The Roger Williams Zoo Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular has been on my “wish list” since I first heard about it from a coworker in 2012. Last year we finally went for the first time, but with COVID it was a drive-through event. This year, with its return to a walking trail, we knew we definitely had to go again.
The zoo is about 90 minutes from our house, so we decided to make a day of it and got up there around 12:00pm to explore the zoo (note: regular day zoo admission is separate from the night activity – consider checking with your local library to see if they have a museum pass which can often save a few dollars per person). We left around 3:30 pm (zoo closes at 4 pm to get ready for the evening), ate dinner over in the Federal Hill area (about 10 min away), and then came back for our 6:00 entry.
Overall, the experience was really neat! The amount of Jack-O-Lanterns, and the intricacies are pretty amazing. The theme this year is music, so there is also a good collection of music as you walk. We visited on a Sunday evening, and I expected it to be “less crowded” but it definitely was very full. In order to get the most out of your experience, I put together some tips and things to know before you go… as always, leave a comment and/or feel free to reach out via instagram with questions!
Tips:
- Choose the first time window (6:00 pm)
Even though it wasn’t pitch dark at 6:00 pm on the night we went, I would definitely recommend choosing this time slot, not only for bedtimes (my kids are 6, 3, and 9 months) but after seeing the traffic coming in for the 7:00 and 8:00 pm slots as we were leaving around 7:20 pm, I would never choose a later time (traffic was backed up to the highway… when we arrived we drove right in).
We got to the parking lot a few minutes before 6:00 pm, then got ourselves together (sweatshirts, hats, etc) and headed to the entrance around 6:10 pm. Parking is free, but you can pay to get “VIP” parking ($12) right by the entrance. We didn’t walk far from our free lot, so it was not worth it for us. By the time we got in, visited some of the drink and merchandise stands, we started the first part of the walk and didn’t actually start the pumpkin part until closer to 6:40 and it was sufficiently dark. As you enter the zoo, there will be a sign that says “Trail starts here” on your right, and you enter there, but won’t actually get to the pumpkin part of the trail for a little bit (maybe 0.25 miles?) – you will pass more bathrooms and more food/drinks/merchandise before you do. So, even if you get in before it’s completely dark, you can easily “delay” your start of the Jack-O-Lantern area.
- Buy Light up Headbands/Necklaces
The trail was dark. Really, really dark, and really crowded. Pretty much a parent’s worst nightmare when you have multiple children to keep track of, or a young child who wanders easily. We had 4 adults with 4 walking children and the kids kept switching back and forth with who they were walking with (my 3-year-old kept switching between his uncle and his dad) and I was SO thankful we had bought the expensive ($10) light-up pumpkin necklaces for fun at the beginning of the night. They made it super easy to quickly assess where everyone was. If you want to save a few dollars, consider going to the dollar store or ordering some fun light-up stuff ahead of time (Halloween light-up gear, glow necklaces, etc.).
- Use the Bathroom Before you Start the Pumpkin Trail
If you have a small child… or if you’re like me and have a small bladder, definitely use the bathroom right before you start the pumpkin trail. In our case, we stopped at the porta-potties on our way in, and then again inside the park. There are porta-potties outside of the entrance of the zoo, regular bathrooms right inside the entrance, and another building of bathrooms right before you start the actual pumpkin part of the trail back near the elephant area (once you start the first part of the trail you will eventually come to the elephant area on your right and to your left will be buildings and the bathrooms are right there).
- Get the Fireball Cider!
What is a fall activity and nighttime stroll without a good drink to keep you warm?! There are multiple drink stands… but my favorite was the fireball cider which was only found at the last drink cart before the pumpkin part of the trail (not at the entrance carts). There was also a peppermint hot chocolate and pumpkin beer. For the cider -they’ll ask if you want a double or single shot of fireball… at least when we were there, the double was the same price as the single, which they didn’t automatically offer up when they ask which you want. In addition to drinks, there are food options as well (turkey legs, hot dogs, popcorn, pretzel, etc.). Outside of the entrance, there was one of those food “trucks” like they have at fairs with a variety of drinks and snacks (I think it was a fried dough truck by name?), and inside the entrance, there are pop-up stands with both food and drink.
- Buy Tickets Ahead of Time and Decide if you Will Use a Stroller or not…
You must buy tickets ahead of time! I know in years past they go quick, so if you’re thinking of it, I would buy ASAP considering the event is almost over (ends 10/30). As far as logistics with little kids… if you are like me and get incredibly frustrated by slow-moving crowds and strollers (… it’s not really appropriate to ram people with them right?), definitely think twice about using a stroller. I mean, you definitely need to do what makes the most sense for your family, but for me, I was able to wear the baby, and I knew our 3 year old would not have sat in the stroller with everyone else walking and exploring both sides of the trail. Plus, on a safety note, a couple of times my 3-year-old took off in the crowd to be with another family member, and there would have been NO WAY to navigate a stroller through the crowd to try to catch up with him… As it was, another family cut in front of me trying to run after my son, which was tricky enough. So, unless you’re positive your kids will stay in the stroller and you don’t get frustrated by slow wandering crowds, I’d skip the stroller and babywear if you have a little one.
All in all, it was a really fun event! The whole trail takes about 40-45 minutes to navigate. There is even more that they offer that we did not do (e.g. an eagle zip line, a behind-the-scenes tour, etc.) that you can look into. In addition, if you have a family member with sensory concerns, they are offering a special event on October 26 and 27 at 5 pm with no music or special effects. If you have been and have any other tips, leave them in the comments below! If you visit this year, tag us on Instagram to be highlighted!
