several marked stops along the way to help craft a spell and receive a prize. A buggy friendly/little legs short route will be available and clearly signposted. The trail takes around one hour to complete and the last entry will be at 2 pm.
£2 per child, under 3s go free.
Spooky Tales with Micheal Loader at The Bishop’s Palace, Wells
2023 dates: 24 October, 11am & 1.30pm
Dress in your most gruesome outfit for a scare of stories, told in puppet form with relish and wonderment by storyteller Michael Loader, who’s been ‘haunting’ the Palace since last century with tall tales and scintillating stories. Good for 5 years and up.
American Halloween Trick or Treat, American Museum & Gardens, near Bath
2023 dates: 21-29 October
Celebrate Halloween American-style with a Trick or Treat ticket at this beautiful manor house just outside Bath.
Go on a scavenger hunt for magic potion ingredients and tiptoe though spooky rooms. There is also a Halloween-themed outdoor trail around the decorated autumnal gardens. Family activities are located in the Stables and include a reading corner, colouring, crafts and puzzles.
You can also get creative in Brick America: An Adventure in LEGO Bricks Exhibition, where you can build something weird and wonderful for the brick Hall of Fame Gallery.
Cubs Halloween party
Date: 31 October
If you’re looking for Halloweeny October activities this Somerset half term, Ilminster’s Cubs soft play for under-8 year olds will be running two spooky soft play sessions from 1.30-3.30pm and 3.30-5.30pm. Halloween treats will be on sale and there’ll be a prize for best fancy dress.
Discover what’s on half term at Cubs here or book tickets here.
Halloween trail at Stuart’s Cafe, Dillington Estate
2023 dates: 20-30 October
What was once The Green House, is now Stuart’s Cafe. Join them this half term for a spooky half term halloween activities – £3 per child with sweet prizes.
What’s on October half term at The Museum of Somerset, Taunton
For a spookylicious way to bring in Halloween, turn upin your scariest costume after dark on 28 October 2023 and follow the Halloween Mystery Trail around the Museum. Don’t forget your torch!
Half term October activities (21-27 October) at The Museum of Somerset are inspired by their newest exhibit – The Cheddar Brooch. This Early Medieval brooch was found by a metal detectorist near Cheddar in 2020. The disc brooch is of national significance, and is the first of its kind ever found in the South West – full details on their website.
Lytes Scary Halloween Trail
2023 dates: 21-29 October
National Trust Halloween events are always one of my favourite things to do during October half term in Somerset. Discover what’s lurking in the woods at Lytes Cary – be they witches, ghosts, or evil spirits? Can you crack the spoooooky riddle?
Find out more about Somerset October half term 2023 at Lytes Cary
October half term children’s activities at Barrington Court
2023 dates: 21-29
Grab a mini wheelbarrow and help gather in the windfall apples (23-29 October, 11am-3pm), help plant wildflowers for 2024 in the Goose Orchard (29 Oct), follow Owl & Friends’ pumpkin trail and guess which animals have made their homes in Barrington Court (21-29 Oct), or pop into the design shed for autumnal themed crafts and storytelling the farm buildings.
More details about what’s on October half term at Barrington Court
Tyntesfield Halloween half term trail
2023 dates: 21-29 October
A beastly burglar has been pickpocketing the Tyntesfield pumpkins, and they need your help to solve the mystery! Pick up your trail map from home farm and see if you can crack all of the clues to claim your (chocolate) prize.
Don’t miss the stunning Tyntesfield pumpking display in the Orangery (21 Oct-17 Nov).
More details on halloween things at Tyntesfield
Family Halloween Woodland Experience, ROAM, Dillington Estate
2023 dates: 28 October (1.30-3.30pm)
For wholesome things to do in autumn, enter the wonderful woodland of ROAM Outdoors Activity Centre family for some spooky Halloween activities! Follow the Halloween Trail to unlock a prize, carve a Pumpkin and eat ghostly marshmallows. Visitors will also have access to rope and tyre swings, the log-stacle course, slack line and mud kitchens. £10 per person, includes hot soup and crusty bread.
