Looking for a family-friendly Halloween event that even the littlest spooks in your family will enjoy?
Mark your calendar because Prisma Health Boo in the Zoo, Greenville, SC’s annual family-friendly trick-or-treating event, is happening this October — and 2026 marks its 40th year! Boo in the Zoo kicks off on October 14, 2026, and this year it runs on Halloween night for the first time. We’ll give you all the details, and some hints on what to expect, so your family will be ready to enjoy this awesome event!
Boo in the Zoo 2026: Quick Facts
- Location: Greenville Zoo, 150 Cleveland Park Drive, Greenville, SC 29601 | 864-467-4300
- 2026 dates: October 14–18, October 21–30, and October 31 (Halloween)
- Hours: 3 p.m.–8 p.m. on all dates except Halloween, which runs 1 p.m.–4 p.m.
- Ages: All ages — trick-or-treating is open to everyone, including adults, with a Trick-or-Treat upgrade. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Price: $12 members / $15 non-members (adults and children ages 2–12). Boo Babies ages 0–1 are free. Trick-or-Treat upgrade is $3 per person. Tickets bought at the booth cost $2 more each.
- What’s there: Trick-or-treat stations plus themed areas including Dragon Alley, Pumpkinville, Ghost Town, and an interactive light tunnel
- Good to know: Timed entry with limited attendance each night — pre-purchase online. Bring your own trick-or-treat bags. All sales are final.
- Tickets & info: greenvillezoo.com/boo-in-the-zoo
Watch! Our Visit to Boo at the Zoo
This visit was in 2024 but it’ll give you a good idea what you can expect when you head to Boo at the Zoo.
Check out our complete Halloween Near Greenville, SC list of great places to trick-or-treat, Halloween events, and more!
Fun At Greenville’s Boo In The Zoo
My family tries to trick-or-treat at Boo in the Zoo every year. We enjoy the safe trick-or-treating atmosphere, the chance to see the animals, and cute Halloween decorations and photo ops. This annual Halloween event in Greenville has been going on so long that many of us parents remember trick-or-treating at the zoo as kids.
The zoo has timed entrances and limited attendance each night to assist with crowd control. Tickets for 2026 are on sale now, and we recommend grabbing them early — with limited capacity, Boo in the Zoo usually sells out for each night. You can buy tickets at the zoo’s ticket booth during the event, but they cost $2 more per ticket than buying online. Guests should bring their own bags for trick-or-treating — the zoo does not provide them.
What is Boo in the Zoo, At The Greenville Zoo?
Boo in the Zoo is a non-scary annual Halloween event that runs across two-and-a-half weeks in October, including Halloween night itself in 2026. Trick-or-treating is open to all ages, so grown-ups can join in too.
Children (and some adults) wear costumes and carry their trick-or-treat bag through the zoo and receive treats from local businesses. The animals may stay indoors the closer it gets to nighttime.
(If you want to see the animals, be sure to go early in the evening when the animals will be more likely to be awake and moving around.)
Everyone needs an admission ticket, including zoo members (members just pay a lower rate). Anyone who wants to collect candy — kids and adults alike — also needs to add a $3 Trick-or-Treat upgrade when they check out.
Alice’s Fun House was one of the highlights of the Boo in the Zoo adventure in past years, where children could walk through a building full of fun, spooky decorations before receiving some additional candy. We have not been able to confirm if Alice’s Fun House is returning for 2026.
Boo in the Zoo also includes an area called Dragon Alley, where you can walk under a long archway of lights and collect candy at the popup store fronts. For 2026 the zoo also lists Pumpkinville, Ghost Town, and an interactive light tunnel among its themed areas. There are over a dozen or so trick-or-treat stations throughout the zoo, along with chances to see several humongous dragons and even a large skeleton your kids will be in awe over. Previous years have included princess meet-and-greets as well.
Normally, it takes our family around an hour to go trick-or-treating through Boo in the Zoo. And, each year my kids have brought home a nice bag of treats with a variety of candy and toy items.
And, don’t forget to plan a little extra time to play on the playground at Cleveland Park (because you will probably end up doing it anyway).
2026 Boo In The Zoo Greenville Details
When Is Boo In The Zoo?
- October 14 – October 18, 2026
3 pm – 8 pm - October 21 – October 30, 2026
3 pm – 8 pm - NEW for 2026: October 31, 2026 (Halloween)
1 pm – 4 pm
The last entry time slot is 7:30 pm and can be used for admission until 7:59 pm; the event closes at 9 pm. On Halloween, the last entry is at 3:59 pm.
