On Saturday morning, we drove the 40 miles from Portland to the tiny town of St Helens to partake in some Halloween goodness. For those of you that don’t know, St. Helens is where they filmed the Disney channel movie Halloweentown. Growing up, my brother and I watched this movie every year around Halloween and we LOVED it. I didn’t actually know until maybe 6 years ago that the movie was filmed so close to where we live. I thought I would share our day with you and the fun sights of Halloweentown St Helens!
In the center of town is the town square where they have this entrance that says “Spirit of Halloweentown” and going through it puts you into the center of the area where they filmed the movie.
On the opposite side of the square from the entrance is the big pumpkin! If you’ve seen the movie, you know the pumpkin plays a big role in the ending! On weekend nights they do a pumpkin lighting where usually one of the actors from the movie comes and lights up the pumpkin. We went the first year that Marnie from the movie came to do the lighting and it was SO crowded we watched from the top of the hill!
City Hall also plays a big role in the movie as it’s in many scenes and sits behind the pumpkin in the square.
They decorate the town and the square with many other Halloween decorations so that there are fun photo ops. Some don’t have to do with the movie but since it’s Halloweentown they do a good job decking the town out in Halloween decorations.
They have these cute banners around town which also let you know their website so you can access the activities of the day. You can go to their website to find more information about visiting.
And who can forget the taxi driver from the movie, Benny? He’s sitting in the square waiting to give you a lift.
Right around the corner from the town square is the movie theater that they filmed the movie at as well. The concession stand is the absolute cutest and I wish I would have gotten a photo of it!
This year was the first year I saw this sign. It shows all the different movie locations to help you find them. I also learned that Bella’s house from Twilight is in St. Helens as well and is shown on this sign.
The cutest little town square!
All the shops and businesses around the square go all out with decorations as well. There were scarecrows, bales of hay, and pumpkins outside each shop and Halloween decor in every window. I love how much the businesses play along. Many of these shops were in the movie as well.
Klondike is a neat old hotel turned restaurant and bar about a block away from the square. I’ve always wanted to try it out (it’s supposed to be very haunted!) but usually the line is out the door and now it’s closed forever! Boo! Last year when we went there was a man standing outside looking up at the windows saying he could see the ghosts! So creepy!
Of course I had to fit in a Fall OOTD with these gorgeous changing leaves in the background!
Cardigan//Top//Jeggings (similar)//Purse//Booties (similar)
Another thing I love about St. Helens around Halloween is all of the neighbors decorate! It’s amazing how many people participate in turning this town into a true Halloweentown. It’s so fun to go down the streets and see all of the houses and their decorations.
The house up on top of that hill with the red car parked in front of it was Aggie Cromwell’s house in the movie. Aggie was the Grandma for those of you who don’t know. It’s now a bed and breakfast which is the cutest idea!
These photos of the town from a rooftop were all taken from the outside deck of a place called Roof. We stopped here for lunch and to check out the views of the town. It was a gorgeous day but a little cold to eat outside so we just enjoyed the view and then went inside for sandwiches and drinks. It was such a fun little lunch spot and I highly recommend it!
Things to do:
1. I highly recommend just walking around the town to get a feel of the place. There is quite a bit to see and many photo opportunities. Getting your photo ops in sooner rather than later is a good idea as well because lines can start to get long in the afternoons. Many people dress in costumes as well which makes things even more fun.
2. Be sure to check out the park on the waterfront behind the City Hall. It’s beautiful and they have a playground area for kids to get their energy out.
3. If you’re looking for a scare, there is a Halloween haunted house a block over from the town square.
4. There are multiple museums in the town to visit. One goes over the history of the town and another is a museum of oddities.
5. Browse the local shops! They have so many fun little stores where you can find souvenirs, antiques or clothes. Some of these shops even have candy bowls and you can “trick or treat” while you browse.
Food and Drink:
1. Running Dogs Brewery. We found this place while walking along the shops and it was the perfect place to grab a drink. We sampled some beers and they brought us pretzels to the table in a dog dish. Such a cute touch! They have a ton of board games and were playing Halloweentown on their tv. It was a fun place to kick back and relax for a bit.
2. Roof. This is where we had lunch and the views were amazing. It was such a cute little spot and the sandwiches were delicious! Even if you already had lunch, I would recommend stopping by for a drink and to sit on the rooftop deck.
3. Dockside. While I have not been here before, it always has excellent reviews. I love a good pasta so someday I’ll get around to eating here!
4. There are a few other restaurants around town and if you don’t want a sit down meal there are plenty of food carts by the waterfront with a variety of items to choose from.
We had a lot of fun celebrating Fall and Halloween in St. Helens. It’s a fun little town to visit, especially if you love to see places where movies were filmed! Have you been to Halloweentown St Helens before?
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