2016 Fall & Halloween Info & Events

Below are listings & links to events for families & children by county
PLEASE CHECK THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE FOR Haunted Hayrides, Ghost Walks & Events for Older Kids

For all events, please go to our Holiday Calendar.
Also check out:
NJ Farms for pumpkin picking, hayrides & other Halloween fun
Halloween Fun

Spooky Halloween Fun (Indoor & Outdoor Events by County)

Halloween Fun at NJ Farms: Part 1, Part 2

Monster Mini Golf - locations including Edison, Fairfield, Marlboro, Paramus, Princeton and Union

Bergen County

Halloween at the Meadowlands (Lyndhurst) - On Oct. 27 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm; Celebrate this ghoulish time of year at DeKorte Park.  There will be games, crafts, and activities throughout the evening, including hayrides and the Witch's Den. Take your kids on the "Historical Figures of the Meadowlands" Not-So-Spooky Walk where they’ll meet the Pirates who inhabited the region in the 1600s, Muskrat Trappers, Pig Farmers and other distinctive figures that give the Meadowlands its unique personality.  

Burlington County

Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt (Medford) - Oct. 29 & 30 from 11 am to 4 pm at Johnson's Corner Farm; Children can dress in their Halloween Costumes and they will receive a FREE Hayride. We will be picking; Pumpkins, Gourds, Popcorn, Broccoli and Sweet Potato Digging!  
With paid admission to our Discovery Barnyard and Animal Farm your Children can follow the clues and "hunt" for treats!!

Camden County

Halloween Hootenanny (Cherry Hill) - at Garden State Discovery Museum on Oct 28 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM; kiddie games, trick-or-treating, haunted exhibits & more; $20 for non-members, $10 for members and $5 for adults

Cape May County

Halloween Happenings in Cape May - see their website for all their spooky tours & special events from Oct. 18-31 including:
-- Free Trick-or-Treating at the Physick Estate on Oct. 31 from 5 pm to 7 pm 
-- Ghosts of the Lighthouse Trolley Tour - tours start at 8 pm until 9 pm on Oct. 31;You’ll hear and experience Craig McManus’ paranormal findings during your journey. Once you reach your destination, you’ll feel the presence of the spirits at the Light; $22 adults, $15 children (3-12)
-- Historic Haunts House Tour - Oct. 31 from 7:45 pm to 8:15 pm; Visit the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate to learn about the Victorians' fascination with spiritualism and today's method of "ghost hunting."  30 minutes tour of first and second floors of the museum. First floor accessible. Adults $12 and children (3-12) $8
-- Phantoms of the Physick Estate (Cape May) - visit Cape May’s original haunted house. The Mourning Hours - Saturdays, Oct. 15-29: 1pm-4pm Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children (ages 3-12).
What Happens After Dark - Fridays & Saturdays, Oct. 14-29: 7pm-9pm Are you brave enough to tour Dr. Physick’s house after dark?  Strange things have been seen, heard and done here in the evening hours. Let your guide open a portal to the past and see what discoveries await. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children (ages 3-12). 

Essex County

Turtle Back Zoo (West Orange, NJ) - Safe Halloween on Oct. 31 from 4 pm to 8 pm - Come trick-or-treating at the Zoo! With candy stations throughout the grounds, everyone is sure to have a “sweet” time! Also, swing by our train for our famous “Not-So-Scary” Train Ride. All sales at the door. Zoo will be closed from 2:30-4pm in preparation for this event. Visitors should bring their own candy bags.
$5 for non-members
$3 for members

Mercer County

Halloween Fun (East Windsor) - kid-friendly fun on weekends includes Pumpkin Picking, Corn Maze & hayrides to the Patch from 10 am to 5 pm Oct 29 & 30; Night Time events for smaller ones including flash light maze; also have their  Field of Terror offering night-time frights Oct. 27-31 for older visitors
Ghoul School (Pennington) - 9:30 am to 11:30 am on Oct. 29; Creepy chemistry and mad science experiments have taken over the Watershed lab today! Join the Teacher-Naturalists for some silly and serious Halloween fun! Please wear your costume too!  Call to register: 609-737-7592
Trick or Treat Storytime and Parade
(Princeton) - 11 am Oct. 28 at Barnes & Noble in Princeton; Calling all princesses and superheroes! Come in your Halloween costumes for a fun-filled Storytime and parade. Craft activity will follow.

Middlesex County

4-H House of Horrors (East Brunswick) -
Middlesex County's 4-H Teen Council invites you to their Haunted House every Friday and Saturday in October from 7 to 11 PM; at the Middlesex County 4-H Center, on the corner of Cranbury and Fern Rd. in East Brunswick; a fund-raising event with a $5 admission fee for the House of Horrors, $5 for the Haunted Hayride or $8 for a combo ticket.
​A Halloween Scare in New Jersey Storytime (Edison) - Oct. 27 at 11 am at Barnes & Noble at Menlo Park Mall; Join us for our Halloween Storytime featuring the book A Halloween Scare in New Jersey by Eric James. Enjoy a Halloween craft and other activities.

