Tweetsie Railroad in Boone, NC goes all out for spooky season in the fall with their Ghost Train ride through the park, and we got to check it out, along with all the fun of carnival rides and trick or treating at the park.
We’ve got everything you need to know to plan your family’s trip here!
Thanks to Explore Boone who hosted us for this trip.
The Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad
Tweetsie Railroad opened to the public in 1957 as a Wild West Adventure and has continued the tradition ever since. The centerpiece is a beautiful, historic steam locomotive that rides the three-mile track around the park and blows a whistle so loud that it can be heard all around the area.
The Ghost Train is a seasonal experience at the park that runs Fridays and Saturdays September 19 – November 1, 2025 from 7:30-10:30 pm. When you purchase your ticket, you’ll have to choose a time to ride the train.
The train is completely decked out with a huge skeleton face that shoots out smoke from the mouth. It’s so cool. The premise of the ride is that you are searching for missing college students and that aliens or zombies or something else got them in the woods. There are televisions on the train that show a press conference about it, which leads into the crazy scientist and black and white footage of people searching for the students.
As the train takes off into the woods, the resident zombie on the train may try to sneak up and scare you. It’s really dark so they can move with ease. The train will stop along the way with scenes set that involve flashing lights, a gun fight, and fireballs. It’s very well done in terms of theatrics. No one jumps onto the train, and the theatrics are all on the right side of the train if you want to get closer to the action.
The ride is about 20-25 minutes long.
Other Things to Do at Tweetsie Railroad During the Ghost Train
The park’s carnival rides are all open – the Ferris wheel, tornado ride, spinning cups, planes, the drop tower, and a few others that I don’t know the names of. The arcade is open as well plus there are some spooky-themed shows.
The Boneyard has an Enchanted Forest, which is a little scary as some characters will jump out at you and a chainsaw guy may try to chase you. There’s a lady with a crocodile, too, which I found pretty fun. There is also a warped mirror experience and something called a Black Hole – I didn’t do either of them since I literally ran out of the Enchanted Forest with my teen and we were already scared enough!
A Haunted House is open as well but we didn’t try it since my daughters and I scare easily. There were tons of families there with smaller kids who are braver than us. There was literally a dad pushing a stroller through the Enchanted Forest, who my daughter and I almost ran into on our way out being chased by the chainsaw guy. We are kind of easy to scare.
One thing that my daughters and I absolutely loved were the dance parties with Bigfoot and other Halloween-ish characters. They were so much fun! You can also trick-or-treat throughout the park, and Tweetsie has bags available for guests.
What ages are best for the Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad?
This will depend entirely on how scared your kids get and what freaks them out. There were lots of kids on the actual train ride and throughout the park.
The train ride is very dark and very loud at times. The whistle is loud, the fireballs are loud and bright, the gunshots are loud. We loved all of this but your kids may find it too overwhelming. I have no idea, which is why I’m telling you all this.
Tweetsie Railroad advertises the entire event as family-friendly and as noted before, there were a lot of families in attendance.
Tips on Enjoying the Ghost Train Experience at Tweetsie
Here are a few things to know before you go.
- The park is stroller-friendly. Everything is paved, so it’s easy to navigate. There are inclines though so be prepared to walk uphill.
- Costumes are encouraged. Feel free to wear costumes.
- You can enter the park at 7:30 pm. Even if your train time isn’t until later, you can enter the park when it opens and stay until closing.
- The train is open air. The mountains get chilly so dress appropriately as the train is not enclosed.
- There are no assigned seats. There are lines for each car on the train and you just line up for whatever one you want to get on about 10 minutes before your time.
- Book ahead of time. The Ghost Train is popular so be sure to get your tickets online.
- Your Ghost Train tickets are valid only for the nighttime event. The park is open during the day but tickets are separate for the daytime park and the Ghost Train.
Booking Your Trip to the Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad
The Ghost Train and nighttime event only runs from 7:30-10:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays from September 19-November 1, 2025.
Tickets are $65/adult, $45/kids and can be purchased online at Tweetsie Railroad’s website. Parking is free.
Tweetsie Railroad
300 Tweetsie Railroad Lane, Blowing Rock, NC
Tweetsie Railroad Website | 877.893.3874
Looking for more things to do in Boone, NC and suggestions on lodging and other adventures? See our Guide to Boone, NC!
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