By Beth Mack
October 19, 2023 (updated)
Photo: Lake Hickory Haunts
As Halloween draws near, attractions across the Carolinas emerge. Whether you are an adrenaline junkie seeking the thrills of a haunted house, a horror movie buff looking to step into iconic scenes straight out of the movies, or looking for a fun, family-friendly way to celebrate, there really is something for everyone in North Carolina.
Lake Hickory Haunts
As darkness falls across Lake Hickory, creatures awaken to terrorize whoever dares cross their path. With 13 haunted attractions at this scream park, there is no shortage of frightening characters. This immersive experience adds a unique dimension by incorporating Lake Hickory with monstrous sea creatures and undead pirates to accompany the clowns, zombies, and ghosts. Stop by the newly expanded Midway of Mayhem with concessions, an escape room, games, axe throwing, and even a 4D experience. For horror movie aficionados, check their website for a listing of special events featuring pop-up displays of original props from classic movies as well as live music. All 13 attractions are included in the price of admission, which varies by the date of your visit starting at $34.
Select dates September 13 – November 2
Lake Hickory Haunts
520 Carolina Avenue
Hickory, North Carolina
(828) 212-1442
Woods of Terror
Greensboro is home to one of North Carolina’s largest scream parks, offering a ghastly 16 haunted attractions. Woods of Terror is what nightmares are made of, offering a wide variety of haunts ranging in themes from ‘80s sci-fi, pirates, Purge-like anarchy, chainsaw massacres, insane asylums, demonic clowns, and werewolves, to a good old-fashioned haunted house. Allow your voice to recover from the screams and check out the Haunted Midway in between to enjoy food and beverages, games, and live music. There is no age restriction but it is only recommended for teens and adults. All you need is one ticket to experience all 16 attractions, which varies by the date of your visit and starts at $35.
Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and Halloween September 16 – November 5
Woods of Terror
5601 N. Church St.
Greensboro, North Carolina
(336) 643-3558
Granville Haunt Farm
Take in a haunted house from the safety of your car at the Granville Haunt Farm. Located just northwest of Durham, this drive-through haunt recreates scenes and characters from popular horror movies such as Ghostbusters, It, Beetlejuice, Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and more. Just be sure to keep your doors locked so the creepy characters don’t make their way into your car. Ticket prices for this family-friendly attraction vary by the number of passengers in your car but start at $25 for up to four people.
Select dates October 4 – November 2
Granville Haunt Farm
534 US Highway 15
Oxford, North Carolina
(919) 339-4452
Scarrigan Farms
As the sun sets over Carrigan Farms, the monsters and zombies come out to play on its haunted trail. Brave visitors will endure constant haunts from a variety of suspect characters on the mile-long trail through eerie woods, cornfields, and meadows. Let your adrenaline wear off after and stop by their on-site restaurant to grab a bite to eat or indulge in an apple cider next to a bonfire while taking in views of the quarry at night. Reservations are required and start at $25 but vary by day. Please note that this attraction is not for the faint of heart and is reserved for those 12 years of age and up.
Open Thursday-Sunday October 4 – November 1
Scarrigan Farms
Oak Ridge Farm Highway
Mooresville, North Carolina
(704) 664-1450
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Hollerin Haunts Hayride
Make no mistake, Hollerin Haunts is not your average hayride. Prepare yourself for a 30-minute ride through bone-chilling scenes with characters that will “scare the yell out of you.” If you crave even more of a thrill, fight off a zombie insurgency at their NC Zombie Hunt, where you can help take out zombies with a paintball gun. Not afraid of the dark? You might be after taking a walk through pitch-black darkness to see what evils come about in their haunted trail, The Darkness. You can purchase tickets for each attraction individually or grab a package deal for all three attractions for $35.
