It's time for fall family fun in and around Columbus, Ohio! The leaves are changing colors, pumpkins are everywhere and now it's time to have some fun this fall. We've got the scoop on the best family-friendly haunted houses, local Halloween events like Trunk-or-Treats, and all things fall and Halloween around Columbus and Central Ohio!
Spooky Family Fun
Northeast Columbus
The Great Westerville Pumpkin Glow- Everal Barn at Heritage Park | 60 N. Cleveland Ave Westerville, Oh 43082
The Great Westerville Pumpkin Glow is Westerville's signature fall event! Wind your way through special exhibits and an enchanting trail of glowing pumpkins dotted throughout Heritage Park. The largest gourds we could find will be on display and plenty of fun activities are included with the price of admission.
Pumpkins Aglow - Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens | 1777 E. Broad Street Columbus, OH 43203
Fall evenings during Pumpkins Aglow offer bewitching scenes and spooky surprises. These family-friendly events occur 5-9pm Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays and 5-10pm Fridays & Saturdays during October 9–13, 16–20 & 23-27.
Blacklick Haunted Park - Groveport Blacklick Park 770 Blacklick Street, Groveport, OH 43125
Blacklick Haunted Park in Groveport for a spine-chilling experience on Friday and Saturday! Are you brave enough to enter?
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Check back soon for 2024 dates and times.
Hoovers Haunted Maze - 182 N. Sunbury Rd, Westerville OH 43081 | 614-568-0603
Our haunted maze has been up and running for years, but it is bigger and better than ever! Bring the little ones to explore greenhouse 16, in all its, made for the young kids gory…or glory!! If they are brave enough, venture on through greenhouse 15, for a slightly creepier, older kid (yet not ready for a “real” haunted house) bit more spooky feeling fright. Open when we are from Fallapalooza (September 21) all the way through Halloween
The Ghost Trolley - ORM 990 Proprietors Rd, Worthington, OH 43085 | 614-885-7345
Ghost Trolley is a Halloween event designed for younger children and families to have fun and not be overly frightened! Come tour the decorated train cars while listening to stories. Then board car #64 for your ghost hunt. Once down the line it is lights out as you hear the story of the Ghost Trolley and hunt for the ghosts! Saturdays and Sundays 5pm to 10pm in October
Northwest Columbus
Boo at the Zoo - 4850 Powell Rd, Powell, OH, 43065 | 614-645-3550
A merry-not-scary, frightfully delightful event of spirited fun for the whole family. Get your favorite costume ready, and make plans to visit your Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for this Spooktacular Halloween Celebration. Weekends in October FRIDAYS: 5pm-8pm | SATURDAYS: 10am-8pm | SUNDAYS: 10am-5pm
Sawmill Forest Spooky Trail - 2483 Sawmill Forest Ave Dublin, OH 43016
The Sawmill Forest Spooky Trail was created and designed by Myself, Brian and my now almost 12 Year old son, Oliver. I have always had a passion for Halloween and have shared this with my son who now has the “Halloween bug”. We now bring our Halloween display to life for our friends and neighbors and do something a little different.
During the weeknights, we will have the lights on if you want to come drive by and check it out, but on the weekends , it really comes alive with more lights, music, projections, fog and more.
Our trail is not grotesque, not violent , and is appropriate for any age.
The “scares” are all controlled by us, so if you have little ones that are too scared to come, just let us know and we will make it less spooky.
During the times listed above, It is more of a “park your car and walk the trail” kind of attraction. Feel free to come as often as you like. We hope you enjoy it!
This is our 4th year, and we have made a lot of improvements and added many new decorations.
There is absolutely no cost involved, but we do accept and encourage canned food donations that we work to collect with Scioto High School & the Dublin food pantry!
October 2024 hours: Fridays 6:30-9:30 | Saturday 6:30-9:30
Howloween at OWC! - 9000 Dublin Rd. Powell, OH 43065 | 614.734.9453
Trick-or-treat along the trails, take a hike through the spooky forest, and meet animal ambassadors! They will also have activities in the barn including a creepy crawly table, mystery touch box, scat matching, activity pages, a sensory bin and more! Costumes heavily encouraged! Pre-Registration is required and spots are limited. Thursday, October 31st
Golden Bear Scare - Smith Nature Park (1340 Fishinger Rd, Upper Arlington, OH 43221)
There are rumblings occuring in Smith Nature Park as Old Man Smith and the haunted forest is coming to life. Come out to the Park as a UACA 'Scare Ranger' will help guide along the path explaining how it came to be haunted! The forest starts less haunted for the little ones and gets progressively scarier as the night unfolds. Check back soon for 2024 dates and times.
AROUND COLUMBUS AND BEYOND
Halloween Green Lawn Cemetery Bike Tour
Let's have a howling good time! Saddle up and get spooky with a Halloween bike tour through Green Lawn Cemetery & Arboretum. We'll explore some the strangest, weirdest, and most bizarre stories that rest eternally in Ohio's second largest cemetery. Ride through old growth forest and over a ravine, visiting historic mausoleums and creepy graves.
After the ride enjoy tasty treats and Halloween drinks.
