Fall Activities for Kids in Charlotte: 2026 Guide

Pumpkin patches, apple picking, nature trails and gentle Halloween fun around Charlotte, Lake Norman and Fort Mill, with 2026 dates, costs and tips for the grown-up doing the driving.

The best fall activities for kids around Charlotte in 2026 include pumpkin picking at Carrigan Farms in Mooresville, the Rural Hill corn maze in Huntersville, Owl-O-Ween at the Carolina Raptor Center, Scarecrow Hollow at Daniel Stowe, and free trick-or-treat events in Huntersville, Davidson and Waxhaw. Most run from late September through October.

Whether you are a nanny in SouthPark or Ballantyne or a parent in Cornelius, Weddington or Tega Cay, we checked every date, hour and price below on the venue’s own website in late September 2026. Where a detail is not posted, we say so, and age ranges we suggest ourselves are labeled “suggested.” Check the site before you go.

Which Charlotte fall activities fit your kids?

Activity	Area	Ages	Cost	2026 dates
Carrigan Farms pumpkin & apple picking	Mooresville	Suggested: toddler–school-age	$5 deposit + cash balance; check site	Pumpkins from Oct 3; apples weekdays Oct 8–16
Rural Hill Corn Maze	Huntersville	Suggested: preschool–school-age	Check site	Fri–Sun, Sept 5–Oct 31
Almond Farm Fall Festival	Concord	Suggested: toddler–school-age	Check site	Wed–Sun, Sept 26–Nov 1
Cherry Place Farm	Rock Hill, SC	Suggested: toddler–school-age	$12 (ages 2 and up)	Sat–Sun Oct 3–25, plus Fri Oct 9
Sky Top Orchard	Zirconia (about 2 hours away)	All ages (venue)	$30 timed U-pick bag	Open daily 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
Carowinds Tricks and Treats	Charlotte / Fort Mill line	All ages (venue)	Park admission from $45 online	Sat–Sun, Sept 12–Nov 7
Scarecrow Hollow & Bootanical	Belmont	All ages (venue, Bootanical)	Child (2–12) $10.95 + tax	Sept 26–Nov 1; Bootanical Oct 24
Owl-O-Ween	Huntersville (Latta Nature Preserve)	Suggested: toddler–school-age	Included in admission; under 3 free	Sat, Oct 17
McDowell Nature Center & Preserve	Southwest Charlotte	Suggested: all ages	Check site	Year-round; Nature at Night Oct 17
Anne Springs Close Greenway	Fort Mill, SC	Suggested: all ages	$8 youth (3–12), $17 adult	Year-round
Halloween in Huntersville	Huntersville	All ages (venue)	Free	Sun, Oct 25
Davidson Halloweekend	Davidson	Suggested: all ages	Free	Fri, Oct 23
Halloween Treat Trail	Cornelius	Ages 2–12 (venue)	Free residents, $3 non-residents	Sat, Oct 24
Fright Night	Waxhaw	All ages (venue)	Free	Sat, Oct 24

Where are the best pumpkin patches and corn mazes near Charlotte?

Carrigan Farms (Mooresville, Lake Norman)

Kids do: Ride a hay wagon to the field and pick a pumpkin off the vine, or pick apples from short dwarf trees on select October dates.
Ages: Suggested: toddler to school-age. For apple picking, the farm says families with kids ages 2–10 especially love it.
Cost: A non-refundable $5-per-person deposit reserves your spot, and the balance is paid in cash on arrival. The full admission price is not posted, so check the site.
2026 dates: Pumpkin picking starts Oct 3, and reservations are required. Apple picking runs on weekdays Oct 8–16, with more dates possible if apples allow. Check the site for hayride times.

Nanny tip: Bring cash, since most activities are cash-only and there is no ATM. Weekdays are quieter, per the farm. Arrive 15 minutes before your hayride or you will lose your slot.

Rural Hill Corn Maze (Huntersville)

Kids do: Find game stations around a Scottish-themed maze with a bagpiper and a Highland cow
Ages: Suggested: preschool to school-age
Cost: Tickets are sold through the site’s ticket partner. Check the site.
2026 dates: Open to the public Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept 5–Oct 31. Check the site for daily hours.

Nanny tip: Weekdays are for groups of 50 or more only. Put 4431 Neck Road into your GPS, because there is no public access from Jim Kidd Road.

Almond Farm Fall Festival (Concord)

Kids do: A pumpkin patch, corn maze, farm animals and a jump pad. Weekends add a hayride and an excavator “candy dump” at 12 and 3 p.m. On Oct 31 and Nov 1, kids trick-or-treat among the tractors.
Ages: Suggested: toddler to school-age
Cost: Check the site. Tickets are sold online.
2026 dates/hours: Sept 26–Nov 1, open Wednesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct 7 is a private homeschool day.

