Every year as the leaves begin to change and temperatures start to drop, people begin looking around for ways to get into the fall spirit. Some prefer more family-friendly activities like picking out pumpkins or strolling through cornfields while munching on a caramel apple. Others look for spooky thrills by watching horror movies or avoiding zombies in a haunted house. Whatever your fall style is, there’s something for everyone looking for autumnal activities in Idaho Falls.
Corn mazes:
Nothing says autumn like getting lost among stalks of corn. Wild Adventure Corn Maze at 6070 South 45 West boasts an expansive 6.2-mile corn maze. Once visitors have solved the maze, they can shoot corn out of a cannon, play farm scene investigation, participate in a scavenger hunt and more. Wild Adventure Corn Maze is open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
New Sweden Farms is another option for a local maze. The farm’s 2020 corn maze design this year is an outline of the United States of America surrounded by a police officer, firefighter and nurse. The words “Land of the FREE because of the BRAVE” are spelled out in corn as well. New Sweden Farms also offers people a chance to participate in a scarecrow building contest, meet the farm animals and buy fall treats from the Sweet Shoppe. Located at 3512 W 17th S., the farm is open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays.
Pumpkin patches:
The Halloween season wouldn’t be complete without pumpkin carving. Both Wild Adventure Corn Maze and New Sweden Farms offer pumpkin patches. Another place for those looking to pick out their own gourd is U-Pick Red Barn at 2726 Rollandet St. There, pumpkin carvers will find patches and wagons filled with pumpkins of every color and size. They can also launch pumpkins out of a pumpkin cannon. At U-Pick Red Barn, it’s three pumpkins for $20 or five for $30.
Spooky showings:
During the pandemic, the release of new movies has been scarce. Instead, theaters have taken to playing old favorites for audiences. Motor-Vu Drive-In will be holding its “Witchy Movie Night” with showings of Bewitched and Practical Magic at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Paramount Theater will show Hocus Pocus on Oct. 2. Regal Edwards Grand Teton will rotate showings of horror cult classics including Psycho, The Shining, Friday the 13th and Close Encounters of the Third Kind throughout September and October.
Haunted houses:
If movies don’t quite cut it, local thrill-seekers can try a haunted house. Look no further than Planet Doom. The place is a labor of love put together by horror aficionado and local commercial real estate broker Brent Wilson. Proceeds go to Idaho Falls Bonneville County DARE program. Those brave enough to step through its doors will go through a 45-minute house of horrors while encountering zombies, ghosts, werewolves and wendigos. Planet Doom will be open for the first time this Thursday and Friday. It will be open Thursday through Saturday every week after with extended dates the last week of October. Planet Doom, at 680 1st St., costs $12 per ticket and $15 per fast pass ticket.
Ghost tours:
Those who prefer their scares to be a bit more historically accurate might want to take a local ghost tour. Ghost Walk Idaho Falls invites people to “hear the tales of the early settlers, the ghosts that are still haunting downtown buildings, learn about the brothels, lost children, murders and suicides.” Attendees will walk through downtown while their guide tells them stories of the paranormal mysteries and macabre history that took place in their very own town. Ghost Walk Idaho Falls operates at 7 p.m. every day except Wednesdays and Sundays. Reservations can be made by calling 208-757-0121.