Hestercombe October half term things to do
2023 dates: 21-29 October
Follow the clues hidden around the gardens to find the culprit behind the spooky goings on at the Hestercombe Lab.
Dr Smith and Dr James have spent the last year experimenting and finding new ways of reaching the supernatural. They recently made a breakthrough, unfortunately they have now disappeared and are nowhere to be seen!
As well as the spooky trail, there are free interactive bubble shows and a bubble play zone as well as free storytelling in the Bat Roost (Monday to Friday).
Halloween at Wookey Hole
2023 dates: 21-29 October
Pondering what to do in October half term? There’s no spookier time of year than to visit the Witch of Wookey than Halloween!
Once you’ve explored the caves, join in the Giant Pumpkin trail, 4D cinema, where Mystery Inc. will be solving a mystery of their own in the Scoob! 4D Experience, watch a Halloween circus show, check out the vintage attractions, and take part in the daily best-dressed competition at 2.30 in the Theatre.
Check ticket prices for Wookey Hole halloween 2023
Halloween at Heritage Railway Station, Midsomer Norton South
2023 dates: 29 October
Hop on an atmospheric Halloween Steam Train ride at Midsomer Norton, with an all day rover ticket you can travel as many times as you wish! Trains depart 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:00 and 15:00. Accompanied children aged 16 and under in Halloween costume travel free!
Check ticket prices for Halloween steam trains
Dunster Castle school of magic
2023 dates: 13-29 October
Dean Clusstters, a fellow student, has not returned from his potion practice. You find his rucksack and inside it is a crumpled list of ingredients. You must follow in his footsteps to gather ingredients to discover what has happened to Dean.
The Dunster castle Halloween trail runs from 7 October to 29 October. Please note that the grounds will close at 5pm with last entry at 4pm.
Check ticket prices and event info for things to do October half term at Dunster Castle
Halloween Trail, Torre Cider Farm
2023 dates: 27 October, 5-7pm
A night of spooktacular fun and thrills for brave little adventurers. Step into the enchanting Apple Orchard for Fright Night, where the crisp autumn air carries whispers of mystery and excitement… As the sun dips below the horizon, and the moon casts its silvery glow over the orchard, you’re in for a magical evening of frights, games, and delectable treats!
£3 per child, includes sweet treats. Prizes for the best dressed. Pizza, hot chocolate, mulled cider, toasted marshmallows will be available to buy and there’ll be pumpkin decorating and apple bobbing and a spooky scavenger hunt to join in with. Bring your own torch!
Come to Torre Cider Farm for kids’ (under 12s) pumpkin carving (24 October, 11-11.45am). Over 12s get to have a go on 25 October, 10.30am-12pm.
Creative activities October half term Somerset
Half term at East Quay, Watchet
2023 dates: 28 October, 6-8pm
There’s all sorts of creative things to do in October half term 2023 at East Quay, Watchet. Explore different art materials and create a large spooky canvas (26 October, 11am-1pm) to be used as fun bunting ready for the Punkie Night party on 28 October.
Create lanterns for Punkie Night (27 October, 11am-1pm) using card and tissue to be lit up and used as decorations in Saturday night’s kid’s Punkie trail.
Join in with the Punkie night kids’ trail around East Quay, where you can meet witches and ghouls from Somerset and the South West. There’ll also be creepy crafts to get stuck into, plus music and lights. Wash down with a cauldron of cocktails and horrifyingly good food. Fancy dress welcomed!
See the full list of half term events at East Quay here
Crafts at Glastonbury Abbey
Somerset October half term at Glastonbury Abbey features all kinds of family crafts. Create your own Autumn wreath (25 October), pinecone spiders (27 October) at 11am-1pm.
