Picture it. You painstakingly picked out the perfect Halloween costume that fell perfectly in between being clever and looking cute. You’ve got your accessories down to every pearl for your version of Daisy Buchannan or hair strand for your Katniss braid. And you realize that you have not made actual plans for your very merry Austin Halloween. No fear, ladies! (Accept for if you enjoy the scary part of this holiday!) Here are some ideas for what to do this Halloween weekend here in our lovely city!
1. Entertainment on Sixth Street
The best thing about Sixth Street on Halloween, or really any night honestly, is the people watching. If you want to check out everybody else’s crazy costumes then grab your friends and take the E-bus downtown on Halloween night! Be ready for a heavy crowd and some interesting characters, but also prepare to have one of the most unforgettably fun experiences of your college career.
2. Party in West Campus or a House Party
If you would rather stay closer to campus and avoid the buses, there are plenty of opportunities for Halloween fun closer to the 40 acres. Multiple fraternities will have Halloween shindigs or you can ask around in your friend group and someone is bound to know of an apartment or house party. If you want to stay with more of a college crowd (and not have to walk so far in heels probably!) then this could be the best option for you and your costumed friends.
3. Movie Madness
Watching movies with your friends are fun 365 days of the year, but around Halloween you can amp this activity up to the next level! If you want to head out on the town, check out Alamo Drafthouse and catch the new and scary Carrie remake, the 70’s classic Halloween, or a quote-along version of Ghostbusters. If you and your group want to stay around campus, head to the Union and see a free screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show the day before Halloween (10/30) or This is the End on Halloween night (10/31) at 6:00pm or 9:00pm. And of course you can grab a selection of horror movies from Redbox (there is one by 7-Eleven right across the street from school) or browse through Netflix and end your night with some popcorn and more than a few screams.
4. Haunted House
If you and your friends are the daring type, you can head to one of Austin’s Haunted Houses. House of Torment is one of the most popular ones. It is at Highland Mall and it promises an adrenaline-pumping experience. Night Terrors Haunted House on Research Blvd. is also highly rated on the scare factor and has some stellar reviews on their Facebook page. Make sure to bring some friend who you feel comfortable screaming loudly and often in front of and know will be there to hold each others’ hands!
Whether you decide to stay in or scout out the parties for Halloween, remember that you get what you put into it, so have fun and above all be safe! Repeat after me collegiettes, “I am always young enough for the perfect Halloween!”
(photo credit: (http://nyholt.com/blog/halloween-on-6th-street/; http://horrorpedia.com/2012/10/11/carrie-2013-film/.)