Halloween Groupon Deals

Morris County

Fall Family Fun (Chester) - pumpkin and apple picking; hayrides, pony rides and more in October
Spooky and Spectacular Family Festival (Morristown) - Oct. 29 from 12 pm to 3 pm at the Morris museum; Come in costume (or not!) and enjoy: Pumpkin Decorating with paint and bling (pumpkins provided); A spooky scavenger hunt with prizes; Parade in the Entrance Pavilion and Costume Contest at 1:30PM; FREE FOR MEMBERS
NON-MEMBERS: $7/CHILD, $10/ADULT
Morris County Parks events - Halloween events include:
Teeny Tiny Trail Tails - on Oct. 29, time slots between 1pm and 2 pm; Ages 2 - 5 with an adult. New for 2016! Families with small children can now enjoy a less spooky version of Trail Tales earlier in the day. Hear silly and nature-themed tales told by costumed storytellers along the decorated trails of the Great Swamp. Wear your own costume, too. Sign up in advance for a time slot. 3 per person. Preregistration is required. To register, 973.635.6629
Trail Tales - Oct. 29, Time slots between 5:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Ages 6 & Up. Hear silly, slightly spooky, and nature-themed tales told by costumed storytellers along the decorated nighttime trails of the Great Swamp. Enjoy the sweet goodness of cider and cookies provided by Whole Foods Market of Madison! Sign up in advance for a time slot - they fill up quickly! $6 per person. Preregistration is required. To register, 973.635.6629.
Many Dreadful Tails - on Oct. 29 from 6 pm to 9 pm at Historic Speedwell; Enter the Vail House to hear haunted tales both old and new in a particularly atmospheric setting.  A costumed interpreter regales you with horror stories from the Victorian period while, across the hall, your ears are filled with reports of modern day insistences of things going ‘bump’ in the night at museums all over the country. $5/adult, $4/senior (65+), $3/child age 4 - 16, FREE/children under 4. Contact: 973.285.6550
A Miller's Halloween - on Oct. 29 from 1 pm to 3:30 pm at Cooper Gristmill; Come in costume to the Cooper Gristmill, and enjoy a spook-tacular, kid-friendly storytelling at 1 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. Make crafts, play games, and tour the Gristmill looking for surprises around every corner. FREE! Donations welcome.
Contact: 908.879.5463
Historic Haunting - on Oct. 30, 10 am to 5 pm at Historic Speedwell; A scary and fun afternoon awaits. Listen to terrifying ghost stories and participate in a variety of Halloween fun and games. Come in costume $5/adult, $4/senior (65+), $3/child age 4 - 16, FREE/children under 4.  Contact: 973.285.6550
Halloween Happenings - on Oct. 30 from 1 pm to 3:30 pm at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm;  Play special Halloween games, decorate cookies, and try on old-fashion costumes. At 3:30 p.m., take a guided walk to discover the many pumpkins hiding in the nearby woods. Board the horse-drawn wagon for a ride on the farm. $6/adult, $5/senior (65+), $4/child age 4 - 16, $2/child age 2 & 3, FREE/ children under 2. Contact: 973.326.7645
Fall & Haunted Hayrides (Montville) - has haunted & regular hayrides Saturdays & Sundays 11-5. Haunted hayrides are not recommended for young children under 8

Ocean County

78th Annual Halloween Parade (Toms River) - on Oct. 31; reportedly the second largest in the world & begins at 7 pm at the Toms River Shopping Centre

Passaic County

Halloween Show (Paterson) - On Oct. 30 from 10 am to 4 pm at NJ Hi-Railers Train Club; more than 200 monsters, martians, zombies, space aliens and science-fiction creatures have invaded the massive train layout Five miles of interconnecting tracks take model trains through cities and countrysides, underneath and on bridges, and over and under mountainsides. There is also a separate, special kids layout where youngsters can run the trains.

Somerset County

Halloween Hootenanny (Bridgewater) - Oct. 29 at 10 am to 10:45 am and 11 am to 11:45 am at the Somerset County Library; Kids of all ages can dress in your favorite costume and come to the library for a frolicking fun time with songs, interactive stories and more! No registration required.
Ghostly Tales and Legends (Bridgewater) - 2 pm to 3:30 pm on Oct. 29 at Somerset County Library. Gordon Thomas Ward, author, musician, presenter, and co-star of an upcoming television series about paranormal encounters, will entertain you with some stories from the Somerset Hills and the surrounding area that will surely put you in the Halloween mood. Registration required.
​Fall Festival (Hillsborough) - at Norz Hill Farm on weekends including & on Halloween; events include hayrides, pony rides, pumpkin picking; there is a Scare Farm for the older set.
Mischief Night Madness (Somerset) - at Colonial Park Putting Course on Oct 28  Enjoy a game of miniature golf with the ghouls. Wear your costume and get a free goodie bag. Free cider and donuts along with moonlight hay rides, spooky tales from the witch's cauldron, and a Park Ranger guided night hike. Fees: $10 per family, $8 for two ghostly golfers 4pm - 9pm
Colonial Park Putting Course, Franklin 
908 722-1200 ext. 226