Halloween at Thurber House - Thurber Center 91 Jefferson Avenue Columbus OH 43215
Come celebrate Halloween at Thurber House with ghostly stories, fall crafts, tours of haunted Thurber House, a spooky creative writing workshop, sweet treats, a pumpkin carving/painting contest, a ghost raffle, and more!
Boo! On the Moon - Armstrong Air & Space Museum 500 Apollo Dr, Wapakoneta, OH 45895 | (419) 738-8811
Grab your masks and candy bags and head to the Armstrong Air & Space Museum for their annual Boo! on the Moon Halloween event! The museum will host its annual BOO! On the Moon Halloween party, with the museum adorned in spooky festive decorations.
Scary Cherry Halloween Haunted House, Light Show, & Trick-or-Treating - 352 N Cherry Street, Kenton, OH
Scary On Cherry, the renowned Halloween house, is thrilled to unveil its annual event: the Scary on Cherry Trick-or-Treat Halloween Party. This extraordinary experience promises a spine-tingling journey into the realm of frightful fun and eerie entertainment.
Big Haunts for older kids 12 and up
Fear Columbus- 2605 Northland Plaza Drive, Columbus OH 43231
Fear Columbus is one of the largest and most elaborate haunted house productions in Ohio. Featuring multiple immersive attractions under one roof, photo ops, a retail store, endless scares, dozens of highly trained actors, elaborate costumes and makeup, a state of the art sound system, professionally designed lighting, movie quality set design and the best customer service possible! Fear Columbus is locally owned and operated. Come experience Columbus Ohio’s premier Halloween destination. September 13- November 2
Carnage Haunted House- 3770 Refugee Rd, Columbus, OH 43232
Immerse yourself in highly-detailed sets that create a fully realistic horror experience.
Rated as one of the Top 5 Haunted Attractions in Ohio in 2022
Rated #5 in the country in 2019
Creepy Columbus Downtown Walking Tour
Take a spirited stroll through the city's center and learn what unearthly things are said to lurk within downtown Columbus' most iconic and haunted buildings.
Haunted Tours 2024: Ohio Statehouse
Ohio Statehouse 1 Capitol Square, Columbus OH 43215 | 614-728-9234
Meet figures from the past as you follow conductors with lanterns through the darkened hallways and chambers of the Statehouse. This historical tour is spooky and appropriate for ages twelve and older. Tours are offered in 2024 on Friday, Oct. 18; Saturday, Oct. 19; Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26 at the state Capitol.
Haunted
Field of Fright - The MAiZE at Little Darby Creek 8657 Axe Handle Rd Milford Center OH 43045 | 937-349-4781
The haunted path is open at dark. Fri & Sat Nights – Oct. 4- 28
Ghost Tours - Walnut Grove Cemetery5561 Milton AvenueWorthington OH 43085
The tour is designed for guests 13 and older. Join the Worthington Historical Society under the moon for a tour at Walnut Grove Cemetery. Worthington residents spanning the centuries who have made Walnut Grove their final resting place will be out and about after dark to share stories. October 24. Must register
Ghost Walk & Haunted History Tour - Landoll’s Mohican Castle 561 Twp Rd 3352, Loudonville, OH 44842
Every night this September and October we will take a trip back in time to the 1830's, as you embark on a one hour guided haunted history tour of Heyd cemetery and a replica of the original log cabin. As seen on the TV show Ghost Hunters, you will learn about the early pioneers of the castle property and the mischievous things they do to the current visitors. During the last 15 minutes of the tour, you will attempt to communicate with the spirits that call Landoll's Mohican Castle Home! Whether you're a believer in the supernatural or simply curious about the unknown, this event promises an unforgettable experience. Don't miss out on the chance to encounter the spirits that are said to roam these haunted grounds! Nightly in September & October There is no age limit for the ghost walk, it is at the judgment of the parent. It happens at night, begins by the lobby and ends in the cemetery.
Ohio State Reformatory- 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905
The Ohio State Reformatory has a long, documented history of paranormal activity and is a premiere location for all paranormal enthusiasts. The reformatory offers a unique opportunity to experience and explore the paranormal world as well as the stunning limestone architecture of the former prison. Whether you are an experienced investigator or just curious about the unknown, our paranormal team will be there to assist you. Tri-C Ghost Hunters is our resident paranormal team.
The Dublin Ghost Walk - Historic Dublin, OH: 82 South High Street Dublin, OH 43017 | 614-284-6158
Take a ghost walk through Downtown Historic Dublin after the sun goes down. Travel on foot as you learn some of the history of Dublin and its urban legends. Hear accounts of local ghostly sightings while standing at the location. Tours are around 2 hours. October: Walk-up tours will be Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30pm. NOT recommended for children under 12.
ZOMBIEzi Bay 2023: Central Ohio's Ultimate Halloween Experience - 4850 Powell Rd, Powell, OH, 43065 | 614-645-3550
Explore a fiendish world of four haunted houses, two scare zones, six amusement rides, and other sinister surprises...We're waiting for YOU.
Not suitable for children under 13 years because, at ZOMBIEzi Bay, the nightmares are real.
Civil War Ghosts of Green Lawn Cemetery Tour is suitable for ages 12 and up when accompanied by an adult. This tour is on Saturdays from 3-5pm and a portion of the proceeds go towards preserving this historic landmark. Ticket price: $35 per person plus tax.
