Fall Activities for Kids in Charleston: 2026 Guide

Pumpkin patches, free festivals, trick-or-treat trails and history outings around Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island and Summerville, with 2026 dates, costs and tips for the grown-up doing the driving.

The best fall activities for kids around Charleston in 2026 include the Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch in Mount Pleasant, the pumpkin patch at Legare Farms on Johns Island, the free Children’s Day Festival and Daniel Island Pumpkin Walk, the Coastal Carolina Fair, and Charleston County Parks’ Trick, Treat & Trail. Most run in October.

Whether you are a nanny South of Broad or on James Island or a parent in Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island or Summerville, 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.” Drive times are no-traffic estimates. Check the site before you go.

Which Charleston fall activities fit your kids?

Activity	Area	Ages	Cost	2026 dates
Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch	Mount Pleasant	2 and under free (venue)	$15 (ages 3 and up)	Fri–Sun, Sept 25–Nov 1
Legare Farms Pumpkin Patch	Johns Island	Suggested: toddler–school-age	$5 per car + activities	October weekends (check site)
Children’s Day Festival	Mount Pleasant	Suggested: all ages	Free	Sun, Oct 18
Pumpkin Walk & Halloween Bash	Daniel Island	All ages (venue)	Free	Sun, Oct 25
Trick, Treat & Trail	North Charleston (Wannamaker County Park)	Suggested: all ages	$25 per vehicle early; $30 day-of	Sat, Oct 31
Trick or Treat at the Library	James Island	Ages 0–11 (venue)	No fee listed	Sat, Oct 31
Coastal Carolina Fair	Ladson (near Summerville)	Child ticket ages 6–12 (venue)	Check site	Oct 29–Nov 8
Holiday Festival of Lights	James Island County Park	Suggested: all ages	Check site	Opens mid-November
Charles Towne Landing	West Ashley	5 and younger free (venue)	$7 youth (6–15)	Daily
Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site	Summerville	5 & younger free (venue)	$1 children (6–15)	Daily; Campfire Stories Nov 14
Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry	Downtown Charleston	Under 1 free (venue)	$13 advance, $15 door	Daily
Kiawah Beachwalker Park	Kiawah Island	Suggested: all ages	Check site	Year-round

Where are the best pumpkin patches near Charleston?

Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch (Mount Pleasant)

Kids do: A corn maze, a Halloween tractor tour, a petting zoo, pig races, giant inflatables, LED mini-golf, a honeybee exhibit, rubber duck races, a circus and magic show, and pumpkins for sale
Ages: Admission covers ages 3 and up; children 2 and under are free with an accompanying adult
Cost: $15 per person, ages 3 and up
2026 dates/hours: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept 25–Nov 1, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. each day

Nanny tip: Use the event entrance at 2434 N. Hwy. 17, not the plantation’s main gate on Long Point Road. Pets must stay home (ADA service animals are allowed). This is the 30th year, so expect crowds on Saturdays and aim for a Friday.

Legare Farms Pumpkin Patch (Johns Island)

Kids do: Pick pumpkins, take a hayride to feed the cows, build a scarecrow, mine for gems and try the corn cannon, plus free activities
Ages: Suggested: toddler to school-age
Cost: $5 per car. The cow hayride is $5 for everyone 2 and up, the scarecrow package is $12, gem mining is $5 or $10 a bucket and the corn cannon is $1 (not on Friday nights).
Dates/hours: The farm’s page lists Oct 3 and every weekend in October: Fridays 3–6 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sundays noon–6 p.m. The page does not state the year, so check the site before you go.

Nanny tip: No pets at all (it is a food-producing farm), and no outside food or drinks. The farm’s page offers a printable coupon for one free hayride. It is on the way to Kiawah and Seabrook.

What free fall festivals are near Charleston?

Children’s Day Festival (Mount Pleasant)

Kids do: Carnival rides, inflatable slides, pony rides, games and live entertainment
Ages: Suggested: all ages
Cost: Admission and all activities are free
2026 date/hours: Sunday, Oct 18, noon–5 p.m., at Park West Recreation Complex

Nanny tip: Park free at Cario Middle School, Charles Pinckney/Laurel Hill or Kids Teeth; shuttles run all day, or use the school’s cut-through for a short walk. Food is available to buy.

