Get Ready for Haunted History & Chilling Fun this Spooky Season
Fall in the Carolinas is more than just pumpkin patches and flannel photoshoots—it’s spooky season, and the ghosts don’t take it lightly. As the air turns crisp and the leaves start to crunch, both states come alive with stories of lingering spirits, historic haunts, and scream-your-head-off Halloween attractions that are as theatrical as they are terrifying.
Some spots lean into the real stuff—centuries-old lighthouses, antebellum mansions, and Civil War-era battlegrounds where the past doesn’t always stay in the past. These are places where tour guides carry lanterns, not flashlights, and the scariest thing isn’t always a guy in a mask—it might be the cold spot that just appeared by your elbow.
Then there are the thrill parks, haunted forests, and hayrides-from-hell where jump scares are an art form and chainsaws are practically part of the welcome committee. These are loud, chaotic, adrenaline-fueled nights made for scream-laughing with friends and losing your voice before the parking lot.
Whether you're in the mood for ghost stories grounded in local lore or you're just trying to survive a corn maze full of chainsaw-wielding clowns, the Carolinas have you covered this Halloween season.
Haunted History
North Carolina
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, NC
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃
This iconic Outer Banks lighthouse isn’t just a stunning landmark—it’s also a hotspot for paranormal activity. Lantern-lit ghost tours explore shadowy corners while guides share tales of keepers who never quite left.
The Duke Mansion, Charlotte, NC
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃
This stately mansion, now a museum and event venue, is the perfect mix of refined Southern charm and subtle supernatural thrills, with whispers and footsteps reported by staff and guests alike.
Corolla – Whalehead Club, NC
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃
By candlelight, this 1920s Art Nouveau mansion transforms into a stage for ghostly stories and flickering shadows, creating an authentically eerie evening.
Battleship North Carolina, Wilmington, NC
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃
WWII history meets the paranormal with nighttime ghost tours that explore dark corners and rumored wartime spirits.
The Biltmore, Asheville, NC
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃
America’s grandest home offers candlelight tours with tales of ghost sightings and mysterious noises echoing through lavish rooms.
Wilkes Heritage Museum, Wilkesboro, NC
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃
Old jail cells and courtrooms host fall ghost walks and stories of local legends that bring history to life with a chill.
South Carolina
Cape Romain Lighthouse, SC
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃
This remote lighthouse is haunted by the keeper’s wife, with visitors reporting footsteps and shadowy figures during rare seasonal tours.
Pawleys Island – The Gray Man Legend, SC
Spooky Meter: 🎃
A ghostly figure said to warn of storms adds eerie intrigue to serene beach walks, perfect for low-key chills.
Bethesda Presbyterian Church, Camden, SC
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃
Colonial history meets ghostly lore with the story of Agnes of Glasgow wandering its historic grounds.
Old Charleston Jail, SC
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
Pirates, prisoners, and restless spirits make nighttime tours of this infamous jail a chilling must.
Halloween Attractions
North Carolina
Aberdeen Fear Factory
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
The state’s largest indoor haunt fills 25,000 sq. ft. with intense scares, immersive sets, and special effects for serious thrill seekers.
Haunted Forest at Panic Point, Youngsville
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃
A multi-attraction haunt with forest trails, hayrides, and mazes—perfect for families or groups wanting a mix of fun and frights.
Hickory Grove Haunted Trail, Gastonia
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
Heart-pounding scares await in this creepy woodland trail full of jump-scare creatures.
Granville Haunt Farm, Oxford
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃
Haunted trails, corn mazes, escape rooms, and zombie paintball create a scare-meets-laughs Halloween night.
Hollow Acres, Fairmont
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
Eleven attractions in one ticket—including haunted houses, outdoor trails, and a spooky bus ride—keep the frights coming.
Lake Hickory Haunts, Hickory
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Nine attractions set around a dark lake with water-based scares, outdoor trails, and haunted houses.
Midway Wicked Woods, Statesville
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
Unguided walks through dark mazes, graveyards, and haunted buildings let you test your nerves solo.
Torment Haunted Laser Tag, Wilmington
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃
A foggy, monster-filled laser tag arena turns physical activity into a thrilling haunt experience.
Woods of Terror, Greensboro
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Multiple themed zones, movie-scene recreations, and high-energy live scares make this a top-tier Carolina haunt.
Kersey Valley Spookywoods, Archdale
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
A legendary NC haunt since the 1980s, Spookywoods features massive outdoor trails, haunted houses, and cinematic effects—one of the state’s most immersive experiences.
Spooky Bottom Haunted Trail, Seagrove
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
This long outdoor trail winds through eerie woods packed with jump scares, creepy sets, and plenty of scream-worthy moments.
South Carolina
Boone Hall Fright Nights, Mt. Pleasant/Charleston
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
Haunted houses and trails on a historic plantation mix Lowcountry history with modern Halloween thrills.
Dark Castle Haunted Attractions, Elgin
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
Three attractions in one—indoor maze, outdoor trail, and zombie laser tag—make for a full night of screams.
Kreepy Hollow, Bishopville
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
A signature bus ride, haunted house, and hayride immerse you in story-driven scares.
Fear Farm, Blacksburg
Spooky Meter: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Five attractions from maze-style houses to outdoor trails deliver high-intensity scares for serious haunt fans.
Choose Your Own Adventure This Spooky Season
Whether you’re a history buff craving eerie stories from real haunted landmarks or an adrenaline junkie hunting the next big scare, the Carolinas have Halloween experiences that deliver on every level. From flickering candlelight tours at century-old mansions to chainsaw-wielding clowns lurking in the darkest corn maze, there’s a thrill (or chill) here for everyone.
Fall’s cooler nights, crisp air, and rustling leaves set the perfect stage to make memories you’ll talk about well past Halloween. So grab your flashlight—or maybe just your bravest friend—and dive into the spooky side of the Carolinas this fall.
