Ready for a walk on the wild, bone-chilling, dark side this Halloween season?  Here you’ll find no child’s play, no goblins and no treats. You’ll find seriously shocking Haunted Houses, Haunted Hayrides, Haunted Corn Mazes and ghost-chasing paranormal experiences abound! We are thrilled to share 13 of the most happening and extreme haunted attractions IN and around North Delaware. Without a doubt these haunted hot spots will give you something to howl and scream about. They’re listed in alpha- order…Enter if you DARE.

Bates Motel | Glen Mills, PA

Bates Motel is conveniently located just a hop, skip and a jump over the North Delaware border in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. – a 200-year-old forest with overgrown trees, blanketing you in darkness even with a full moon a burst – this haunt takes the horror experience to an extreme level. Known most for The Haunted Hayride – “a 25 minute, action packed, heart pounding ride through the dark forest of Arasapha Farm. Filled with huge, detailed sets, giant monsters and more pyrotechnics than a Kiss concert” according to BatesMotel.com. This is America’s Most Horrifying Motel. The Bates Motel has been consistently ranked one of the top attractions in America by CNN.com, USA Today and the Travel Channel.  Rated #11 by Hauntworld magazine’s Top 13 Best and Scariest Haunted attractions of 2014. Rated #1 in the WORLD by Nster.com as the “The Scariest Tourist Attractions in the World”  Nster.com says, “The realistic nature of this attraction is astonishing, and the Bates Motel will not leave you indifferent.” Open thru Sunday, November 3rd.

Prices range from $15-$100 (VIP -no wait-Pass and free t-shirt). All this spook, right in your back yard. For more info, visit Bates Motel.

Field of Screams | Mountville, Pa

With four intense attractions and a fun-filled entertainment area, Field of Screams provides heart-pounding, bone-chilling experiences year after year. There are more gruesome scenes, horrifying sights, and startling scares than ever before. The experience will leave you begging for more. Journey through the dark cornfields, where terrifying creatures live and horrific acts occur. Witness atrocities found only in your worst nightmares and experience the thrill of the walking dead. Experience terror like no other in a trek through the Frightmare Asylum where demented people lie in wait for their next victim. Hear clown’s giggling snarls echo through the halls as you try to escape the madness. Walk through the Den of Darkness, a haunted house that was abandoned many years ago but was never fully vacated by the twisted people left behind. They remain to terrorize guests and leave them screaming for the door. For more fun and screams than ever before, take a hike through the desolate forest where few survivors remain. Nocturnal Wasteland provides the most extreme haunted experience as you come face to face with its disturbing inhabitants deep in the middle of the dark woods.

Open thru November 9th. Prices range from $14-$48 (VIP pass).  Just a little over an hour away to get the fright of your life.  For more info, visit Field of Screams.

Fort Delaware-Pea Patch Island | Delaware City, DE

Grab your flashlights, EMF meters, ambient thermometers and any other Ghost Hunting tools you require, Paranormal Adventures returns to Fort Delaware this fall. Programs are offered on the weekends throughout October. A very special experience is available on Oct.27~ die-hard ghost hunters can experience an extended Paranormal Investigation from 9:30 p.m. until 2:30 a.m. Participants will join in an actual investigation with Delaware Ghost Hunters, Inc.  Stops will include areas where paranormal activity has been suspected, and investigators will use data recorders,temperature sensors and other equipment trying to capture unusual sights and sounds.  Some of the areas of the Pea Patch Island Civil War fortress to be investigated may include; the fort’s prisoner barracks, mess hall, officer’s kitchen, ordnance room area and the west end of the Endicott section. The evening will start with a ferry ride over (that’s the only way to get on and off the Island) then a short introduction at the entrance to the fort, after which small groups will be led by a park interpreter to the various areas of investigation. The three-hour investigations (including boat travel time to the fort) are available by reservation only.

Price is $40 and $100 for The Extended Paranormal Adventure costs $100 per person. These are adventures for the realists! For schedule and more information, visit Fort Delaware.