Pumpkin Walk & Halloween Bash (Daniel Island)

Kids do: Walk a pumpkin-lined path around Smythe Lake with five themed stops (face painting, crafts, a Glow Sports Zone and games), finish a scavenger hunt for a light-up prize, then enjoy carnival games and a DJ on the lawn
Ages: Organizers say it is for families and community members of all ages
Cost: Free
2026 date/hours: Sunday, Oct 25, 4:30–7:30 p.m., at Smythe Park (2394 Daniel Island Drive)

Nanny tip: Carve a pumpkin together earlier in the week and drop it off noon–2 p.m. that day at the corner of Purcell Lane and Daniel Island Drive. Kids love finding theirs on the path.

Coastal Carolina Fair (Ladson)

Kids do: Rides, fair food, exhibits and free shows with gate admission
Ages: The child ticket covers ages 6–12; the adult ticket covers ages 13 and over
Cost: Check the site. Advance tickets are sold online and at participating Circle K stores; ride wristbands are separate from gate admission.
2026 dates: Oct 29–Nov 8 at Exchange Park. Check the site for daily hours.

Nanny tip: Only buy from the fair’s website or Circle K, since the fair warns that social-media resellers are likely fraudulent. There are no refunds or rain checks, but tickets are good any day of the fair.

Which Halloween events near Charleston are good for younger kids?

Trick, Treat & Trail at Wannamaker County Park (North Charleston)

Kids do: A costumed trick-or-treat fun run or walk on the park trails, plus jump castles, balloon art, face painting and a noon costume contest with an under-4 category
Ages: Suggested: all ages (runners and walkers of all levels)
Cost: $25 per standard vehicle (up to 15 people) with early registration through Oct 30; $30 per vehicle day-of until 12:30 p.m. Registration includes a trick-or-treat bag, finisher medal and candy.
2026 date/hours: Saturday, Oct 31. Check-in 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.; the course opens at 10 a.m. and the course and festival run until 1 p.m.

Nanny tip: Everyone must arrive together in the same vehicle. The loop has an optional shortcut, which is perfect for little legs.

Trick or Treat at the Library (James Island)

Kids do: Wear a costume, trick-or-treat through the library and enjoy Halloween fun
Ages: Ages 0–11
Cost: No fee is listed; check the library calendar
2026 date/hours: Saturday, Oct 31, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Baxter-Patrick James Island branch

Nanny tip: The long window means you can go at nap-friendly times. In Mount Pleasant, the Village Library hosts a Halloween drop-in with games and crafts that morning, 10 a.m.–noon; costumes are welcome but not required.

Where can kids explore outdoors near Charleston this fall?

Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site (West Ashley)

Kids do: See otters, bears, bison and more at the Animal Forest, see the replica 17th-century sailing ship and walk the gardens and live oak alley
Ages: Children 5 and younger are free
Cost: $12 adults, $7.50 S.C. seniors and $7 youth ages 6–15
Hours: Park grounds 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily. Animal Forest 10 a.m.–4 p.m. daily (closed Christmas Day). Adventure 10 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Tuesdays and Christmas Day.

Nanny tip: Pets are not allowed in the Animal Forest, and the puma habitat is temporarily closed for improvements. Aim for opening time, when the animals tend to be the main event for toddlers.

Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site (Summerville)

Kids do: Explore a fort made of tabby (oyster-shell concrete), a brick church bell tower and an interpretive trail through the site of a 1697 village
Ages: Children 5 and younger are free
Cost: $3 adults, $1.50 S.C. seniors and $1 children ages 6–15
Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. daily during Daylight Saving Time, then 9 a.m.–5 p.m. after clocks fall back Nov 1. Park programs include Exploring Life in Colonial Dorchester (Oct 24, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.) and Campfire Stories (Nov 14, 6–7 p.m.).
Drive time: About 35 minutes from downtown Charleston (no-traffic estimate)

Nanny tip: At low tide, look for the remains of the old log wharf. Check the park’s events page for any program fees.

