Spooky Sights and Attractions near Wilmington For a Fall Scare

Something is lurking on the North Carolina coast, and it’s waiting for you! Halloween season brings tons of frights to the Wilmington area. From the haunting streets of Old Wilmington to creepy coastal woodlands to seasonal haunted houses, there’s plenty to make your skin crawl this time of year.

See if you can brave these spooky activities creeping around Wilmington.

Get goosebumps on the Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington

When the sun goes down in Wilmington, the spooky thrills are just getting started. Meet your local guide at the Wilmington Riverfront for a 90-minute night tour through the eerie streets of Old Wilmington.

The award-winning tour follows a one-mile route stalking the most haunted local attractions. See the Latimer House, haunted by the children who tragically died before age 4. Step into the St. James Graveyard, where you’ll be haunted by a man once buried alive. Creep past Gallows Hill, the site of multiple public executions.

These are just five of 27 locations selected to keep each tour unique and chilling. Enjoy ghost tales and local legends from your guide to reveal the spooky side of Wilmington.

Family-friendly spooks at Halloween Carnival at Carolina Beach Boardwalk

For kid-friendly frights, all roads lead to the Carolina Beach Boardwalk. Every year, it hosts the Halloween Carnival, transforming the beach boardwalk into Halloween Town. It’s free for the entire family.

Get ready for an evening of fun on the Carolina Beach Pier. Pick out the perfect pumpkin from the beachside pumpkin patch. Show off your ghoulish dance moves to live music performances. Take a monster bite out of local eats sold by onsite vendors. The three-level High Tide Lounge features games, drinks, and more.

Dive to Shipwrecks off the coast of Wrightsville Beach

Where there’s buried treasure, there are sure to be ghostly pirates keeping watch over it. For a spooky activity that literally takes your breath away, dive beneath the surface to explore the ocean floor off the coast of Wrightsville Beach, where the faint light from above reveals aged shipwrecks riddled with tales.

Suit up in your scuba gear and swim with your guide to notable shipwrecks, including the Liberty Ship, the Dredge Shipwreck, Hyde Wreck, and The Gill, which was sunk during WWII. It’s said that treasure is still being found!

After the sight of eerie ship wreckage sitting dormant on the ocean floor, you’ll get relief with encounters with colorful fish and sea turtles. Just be sure to keep an eye out for sharks.

Already braved the waters during the day? See how you fare during a night diving session with Aquatic Safaris Scuba Center.

Survive the Phobia Haunted Trail (Leland, NC)

What’s your biggest fear? Are you afraid of the dark? What about spiders? What about creepy clowns lurking in a dark forest ready to jump out at you? Phobia Haunted Trail is on a mission every year to expose your phobias and give you the fright of a lifetime!

Face your fears as you navigate through haunted forests just 15 minutes away from Wilmington. Scream your way through the Clown Trail, full of live actors hidden in the dark for the ultimate scare. Proceed with caution through the Phobia Institute trail, where Dr. Luke Von Witz pushes your fright meter to the very limit.

Show off your best costume at the SPOOKTacular Halloween Bash in Carolina Beach

Halloween is right around the corner, and the Seawitch Cafe & Tiki Bar wants to see who has the best costume in Carolina Beach. Their annual SPOOKTacular Halloween Bash brings all the ghosts, ghouls, goblins, and witches out for the night to compete alongside other exciting costumes.

Pack your best costume because there’s a cash prize on the line for the best costume! That’s right—$200 goes to first place, but judges are ranking the Top 20 costumes for bragging rights for the year. All costumes are welcome, including couples and group costumes. Give the town a big scare or go with something funny that puts a smile on everyone’s face. If you’re feeling creative, arrive in a one-of-a-kind costume that turns heads…360 degrees.

Sightings of the Ghost of Fort Fisher

You know that feeling like you’re being watched? Unfortunately, it’s a feeling you can’t escape while spending time at Fort Fisher near Kure Beach. This National Historic Landmark, which was used during wartime, is rumored to still be haunted by Colonel Lamb.

Colonel Lamb, a high-ranking officer in the Confederate army, is credited with spearheading the fort expansion to protect one mile of the coastline during the Civil War. It’s quite a monumental feat that’s hard to leave behind—even when Lamb was captured and died in a Union prison. His ghost is still seen wandering the fort grounds to keep an eye on all who visit, searching for his chance to reclaim his war glory.

Spot Blackbeard’s Ghost Ship at Topsail Island

Pirate folklore tells us that Topsail Island got its name from the pirates who used to hide in the inlets and could only be found by the topsails of their ships. Although the namesake folklore has been debunked, stories about the most famous pirate in history are actually true.

Tales of Captain Blackbeard are more than 300 years old, but even today, locals still say they’ve spotted his ghostly ship in the inlets. Charter a boat and navigate the local waterways where boat trackers actually indicate an unseen vessel following your boat. Cruise south along the coast to Rich Inlet where several sightings have been reported.

Scream at the Panic Attack Haunted Attraction (Nakina, NC)

Warning: Panic Attack is not for the faint of heart! Carolina’s “most extreme haunted attraction” opens every fall. It’s approximately an hour away from Wilmington, but the scares, thrills, and chills you experience here make it worth the drive.

Panic Attack opened its first haunted house in 2012 and has been the talk of the season ever since. It delivers a themed haunted house experience where live actors are trained for perfectly timed jump scares. Look around the corners, look overhead, and even behind you, and you’ll be surprised what creepy characters you encounter.

Head’s up, prepare to get scared when you’re waiting in line to get inside the house.

Family Frights at Boo in the Boondocks (Nakina)

It takes months of preparation to put on Carolina’s largest family-friendly Halloween festival. But when that time of the year rolls around, it has all the spooks and fights you could ask for during the Halloween season.

The Boondocks Adventure Farm transforms into a world of terror. Explore decorative sets covered with spider webs and glowing lights. See live monsters prowling the farm grounds. For the kids, snack on Halloween treats for an early “trick or treat” and pick pumpkins in the pumpkin patch. Be sure to try one of the mocktails and icy slush potions crafted from the witch’s brew.

Our Not-So-Haunted Houses Near Wilmington

Visit the Wilmington area during the Halloween season and you’ll quickly discover that scary monsters occupy all the haunted houses. Instead, opt for one of our nearby vacation rentals, where the only fear is that your dream vacation home is already booked for the season. Find your coastal escape to hide out from the local spooks during your Wilmington vacation.