Cuddle up in flannel, leggings and sweater socks ‘cause it’s every couple’s favorite time of year. The holidays are officially in full swing with the start of October, and we know you’re looking for ways to warm up to your sweetheart or friend or acquaintance — whoever spices up your pumpkin spice latte. Don’t have any money in the bank? No sweat. We know those Halloween party cover fees are astronomical and even that pretty whipped PSL isn’t cheap anymore. Don’t fret because these are cheap dates priced $40 or under for two people, and if that’s even too much—some are free too my frugal friend. These 50 cheap ass autumn dates will definitely get you your bang for your buck.
Get lost in a corn maze
Visit the Corn Maze at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms.
Where: 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton
Price for two: $28, $26 with student IDs
Time: Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. through October 29.
Try to find your way out at the Fritzler Maze.
Where: 20861 Co Rd. 33, La Salle
Price for two: $32 for non-scary maze combo, $50 for scary maze combo. Save up to $6 per ticket transaction with these discount coupons.
Time: Click here for full October schedule.
Watch a scary movie
Watch a Halloween movie in the mountains near Vail Valley at the Blue Starlite Drive-In.
Where: 801 Ed6, Minturn
Price for two: $16 for two admission tickets + $10 – $15 for car slot depending on vehicle size
Time:
Saturday, October 7 @ 7 p.m. – Beetlejuice
Saturday, October 14 @ 7 p.m. – Hotel Transylvania
Saturday, October 14 @ 9:30 p.m. – The Shining
Saturday, October 21 @ 7 p.m. – Beetlejuice
Saturday, October 21 @ 9:30 p.m. – The Shining
Friday, October 27 @ 7 p.m. – Ghostbusters
Friday, October 27 @ 9:30 p.m. – The Shining
Saturday, October 28 @ 7 p.m. – Beetlejuice
Saturday, October 28 @ 9:30 p.m. – Halloween
Sunday, October 29 @ 7:30 p.m. – Halloween
Monday, October 30 @ 7:30 p.m. – The Shining
Tuesday, October 31 @ 7:30 p.m. – Ghostbusters
Watch a creepy flick at the Esquire Theatre.
Where: 590 N. Downing St., Denver
Price for two: $19 for midnight showings, $17 for Wednesday Literary Horror flick series
Time:
Wednesday, October 4 @ 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. – The Fall of the House of Usher
Friday, October 6 @ 11:59 p.m. – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Saturday, October 7 @ 11:59 p.m. – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Wednesday, October 11 @ 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. – The Pit and The Pendulum
Friday, October 13 @ 11:59 p.m. – Halloween
Saturday, October 14 @ 11:59 p.m. – Halloween
Wednesday, October 18 @ 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Carrie
Friday, October 20 @ 11:59 p.m. – Rawhead Rex
Saturday, October 21 @ 11:59 p.m. – Rawhead Rex
Wednesday, October 25 @ 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. – Misery
Friday, October 27 @ 11:59 p.m. – Rocky Horror Picture Show
Saturday, October 28 @ 11:59 p.m. – Rocky Horror Picture Show
Tuesday, October 31 @ 10 p.m. – Rocky Horror Picture Show
Score dinner and a free showing of Halloween at a Dine-In Movie at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox.
Where: Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St., Denver
Price for two: No cover
Time: 9 p.m. on Wednesday, October 25
Watch a horror film directed by George Romero and listen to spooky music by local bands at Sie FilmCenter‘s Scream Screen series.
Where: 2510 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
Price for two: $22, $16 with student IDs
Time:
Friday, October 6 @ 9:30 p.m. – Creepshow with Church Fire
Friday, October 13 @ 9:30 p.m. – Martin with Weathered Statues
Friday, October 20 @ 9:30 p.m. – The Crazies with Muscle Beach
Friday, October 27 @ 9:30 p.m. – Two Evil Eyes with Law of the Night
Take a fall hike
See the golden aspens glow bright yellow and orange on one of these amazing fall hikes.
Where: The Great Outdoors
Price for two: Priceless
Time: The best time to witness peak foliage is late September to early October.
Get a pumpkin
Get your pumpkin without having to leave Denver at the Pumpkin Harvest Festival.