Kiawah Beachwalker Park (Kiawah Island)

Kids do: Spend a cool-weather beach day on the island’s only public beach access, with a boardwalk, picnic area with grills and restrooms
Ages: Suggested: all ages
Cost: Check the Charleston County Parks site for parking fees
Hours: Year-round; check the site for current hours
Drive time: About 53 minutes from downtown Charleston (no-traffic estimate)

Nanny tip: Fall is quieter than summer, when the 150-space lot fills by about 10:30 a.m. Kiawah bans metal shovels, so pack plastic ones (14 inches or shorter). Plan a stop at Legare Farms on the way home.

What indoor and holiday outings are near Charleston?

Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry (Downtown Charleston)

Kids do: Hands-on, self-guided exhibits built around imaginative play
Ages: Free for children before their first birthday
Cost: $13 advance (downtown location only) or $15 at the door; members free; Museums for All admission is $3 per person
Hours: Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday noon–5 p.m. (members-only hour 9–10 a.m. Monday–Saturday)

Nanny tip: The museum says weekday afternoons during school are quieter. Outdoor exhibits were closed until further notice when we checked. SuperStars Sundays (second and fourth Sundays, 10 a.m.–noon) are free for families of children with special needs.

Holiday Festival of Lights (James Island County Park)

Kids do: Drive a three-mile light show, then ride the Festival Express train or the carousel, visit Santa, climb the climbing wall and see a holiday sand sculpture
Ages: Suggested: all ages
Cost: Admission varies by night; check the site. Train rides are $5 per person (children 2 and under ride free on an adult’s lap), and carousel rides are $2.
2026 dates/hours: Santa is at the festival Nov 13–Dec 23. The festival runs 5:30–10 p.m. and is open on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Nanny tip: Buy tickets online for less busy “Green” nights. Children under 42 inches must ride the carousel with an adult. There is no ATM on site.

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, moss and marsh grass build fine motor control.
Nature scavenger hunt: A list of words like crunchy, salty 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, fall nanny craft ideas and fall craft ideas just for nannies.

Charleston Fall Activities — Frequently Asked Questions

The Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch runs Fridays–Sundays, Sept 25–Nov 1, 10 a.m.–7 p.m., at $15 for ages 3 and up. Legare Farms on Johns Island lists October weekends (Fridays 3–6 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sundays noon–6 p.m.); check its site to confirm dates.

Yes. Mount Pleasant’s Children’s Day Festival (Oct 18, noon–5 p.m.) and the Daniel Island Pumpkin Walk & Halloween Bash (Oct 25, 4:30–7:30 p.m.) are free. The James Island library’s Trick or Treat at the Library (Oct 31) lists no fee.

Try Trick or Treat at the Library on James Island (ages 0–11), Charleston County Parks’ Trick, Treat & Trail (with an under-4 costume category) and the Daniel Island Pumpkin Walk, all early in the day or early evening.

Charles Towne Landing, Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site and the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry are open daily. Boone Hall’s patch opens Fridays, as do Legare Farms’ Friday afternoon hours, and the Coastal Carolina Fair runs weekdays too.

The fair runs Oct 29–Nov 8 at Exchange Park in Ladson. The child ticket covers ages 6–12. Buy only from the fair’s website or participating Circle K stores, and check the site for daily hours and prices.

Sunscreen, water, bug spray, closed-toe shoes, wipes, a change of clothes and a light layer for evenings. Bring plastic sand toys for Kiawah and a carved pumpkin for the Daniel Island Pumpkin Walk.

Looking for a nanny, or a nanny role, in Charleston?

Great outings come from a caregiver who plans ahead and reads the kids well. If your family is ready for that support, learn how to hire a nanny, read how to hire a Career Nanny in Charleston, or visit our Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island and Kiawah Island nanny agency pages. If you are a nanny looking for your next family, browse our nanny jobs.

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