5 Spooktacular Ways to Spend Halloween in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

If you’re a fan of spooky thrills and chills, Halloween is one of the best times to visit Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge! Our Smoky Mountain cities always get into the holiday spirit in a big way, so visitors can expect frighteningly good entertainment during the entire month of October. Visit My Smokies has put together a convenient guide to all of the ways you can celebrate Halloween in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

1. Ripley’s Fright Nights

No one handles the bizarre and grotesque quite like the Ripley’s company. In addition to the famous Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Odditorium, Gatlinburg is also home to Ripley’s Haunted Adventure. This 10,000 square foot haunted house is open 365 days a year, but when Halloween rolls around, the attraction takes its scream-worthy fun to the next level.

Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening in October, Ripley’s Haunted Adventure hosts its annual Fright Nights. Monsters and maniacs lurk around every corner, so guests should prepare to have the fright of their life!

Visitors to Ripley’s Haunted Adventure must be at least 6 years old, and kids under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. The show is geared towards preteens, teenagers, and adults. There is no additional fee for the Fright Night experience; everything is included with admission to the attraction.

2. Dollywood’s Great Pumpkin LumiNights

This year, Dollywood is getting in on the Halloween fun with a new tradition: Great Pumpkin LumiNights! As part of the theme park’s Harvest Festival, Dollywood will remain open until 9 p.m. each night for some special fall-themed activities. The Timber Canyon and Wilderness Pass areas of the park will be filled with thousands of illuminated jack-o-lanterns that are sure to put a smile on your face. Other highlights of the LumiNights include:

• Meet and Greets with Halloween characters like Harvey the Pumpkin and Vine Vinny
• A glowing maze featuring a variety of colors and special effects
• Special autumn treats like sliced candy apples, candy corn cotton candy, and warm Coca-Cola apple cider
• Pumpkin carving demonstrations with master craftsmen
• Glow-in-the-dark face painting for guests

3. Kyker Farms Corn Maze and Zombie Blasterz

For a totally unique Halloween adventure, head over to Kyker Farms to make your way through their “Kornfusing Korn Mazes”! We suggest bringing a big group of friends or family members because you’ll need all the brainpower you can get to find your way out of these puzzling pathways.

If you visit Kyker Farms on Friday and Saturday nights in October, you’ll have the chance to take part in two special Halloween events. When you sign up to play Zombie Blasterz, you’ll ride through Kyker’s Dead Woods armed with a high-powered paintball gun. Keep your eyes peeled, because live zombies will be stalking through the woods. Fortunately, your undead enemies don’t have paintball guns of their own, so you can shoot at the zombies without fear of reprisal!

In addition to Zombie Blasterz, Kyker Farms also offers The Trail – a nighttime trek through a haunted corn field. With the creatures of the corn waiting around every twist and turn, The Trail is guaranteed to get your heart racing!

More seasonal fun available at Kyker Farms includes:

• Hayrides
• Tunnel slides
• Cornhole
• A pumpkin patch
• Corn cob swings
• Kyker’s Kritter Barn
• Bonfire sites

For more information, check out the Kyker Farms website: https://www.kykerfarmscornmaze.com/

4. Halloween at The Island

Families definitely won’t want to miss The Island in Pigeon Forge’s annual Halloween Carnival! This popular shopping complex will be visited by a haunted circus caravan complete with stilt walkers, contortionists, acrobats, and more entertainers. Be sure to dress up, because there will be a costume contest with fun prizes! Admission and parking are completely free, but it is recommended that you arrive early to secure a spot. Follow the link for the details on this year’s Halloween Carnival at The Island.

5. Fun at Cabins in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

When you stay at one of the many cabins in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, you’ll have lots of opportunities to participate in some fun Halloween activities. Virtually all of the cabins for rent in the area come with a fully equipped kitchen, so you can whip up some tasty Halloween treats with the whole family. Be sure to pick up a pumpkin from Kyker Farms so you can carve a jack-o’-lantern and use the insides to make pumpkin cupcakes, iced pumpkin bars, or roasted pumpkin seeds. Other great dessert ideas include caramel apples, chocolate spiders, and “mud and worms” (crushed Oreos, chocolate pudding, and gummy worms).

Many cabin rentals in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge also come with state of the art theater rooms. With huge projection screens and cinema style seating, these home theaters are the perfect place for a horror movie marathon. Bring your favorite Halloween classics from home or swing by a local Redbox to get the newest releases. Don’t forget to enjoy some of the Halloween snacks you prepared during the movie!

Browse our complete listings of cabins in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to start planning your October getaway. We can’t wait to see you this Halloween in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge!