There’s a nip to the morning air, color is in the trees and department stores are full of fall decorating items and costumes for kids.

That means two of the best-loved autumn events in the area – Hoot ‘n’ Howl at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Zoo Boo at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium – are just a few short weeks away.

Each features amazing animal sightings, visitors in colorful costumes, and a cornucopia-full of activities guaranteed to delight kids and adults.

Hoot N Howl
Don your favorite costume and bring your brood to Northwest Trek for Hoot N Howl for an evening event complete with nighttime tram tours, trick-or-treating, crafts, miniature golf and Footloose the Moose. Photo courtesy: Northwest Trek

Here’s the schedule:

  • Hoot ‘n’ Howl at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park:
    21 and 22, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Zoo Boo at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium:
    15 and 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day

Here’s what visitors will find at the two events:

Hoot ‘n’ Howl at Northwest Trek
Wildlife Park

Take a special nighttime tram ride through the Free-Roaming Area, where moose, bison, Roosevelt elk, bighorn sheep, deer and other animals roam. This is a rare opportunity to spot some of them under the stars, and nighttime tram tours are offered only once a year to the general public.

Along walking paths, visitors may come across live animal encounters. Education stations provide an opportunity to learn about the creatures that reside in the wildlife park. Games, crafts, and trick-or-treating also are on the schedule.

Guests may come in costume if they like, but adults are asked to leave their masks and scary face paint at home.

Northwest Trek is open during regular hours – 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 21 and 22. The gates reopen at 5:30 p.m. for Hoot ‘n’ Howl, which begins at 6 p.m.

A separate ticket is required for this special event.

Discounted Hoot ‘n’ Howl admission, available online, is $9.95 for member adults (13 and up); and $5.95 for member youths, 3-12. There is no charge for kids 2 and under. Reserved-in-advance prices for non-members are $11.95 for adults and $7.95 for youths.

Go to www.nwtrek.org/hoot-n-howl to reserve your tickets in advance.

Tickets also will for sale the nights of the event – but are $2 higher per ticket than reserved admission for all categories.

Zoo Boo at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Animals receive special treats, including carved pumpkins. The enrichments show off the very best of zookeepers’ amazing jack-o-lantern carving skills. And it’s a hoot to see what the animals do with them. Grab! Chomp! Smash!

Point Defiance Zoo Boo
Watch animals enjoy special pumpkin enrichments and see how creative zookeepers are with jack-o-lantern decorations at Point Defiance’s Zoo Boo. Photo courtesy: Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

Meanwhile, there will be indoor and outdoor activities, games, treats and lots more fun for the whole family.

And it’s the one time a year when visitors can come in costume. So, with kids and adults all dressed up for the trick-or-treating season, there will be more than the usual number of walruses and tigers and bears. Oh my!

Zoo Boo activities are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Full zoo hours on those days are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Everyone who comes to Zoo Boo in costume will get a $2 discount off the general admission rate.

Zoo Boo is presented by BECU.

For more information about Hoot ‘n’ Howl or to buy tickets in advance, visit www.nwtrek.org.

To learn more about Zoo Boo and other activities at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, visit www.pdza.org.