Downtown Bonita Springs has a new gathering place—and it’s already getting into the Halloween spirit.
After months of construction, the Banyan Tree Square property is officially open, giving residents a chance to explore the refreshed space during the city’s Happy Haunts immersive Halloween stroll, running October 22–31. The free, family-friendly experience lights up downtown each evening from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
The upgraded property features new landscaping, pavement, shaded picnic tables, restrooms, and uplighting around the sprawling banyan tree. One of its most anticipated additions is a brand-new splash pad and water feature.
While the property is open, the splash pad isn’t quite ready for play. It is awaiting final approval and is expected to open soon. In the meantime, visitors can enjoy the view from behind the temporary fence.
For now, there’s plenty more to explore. Through Halloween, Banyan Tree Square is filled with inflatable decorations, projections, spooky animatronics, and games for the kids, including chess and ring toss. With the illuminated banyan tree as its backdrop, the space makes a fun starting point for an evening downtown.
The festive fun continues across the way at Riverside Park. The area beside the train tracks has been transformed with colorful lighting, more Halloween inflatables, and animatronics to discover as you wander through.
Keep strolling toward the river, and you’ll find the historic Liles Hotel lit up with projections, lights, and even more Halloween decorations. Together, the displays turn a familiar downtown walk into something worth slowing down to enjoy.
Local businesses are joining in, too, with decorated storefronts adding to the atmosphere as downtown prepares for Nightmare on Old 41 this Saturday, October 24. The Halloween celebration will bring parties to six local businesses, with free trolley service connecting the participating locations throughout the evening.
For families planning a visit, Happy Haunts is an opportunity to enjoy the decorations at your own pace, take photos, and spend an evening exploring downtown. Keep in mind that the stroll itself does not include nightly candy or trick-or-treating. The separate Trick or Treat on Old 41 event takes place on Halloween, October 31, from 5 to 8 p.m.
We feel so lucky to live in a city that puts this much care into creating fun memories for its residents. We love walking downtown to see the lights, watching little ones get excited over the decorations, and seeing people of every age stop to take it all in. With Banyan Tree Square now welcoming visitors and Halloween displays stretching through downtown, there’s another reason to get outside and enjoy an evening in Bonita Springs!
Thinking about what it would be like to live in Bonita Springs? We can tell you firsthand that it is wonderful! We live downtown and love walking to events, local restaurants, coffee shops, and more!
Even if it is just an idea, we would love to chat and answer any questions. We have over 10 years of real estate experience coupled with an unmatched knowledge of the area.
Click here to browse new listings in Bonita Springs and reach out to John Paul anytime with any questions! (239) 292-2317
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