Select dates September 13 – November 2
Hollerin Haunts Hayride
2914 Bud Johnson Road
Clinton, North Carolina
(910) 818-2240
Tweetsie Railroad
(Due to effects of Helene Tweetsie Railroad will be closed for the fall season, reopening for Tweetsie Christmas on November 29)
Each Friday and Saturday evening from September 20 through October 26, the popular Wild West-themed park Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, North Carolina is taken over by ghouls and goblins. With decorations and eerie music, the park transforms into a creepy carnival to host dance parties, trick-or-treat stations, spooky photo opportunities, and shows for all ages. For the braver crowd looking for a thrill, you can take a stroll through the Freaky Forest, explore the Haunted House, or hop aboard the Ghost Train for a frightening three-mile ride.
Open Fridays and Saturdays September 20 – October 26
Tweetsie Railroad
Tweetsie Railroad Lane
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
(828) 264-9061
Pinhead’s Graveyard
If you have ever dreamed of coming face-to-face with classic horror movie villains, Pinhead’s Graveyard is the haunted attraction for you. Located in a century-old building in downtown Canton, the indoor attraction focuses on iconic horror movies complete with elaborate sets, animatronics, and special effects that are straight out of the movies. Visitors will be terrorized by the likes of Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, Pennywise, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, Pinhead, and more. If that wasn’t enough, on select nights you can meet the celebrities who played some of these quintessential horror movie characters. Pinhead’s Graveyard prides itself on being family friendly and will tone down the characters for groups with children. Tickets start at $30 for visitors ages 12 and up, and $20 for visitors ages 6-10 or 65 and up.
Select dates September 27 – November 2
Pinhead’s Graveyard
562 Main Street
Canton, North Carolina
(828) 670-8228
Panic Point
For the past 14 Halloween seasons, Panic Point has been terrifying North Carolinians in the Triangle area. Tread lightly through the half-mile Haunted Forest trail and try your best not to get hunted down by one of the 30 creepy characters. Flirt with darkness on the Dark Trail Swamp as you stagger along with a rope to guide you through the grisly scenes. Go on a werewolf hunting excursion on the Howling Hayride Hunt or trek through Stalkers Farm, but be weary as the family does not take kindly to strangers. To really get your heart pumping, take a walk through the eerie cornfields with terrifying mythical characters abound in their Killers in the Corn attraction. Take time to regain your composure between attractions with concessions, carnival games, and bonfires. This haunt does not allow visitors under the age of nine and requires those between the ages of 9-13 to be accompanied by an adult. General admission tickets include access to all five attractions and start at $34 but vary depending on the date of your visit.
Open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and on Halloween September 27 – November 2
Panic Point
2808 Cedar Creek Rd
Youngsville, North Carolina
(919) 526-8612
The 13th Acre
A nefarious evening awaits you on a rural farm in Monroe. Walk along the cursed Coffin Creek brimming with ghosts and the undead or venture out to The Forbidden Acre along a twisted trail filled with demented souls committing unspeakable atrocities. If you have enough gumption left, tread lightly through the cornfield of Reaper’s Row, but be careful, as creatures often creep up from behind. The newly expanded Monster Midway offers food, beverages, casino-style games, and live music as you lick your figurative wounds and let your ego heal. There is no age restriction, however, the park is not recommended for visitors under the age of 12. All three attractions are included in the price of admission which starts at $26.50.
Select dates September 20 – October 31
The 13th Acre
3718 Plyler Mill Rd
Monroe, North Carolina
(704) 709-7000
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Nightmare Factory
Four unique haunted attractions make the Nightmare Factory a draw for thrill seekers along North Carolina’s coast. Encounter zombies in the Dead Zone, dodge psychotic clowns, navigate the deranged at the Psych Ward, or just try to escape the gruesome scenes of the Haunted Factory. You might be sleeping with the lights on for a few weeks afterwards. With intense scenes, the Nightmare Factory requires anyone under 16 to be accompanied by an adult and operates on a PG-13 level from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., ramping things up to rated R after 9 p.m. using adult language. All you need is one ticket that starts at $20 for general admission to access all the haunts.
