There’s a lot to love in the Washington, DC, region. There’s a ton of great stuff to do, and there’s a seemingly endless list of events, opportunities, and experiences to enjoy. One thing, however, that the area is sorely lacking is a great theme park.

Sure, we have a Six Flags, which is better than nothing, but it’s not the greatest park. The closest we get to a fully themed park that’s worthy of listing among the best parks in the country is a couple hours south.

Located just north of Richmond, VA, Kings Dominion is WELL worth the drive and inevitable traffic jams south of DC. The park has an incredible number of rides (more than 60), including 13 roller coasters. (We’ve written about Kings Dominion a few times before.)

We’re huge theme park fans and big-time coaster fanatics, AND we still have a little one in the family. All of which, together, makes the park such a logical – and awesomely satisfying – choice.

Kings Dominion has long been a premier mid-Atlantic destination for coaster fanatics. Intimidator 305 remains the fastest, most-intense roller coaster I’ve ever ridden. (At 90 mph and with a 300-foot, 85-degree-angle drop, that’s hardly surprising.) And this season saw the debut of Twisted Timbers, a hybrid steel/wooden coaster built over the frame of the all-wooden Hurler. It’s astonishingly fun.

Despite our love for the coasters, it’s great to see a park that hasn’t abandoned its youngest visitors. And that extends to their seasonal events.

October is undeniably Halloween season, and Kings Dominion has broken up their spooky offerings into two separate events. The Haunt is their full-on scare attraction for those who like that sort of thing. But even though my 9-year-old is now tall enough to ride every ride in the park and adores the thrills that go along with them, she’s absolutely not a fan of the frights and jump scares that are par for the course with haunted attractions. Don’t even get me started on the 7-year-old.

It’s a big ol’ bag of nope for both of them.

So it’s great to see Kings Dominion offer The Great Pumpkin Fest for kids who don’t like the scares of something like The Haunt. Centered around Planet Snoopy, the sprawling kids section of the park, The Great Pumpkin Fest offers spooky (but not scary) decorations, trick-or-treating, pumpkin painting (pumpkin included, 1 per kid!), a hay maze, Halloween-themed games, and Peanuts walkaround characters and meet-and-greets in Halloween costumes.

Plus, all of the rides (minus the water rides in Soak City) are open and ready for business. What more could you ask for?

Kings Dominion is open weekends (plus Fridays) throughout October, and The Great Pumpkin Fest is running every day the park is open. Be warned, though, that The Haunt begins each night at 7pm. Depending on where in the park you are, you might encounter cast members dressed up for event. If your little ones would like to be immune from the scares, they can wear a No Boo Necklace the park offers (additional cost), which should protect them from…unwanted attention.

Halloween festivities continue through October before the park shuts down to prepare for WinterFest, which begins at the end of November.

Happy Halloween!

(Disclosure: We were invited to Kings Dominion to experience The Great Pumpkin Fest. All opinions remain our own.)