Ghoulish Indoor Fun

In the Crypt (aka at home)
Movies at home - Real Simple's top 10 list of Halloween movies, including some family favorites
Syfy Channel - offers annual 31 Days of Halloween with special episodes and spooky movies
ABC Family - hosts 13 Nights of Halloween for a scare-fest for the younger set
Chiller and Fearnet have regular programming for viewers who love to get spooked
Howl-O-Ween fun - pets in costume, online puzzles (for older kids) & holiday trivia
Howling Good Books - Sandy's review on some of the best bets this Halloween for kids of all ages
Other Great Halloween/Fall Books - ParenthoodNJ's growing compilation of great reads

Frightening Fun for Older Kids, Teens & Adults

Haunted Hayrides, Corn Mazes & Fright Fests
Scareland Stadium (Augusta) - Scareland Stadium is 25 minutes of pure unadulterated fear and unrivaled terror. At Scareland, you are part of the attraction; Oct 30, 31 and Nov. 1; $15 each All Ages (Tickets may be purchased at the door), parking is free; recommended for ages 12 and up
Haunted Village (Clinton) - 25th Annual Haunted Mill will be taking place at the Historic Red Mill Museum Village in Clinton on Oct. 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29 from 6:30 pm to 10 pm; this year's theme is Murder at Milligin's Mansion;  tour the mansion, go on a haunted hayride and brave the walking terror trail; General admission $30; parents should use their judgment with younger children
Field of Terror (East Windsor) - self-described largest haunted Corn Maze Hayride in NJ; annual Haunted Hayride (Zombie Hunt Paintball), Killer Kornfield, and 2 walk-through attractions, The Unknown and Dementia (also have a family-friendly flashlight maze); also a Zombie Mud Run on Oct 29
Fright Fest at Schaefer Farms (Flemington) - 45 minutes navigating 4 scary attractions: Hayride of Horror, Trail of Terror, MassAcre Maize and Carnival of Chaos; not recommended for children under 10
​Scare Farm (Hillsborough) - at Norz Hill Farm; 
Nightmares Haunted Attraction (Montvale) - Brighton Asylum is an interactive, indoor haunted house; not recommended for kids under 10 
Fall & Haunted Hayrides (Montville) - has haunted & regular hayrides Saturdays & Sundays 11-5. Haunted hayrides are not recommended for young children under 8
Field of Terror Haunted House & Hayride (Mullica Hill ) - six attractions including Slaughter Cave, a 3D Fun House, a Cornfield Maze; not recommended for kids under 13
Other Haunted Hayrides in various towns

Ghost Walks & Haunted House Tours
Candlelight Tour of Historic Chestnut Hill Cemetery (East Brunswick) - 5:30 pm - 8 pm on Oct. 15 & 16;
Costumed re-enactors in historic dress; featuring former Historic Village of Old Bridge (East Brunswick) with displays and narratives about their "life"; Over 500 Luminaries outline the walking path; $8 per adult and $2 per child under 12 (pay at the gate)
Jersey Shore Ghost Tours (Keyport) - $13 per person. Buy tickets here. Saturday evenings, August through Halloween. Tours run rain or shine. Tickets go on sale at 8 pm. Tours begin at 8:30 pm. and last approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Meet at the Mini Park across from Espresso Joe's Coffee Shop on West Front Street. Adult bodies just $12 and Bodies 10 and under just $10.
Ghost Tours of the Proprietary House (Perth Amboy) - Ghost tours of Proprietary House, featuring paranormal expert Jane Doherty from 6 pm to 10 pm on Oct 28 and 29 admission $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 & under
Jersey Shore Ghost Tours (Red Bank) - Meet in front of the Dublin House at 30 Monmouth Street for walking lantern tours of Red Bank every Friday night in August through Halloween. Tickets will be available starting at 8:00 pm and tours will start at 8:30 pm, so there is time to enjoy a cold drink after you pick up your tickets. Tours will run approximately one hour and run rain or shine.
Woodbridge Ghost Walk  (Woodbridge) - Oct 7 & 8; Tours start at 6:30 pm and the final tour starts at 9 pm and are conducted by costumed guides who will share stories of New Jersey's settlers and the town's infamous and famous ghostly residents. The 55-minute walks held in the early evening are appropriate for children although the tours starting after 8:50 pm are restricted to kids 16 and up. Admission is $6 per person although stroller children are free. The event is first-come, first serve but groups of 10 or more should make a reservation by calling 732-738-6022.  

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