If last weekend's rain wiped out your plans, consider this weekend your do-over. The forecast is looking a lot friendlier, and the lineup leans into Halloween: a monster dance party at the puppet museum, an outdoor spooky movie night, and a haunted-house playdate, plus a few things worth putting on the calendar before trick-or-treat night.

The Floor is Lava: Scary Swamp Edition! (Chamblee) — Kids jump and balance across the room without touching the "lava floor" in this swamp-themed adventure — free, active, and genuinely silly fun. Perfect for the wiggly crowd that needs to burn energy before Halloween week hits. Chamblee Library — Sat., Oct. 17 • Free • Ages 5–10

Monster Mash (Midtown) — A Halloween dance party in the Center's atrium with trick-or-treating, a kids' DJ, and walk-around puppet characters. New this year is a mask-making station where kids can make a mask to wear home. Costumes encouraged. All activities are included with museum admission or a show ticket, and it runs two Saturdays, so you can catch it this weekend or next. Center for Puppetry Arts — Sat., Oct. 17 & Oct. 24, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. • See website for pricing • All ages

Spooky Movie Night: Monsters, Inc. (Alpharetta) — Free outdoor screening of Monsters, Inc. on the Town Green, with slime-making starting at 7 p.m. before the film rolls. Bring blankets and lawn chairs, grab dinner from one of the City Center restaurants, and make a proper evening of it. Alpharetta City Center — Sat., Oct. 17, 7 p.m. • Free • All ages

Family Canoe Day (Roswell) — A beginner-friendly intro to canoeing on Beaver Pond, with guides who teach paddling basics and run games to build confidence on the water. All equipment is provided, and nature center admission is included, so pack a picnic and stay for the trails afterward. Ages 5 to adult. Registration is required by Thursday, Oct. 15. Chattahoochee Nature Center — Sat., Oct. 17, 12-1:30 p.m. • $25 per person; Members, $12.50

Spookhouse Annie (Midtown) — Annie lives in a haunted house, so her friend Dave is a little nervous about their playdate. The Halloween monsters inside are more goofy than scary, including a cheerful witch and a vampire who ended up in Pennsylvania instead of Transylvania. Runs about an hour with museum admission included, and the show uses haze, black light, and strobe effects, so give a heads-up to kids who are sensitive to those. Ages 4+. Center for Puppetry Arts — Wed.-Sun., Oct. 14-Nov. 1, 10 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. • $20; Members, $16

Trail of Terror (Buford) — A terrifying trail through Margaritaville at Lanier Islands featuring twisted pirate minions, psychopathic clowns, and more. Expect a long walk over rough terrain with fog, strobe lights, and sudden noises. Older kids and teens will love it; not for the faint of heart (or small). Parking is an extra $20, so plan ahead. Margaritaville at Lanier Islands — Through Sat., Nov. 7 • See website for pricing

Enchanted Pumpkin Patch (Lookout Mountain, GA) — Lighted jack-o'-lantern displays, Halloween glows, hot apple cider, and sweeping mountain views — a magical fall evening for the whole family. Factor in about 2 hours of drive time from Atlanta — best as a day trip. Rock City — Through Sun., Nov. 1 • $43–$45; ages 3–12, $33–$35; ages 2 and younger, free

Miles for Smiles 5K Walk/Run & 1 Mile Fun Run (Midtown) — A feel-good fall morning benefiting Camp Twin Lakes, which serves children with serious illnesses and disabilities. The 1 Mile Fun Run makes this accessible for younger kids, and there's lunch, Halloween goodie bags, and kids' activities after the race. Registration opens at 8 a.m., race starts at 9 a.m. SweetWater Brewing Company — Sat., Oct. 24 • $24.99 per participant • All ages

Spooky Pooch 5K & Fun Walk (Grant Park) — Costumes, community, and dogs in Halloween outfits — what's not to love? It benefits LifeLine Animal Project. Grant Park — Sat., Oct. 24 • See website for pricing • All ages

