While the coronavirus has upended much of 2020, Halloween lovers need not despair. Though traditional trick-or-treating outings may not take place in many places, there are still plenty of haunted houses and spooky attractions open across the country this year — albeit with some social distancing measures in place. Here’s a look at some of the places you can still experience a good old-fashioned scare. (Just in case the year’s events haven’t been scary enough for you.)
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Skeleton’s Lair Scream Park
Bowling Green, Kentucky One of the largest haunted happenings in south-central Kentucky, Skeleton’s Lair Scream Park takes visitors through haunted woods, a two-story haunted house, and a haunted maze. If all of that is not enough, this year the attraction debuts “Krampus, A Holiday Horror Story,” complete with Santa Claws spreading holiday fear. Price: $32
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The 13th Gate
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Billed as one of America’s scariest Halloween attractions by The Travel Channel and as one of the top haunted houses across America by AOLCityguide, The 13th Gate promises 13 nightmare realms with “extreme ultra-realism,” describing itself as one of the most detailed haunted houses in existence, with a level of design and effects as realistic as a Hollywood movie. (You may not want to bring the kids.) Features include a lifelike pirate ship, hidden subterranean passes filled with snakes and a zombie-infested graveyard.Price: General admission is $30, and VIP access is $60. Visitors will have their temperatures checked and must wear masks.
Red Vein Haunted House
Richmond, Virginia An indoor-outdoor haunted attraction, Red Vein Haunted House combines an immersive storyline, realistic sets, and extreme scares. Price: $20 to $40. All customers, cast, and crew are required to wear masks, and ticket sales are at 50% normal occupancy to allow for social distancing.
The Haunted Road Drive-Thru Halloween Experience
Orlando, Florida The Haunted Road promises twisted creatures, immersive theatrical storytelling, and bloodcurdling encounters — all from the comfort of the cars visitors park at each scene — following Rapunzel’s journey as she leaves her tower for the first time and enters a world of disarray. Price: $15 to $20. Tickets are still available for the tamer, family-friendly, daytime version of this event. Additional nighttime dates may be made available.
Dead Man’s Farm
Loudon County, Tennessee Clowns of the Corn and Bludgeon House are just some of the frightening attractions at Dead Man’s Farm. There’s a walk-through haunted house and three mini “Horror Escape Rooms,” and a coffin simulator called Buried Alive. Price: $15 to $30. This spooky attraction promises to be terrifyingly safe, with COVID-19 measures that include staff temperature checks and mask requirements, and timed ticketing to reduce crowds.
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Helheim Haunted Attraction
Wytheville, Virginia Housed in an old, 6,000-square-foot amusement park, Helheim Haunted Attraction promises to “put the evil in Wytheville.” The horrors feature a post-apocalyptic viking theme. Price: $20. Temperature checks and masks or face coverings are required for staff and visitors, among other rules.
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Land of Illusion Haunted Scream Park
Middletown, Ohio Your nightmares come alive at Land of Illusion, a sprawling haunted theme park that features seven attractions including Big Mama’s Revenge, Dr. Psycho’s Haunted Estate, the Killer Klowns Haunted Maze, Middletown Haunted Trail, Phobia, Temple of Terror Haunted House, and the Historical Mystery Mansion. Each night there’s a new version of “live” spooks, lunatics, and chainsaw-wielding madmen. Price: Starting at $50
Factory of Fear
Moline, Illinois Opened in 1994, Factory of Fear and its more than 30 rooms of scares was voted one of the top haunted houses in Illinois by Haunted Illinois. Visitors walk through the attraction and experience horrific scenes. Price: $22. Masks are required and temperature checks will be conducted.
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Bennett’s Curse Haunted House
Baltimore A walk-through attraction featuring ghouls and haunts popping out at every turn, Bennett’s Curse is one of the highest-rated haunted attractions in the region. There are four attractions: Underworld Haunted House; Legends of Halloween; Inferno; and Ravenbrook Asylum. Price: Starting at $25. All visitors are required to wear masks.
Woods of Terror
Greensboro, North Carolina Another award-winning haunt, Woods of Terror has been scaring people for 29 years. This attraction includes a Monster Midway with games, and themed scare areas such as Industrial Nightmare and the creepy-crawly Arachnophobia. Price: $30 to $65. Social distancing and masks are required.
Rolling Hills Asylum
East Bethany, New York Featured on The Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures,” the 1827 Rolling Hills house was once the Genesee County Home, or poorhouse, advertised as a place for paupers, drunkards, and lunatics. Now the property is said to be haunted. Take one of its three-hour self-guided ghost hunt tours to see for yourself. Price: $49 to $89. Social distancing and masks are required.
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Darkside Haunted House
Long Island, New York One of Long Island’s most famous haunted happenings, Darkside Haunted House features 30 frightening scenes indoors and outdoors. This popular attraction is apparently so over-the-top spooky that it’s been featured in music videos, television pilots, and has won multiple awards, even once being called “too scary” by Newsday. Price: $35. Groups of four to seven are allowed; masks are required.
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Legends of Fear
Shelton, Connecticut A haunted hayride that takes passengers into Fairview Tree Farm’s fields and forests for 30 minutes of spine-chilling fun, Legends of Fear also offers a “Hollow Trail” deep in the woods of the historic family farm and the Hemlock Manor Mortuary, home to Edgar the mortician. Price: $30 to $75. Visitors must wear masks, and temperature checks are required.
Legends of the Fog
Aberdeen, Maryland Usually a walk-through scarefest, this year Legends of the Fog offers frights via an interactive and immersive drive-through haunted experience, with audio in visitors’ cars. Price: Starting at $25
Skellington Manor
Rock Island, Illinois Skellington Manor promises a “journey into the darkness” in a “theatre of the macabre” — meaning a walk-through attraction featuring actors, special effects, and even a little paranormal activity. Price: $20 to $25. Masks are required.
Headless Horseman Hayrides & Haunted Houses
Ulster Park, New York Though it says hayride in the name, this year the scares at Headless Horseman are via a drive-through haunted experience called “Dare to Ride the Horseman’s Trail.” There’s also a corn maze and a haunted house visitors can walk through. Price: $40 to $48. Masks are required.
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Hotel of Terror and Dungeons of Doom
Springfield, Missouri Two of Springfield’s largest haunted houses have joined forces. Hotel of Terror is a four-story attraction with actors, animatronics, and creatures lurking around every corner, open since 1978. With potentially longer waits to get it, Dungeons of Doom offers horror films in the parking lot as you wait. Visitors can take a free hay or hearse ride between the two. Price: $17 for either, or $30 for both. Dungeons of Doom customers are required to wear masks, and timed, ticketed entrance and social distancing will be enforced.
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Pirates of Emerson Haunted House
Alameda County, California The Alameda County Fairgrounds’ annual Pirates of Emerson Haunted House offers a drive-through spooky theme park on a 10-acre compound, promising it will be where your worst nightmares come true. Price: $95 per vehicle
Urban Legends of Haunt
Orange County, California Urban Legends of Haunt promises immersive storytelling via live performances with scary monsters in four interactive zones, all enjoyed from the comfort of your car. Price: $60 to $90 per vehicle, with limited, timed entries.
Dark Manor Haunted House
Baltic, Connecticut Voted Connecticut’s scariest haunted house in a Venue newspaper poll, Dark Manor promises encounters with ghastly entities that haunt tormented halls. The manor also features a graveyard and The Catacombs, where visitors will need to pass by undead creeps and chainsaw freaks to escape. The attraction also offers a day experience that’s slightly less frightening. Price: $9 to $25
