Multiple Locations, NC
October, 2025

A playful gust of wind rattles the rhododendrons here in my mountain home, carrying the scent of apple cider and fallen leaves. It’s the annual wake-up call for me, Boo Beaumont, North Carolina’s most spirited tour guide—and a literal spirit, to boot! For 200 years, I’ve roamed these hills and shores, and I can tell you with ectoplasmic certainty: nobody does Halloween like the Tar Heel State. This October, the veil is thin, the air is crisp, and my spectral schedule is packed. I’m floating across the state to bring you the best in frights, festivals, and pumpkin-spiced delights, so follow me on a tour of my favorite haunts for October 2025.

My spectral journey always begins in the misty mountains, where the air is thin and the ghost stories are the oldest. The energy here is simply electric! My old stomping grounds of Asheville are a perfect start, where Haunted Asheville Ghost Tours bring the city’s chilling history to life nightly. For a grander, more atmospheric experience, nothing beats the Gothic beauty of the Biltmore Estate draped in autumn colors. Families can delight in the whimsical frights of the Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock on weekend nights, while true thrill-seekers can test their nerve at intense trails like Pinhead’s Graveyard or the waterfront terror of Lake Hickory Haunts. For a different kind of chill, gather ‘round a bonfire in Cherokee for ancient storytelling on Fridays and Saturdays, or seek out the mysterious, natural phenomenon of the Brown Mountain Lights near Morganton.

As I drift down from the peaks, the heart of North Carolina beats with a terrifying rhythm. The Piedmont is home to the state’s mega-haunts and legendary festivals. You can’t talk about Carolina scares without mentioning the holy trinity of terror: Kersey Valley Spookywoods in Archdale, Woods of Terror in Greensboro, and Panic Point in Youngsville, all unleashing movie-quality horror on select nights. In Charlotte, Carowinds theme park undergoes a Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation, from the family-friendly Great Pumpkin Fest by day to the infamous Scarowinds by night. Just up the road in Huntersville, the famous Carolina Renaissance Festival gets into the spirit with its Halloween Daze & Spooky Knights weekend on October 25th and 26th, transforming the village into the Carolinas’ largest costume party. For those who prefer their spooks with a side of history, candlelit ghost walks through Winston-Salem’s Old Salem or the capital’s streets with the Raleigh Ghost Walk offer fascinating tales. And don’t forget the fun of getting lost in the Historic Rural Hill Corn Maze in Huntersville, a perfect family-friendly fall adventure.

Finally, the salty air calls me east, where coastal history provides the perfect recipe for a haunting. The port city of Wilmington is a hub of spectral activity, where you can join The Original Ghost Walk to hear tales of pirates and phantoms nearly any night in October. For a truly unforgettable scare, venture aboard the Ghost Ship at the Battleship North Carolina, a multi-level haunted attraction on select nights. Further along the coast, the town of Beaufort shares its swashbuckling secrets on Blackbeard’s Pirate Ghost Walk, while New Bern’s Tryon Palace offers a colonial haunting experience during its All Hallows’ Eve event. Even the Outer Banks gets in on the action, with tours in Manteo exploring the eerie folklore of The Lost Colony.

From the mountains to the coast, my beloved North Carolina has once again proven itself the undisputed champion of Halloween. The sheer variety of events, from quaint town festivals like Brevard’s Halloweenfest to sprawling corn mazes at farms like Phillips Farms in Cary, means there is a perfect autumn adventure waiting for everyone.

A friendly ghost’s reminder: I’m better at haunting than scheduling! Please be sure to confirm all dates, times, and details with the individual venues before making your mortal plans, as events can change like a mountain mist.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, this phantom needs a nap… at least until next October. Happy Haunting!

-Boo Beaumont