Hey friend,
Halloween is next Saturday, so this weekend is a good time for a costume test run. I highlighted free plans because the holidays are coming and nobody needs another expense.
Here's the plan.
This Weekend’s Plans
First, the weather:
Friday
High of 71°
Saturday
High of 75°
Sunday
High of 77°
Now, some ideas for plans:
Plan 1: Boo at the Bay
📍 Location: Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 2301 University Dr., Newport Beach
📅 Date & Time: Sat 10/24, 11am–3pm
⏱️ Time needed: 1–2 hours
💰 Cost: Free, with free parking
🌦️ Indoor/outdoor: Outdoor
Spooky stories and creepy crafts, plus science experiments and exhibits from the OC Bird of Prey Center and Critter Squad: Wildlife Defenders. Costumes are encouraged.
Plan 2: Halloween Spooktacular
📍 Location: Mariners Park & VJ Community Center, 1300 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach
📅 Date & Time: Sat 10/24, 3–6pm
⏱️ Time needed: 1–2 hours
💰 Cost: Free, food trucks extra
🌦️ Indoor/outdoor: Outdoor
Trunk-or-treat, carnival games, bounce houses, and a haunted walkthrough. Pumpkin decorating is available while supplies last. Food trucks are there if you want to make it dinner. Parking is limited.
Plan 3: Fall Corgi Beach Day
📍 Location: On the sand, 2 blocks south of the Huntington Beach Pier
📅 Date & Time: Sat 10/24, 10am–3pm
⏱️ Time needed: 1–2 hours
💰 Cost: Free
🌦️ Indoor/outdoor: Outdoor
Hundreds of corgis in Halloween costumes, plus 45+ pet vendors and 10+ food trucks. There's a pumpkin pie eating contest for the dogs. You don't need a dog to go, and every breed is welcome.
Easy At-Home Idea
Try this: Halloween Dance Party, playlist by @sonicaellis
Put on a kid-friendly Halloween playlist and turn the living room into a dance floor.
Time needed: 15–30 minutes, or until the kids run out of steam
Heads Up
Shirley's Bagels is opening a new location on the West Side of Costa Mesa. Work has started and their name is up on the building, but there's no opening date yet.
Backup Options
If none of the above work, here's the fast fallback list:
OCC Swap Meet Trunk or Treat — Costa Mesa, Sat–Sun 10/24–10/25, 11am–1pm
Halloweekend: Dino Bash at The Crossing — Costa Mesa, Sat 10/24, 5:30–7:30pm
Enchanted Trails at Shipley Nature Center — Huntington Beach, Sat 10/24, 3–5pm
7th Annual Trunk or Treat — Huntington Beach, Sat 10/24
Seasonal Adventures Pumpkin Patch — Costa Mesa, Fri 4–10pm, Sat 11am–10pm, Sun 11am–9pm
Hana Field Pumpkin Patch — Costa Mesa, Fri–Sun 10/23–10/25, 9am–6pm
Once Upon a Nightmare Before Christmas — Balboa Island, Fri 10/23 and Sat 10/24, evening
Boo @ Bolsa — Huntington Beach, Sat 10/24, 1pm-3pm
Wiener Dog Races: "Prince Ludwig Open" — Huntington Beach, Sun 10/25, 10am–2pm
Oktoberfest at Old World — Huntington Beach, Sat daytime and all-day Sun are family hours
Spooky Seek & Find at Mariners Library — Newport Beach, Fri 10/23
Symphony Spooktacular — Costa Mesa, Sat 10/24, 10am and 11:30am
Roger's Gardens Christmas Boutique — Newport Beach, open daily 9am–6pm
General
Chrome for College Car Show — Huntington Beach, Sat 10/24, 9am–1pm
Yellow Bird Chase — Costa Mesa, Sat 10/24 at 10am and 1pm, Sun 10/25 at 1pm and 3:30pm
Cafe Mesa Ribbon Cutting — Costa Mesa, Sat 10/24, 11:30am
Family Storytime — Costa Mesa, Sat 10/24, 10:30–11am
That's the lineup. Hope it makes the weekend a little easier to plan.
Your weekend, your newsletter. 🤎
Give feedback on what to keep, what to change, and what to add to the newsletter. It should only take 2 minutes, and as a thank-you, you’ll get a link to our free Halloween Bucket List when you finish.
Got a plan that worked (or didn't)? Hit reply and let me know! This whole thing gets better with your feedback.
Simple Plans Co. 🤎
