Scary Halloween Attractions for Big Kids and Tweens
Are you thinking about taking your big kid to a scary attraction in Greenville? It can be hard to decide if kids are ready for frightening Halloween events. Kidding Around contributor, Kate Lupo has the inside scoop for parents who want to know what to expect, as well as some tips if you are thinking about bringing your children to haunted attractions.
Check out our interview and decide if your child is ready for a haunted house!
The best time of year has begun! Fall is here! Make way for our favorites things like pumpkins, hayrides, corn mazes, apple cider, that warm fuzzy feeling in your soul, and last but not least…haunted attractions! Halloween is around the corner, and what better way to prepare for your favorite holiday than by planning a spooky adventure.
While many parents may be chomping at the bit to creep their way to a haunted hayride, there might also be a haunted hesitation. For those of us who have children between the ages of 7 and 12 (like me!), it’s hard to know if your child is ready for their first haunted experience.
But, of course, the last thing you need is for your child to be so scared, they can’t sleep, and their little fists are knocking on your door in the middle of the night. So to help you out, we’ve put together a list of the top slightly scary Halloween events for big kids and tweens in the Upstate (and beyond), with tips on how to determine if your child is ready for their first haunted experience and if so, which to choose and how to prepare.
Are the kids ready for their first haunted attraction?
Please note that while we have done our research and believe the below attractions provide fun for the whole family before you take the plunge and bring your 7-12-year-old, please exercise caution. While you might have a hunch if your big kid or tween is ready for their first haunted experience, the following questions can also help you make an informed decision.
- Does your child wake up at night and need comforting?
- Is your child afraid of monsters?
- What is the scariest content your child is already consuming? What he/she is watching on TV or reading in books might also give you clues to what he/she may be comfortable with.
- How does your child react to sudden noises, sudden flashes of light, or being accidentally scared?
- Is your child comfortable in the dark?
- Is your child comfortable in small spaces?
- Is your child comfortable in crowds?
If any of the questions above give you even a twinge of doubt, it’s probably best to hope for haunted fun next year. But if you feel like your kiddo is ready for the challenge, then proceed if you dare!
Pump up their kid courage
To prepare your child for their first haunted experience, here are some ideas to pluck up their courage.
When preparing our 7-year-old for his first haunted hayride, we told him that the live monsters, goblins, and ghouls he would see were just people called scare actors. The scare actors are human beings (“like you and me”) who are having a lot of fun and who love Halloween (“Ohhhh” he said). We told him that the scare actors would have costumes and makeup on and that any “blood” he would see is just makeup (we even joked with him: “the blood is probably just ketchup!”). We told him that the haunted hayride would be a little scary but mostly fun! We said that it’s possible to be scared and laugh simultaneously (a whole new concept to him). Also, we emphasized that we will be together, be safe, but we need to be brave as a family. Finally, we asked him, “Can you be brave with us?” He said, “Yes!”
Also, be sure to let your kid decide whether they are ready for a scary attraction. If your child is forced or manipulated to experience something scarier than they are prepared for, it may increase anxiety.
Insider tips about haunted attractions
Your family is ready for a haunted adventure (yay!), but now it’s time to prepare. Here are some essential tips before you start your haunt.
Wear Sneakers
Make sure the whole family wears sneakers or other comfortable shoes for a few reasons. First, there is a high probability you will be standing in line for at least 25 minutes at each attraction (many times much longer), so you want to be comfortable. Second, remember you will be doing a lot of walking in a haunted house, on a haunted trail, or at an amusement park. Furthermore, if you do get startled on your haunt, you don’t want to be wearing unstable shoes that cause you to topple over easily!
Stay hydrated & well-fed
Make sure your family is well-fed and hydrated before you begin your journey. You don’t want anyone fainting with hunger or thirst. Though please note the next tip…
Visit the restroom beforehand
Again, you are likely going to be standing in line for stretches of time, perhaps with no access to the bathroom. And, if you do get a slightly spooky scare, you want to make sure you and your kids don’t, ahem, pee your pants.
Bring earplugs
Many of the attractions below will feature loud noises. For example, when my family went to Wompus Woods, their scare actors fired off cannons that shook the ground. They were so loud. And, of course, there will be screaming. So for those sensitive little kid ears (and even your own), please bring some ear plugs. You won’t regret it.
Haunted Attractions for Tweens and Teens in Upstate, SC
This attraction makes haunted houses family-friendly events in addition to the haunted house, including a picnic area, bonfires, music, photos with characters, access to food, mini golf, ax throwing, and more.
Don’t let the family-friendly fun fool you, Madworld claims to be the scariest haunted house in the state.
Madworld 2025 Operating Dates
September 5, 2025 – Opening night
September 6–30, 2025 – Open Fridays and Saturdays
October 1–19, 2025 – Open Fridays – Sundays
October 23 – November 1, 2025 – Open Thursday – Sunday
November 1, 2025- Final Night of the Season
See the calendar for date and time details.
Admission: Madworld offers a variety of admission options and packages. See their ticketing website for a complete list of options.
General Admission tickets start at $40 (scardy cat passes are $50)
Offers:
Family-Friendly haunted house experience
Scary Haunted House Experience
Big Kids and Tweens at Mad World
We love that Mad World also offers a “No-Scare” Medallion for both grown-ups and kids for $10. The Medallion “allows your children to take back control of the night by not only signaling to the monsters to stay away from him/her but also giving the child special powers to control the monster!”
