Halloween in Wilmington: a family weekend itinerary

Spookywalks downtown, pumpkin patches around Pender County, and the costume contest at camp. Plan the whole weekend.

October is one of the best months in Wilmington. The summer crowds are gone, the weather is finally not 92°, and the city leans into Halloween harder than most people expect. Here's a family weekend itinerary you can run straight from camp.

Friday — Arrive and settle

Check in by 4pm if you can. Food truck Friday at camp (whichever rotation is up that weekend — we'll publish the schedule on the homepage two weeks out). If the kids still have energy: pool, playground, or the giant chess board until dark. If the adults still have energy: pickleball under the lights.

Saturday morning — Pumpkin patch

Hop in the car and head 20 minutes north to one of the Pender County pumpkin patches. Note: the specific patches change year to year; check Visit Wilmington's October events page the week of your trip. Most include hayrides, corn mazes, and animals. Plan 2–3 hours.

Saturday afternoon — Downtown Wilmington

Late lunch on the Riverwalk. Walk it end to end — about a mile each way with stops. If your kids are 7+, the Wilmington Railroad Museum is a 10-minute walk inland and worth an hour. Older kids: Cape Fear Museum and its 20-foot Giant Ground Sloth.

Saturday night — Costume contest at camp

Our Halloween weekend programming includes a costume contest (kid, dog, and adult categories), a decorated-site walk-through (the whole loop becomes a trick-or-treat route), and a fire pit gathering after the kids are asleep. Bring your costume — or grab one from the camp store. [CONFIRM WITH DOUG — Halloween programming details ahead of 2027 launch.]

Sunday morning — Beach walk

October beach walks are the best beach walks. Wrightsville Beach at 8am Sunday is empty, the light is golden, and the water is still warm enough that kids will get their feet wet. Bring coffee. Pack out trash.

Sunday afternoon — Slow check-out

Check-out is at 11am for RV sites, 3pm for cabins. Pack at your own pace. Stop at the camp store on the way out for the road snack you'll need for the drive home.

The Wilmington Halloween weekend works because you're never more than 30 minutes from anywhere you want to be. Camp is the pivot point.

Reservations for the 2027 Halloween weekend will open in spring 2027. Subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of the homepage to be first in line.