Halloween, Hogwarts, & More (Midtown) — The full Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams' Harry Potter music alongside other spooky orchestral treats. Come in costume and get there early for the pre-concert activities: photo booths, art-making, and an Instrument Exploration Station. ASO family concerts tend to sell out, so don't sit on this one. Atlanta Symphony Hall — Sun., Oct. 25, 1:30 & 3 p.m. • See website for pricing • Designed for kids under 12

Hairspray The Broadway Musical — Live at Lawrenceville Arts Center! (Lawrenceville) — A vibrant local production of the classic musical, set in 1962 Baltimore and packed with big numbers like "You Can't Stop the Beat." Ticket proceeds fund free youth theater workshops across Metro Atlanta — great show, great cause. Lawrenceville Arts Center, 125 N. Clayton Street — Through Sat. Oct. 24; see website for showtimes • Tickets via Lawrenceville Arts Center box office

Tricks and Treats & Fright Fest (Austell) — Six Flags runs two flavors of Halloween this fall: Tricks and Treats is the kid-friendly version with costumes, trick-or-treating, and pumpkin decorating, while Fright Fest brings scare zones and haunted houses for teens and older kids (ages 13+). Same park, choose your own adventure. Through Nov. 1

Helen Oktoberfest (Helen, GA) — German food, music, and dancing in a Bavarian-style mountain town — a genuinely unique fall outing that's worth the scenic drive north, and younger kids get in free. Through Sun., Nov. 1

Pumpkin Festival at Stone Mountain Park (Stone Mountain) — Live shows, games, a glow-by-night experience, and pie eating contests make this a solid fall Saturday tradition. The Glow by Night portion is especially worth staying for if your kids can handle an evening outing. Stone Mountain Park — Through Nov. 2; Fri.–Sun. 2–9 p.m. • $39.99; ages 3–11, $36.99; ages 2 and younger, free

All Smiles (Midtown) — A sweet, gentle theatrical show about emotions and how smiles look different on different people — purpose-built for the littlest theatergoers. Through Sun. Nov. 8 • Recommended ages 0–5; ages 5 and under, free

13 Stories Haunted House (Newnan) — A multi-attraction walk-through haunt including the haunted house itself, Project Wasteland, and Carnival Craze Escape Adventure. Best for older kids and teens. Through Sun., Nov. 8 • $28+

Mazes & Brain Games (Cartersville) — A maze and puzzle exhibit at Tellus Science Museum that's genuinely challenging for all ages. Pair it with a museum visit to make the drive worthwhile. Through Sun., Jan. 3, 2027

The Secret World of Elephants (Druid Hills) — A full-scale woolly mammoth model, a life-size African elephant, and a sound station where kids can feel how elephants "hear" through their feet, plus touchable tooth casts and replica elephant poop. No live elephants, just a lot of hands-on stuff. Through Sun., Jan. 3, 2027 • Included with museum admission

I SPY! Walter Wick's Hidden Wonders (Midtown) — The photographer behind those iconic "I SPY" books gets a full museum exhibit, complete with optical illusions, puzzle challenges, and hands-on games. Kids who grew up with the books will love it. Through Mon. Jan. 4, 2027 • Ages 5 and under, free

Bubble Planet (Doraville) — Pastel LED dreamscapes, a Bubble Ocean, and sensory-friendly immersive rooms. Little ones ages 2 and younger get in free. Through Sun., Jan. 10, 2027

The Art of Banksy: Without Limits (Pullman Yards) — More than 200 works from the world's most famous anonymous artist, including originals, sculptures, and an immersive Infinity Room — older kids especially will find this one striking. Through Mon. Jan. 11, 2027 • Ages 3 and under, free

DinoVerse Atlanta (Doraville) — Over 20 real fossils, dino science exhibits, and a VR adventure for ages 6 and up. A solid rainy-day backup plan that's sticking around well into 2027. Through Mon., Jan. 11, 2027

Until next week — happy haunting! 🎃

— The Weekend Radar ATL Team

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