Where Are The Best Neighborhoods To Trick-Or-Treat In Lawton?

I think you would agree that trick-or-treating house to house is starting to become popular again, and why shouldn't it? It was the one night each year when us kids were allowed to be outside after dark. Hooking up with your neighborhood crew, walking around and ringing doorbells for candy, it was glorious in the 90s... And it has been slowly fading ever since.

People like to blame society for it, but society was just as bad back then. The difference was we didn't have social media and the constant news media reminding us how much people suck. A lot of that stuff was out of sight, out of mind, and we went out and enjoyed Halloween without thinking too much about it.

But trick-or-treating seems to be having a renaissance these days, and we noticed it last year. After years of pandemic restrictions, an emphasis on staying inside and safe, and helicopter parents hovering over every little thing, there were some roving bands of young teens wandering our neighborhood last Halloween. I can only assume it'll be the same or even more so this year.

It's a good thing.

Don't get me wrong, I get it. Nobody wants to be the parent who lets their kids wander off into a dangerous world, but there's a difference between being present and being right on top of them every second of the night. You can keep an eye on your kids, stay within shouting distance, giving them room to be kids.

Looking at the Millennial and Elder Zoomers here... We grew up having that freedom, and there's something to be said for letting the next generation experience a little of it, too. Let them get together with their neighborhood crew, knock on some doors, make a few questionable candy trades, and enjoy one night when they get to feel a little more grown up than they actually are.

They'll be fine. And if they're old enough to go without you standing right behind them at every house, let them have at it.

The only question now should be....

What Lawton Neighborhoods Give Out The Best Candy?

Not all neighborhoods are created equal when it comes to Halloween. Some streets are packed with kids, some houses go all out, and some places give out the full-size goods.

I ran across a Facebook discussion asking about the best neighborhoods to trick-or-treat around Lawton, and there were plenty of suggestions. Fields and Dunning came up several times, along with Rolling Hills, Wyatt Acres, East Lake, and the Highlands. Other folks mentioned Park Lane, Turtle Creek, Ranch Oaks, Pecan Valley South, and the Almor West Elementary area.

One person said Wyatt Acres was packed last year, while another pointed toward the area around 75th and Woodland Hills, near Wyatt Acres, saying their street gets pretty busy. East Lake and Rolling Hills also got multiple mentions, so there are a few places worth keeping in mind if you're planning to load up the kids and go hunting for candy.

And then there's That House on Hilltop, which got a special shout-out from someone who said there would be several people handing out candy there. I don't know about you, but when a house gets its own recommendation in a neighborhood discussion, I'm at least a little curious about what's going on over there.

There were a few other suggestions, too, including New York and 17th Street, the west side of town, and the area north of Wendy's. Someone even recommended heading out to Elgin, while another person mentioned the Comanche Nation's Halloween event.

Don't Forget Your Own Neighborhood

Of course, not everybody was interested in sending people across town in search of the mother lode. One commenter made a pretty good point: the best neighborhood is your own, and you should make it a good one for the kids who live there.

Fair enough. If everybody sits around waiting for the next neighborhood over to do all the work, we're going to end up with a lot of disappointed kids and a whole lot of leftover candy.

The other side of that same coin is, at least one parent has to stay home to hand out candy to your own neighborhood... It's a bummer, but that's the rule. It's also probably why trick-or-treating fell off so bad. Nobody puts in an effort to knock on unlit doors. I get that neither parent wants to miss their child's Halloween fun, but sacrifices must be made for the greater good.

And if you're staying home, you might want to plan accordingly. You think two bags of candy will be enough? Based on the comments about how busy Halloween is getting again, that might be cutting it close!

So, Lawton, let's hear it. Where are the best neighborhoods to trick-or-treat?