Deep in the dark northern woods is a Halloween experience dear to many North Fulton families.
The Chattahoochee Nature Center's Halloween Night Hikes is a 31-year tradition that brings nature, autumn, Halloween and community together.
The Halloween Hikes are 45-minute guided tours through the center's acreage. Visitors will meet with costumed woodland characters who explain nature during the cooler seasons and talk about conservation.
"What we are trying to do is provide a fun, safe, non-scary alternative for people with young children," said Kristi Beckler, who helped start the hikes in the mid-1980s. "No one does anything quite like it."
She brought her own children decades ago, and now she brings her grandchildren, who love the being outdoors at night.
"That's really probably the biggest things for my grandchildren when they're little. ... They're in bed when its dark. They're out there going 'Ooo, it's dark, so dark,'" Beckler said.
Halloween Night Hikes
Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road. Roswell, Ga. 30075. 770-992-2055.www.chattnaturecenter.org/events/event/halloween-hikes-2/
7-10 p.m. Oct. 21, 22, 28, 29; $9 per person Oct. 21-22; $10 Oct. 28,-29; ages 2 and younger free. embers can purchase tickets in advance; non-member sales are at the door ending at 8:30 p.m.
Mother/Son Halloween Dance
Bill Johnson Community Activity Building, 10495 Woodstock Road, Roswell, Ga. 30075. 770-641-3760. www.roswellgov.com
7-9 p.m. Oct. 28. $12 residents, $18 nonresidents. Everyone is encouraged to dress in costume. There will be games, prizes and snacks included.
Spooktacular Night
Smith Plantation, 935 Alpharetta St., Roswell, Ga. 30075. 770-641-3978. http://visitroswellga.com
6-9 p.m. Oct. 29. $5 per person; 4 and younger free.
All ages are encouraged to wear a costume and enjoy a candlelight tour of the Smith Plantation, ghost stories, trick-or-treating, s'mores and more.
Spooky Mill
Autrey Mill Nature Preserve 9770 Autrey Mill Road, Johns Creek, Ga. 30022. 678-366-3511. http://autreymill.org/programsfamily
6-9 p.m. Oct. 28-29; Jr. Spooky Mill 10 a.m. to noon, Oct. 29. Free, plus food and activity tickets
Spooky Mill is an evening of family Halloween fun with trick-or-treating in the Heritage Village, haunted house, face painting, games and more. Jr. Spooky Mill is a daytime Halloween event for preschoolers that includes games, scavenger hunts, a bounce house, story times, animal encounters and more.
Halloween Fun House
East Roswell Recreation Center, 9000 Fouts Road, Roswell, Ga. 30076. 770-594-6134. www.roswellgov.com
4:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 18. This free event for ages 8 and younger includes face painting, carnival games, inflatables, hay rides and more.
Fall Family Festival
North Point Mall, 1000 North Point Circle, Alpharetta, Ga. 30022. 770-740-9273. www.northpointmall.com/en/events/fall-family-festival
Noon to 4 p.m., Oct. 29. This free annual festival features music, pumpkin crafting, face painting, games and candy collecting.
Trick or Treat at Avalon
Avalon, 2200 Avalon Boulevard, Alpharetta, Ga. 30009. 770-765-2000. www.experienceavalon.com/events/eventitems/one-year-events/trick-or-treat/
10 a.m. to noon Oct. 29. This free is open to the public and includes trick-or-treating from store to store. Stop by the concierge desk to pick up a map that tells you which stores will be handing out candy and treats. Each also store will have a window decal. Once you've collected all your candy, drop your completed map off at concierge desk to be entered to win a family fun prize pack.
Halloween night options for the older kids:
Roswell Ghost Tour
617 Atlanta St., Roswell, Ga. 30075. 770-649-9922. http://roswellghosttour.com
7-10 p.m. Tour takes about two hours. $15 adults; $10 children 12 and younger. These walking ghost tours are led by paranormal investigators.
