The Odessa and Tarpon Springs side of Tampa Bay packs a lot into a single Saturday. On October 24, Brooker Creek Preserve, the largest natural area in Pinellas County, offers a family hike at nine, a bat box building workshop at 10:30, and a guided night hike at seven. In between, the City of Tarpon Springs hosts a free Halloween Bash at the Sports Complex from ten to one. Between October 22 and October 30, here are four picks for neighbors who like to spend their weekends outdoors.
Connect to Nature Guided Hike at Brooker Creek Preserve
Why It Stands Out
Saturday, October 24, from nine until ten in the morning, volunteer guide Anu leads a family friendly hike on a three quarter mile loop at Brooker Creek Preserve. The walk covers habitat restoration and the animals that live in the preserve. The Environmental Education Center is at 3940 Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs.
Best For
Families with kids who like to look under leaves, and neighbors in Keystone, East Lake, and west Odessa who have driven past the entrance on Keystone Road and never stopped.
Timing and Planning
The preserve says registration is required for all programs, handled at explore.pinellas.gov or by calling the front desk at 727-453-6800. No fee is listed for this hike. Bring water and closed toe shoes.
Bat Box Building Workshop
Why It Stands Out
Saturday, October 24, from 10:30 until noon, Brooker Creek Preserve hosts a make and take workshop where each participant builds a bat box to mount at home. Bats are a welcome part of a Florida yard, and a box gives them a place to roost.
Best For
Families with older kids, gardeners, and anyone who has wanted to do something for local wildlife that lasts longer than a weekend.
Insider Tip
The fee is twenty five dollars, and space is limited. Registration is required through the preserve's Eventbrite page. Pair it with the morning hike at nine and you have a full nature morning.
Night Hike at the Preserve
Why It Stands Out
Saturday, October 24, from seven until nine in the evening, volunteers from the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve lead a hike of about one mile along the Ed Center Trail, roughly an hour and a half. The volunteers know the nocturnal wildlife, and the preserve is a very different place after dark.
Best For
Adults and families with older children who like to see what comes out after sunset. Children must be accompanied by a parent.
Timing and Planning
A donation of three dollars per person is requested. Each hike is limited to twenty people and registration is required, so sign up early. The host page does not list a meeting point or a packing list, so ask the front desk when you register.
Trick or Treat Halloween Bash at the Tarpon Springs Sports Complex
Why It Stands Out
Saturday, October 24, from ten until one in the afternoon, Tarpon Springs Recreation hosts a free family Halloween event at the Tarpon Springs Sports Complex on Jasmine Avenue. Listings describe treat booths, inflatable slides, games, crafts, and a DJ, with concessions available from Cole's Snow Kone Factory.
Best For
Families with young children who want a sunny daytime option for the holiday, and neighbors looking for a way to meet other Tarpon Springs families.
Neighborhood Angle
Admission is free and no tickets are needed, and organizers warn against buying tickets online. Check with the City of Tarpon Springs Recreation Center at 727-942-5628 for the exact entrance before you go, since listings give different street numbers for the complex.
Event Q&A
Which event is best for families?
The Trick or Treat Halloween Bash for younger kids and the Connect to Nature Guided Hike for school age children. Both fall on Saturday morning.
Which event feels most on-brand for a date night?
The Night Hike at Brooker Creek on Saturday evening, which is a quiet, low key way to see the preserve after dark, followed by a late dinner in downtown Tarpon Springs.
Which event is worth planning ahead for?
The Night Hike, which is capped at twenty people, and the Bat Box Workshop, where space is limited. The preserve requires registration for every program.
Which event gives the best sense of local community?
The Night Hike. It is led by the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve, a volunteer group that knows the preserve well.
What else is on this week?
Stories and Songs with the East Lake Library meets at Brooker Creek Preserve on Friday, October 23 from ten to eleven for children ages zero to five and their caregivers. Registration is required.
