Boo at the Zoo-Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Columbia, SC
Waiting to meet up with our family at the entrance.
We absolutely love spooky season and all things that have to do with Halloween! So, when my sister-in-law invited us to meet them in Columbia and join them for trick or treating at the local zoo it was an easy yes for us!!
Just inside the entrance waiting to get started.
They are annual passholders, but we went online three weeks in advance to buy our tickets (and it’s a good thing we did because as we were driving in there were signs posted saying that event was sold out for the night).
The tickets were:
Free for children 2 & under
$12 for members
$15 for non-members
The day of:
$15 for members
$20 for non-members
Parking was free during the event.
The event went from 6pm until 9pm and happens just after the zoo closes for the day. We went on a Friday night, and the general feedback is that if you can go on a weeknight, you will get a better experience because it is less busy. It also gets busier the closer it gets to Halloween.
Costumes are encouraged for everyone attending, but adults are not allowed to wear scary costumes or full-face masks.
Keep in mind that this is also a rain or shine event and tickets are nonrefundable.
Zoo map taken from www.riverbanks.org
Aiden following the trail to the next trick or treat station. Isn't he the cutest little Groot you have ever seen??
You will need to bring your own treat bag (or pillowcase or pumpkin or whatever you fancy) to use as you go through all the treat stations. There were about 13 stations set up all around the zoo. They started right at the entrance and went all around the zoo in a circle and were each clearly marked.
Photo taken from Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Facebook Page.
Aiden had a fantastic time trick or treating at each table! Sometimes he got candy, sometimes stickers, sometimes temporary tattoos, sometimes activity books. They had multiple volunteers at each station to help the lines move quickly. The lines were rare and usually not very long and moved quickly. The volunteers were very kind and engaging with the kids and the parents. It is about a one-mile walking path so be ready to get your steps in!!
Aiden with some of his loot!!
Photo taken from Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Instagram Page.
There were so many cute places to stop and take photos with your family.
To be honest, because the zoo was technically closed and this was an afterhours event, I was not really expecting to see animals (and maybe we just got lucky) but we were really pleasantly surprised at how many were actually out and about. We were just walking the regular path around the zoo following the trick or treat path and we found a ton of critters!!
All of the restaurants stayed open which was great because we definitely worked up some hunger. Some of the stands that sold popcorn were even offering Halloween themed treats and beverages (even adult beverages).
Base Camp Lemonade-Fresh-squeezed lemonade, lemonade ICEE, popcorn, cotton candy, and beverages.
Carousel Ice Cream Shop-ICEE, hand scooped ice cream, soft serve ice cream, popcorn, cotton candy, and souvenirs.
Cones-Soft serve ice cream, soft pretzels, popcorn, and cotton candy.
The Coop-Hand-breaded chicken tenders, French fries, and beverages. (Can order ahead online.)
Dippin’ Dots-Ice cream of the future.
ICEE Hut-ICEE ‘Mix It Up’, popcorn, and cotton candy.
Kodiak Point-Bird-Friendly coffee, ICEE, Dippin’ Dots, soft pretzels, popcorn, and cotton candy.
Oasis-ICEE, soft pretzels, fountain beverages, popcorn, and cotton candy.
Tuskers Restaurant- Fresh made-to-order salads and sandwiches, burgers, pizza, hand-battered chicken tenders, kid’s meals, fountain beverages, and Bird-Friendly coffee. (See menu below.)
Water Hole-Brick oven pizzas, soft pretzels, ICEE, and draft beer.
Wild Burger-Hand-pressed, made to order specialty burgers, tater tots, and draft beer. (Can order ahead online. See menu below.)
They also kept the Riverbanks Gift Shop open so that you could check out all the cool Zoo souvenirs on your way out. You can also shop online with the link below (free shipping with orders over $50).
You could walk through the indoor Koala exhibit.
There is a barn area that had a magician entertaining the kiddos all night. There was also a dance party happening close to the entrance with a DJ and fun lights. For an extra fee you could ride the carousel or the railroad train.
You could also walk through the Conservation Outpost and we saw all the animals in their enclosures in that building.
It was obviously past someone’s bedtime.
They had turned the lights out over by the Kangaroo exhibit but they had the heat lamps on and you could see them moving around.
In addition to the animals and the trick or treat stations, there were so many fun light displays to look at all up and down the pathways and everywhere you looked.
Aiden with some of the light up decorations.
So, if you are looking for something fun to do with your kiddo (or nephew) in October and live near Columbia, we highly recommend grabbing your treat bag and getting your tickets (in advance) to the Boo at the Riverbanks Zoo!