October half term 2023 Somerset: animals
Ferne Animal Sanctuary
Ferne Animal Sanctuary’s Creative Corner has lots of exciting plans for October half term with kids, including hedgehog house building, learning about hibernating animals, scavenger hunts and feeding time talks for pigs, rabbits and guinea pigs.
Join in with the Halloween virtual balloon race on 31 October (£3 per balloon).
What’s on in Somerset October half term 2023: History and Heritage
Spooky Specials at East Somerset Miniature Railway, Shepton Mallet
2023 dates: 28-29 October
Take the kids for a spine-tingling steam train journey to Mendip Vale. Back at the station find your way round the ghoulish trail, check out the newly-refurbished museum, ticket office and period waiting room, plus Punch & Judy shows with performances all day.
Train times: 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm
Amazing Animal Adaptation at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Fleet Air Arm Museum
2023 dates: 23-27 October, 11-11.45am, 12.45-1.30pm
Join the ZooLab team this autumn half term at Fleet Air Arm Museum for a series of hands on, animal-tastic shows. Find out how and why some animals adapt, evolve and adjust to a changing environment. Get close up to the claws, fangs, venom and slime to see how the animals survive in the wild and meet the animals before and after the shows.
Visitors can then take a visit around the rest of the museum to explore how the Fleet Air Arm also adapt to sand, snow, wind and rain.
The Gartell Light Railway
2023 dates: 22 October
This delightful narrow gauge railway in South Somerset is privately operated by the Gartell family and their friends and only opened to the public on selected dates throughout the year. This October, the railway will open on 22 October for your train-riding pleasure.
The Big Bug Hunt at Haynes International Motor Museum
2023 dates: 21-31 October
For October half term things to do, how about saving Haynes International Motor Museum from invading Microscopic monsters? Seek out these destructive critters and understand how to stop them from gnawing their way through the vehicles in this new family trail.
Don’t forget, you can have as many October half term days out here as you like – your ticket is valid for a year.
Find out more about October half term days out at Haynes here.
Things to do in Somerset for families October half term: Theatre
The Midnight Mission, Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton
2023 dates: 24 October
Interactive playable family theatre with nods to spoof horror and a broad streak of quirky comedy from award-winning theatre company Brave Bold Drama.
Join Agents Kahlo and Dali of the Company of International Artists to work against the clock and sometimes against logic itself to solve the mystery.
The show is best suited to those aged 6+ due to the pace of the storytelling and deductive element, as a playable theatre show. The show contains no baddies or blackouts.
Morgan & West’s Massive Magic Show for Kids! Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton
2023 dates: 29 October
Expect gawps, gasps, and guffaws in this funny and fantastical magic-filled extravaganza, all crammed into one hour of non-stop fun for all the family.
Buy October half term kids tickets at Brewhouse here.
What’s on October half term near Somerset
Blackmarsh Farm Maize Maze Sherborne
2023 dates: 21-29 October
If you’re looking for Halloweeny things to do this half term, just over the border in Dorset, Blackmarsh Farm (previously known as The Toy Barn) just outside Sherborne, is running a Halloween Maize Maze. Find the pumpkin patch in the maze so you can take one home, seek out the Spider Turret and Bat Bridge and complete some fact sheets about creepy crawlies! Kids also get to play on the outdoor play equipment and go-kart track.
Buy tickets for Blackmarsh Farm, Sherborne here
Autumn colour at Stourhead National Trust
A short hop over the Somerset border, lies one of the world’s finest landscaped gardens. Preposterously scenic all year-round, in Autumn, Stourhead really likes to show off. Hillsides swathed in woodland are transformed into a patchwork of golds, scarlets and burnt orange, making for some seriously seasonal scenes. Viewpoints gaze out to follies, a Palladian bridge (one of only four in the UK) and temples set around a glassy lake, tinged with the reflections of the fiery leaves.
There’s also an impressive manor house, grotto, a gothic cottage filled with pumpkins to explore, and the meandering pathways are buggy-friendly to boot!
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