Nanny tip: Almond has public weekday hours, so a Wednesday–Friday morning skips the weekend crowds. No pets are allowed.

Cherry Place Farm (Rock Hill, SC)

Kids do: A two-acre corn maze, hayrides, animal feeding and barnyard games, with popcorn included
Ages: Suggested: toddler to school-age
Cost: $12 per person for everyone ages 2 and up, with under 2 free. There is a 3% surcharge on cards, and entry is free if you are only buying pumpkins.
2026 dates/hours: Saturdays 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sundays 1–6 p.m., Oct 3–25, plus Friday, Oct 9, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Nanny tip: A good pick for Fort Mill and Tega Cay families. Parking is first-come, first-served with no reservations, so arrive at opening. Friday, Oct 9 is the only weekday.

Where can kids go apple picking near Charlotte?

Sky Top Orchard (Zirconia, above Flat Rock)

Kids do: Pick apples with mountain views, plus à la carte hayrides, a bee train, an apple cannon and gem mining
Ages: The orchard says there is fun for all ages
Cost: A $30 timed U-pick ticket includes one bag shared by up to 5 pickers ages 2 and up. Extra pickers are $4 each. New tickets are released Wednesdays at noon.
2026 hours: Open daily 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

Nanny tip: This is about a two-hour drive each way from Charlotte, so it is a full-day trip and one to plan with the parents first. The orchard recommends weekday afternoons for lighter crowds and closed-toe shoes for its steep ground. For apples closer to home, see Carrigan Farms.

What fall festivals and seasonal exhibits are near Charlotte?

Tricks and Treats at Carowinds (Charlotte / Fort Mill)

Kids do: A Trick-or-Treat Trail in Crossroads, a costume contest and mask-making. Kids under 12 pick a free pumpkin.
Ages: Carowinds describes it as fun for all ages
Cost: Tricks and Treats comes with park admission on event dates. Park admission starts at $45 online versus an $80 gate price, plus fees.
2026 dates: Saturdays and Sundays, Sept 12–Nov 7. Check the park calendar for each day’s hours.

Nanny tip: Leave before evening. The nighttime SCarowinds event is not recommended for children under 13.

Scarecrow Hollow and Bootanical at Daniel Stowe Conservancy (Belmont)

Kids do: Community-made scarecrows in the Lost Hollow Children’s Garden. At Bootanical: Stowe at Sea, kids come in costume, meet a pirate and make ocean crafts.
Ages: Bootanical welcomes “adventurers of all ages”
Cost: Garden admission is $18.95 plus tax for adults and $10.95 plus tax for children ages 2–12. Children under 2 are free. Special-event fees may apply, so check the site before Bootanical.
2026 dates: Scarecrow Hollow runs Sept 26–Nov 1. Bootanical is Saturday, Oct 24, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Check the site for Garden hours.

Nanny tip: General admission day passes must be bought in person, and last entry is half an hour before close. The trails and Trailhead Store are free and open daily 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Scarecrow voting ends Oct 25.

Which Halloween events near Charlotte are good for toddlers and preschoolers?

Owl-O-Ween at the Carolina Raptor Center (Huntersville)

Kids do: Trick-or-treat along the three-quarter-mile Raptor Trail in Latta Nature Preserve, enter costume contests and visit raptor education tables
Ages: Suggested: toddler to school-age
Cost: Included in admission. Children ages 3–12 are $12, ages 13–22 are $14, adults ages 23–64 are $16, and children under 3 are free.
2026 date/hours: Saturday, Oct 17, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Nanny tip: Bring your own treat bag. The trail has uneven ground and steps, so a carrier may be easier than a stroller. On other days the Raptor Trail is open 10 a.m.–4 p.m., with November closures on the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 16th, 17th and 26th.

Halloween in Huntersville (Huntersville Athletic Park)

Kids do: Trick-or-treat booths, live music and entertainment, a costume contest and a 300-drone Halloween show at the end
Ages: The town says there are activities for all ages
Cost: Admission, parking and activities are free
2026 date/hours: Sunday, Oct 25, 4–7 p.m.

Nanny tip: Park at Lake Norman Charter High School or Central Piedmont Community College. A trolley shuttle runs from the high school. Stay to the end for the drone show.

Davidson Halloweekend (Davidson)

Kids do: Trick-or-treat down Main Street in the Halloween March and carve pumpkins on the Town Green
Ages: Suggested: all ages
Cost: Free. The first 25 carvers get a free pumpkin, or you can bring your own.
2026 date/hours: Friday, Oct 23. Pumpkin carving runs 4–6:30 p.m. on the Town Green, and march line-up begins at 5 p.m. at 216 S. Main Street. The Jack-o-Lantern Walk stays up through Friday, Oct 30.

