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
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 10 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. October 2023 hours: Fridays 6:30-9:30 | Saturday 6:30-9:30
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! Fridays and Saturdays 5pm to 10pm in October
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 26th
Pumpkins Aglow - Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens | 1777 E. Broad Street Columbus, OH 43203
Fall evenings offer delights and spooky surprises during these after dark, family-friendly events. The Conservatory’s grounds are illuminated with hundreds of pumpkins carved by staff, volunteers and members. Visit returning favorites, the gardening skeletons and Pumpkin Houses, and new bewitching displays, the pumpkin tunnel light show and alien invasion. October 11–15, 18–22 & 25–29 from 5–9PM and 5-10PM Fridays and Saturdays
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?
📅 Dates and Times: 👻 Fri., Oct. 20 • 7:30 PM - 11:00 PM 👻 Sat., Oct. 21 • 7:30 PM - 11:00 PM (For those seeking a good fright – parental discretion advised!)
👻For younger ghouls and goblins, they have a not-so-scary Kids Event on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Kids aged 3-10 are invited to join the fun for FREE (must be accompanied by a parent or guardian). 🍬The first 400 kids will receive a FREE goodie bag!
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. October 16 - 18 7-9pm each night. Elementary age kids: 6:00pm – 7:30pm (the earlier hours) (Safe for the younger attendees) | Middle School age: 7:30pm – 9:00pm (later hours) (A tad bit scarier; Elementary age kids welcome at their own risk…..)
Spooky Skating Saturday - Skate Zone 71 4900 Evanswood Dr, Columbus, OH, 43229
A spooktacular session filled with music from the Wednesday series, games, a costume contest and MORE! October 1st 1:00PM - 3:30PM
All Hallows’ Eve - Ohio Village 800 E. 17th Ave. Columbus OH 43211 | 614.297.2663
Enjoy an evening of 1890s-style family fun at All Hallows’ Eve, including a retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by the bonfire! There will also be pumpkin carving ($8 per pumpkin, cash and card accepted), and strange characters within Ohio Village. Come revel in Victorian-era entertainment including fortune telling, crafts, games and more! All Hallows Eve will be occurring Saturday, Oct. 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th.
Green Lawn Cemetery Tour - You will receive an email with instructions and a starting location on the Wednesday before your tour date
There will be a Green Lawn Cemetery Tour specially designed for children ages 7 to 12 on Sunday, October 15th. The running time for this tour is 90 minutes. Children must be accompanied by a ticketed adult. Portions of the proceeds from this tour also go towards the preservation of Green Lawn Cemetery. Ticket price: $25 per person plus tax.
Books & Boos (Kid Friendly Halloween Event) - Thurber Center 91 Jefferson Avenue Columbus OH 43215
During this FREE family-friendly drop-in event, hear strange and spooky tales about what goes bump in the night and enjoy treats and activities including crafts, Mad Libs, and a scavenger hunt! Note: While the decorations are Halloween-inspired, this event is not a scary "haunted house" attraction. Use parental discretion if your child is easily spooked by Halloween decorations and ghost stories. Drop in any time between 1:00-3:00 pm on October 28 for kid-friendly spooky activities, books, treats, 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! Guests have the opportunity to walk around the museum’s spooky galleries and collect candy from staff members, along with other fun, family friendly activities and games. October 24
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.
Spookier Events for older kids 12 and up
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. 6- 28
Haunted Ohio Statehouse Tours - 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 October 13-14 & October 20-21.
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 26. 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.
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.
- COLUMBUS GHOST TOURS -
Creepy Columbus Downtown Walking Tour runs throughout October and children 12 and up may attend when accompanied by an adult. This tour is approximately 90 minutes and covers a distance of about 1 mile. Ticket price: $30 per person plus tax.
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.
NW Columbus Macaroni Kid is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in Columbus, Ohio. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, giveaways and more. We proudly serve families in Columbus, Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, West Clintonville, West Worthington, Grandview, Upper Arlington and Plain City! NW Columbus Macaroni Kid is full of useful local information like this PLUS tons of kid-friendly events on our event calendar. Have an event you'd like submitted to our calendar for consideration? Submit an event here. Like what you see here and want to get all the fun delivered to your inbox weekly? Subscribe to our FREE weekly e-newsletter for the 411 on local family fun! #CbusMacKid
Dates, Admission, and Activities are subject to change without notice, please visit the links to confirm posted details before driving to the locations
