As the calendar crawls closer to the spookiest night of the year, adults and kids alike are looking to get a good scare in. Sure, you can throw on a horror movie or venture to smaller neighborhood parties or haunted houses clad in black and orange, but what if you are looking for a true fright?
Lucky for you, there are a handful of great options in the area, all close enough for a day trip from Baltimore. Here are three great spots for a scare that are sure to send a shiver down your spine, ranging from within the city to a few hours away.
- The Nevermore Haunt; Baltimore
Located just north of the Inner Harbor, the Nevermore Haunt takes its name from Baltimore legend Edgar Allan Poe’s work “The Raven” and delivers on the same level of fright as the story that it is named after. The Nevermore is found in an old building appropriate for a haunted house and is filled with decorations and actors in full garb who are sure to spook you. It’s open Fridays and Saturdays, as well as Thursday, Oct. 30 and Sunday, Nov. 2. With tickets ranging from $24 to $34, it’s reasonable enough to take plenty of friends or family, depending on how good they are at handling a scare. And with a good urban location, there is plenty to do before and after within a short distance.
- Pennhurst Asylum; Spring City, Pa.
Located two and a half hours northeast of Baltimore, Pennhurst Asylum is as authentic as it gets. The name wasn’t created by marketers looking to get the hair on your neck to stand — the attraction carries the name of the real-life asylum that operated on the grounds from the early 1900s until the forced closure of the facility due to abuse of patients in 1987. Within the more than a dozen buildings on the grounds in rural Pennsylvania, you can dive into the history of the asylum while also partaking in modern horror attractions, including strobe lights and fog machines. The Pennhurst Asylum allows children as young as 10 to attend but recommends against bringing kids. This place is seriously scary! Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 2, tickets cost as low as $45 with prices going up from there depending on how many elements of the attraction you want to indulge in and how many times you want to come back.
- Field of Screams; Mountville, Pa.
Field of Screams is a classic Mid-Atlantic haunt. It more closely resembles a festival than a haunted house, with a variety of attractions including escape rooms, a maze, a hayride, an entertainment area and more. Located an hour and 20 minutes north of Baltimore, Field of Screams is ideal for a family outing, as you can choose your own path through the fun and opt out of the scarier activities if you so choose. One of the best parts of Field of Screams is that it runs way past the typical horror or Halloween attraction. You can attend on Thursdays through Sundays through Halloween (except Oct. 30), or you can delay your thrills until as late as May! Field of Screams is open for a handful of dates in November, as well as one weekend each in December, February and March, as well as May 2. Admission ranges from $18 to $40!
