Tickets on sale now for Halloween trains

Our fall fun and Halloween database has all kinds of information about pumpkin patches, corn mazes and Halloween-related events.

Pumpkin Patch Express: This popular event at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham features a trip aboard the Ellerbe Creek Railway to the museum's pumpkin patch. Find your favorite pumpkin to decorate and take home. There also will be crafts and carnival games before you head back to the station. Pre-registration is required. Tickets are $12 (and do not include general admission to the museum). Kids 2 and under are free. The event runs Oct. 8 to Oct. 9; Oct. 15 to Oct. 16; Oct. 22 to Oct. 23; and Oct. 29 to Oct. 30. This one is best for younger kids.

Track or Treat Halloween Express: New Hope Valley Railway in southwestern Wake County offers hour-long, Halloween-themed rides in its open-air trains on the afternoons and early evenings of Oct. 15, Oct. 22 and Oct. 29. Tickets are $13. This is designed for all ages - though it can get a little spooky once the sun goes down.

Tweetsie Railroad's Ghost Train: The Blowing Rock amusement park, about three hours from Raleigh, offers its annual event from Sept. 23 to Oct. 29. Tickets are $36. Ages 2 and under are free. It's best to get tickets in advance as they do sell out. Starting this year, tickets are being sold for a designated night with a specific train ride time, so ticket holders won't have to wait as long for the Ghost Train ride. The various attractions could be scary for some children and do include loud explosions on the Ghost Train ride. Tweetsie does not recommend the Haunted House, the Freaky Forest or the Ghost Train for children under age 8.