*Please see the very comprehensive FAQ’s on their website as well
- Loud Noises: Yes, proceed with caution
- Visibility: Yes, There will be moments of low visibility, as they do use fog machines
- Open or enclosed (tight spaces): Yes, proceed with caution
- Blood and Gore: Yes, proceed with caution
- Surprising special effects? Strobe lights (being mindful of kids with disabilities)? Yes, proceed with caution
- Quality of scare actors: High-level, well-trained
The Fear Farm Haunted House
864.839.1022 | 424 Ninety-Nine Island Road, Blacksburg, SC
The Fear Farm Haunted Farm offers six attractions in one place
All ages are welcome, though we do not recommend for younger children because of gore, scary masks, and costumed characters.
Read more on the “faq’s” page of The Fear Farm before you go.
Opens September 20th, 2025 for the season
Open select weekend dates September 20th – November 1st, 2025
Open Sunday, October 19th and 26th
Open on Halloween
Admission: General admission starts at $34.64 online
Fast pass add on is $15
Nightmare Hollow
864.809.8115 | 3411 Reidville Road, Spartanburg, SC
Haunted Trail along the banks of the Tyger River in Spartanburg, SC.
Opening night: September 19th, 2025
Nightmare Hollow is definitely scary and there is quite a bit of blood and gore, but one reason why it makes the list of good haunted attractions for big kids and tweens is because the staff is so kind and sympathetic to the children (and parents) that are brave enough to give their attraction a try.
You can let the staff know if you want them to tone it down a bit for your child and you have a guide that can allow any member of your party to walk around a part of the attraction that might be a bit too intense.
This is a scary attraction and we recommend waiting until children are old enough to understand that the actors are in costume and that the attractions are all staged.
- Core attractions: 30-minute trail takes you through multiple haunted attractions. These attractions are creatively set up and have a variety of actors and themes.
- Best rides for tweens: No rides
- Loud Noises: airhorns and other loud noises, lots of screaming actors
- Visibility: dark outside and periods of total blackness
- Fire/Pyrotechnics: none
- Open or enclosed (tight spaces): multiple very tight spaces
- Blood and Gore: actors had bloody costumes, several areas did have gory themes
- Surprising special effects: yes, strobe lights and some special effects that have a disorienting effect
- Quality of scare actors: Great, but actors were friendly if they noticed that children were not having fun due to being scared
Admission price: Currently not available online, please take a look at their facebook.
Sweet Dreams Scare House
864.787.4831 | 250 Saco Lowell Road, Easley, SC
Sweet Dreams Scare House has a quarter mile of indoor and outdoor haunted attractions. The attraction offers interactive characters and creative frightening scenery throughout the haunt.
Opens Date: September 19th, 2025
Pricing: $25 – $30 depending on visit date
Haunted Woods!
Open Friday – Sunday, September 28th – 30th, 2025
Open Friday – Sunday in October
Open on Halloween night & November 1st, 2025
Tickets are cash only
$20 general admission
Ages 5 and under are free (But this is probably too scary for this age group)
The Clown House, The Doll House, and the Haunted Trail are all at Booger Jim’s.
This haunted attraction is best for older kids, teens, and adults.
Opening Night: Friday, September 19th, 2025
Open Friday and Saturdays in September and October
Open Sunday, October12th, 19th, and 26th
Open on Halloween and November 1st, 2025
Admission: Ticket office opens at 7 p.m. Closing times vary; call after 11:30 p.m.
$28 general admission
$11 childrens tickets (11 and younger)
No-touch medallions are $5
Cash preferred!
Enjoy a haunted hayride at Historic Hopkins Farm this Halloween season! October 24th-30, 2025 each evening from 7-11pm
The Asylum on Pine Knoll
864.275.0917 | 110 Pine Knoll Drive, Easley, SC
This haunted house sounds like a real thrill and includes “intense audio, lighting effects, fog and mist,” and many other special effects. The experience also includes a 3-D Haunt and Fun House. It is not recommended for children under the age of 12, though they can visit if they are willing. They also have axe throwing to enjoy.
2025 dates TBD
Nightmare Dungeon Haunted Attraction
864.905.2289 | 645 Old Anderson Road, Greenville, SC
Nightmare Dungeon is considered terrifying, and they even offer a “hands-on option” for adults that will allow the characters to interact with guests up close and personal, to the point of picking them up!
Opens Friday, September 12th, 2025
Open weekends in September
Open nightly in October
Open Halloween Night
We express caution when visiting this attraction with younger children since they may see others being touched by the characters. The characters do not touch guests who did not purchase the “hands-on option”. The haunt has three large structures that are indoors, inside of a 120-year-old house. There is a lot of gore, scary imagery, characters to interact with and be scared by, and more.
Nightmare Dungeon is open nightly from September 12th through November 2nd, 2025
Admission: $30 per adult. Buy tickets online.
Located in Hendersonville in Western North Carolina, The Haunted Farm is a scary, haunted farmland to explore. They say the land is cursed (eek!)
There are 5 distinct haunted attractions at The Haunted Farm, including The Woods, The Farm, The Meathouse, The Demon Hay Shed, and The Slaughterhouse.
You will see lots of scary costumed creatures, with loud sounds, creepy music, and other scary things.
There is no age limit, but we do not recommend this attraction for younger children because they are all scary.
Opening Night: September 27th, 2025
Open Friday and Saturday from October 3rd – November 1st, 2025
Open Sunday, October 19th and 26th
Open October 30th and Halloween night
Pricing: Adults $40
Fast pass tickets available for an additional $65
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