Fall is finally among us, which means that it is OFFICIALLY spooky season!! If you’re still looking to fill your calendar with experiences to make your skin crawl this Halloween season (or just put you in the mood if you get scared easily), look no further.
1. The Glow: A Jack O’Lantern Experience
If you’re a bit of a chicken but love Halloween (like me), finding an event that you’ll feel comfortable at can be a real challenge. This ⅓ mile trail of beautifully hand-carved Jack O’Lanterns is the perfect compromise. Outside in the dark, guests walk through Lake Fairfax Park to bask in the beauty of the carved pumpkins, enjoy food, beverages, and live carving demonstrations. Advanced tickets are required, so make sure to grab them soon!
2. Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon
Another family-friendly, but just as fun, spook-tacular event gets to the root of what Halloween is truly about: candy. Frolic around our first president’s not-so humble abode while trick-or-treating, making Halloween crafts, taking a wagon ride, dancing 18th-century style, or learning how to make chocolate, all in your best Martha Washington costume!
3. Fields of Fear, Cox Farms Via Scream Freak
This classic haunt in Centerville offers three attractions: “Cornightmare”, “The Forest: Back 40”, and “Dark Side Hayride” which new this year features an abandoned circus that comes to life when the living are near. The Firegrounds is also included with admission, with several bonfires to cuddle in front of, music and entertainment, and delicious apple cider donuts to keep you fueled throughout the night. Fields of Fear is open every Friday and Saturday night from now until November 4.
Related: Top 5 Frights of Fairfax
4. Madhaunter’s Madhouse
The website names it as “Virginia’s scariest haunted attraction”, so this one will surely not disappoint. An indoor and outdoor maze, there are jump scares and special effects galore in this exhibit, all to have you running all the way back to campus.
5. Hospital Horrors
Via Prince William County Virginia
For one night only on October 28, step back into time and tour the Ben Lomond Historic Site which served as a Confederate Field Hospital in the Civil War. Guided tours will happen every 20 minutes throughout the night and guests are encouraged to bring a flashlight, for you never know what might be lurking around a dark corner…
Related: 17 Movies That Will Get You in Your Fall Feels
6. Shocktober
Based on the legend of Jedidiah Carver and his dangerous family who used to live in the Paxton Manor, the haunts at this attraction are far from family-friendly. Venture through the haunted mansion and its basement as you are stalked and shaken by the Carver family, clowns and more. As a bonus, all the proceeds go to The Arc of Loudoun at Paxton Campus, a non-profit organization that provides integrative services to children and adults with disabilities.
7. Night of the Living Zoo
Via Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute
Though you may not encounter any frights, this adults-only Halloween party at the National Zoo includes after-hours access to multiple animal exhibits, including the Great Cats Circle and the Small Mammal House. Guests will enjoy live music and performances from artists of all types, rides, craft beer, popular food trucks, and a costume contest.
Whether you’re a true chicken or an adrenaline junkie, Northern Virginia is full of haunts for any kind of collegiette this Halloween season.