Did you know the Practical Magic town is right by Seattle?
Do you love the classic 1998 movie Practical Magic? If you live in Seattle or plan to visit, you should know that the charming coastal town in the movie is close enough for an easy day trip! The town of Coupeville on nearby Whidbey Island served as the fictional Massachusetts town featured in Practical Magic.
Every fall, Coupeville makes the most of its status as the setting for one of the best spooky movies of all time by going all-out for Halloween. If you’re interested in visiting, consider going this month because of all the fun October events the town has planned. You can even sip on margaritas while watching a screening of Practical Magic after spending the day living it!
Read on for all the details!
Coupeville in Practical Magic vs. in real life
When Practical Magic was filmed back in the late ’90s, Coupeville was chosen as the film’s main setting—and it’s not hard to see why. The small island town is full of historic charm, old buildings, and delicious local food.
Although you’ll be able to see many of the adorable small shops and buildings from the movie, you won’t find the witchy aunts’ white Victorian house. That was merely a shell that was built in the nearby San Juan islands and then demolished after filming (the interiors were shot on a soundstage).
2023 Halloween events in Coupeville
This October, you’ll find plenty of spooky and festive events happening in Coupeville for Halloween and the fall season. Many of them are family-friendly, such as a Halloween parade, a witchy scavenger hunt, and a pumpkin race. If you’re crafty you’ll want visit for the pumpkin painting night, knitting circle, or island art show. There’s also daily fall fun in October such as a pumpkin patch with trolley rides and a spooky cemetery experience.
The highlight of this October in Coupeville, however, is of course related to Practical Magic. Ages 21 and up can visit the island town on October 27 or October 28 for a “Practically Magic Movie Night.” In addition to the movie screening there will be trivia, a costume contest, and most importantly… margaritas! (If you plan to go, you’ll find the event at the Coupeville Rec Hall at 6:30 p.m.)
Getting to Coupeville
To get to Whidbey Island, it’s a 90-minute drive from downtown Seattle. You could also drive onto a ferry from the Mukilteo ferry terminal (about 26 miles north of downtown Seattle).
For a detailed list of all the upcoming events in Coupeville this October, check out the Haunting of Coupeville website.