Frightland | Middletown, DE

Frightland, located in the heart of New Castle County, is the Delaware’s largest complex known as the Disney World of Haunt. It’s located on 1300 acres bordering the C&D Canal located on Route 13. Frightland has Eight terrifying indoor and outdoor attractions including a haunted attic, zombie prison, horror hayride, outdoor walk-through haunted cemetery, house of fear, Old West zombie ghost town, haunted barn and haunted manor house. Frightland is known for having everything for your haunting pleasure. Voted top 10 haunted house by the Travel Channel and recognized as Forbes 2013 “10 Great Halloween Haunted House Attractions Across The U.S.” A portion of Frightland ticket proceeds and 100% of the parking fees benefit the Leukemia Research Foundation of Delaware.

Open thru Saturday, November 1st. Prices range from $30 – $50 (VIP Pass). Ready for the fright of your life? For more info, visit Frightland.

Jason’s Woods | Lancaster, PA

Jason’s Woods, located just 40 miles northwest of Wilmington in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is celebrating their 29th year with ALL-NEW Attractions, awe inspiring special effects and amazing animation. Prepare yourself for the Chamber of Horrors as well as the return of the horrible villains from your childhood on the Horrifying Hayride and get Lost in Jason’s Woods. With the NEW Zombie Apocalypse, Fields of Fright and the return of the notorious Carnival of Fear the Biggest just got Bigger. IF you’re doing Halloween, do it Right at Jason’s Woods! Jason’s Woods proudly received an “outstanding service and dedication” award presented by the International Association of Haunted Attractions in 2009.  This respected organization recognized Jason’s Woods’ contribution in the 26 year evolution of Haunted Houses. Jason’s Woods has been instrumental in growing the industry into the extensive Haunted Attractions that we enjoy today.  In 2011, Jason’s Woods received the rating of 5+ out of 5 SCARES from the Haunt Rater crew!

Open thru Sunday, November 3rd. Prices range from $25 – $50 ( with VIP pass to all 6 attractions). What are you waiting for…..? For more info, visit Jason’s Woods.

Night of Terror | Mullica Hill, NJ

Located in Creamy Acre Farms, Night of Terror boasts 6 terrifying attractions, including; Slaughter Cave, Zombie Mayhem, 3D Fun House, Ride of Terror, Cornfield Maze and Frozen Tundra. This is said to be the largest and scariest haunted attraction in NJ. Night of Terror’s claim to fame is that they have one of the oldest and largest corn mazes around as well as the first Haunted Paintball Hayride,  Zombie Hunt,  in the country.

Open thru…Prices range from… Seen on HGTV’s Scariest Haunted Houses...see why! for more information, visit Night of Terror.

Paranormal Investigations | Old New Castle

Hauntings in History Walking Tours  If you are brave enough to explore the darker side of New Castle’s history, then join the New Castle Historical Society this October for the only ghost tour that brings you inside one of the most haunted mansions of Old New Castle!  You’ll begin your journey into New Castle’s supernatural side with a tour of the legendary Amstel House – one of New Castle’s most haunted houses – where you may meet the “Woman in Blue.”  After exploring the Amstel House, you will be guided through New Castle’s darkened streets and alleyways where you will hear macabre tales of hauntings, Victorian death & funeral customs, and crime & punishment that span the 360-year history of this Delaware River town. ONE NIGHT ONLY…Join the team of Delmarva Historic Haunts for a night investigating two of Old New Castle’s most historic and “active” buildings – The Amstel House, The Dutch House and DHH’s state-of-the-art mobile investigating lab!   You’ll have a chance to see for yourself what happens in these buildings after dark, and maybe meet some of the “previous residents”. Space is limited and these tours will sell out! Get your tickets soon! 

For more information on these tours, visit New Castle Historical Society.

Pennhurst Asylum | Spring City, PA

Pennhurst Asylum, located 40 miles north of the Delaware border in northwest Philadelphia, is a 105-year-old abandoned mental institute – a hospital themed walk thru attraction featuring many items and artifacts that were part of the original State School. Located on the upper floors of the old Administration building, which dates to 1908, this attraction features a combination of high tech animatronics, digital sound and motivated actors, as well as fine detail and realism. Ghost hunters are especially interested in this site. It has been featured on “Ghost Adventures” and “Ghost Hunters.” The Dungeon of Lost Souls features a labyrinth of old cells, drafty halls and a series of human experiments that have gone horribly wrong. The Tunnel Terror attraction takes you through a 900 foot long concrete gauntlet underneath the grounds of the old State School, first named Pennhurst Home for the Feeble Minded and Epileptic. Rated #1 by Hauntworld magazine’s Top 13 Best and Scariest Haunted attractions of 2014 and rated #1  America’s 13 Best Haunted Houses.