Where: Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., Denver
Price for two: Free
Time: 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 7 – 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 8
Pick out a pumpkin from the patch and enjoy other fall festivities at the Pumpkin Festival hosted by Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms.
Where: 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton
Price for two: $16
Time: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Friday, October 13 – Sunday, October 15
Score a pumpkin and a beer at the Pumpkin Patch & Painting Party hosted by Denver Beer Co. in Arvada.
Where: Denver Beer Co., 5768 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Price for two: $30 – $36 depending on package. Purchase tickets in advance to save.
Time: 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 14 – 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 15
Travel to Colorado Springs to see Colorado’s BIGGEST pumpkins at the Giant Pumpkin Festival.
Where: 2501 W. Colorado Ave. Colorado Springs
Price for two: Free
Time: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 21
Celebrate Día de los Muertos.
Decorate sugar skulls, paint your face, see Aztec dancers followed by a procession to honor loved ones and celebrate the Day of the Dead.
Where: CHAC-Gallery, 772/774 Santa Fe Dr., Denver
Price for two: Free
Time: 6 – 9 p.m. on Friday, October 13
Dress up
Dress up like The Walking Dead and participate in the 12th annual Denver Zombie Crawl.
Where: Denver Zombie Crawl, 16th St., Denver
Price for two: Free, register here
Time: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 7
If you’d rather dance, get your best costume on and attend the first-ever Zombie Prom.
Where: 725 W. 39th Ave., Denver
Price for two: $10
Time: 8 – 11:55 p.m. on Saturday, October 28
Dine and drink out.
Sip fresh-pressed apple cider, taste pies and more at Cider Days in Lakewood.
Where: Lakewood Heritage Center, 801 S. Yarrow St., Lakewood
Price for two: $12 in advance, $16 at door
Time: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 7 and Sunday, October 8
Enjoy free craft beer and discussions by the best brewers at this tap tasting in Arvada.
Where: Lamar Street Center, 5889 Lamar St., Arvada
Price for two: Free, must register in advance
Time: 6 – 9 p.m. on Wednesday, October 11
Celebrate the release of Season 2 of Stranger Things with music inspired by the Upside Down by DJ Hollow and DJ Tower at Ophelia’s Stranger Brunch.
Where: Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St., Denver
Price for two: No cover
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, October 29
Have an animal encounter.
If you can bear it, go see spiders and other creepy-crawlies as part of Bugtober!, an exhibit at the Butterly Pavilion.
Where: Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster
Price for two: $22 at door
Time: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. from Monday, October 2 – Sunday, October 29
Party with the dinosaurs at DINOS! After Dark hosted by the Denver Zoo. During this adult-only night of fun, there will be beer, jack-0-lantern sculptures, pumpkin carving, a Dinosaur Sex Talk presented by Dinosaur Ridge and much more.
Where: Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., Denver
Price for two: $30
Time: 6:30 – 9 p.m. on October 5, 12, 19 and 26
Have a bat encounter at the Denver Botanic Gardens and get up close and personal.
Where: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver
Price for two: $31
Time: 1 and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 29
Take a spooky walk
Glow at the Gardens via Facebook
Walk down Santa Fe Drive and enjoy creepy displays of art, antiques, taxidermy and more at the Witches & Ghouls Art Crawl.
Where: The Room of Lost Things, 985 N. Santa Fe Dr., Denver
Price for two: Free
Time: 1 p.m. – 12 a.m. on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7
See hundreds of carved jack-o’-lanterns light up the night as you walk through the Denver Botanic Gardens at Glow at the Gardens.
Where: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver
Price for two: $32 *HURRY TICKETS ARE GOING FAST
Time: 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. (last entry at 9 p.m.) on Wednesdays and Thursdays on October 18, 19, 25 and 26
Get scared
Watch Edgar Allen Poe and others from Gothic past perform tales of woe from macabre literature at Victorian Horrors, a theater production at the Molly Brown House.
Where: The Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St., Denver
Price for two: $38 *Hurry tickets are going fast.
Time: 6 – 9 p.m. from Friday, October 13 – Saturday, October 28
Take the Walking Dead Ghost Tour in downtown Denver.
Where: Meet in front of Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver
Price for two: $40
Time: 5:30 and 8 p.m. See here for full October schedule.