Nanny tip: Carve first, then join the march. You can leave the pumpkin on the Town Green for the weekend and collect it later.

Halloween Treat Trail (Cornelius)

Kids do: A trick-or-treat trail, pumpkin chuckin’, tractor-pulled hayrides, campfire stories, crafts and a Halloween movie from about 6:30 p.m.
Ages: Registration is for children ages 2–12
Cost: Free for Cornelius residents and $3 for non-residents
2026 date/hours: Saturday, Oct 24, 5:30–8 p.m., at Bailey Road Park

Nanny tip: Pre-registration is required. Register only the children and choose one 30-minute trick-or-treat slot: 5:30–6, 6–6:30 or 6:30–7 p.m.

Fright Night (Downtown Waxhaw)

Kids do: Trick-or-treat at decorated downtown businesses competing for the Pumpkin King Trophy
Ages: Organizers describe it as for “ghouls & goblins of all ages”
Cost: Free
2026 date/hours: Saturday, Oct 24, 4–6 p.m.

Nanny tip: Candy goes fast once the crowds arrive, so get there near 4 p.m. It is an easy pick for Waxhaw and Weddington families.

Where can kids see fall leaves near Charlotte?

McDowell Nature Center and Preserve (Southwest Charlotte)

Kids do: Walk the trails and meet live native animals in the nature center’s discovery hall
Ages: Suggested: all ages
Cost: The county’s page does not list a fee, so check the site
Hours: The nature center is open Mon–Sat 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sun 1–5 p.m. The preserve is open daily from sunup to sundown. The Nature at Night Festival is Saturday, Oct 17; check the Park & Recreation site for public hours and tickets.

Nanny tip: Try a quiet weekday morning walk, followed by the animals indoors.

Anne Springs Close Greenway (Fort Mill, SC)

Kids do: Explore more than 40 miles of trails and visit the Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm
Ages: Suggested: all ages
Cost: Daily admission is $17 per adult and $8 per youth ages 3–12. Ages 2 and under are free.
Hours: Trails are open daily 7 a.m. to sunset. The Children’s Farm is open Tuesday–Sunday 9 a.m.–3 p.m., with last entry at 2:30 p.m.

Nanny tip: Welcome stations are card-only. After clocks fall back Nov 1, sunset closing comes about an hour earlier.

What free fall activities can nannies do at home?

These simple, free activities build real skills:

Leaf rubbings and collages: Peeling crayons and gluing leaves build fine motor control.
Nature scavenger hunt: A list of words like crunchy, red and smooth builds language as kids describe what they find. Use pictures for toddlers.
Baking together: Measuring and pouring practice early math and following directions. Try our easy pumpkin muffins for kids.
Pumpkin exploration: Scooping, counting and sorting seeds is a great sensory and counting activity. For more ideas, see our fall crafts for nannies and fall nanny craft ideas.

Charlotte Fall Activities — Frequently Asked Questions

Almond Farm runs Sept 26–Nov 1, Wednesday through Sunday. The Rural Hill corn maze runs Fridays through Sundays, Sept 5–Oct 31. Carrigan Farms starts pumpkin picking Oct 3, and Cherry Place Farm is open October weekends through Oct 25.

Carrigan Farms in Mooresville offers apple picking on weekdays Oct 8–16 with a reservation. Sky Top Orchard above Flat Rock is open daily and is about a two-hour drive; its $30 timed U-pick bag covers up to five pickers.

Almond Farm (Wednesday through Friday), Carrigan Farms’ weekday apple picking (Oct 8–16), Sky Top Orchard, the Carolina Raptor Center’s Raptor Trail, McDowell Nature Center and Anne Springs Close Greenway all have weekday hours.

Yes. Halloween in Huntersville (Oct 25), Waxhaw’s Fright Night (Oct 24) and Davidson’s Halloweekend (Oct 23) are free. Cornelius’s Halloween Treat Trail (Oct 24) is free for residents and $3 for non-residents.

Try Owl-O-Ween at the Carolina Raptor Center (under 3 free), the Cornelius Halloween Treat Trail (ages 2–12, timed slots), Waxhaw’s 4–6 p.m. Fright Night and Carowinds’ daytime Tricks and Treats.

Layers, closed-toe shoes, wipes, water, a change of clothes and a carrier for uneven trails. Bring cash for Carrigan Farms, which is mostly cash-only, and a card for Anne Springs Close Greenway, whose welcome stations are card-only.

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