Open thru Sunday, November 3rd. Prices range from $15 – $75(VIP pass). The fear is real. For more info, visit Pennhurst Asylum.

Rockwood Ghost Tours | Wilmington, DE

Explore the nooks and crannies of the Rockwood mansion in search of paranormal activity. You may experience the aroma of an exotic perfume, shiver at a sudden drop of temperature, hear a faint whisper of a voice calling out to you or feel that someone or something unworldly is following you around the room. Along the way, if you’re lucky, you may meet some of the long-lost family members who some say continue to walk the halls of the mansion. Rockwood offers different level Ghost Tours as well as an overnight Paranormal Investigation catering to all thrill tolerance levels.

Schedule varies, visit Ghost Tours for more information.   Prices range from $25-$100.

Shocktoberfest | Philadelphia

More than just a haunted house, Shocktoberfest is a 27 acre Screampark, the Monster Midway and SIX killer experiences keep you occupied all night!  For all you Zombie, Walking Dead lovers there are three options to get your Zombie on… Zombie Hayride, add the Paintball option as a means to protect yourself and fellow hayriders!  Or, you can take your infatuation with Zombies to the next level with the Zombie Night Run, similar to flag football, but with Zombies chasing you! Lastly, you can get a true feeling of what it is like to be a Zombie when you are transformed into one during the Zombie Experience. Then take a journey into the Unknown that will overwhelm your senses! You’ll encounter various fears and phobias augmented through the use of advance audio and 3D video technology and if that’s not scary enough for you try the Scared and Naked option!  Last but not least take a horrifying tour of Prison of the Dead Escape~ the tour begins when an actual prison inmate bus picks you up and transports you to the entrance of the Prison. How does it end? You’ll have to find out for yourself!

Open on weekends until November 9th.  Prices range based on the number of  activities selected $20-$60 (all access with RIP upgrade). Check it out…Shocktoberfest!

Slaughter House Farm | Laurel, De

Once a year a local farm in Laurel Delaware transforms into what some call a brutally morbid nightmare. Rumor has it that TJ Scott bought the farm after a long stay at a local mental hospital. The farm is located just off route 13 in Laurel Delaware, close enough to lore passing visitors off the busy highway and on the farm property. What happens to those visitors after coming onto the farm has never been discovered. Abandoned cars have been found throughout Sussex County, however, the owners seem to vanish. Blood curdling screams, gun shots and loud music comes from the farm at times, but the police refuse to investigate. The farm is still in operation today, but during the month of October the terror overflows!

Open weekends thru November 1st.  Price is only $10 and included admission into the Slaughter House and Stalkers Field.  For more information, visit Slaughter House Farm.

Terror Behind These Walls | Eastern State Penitentiary

Terror Behind the Walls is located inside the massive castle-like walls of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA. Now in its 22nd year, Terror Behind the Walls is consistently ranked among the top haunted attractions in the country, with SIX Haunted attractions. Just imagine being inside an 11-acre abandoned prison at night. The goal is to make you scared … really scared. And yes, it’s possible that someone (or something?) might be lurking inside one of those empty, dark cells you keep walking past.  Opt in for true interactivity and you  may be grabbed, held back, sent into hidden passageways, removed from your group, and even occasionally be incorporated into the show. 2014 brings new effects, new costumes and makeup, and updated and expanded attractions~unveiling the most interactive attraction in the history of the event – Machine Shop. Hidden deep inside the cellblocks is a long-forgotten machine shop. Evil pervades this space – an evil with one mind but with many bodies. Will you survive, or will you become just another cog in the machine? This one-of-a-kind attraction features intense startles, immersive one-on-one experiences, and gruesome industrial scenes. It takes the highly interactive Terror Behind the Walls experience to new heights.

Open now thru November 1st.  Prices range from  $13-$45.  See why Forbes Magazine named it one of the 10 Great Haunted Attractions.  For more information, visit Terror Behind These Walls.

The information in this article was taken from each locations web-site as well as hauntworld.com, hauntedhouse.com and forbes.com.   Please refer to these sites to verify and to get additional information.

     

Looking for more Fall Happenings?

www.northdelaWHEREhappening.com