How Do We Get Tickets?
We highly recommend pre-purchasing tickets online ahead of time. Entrances are timed, and attendance is limited each night. You can buy tickets at the ticket booth during the event, but those are subject to a $2 up-charge per ticket.
*All ticket sales are final — there are no refunds, rain checks, or rescheduling. Boo in the Zoo is an outdoor event and goes on as planned unless severe weather forces a cancellation, in which case your tickets can be used on another night.
How Much Is Boo In The Zoo?
Boo in the Zoo ticket prices for 2026 are as follows:
Greenville Zoo Members:
$12 per adult and $12 per child (ages 2-12), plus a $3 Trick-or-Treat upgrade for each person who wants candy
Non-Members:
$15 per adult and $15 per child (ages 2-12), plus a $3 Trick-or-Treat upgrade for each person who wants candy
Boo Babies:
Ages 0-1 get in free, but they don’t receive candy — add the $3 Trick-or-Treat upgrade if you’d like your baby to collect treats.
Heads up: tickets purchased at the ticket booth are subject to a $2 up-charge per ticket, so buying online saves you money.
Boo in the Zoo Greenville FAQs
When is Boo in the Zoo 2026?
Boo in the Zoo runs October 14–18 and October 21–30, 2026 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., plus Halloween night, Saturday, October 31, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The last entry slot on regular nights is 7:30 p.m. (usable until 7:59 p.m.) and the event closes at 9 p.m.; on Halloween the last entry is 3:59 p.m.
How much does Boo in the Zoo cost?
Admission is $12 for Greenville Zoo members and $15 for non-members, for both adults and children ages 2–12. Boo Babies ages 0–1 get in free. Anyone who wants to trick-or-treat adds a $3 Trick-or-Treat upgrade. Tickets purchased at the ticket booth cost $2 more per ticket than online.
Can adults trick-or-treat at Boo in the Zoo?
Yes. The zoo says trick-or-treating is available for all ages, and adults are welcome to purchase a Trick-or-Treat upgrade. Note that adults must be accompanied by a child for entry, and all children must be accompanied by an adult.
Do I need to bring a trick-or-treat bag?
Yes — the zoo asks guests to bring their own bags for trick-or-treating, because bags are not provided at the event.
What happens if it rains?
All ticket sales are final, with no refunds, rain checks, or rescheduling. Boo in the Zoo is an outdoor event and proceeds as planned unless severe weather forces a cancellation — and if a night is cancelled, your tickets can be used for another night of the event.
Where is Boo in the Zoo?
The Greenville Zoo is at 150 Cleveland Park Drive, Greenville, SC 29601, inside Cleveland Park. You can reach the zoo at 864-467-4300.
Trying to comment again, my phone was being lame! We have gone previous years but we waited until it was dark thinking it would be better but I might need to try taking him earlier so we can see the animals! It was such a let down not to see them before!
If you go right around 6 it is just perfect. You can see all of the more exotic animals such as the elephants & giraffes, plus your photos are better. It will be dark though as you are finishing up though so that it is a little more spooky!
We just went to the Y Harvest Party. It was lots of fun too.
Fun! There are so many great parties and festivals this time of year!
How do you avoid the long lines? We tried to go last year and the line was all the way out to the road and we were 30 minutes early…any tips?
Sorry, for the slow response, Kim. I recommend going later rather than early. My family went at 7 pm this year and there was almost no line. Plus, it’s darker which in my opinion makes it a little bit more fun.
How do you get tickets in advance or are they just available at the door?
Great question. From the Boo in the Zoo website: Tickets go on sale September 22 at the ticket booth or on online at eventbrite.com
Are you able to enjoy the entire zoo (exhibits and such)? We want to take our daughter for her birthday, but want to make sure the zoo is all accessible. Otherwise we may chose to go earlier in the day.
Based on my experience, you will be able to walk through the entire zoo but most of the animals will be inside especially as the evening goes on. It’s a fun event, but if your main goal is to see the animals I would advise going during the day. Many of the decorations will be out even then.
I was under the impression that it also went Monday and Tuesday. So disappointed that I didn’t read the exact dates on the website. I always took mine when they were younger and my son was looking forward to going with us and taking his little girl this year….. It is a little crowded but definitely a very good tradition to start with your children that is fun and entertaining. It would be nice if they would do some weekdays in the future if possible..
what time are they doing the flash mob performances at boo in the zoo?
When is the Zoo decorated for Halloween? I would love to go to Boo In the Zoo but the dates don’t work for us. However, we went before and just loved seeing the Zoo decorated.