Today is the last day of September, which means tomorrow is the first day of October, which means we can FINALLY, officially bust out the Halloween decoration. Oh, who are we kidding? We started decorating in, like, August.
But seriously, we really love Halloween. Heck, everyone loves Halloween in Durango. We do it up right in our mountain town, from showings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show to kid-friendly trick-or-treating in downtown Durango. Here are some of the best things to do in Durango for Halloween:
River Bend Ranch
Just four short miles north of the Quality Inn Durango on U.S. Highway 550, River Bend Ranch knows how to do Halloween right (and fall in general). Per its name, the ranch sits on the Animas River in the Animas Valley, where guests can take a horse-drawn wagon ride to an open meadow and warm up afterward by the ranch’s fire pit, where you can also toast your own s’mores. But the highlight is the Straw Bale Maze: eight-foot-tall walls of straw bales make up a meandering maze so guests can really get “lost” inside and really savor those s’mores when they get out. The ranch is open for fall activities from 5 p.m. to dark every Friday, and from 1 p.m. to dark Saturdays and Sunday through Nov. 6th, plus Halloween! Admission is $10 per person; children under 5 are free; and group rates are available. The ranch is located at 27846 Highway 550, Durango, CO.
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Richard O’Brien’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” once again returns to the Henry Strater Theatre this Halloween as “Rocky Horror Show – Live On Stage” but this time with a Durango Twist! The 2016 theme is “Rocky Gets Western.” Join in on the Time Warp in O’Brien’s cult classic, pop culture, science fiction glam rock and quirky comedy the Rocky Horror Show! There will be two showings at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28 and 29, with doors opening half an hour before, and an 8 p.m. show Sunday, Oct. 30. For tickets or more information, visit the Henry Strater Theatre website.
Frankenstein
To get in the spooky mood, catch one of two showings of the award-winning British theater production of “Frankenstein” back at the Animas City Theatre. Academy Award®-winner Danny Boyle directed this creepy Frankenstein production that features Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating roles as Victor Frankenstein and his creation. The production was a sell-out hit at the National Theatre in 2011, and the broadcast has since become an international sensation. Showings are 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, and 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 29.
Trick-or-Treating in Durango
Every Halloween, downtown Durango shops, restaurants and businesses open their doors to Durango’s littlest ghosts and ghouls for a fun, safe Durango trick-or-treating experience. Children’s Halloween in downtown Durango starts at 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 31 (that’s Halloween, just in case you were wondering) and runs to 6 p.m.. Nearly 100 businesses participate, and the event is free for kids 10 and younger who come in costume accompanied by an adult (adult costumes optional).
We here at the Durango Quality Inn love Halloween! Stop in to say “Boo!” or make a long weekend of it and stay with us at the Quality Inn Durango.
Durango Quality Inn - 2930 Main Street, Durango, Co 81301 - (970) 259-5373 - gm.co405@choicehotels.com 