Looking for something fun to do with your friends to get you into the Halloween spirit? Take a trip to a local pumpkin patch to pick out that perfect pumpkin to bring home and have a pumpkin carving party with your friends (don’t forget the apple cider). Or if you’re more of a thrill seeker, convince your friends to go to a haunted forest with you.
Listed below are a few places for you to consider visiting this fall:
Ganyard Hill Farm
Ganyard Hill Farm features many fun fall activities. While the farm is primarily known for its pumpkin patch, it also provides hayride tours of the farm and a cornfield maze. This Tall Corn Field Maze is created over five acres with the trail lasting about one-third of a mile. After you’ve found the perfect pumpkin and completed your adventure through the cornfield maze, be sure to head over to the picnic area where you can enjoy having lunch with your friends. General admission to the farm costs $12.50 (which includes a complimentary free pumpkin). Ganyard Hill Farm is located at 319 Sherron Road in Durham and is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find more information at www.ganyardhillfarm.com.
McKee’s Cedar Creek Farm
McKee’s Cedar Creek Farm offers both the fun and fright of Halloween. During the day, there is a pumpkin patch, hayrides and two corn mazes. The main maze offers four miles of paths intertwined throughout the 12-acre corn maze. The farm also includes a picnic area and Maple View ice cream. You can purchase tickets for The Haunted Trail and Cornfield Maze between 6 and 10 p.m.! The cost of the Haunted Maze is $10 per person and is only open on October 22nd, 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st. General admission to the farm is $8. It is located at 5011 Kiger Road, Rougemont, NC 27572 and is open on Fridays 3-8 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, you can visit the website at www.mckeemaze.com.
Silent Forest
After visiting the Silent Forest website, it seems that this haunted forest is not intended for the faint of heart. The website warns, “those with a weak heart and stomach to enter at your own risk.” The Silent Forest is known as “The Southeast’s first and only Haunted Halloween Theme Park.” Admission is $17 but if you bring your college ID with you, then admission is only $14 so be sure not to forget that if you go! Silent Farms is located at 1600 Northside Road in Creedmoor (about a forty minute drive from Chapel Hill). It is open 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. from October 20th-22nd and from 28th-31st.
Check it out at www.silentforest.org.
Clayton Fear Farm: Haunted Scream Park
This Haunted Scream Park is about an hour way, but if you want a park full of haunted attractions, then it may be worth the ride. Fear Farm features seven haunted Halloween attractions including several haunted horror houses, a haunted hayride and a five acre corn maze. Admission is $12 per single attraction or $25 for a combo package which includes access to all seven attractions. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Clayton Fear Farm ticket booth. The Fear Farm is located at 1620 Loop Road in Clayton, NC and is open from 7 p.m. 11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday in October and from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Sunday. The Farm is also open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Halloween, October 31st.
Sources:
Pumpkin (photo): Google Images, http://www.google.com/imgres?q=pumpkin+patch&num=10&um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=607&tbm=isch&tbnid=10yH7dtXYynp3M:&imgrefurl=http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-antonio/769179-pumpkin-patch-places.html&docid=Si2EP3iuSi79kM&w=400&h=273&ei=CTuSTv_DI86EtgeZxKynDA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=332&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=115&tbnw=147&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=81&ty=41
McKee farm maze (photo): McKee Maze, http://www.mckeemaze.com/
Silent Forest (photo): Silent Forest, http://www.silentforest.org/
Fear Forest Haunted Hayride: Clayton Fear Farm, http://www.claytonfearfarm.com/CFF_home.html