Open Fridays and Saturdays, and on Halloween, September 27 – November 2
Nightmare Factory
29 Park Ln
Havelock, North Carolina
252-444-FEAR
Kersey Valley Spookywoods
Located just outside of Greensboro is the fear-inducing 92-acre farm, Kersey Valley Spookywoods. In its 39th season, they have brewed up new sets, characters, and attractions. With the purchase of a general admission ticket, you will have access to a 50,000 square-foot Spookywoods maze, dark tram rides, 15 haunted buildings, and the new four-acre haunted trail, Icons of Horror. To allow your heart to slow down between attractions, visitors can enjoy food and adult beverages along the midway as creepy characters mill about. Tickets start at $35, however, the park is not recommended for those under the age of 10.
Select dates October 4 – November 2
Kersey Valley Spookywoods
1615 Kersey Valley Road
Archdale, North Carolina
(336) 431-1700
The Haunted Farm
(Closed for the 2024 season due to the effects of Helene)
Just south of Asheville sits an old farm rife with disturbing decades-old stories of murders and hauntings. Round up your bravest friends to journey through The Haunted Farm’s six outdoor attractions that take you all over the property from The Woods to The Slaughterhouse. In its 14th year haunting many in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this season is better than ever with perturbing scenes of blood, slashers, deranged clowns, beasts, and more. There is no age limit for this haunt, but they do warn that it is meant to terrify you. Ticket prices vary by the date of your visit and start at $35 for all six attractions.
The Haunted Farm
624 Townsend Road
Hendersonville, North Carolina
(828) 702-7911
The Fear Farm
Tucked along the rolling fields just west of Charlotte in Blacksburg, South Carolina is a farm that harvests fear. In its 14th year, The Fear Farm has grown to include five haunted attractions in nearly three quarters of a mile. Rediscover your fear of the dark in the Abyss Complete Darkness attraction as you navigate your way through caverns and try to elude the creatures that inhabit them. Take a trip underground as you explore abandoned mine shafts and see for yourself if they are haunted. Twisty’z Tricks and Treats has set up shop on the farm for you to navigate through a circus tent chock full of clowns ready to delight with surprises. In classic mystery horror fashion, explore The Farm House and see if you can determine what happened to its former owners. A new attraction this year is the Confinement Home of the Criminally Insane, where you can venture through a prison to see where America’s most demented inmates are held. Allow your adrenaline to wear off between attractions by perusing the midway complete with food, beverages, carnival games, live music, and roaming characters. General admission tickets include all five attractions and start at $30 for visitors ages 10 and up, and $20 for those under 10 (note: there is no age limit but parental discretion is advised).
Select dates September 21 – November 2
The Fear Farm
424 Ninety-Nine Island Road
Blacksburg, South Carolina
864-839-1022
Scarowinds
As the clock strikes 7 p.m., darkness falls over the park and the paranormal come out to play in the multiple haunted scare zones and mazes at Carowinds. The amusement park also offers a haunting collection of live shows including the new Wake the Dead: Murder Mystery Musical. There is no age limitation for Scarowinds, but the park does not recommend it for kids under the age of 13. SCarowinds is now included with the price of amusement park admission.
Select dates September 13 – October 27
Scarowinds
14523 Carowinds Blvd
Charlotte, North Carolina
(704) 588-2600
Boo at the NC Zoo
Who said Halloween was just for humans? Boo at the NC Zoo is a great way for families to celebrate Halloween with all your favorite zoo animals. The annual event hosts twice-daily children’s costume contests, trick-or-treating along the pathways of the Africa region of the zoo, storytelling, inflatables, live entertainment, and other fun activities from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Boo at the NC Zoo tickets are $15 for adults, $11 for children ages 2-12, and $13 for seniors 62 or older.
Open Saturdays and Sundays October 19 – October 27
Boo at the NC Zoo
4401 Zoo Parkway
Asheboro, North Carolina
336-879-7000
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