9 haunted Halloween attractions in the Philly area, just in time for spooky season

For all the Philly haunters and horror enthusiasts out there, your time is now. Haunted Halloween attractions are currently or soon-to-be open and ready to send people home crying (as many like to boast on their websites).

Some great ones are only a few hours away, but they can require a hotel, planning a weekend — it’s a whole thing. What about haunted houses, hayrides, and hotels that are located within an hour of Philadelphia?

The attractions listed here are meant to be scary. One location’s website FAQ reads: “You’ve paid to be scared. So, if you or your child are so scared that you can’t continue through the haunts, then we have done our job. There would be no reason for a refund.” Makes sense.

If you’re looking for something more family-friendly, there is always Philadelphia Zoo’s “Boo at the Zoo” or the Franklin Institute’s “Franklin Fright” weekends.

But, if you’re ready for the adrenaline rush, here’s a list of haunted Halloween attractions close to Philly, sorted from closest to farthest.

» READ MORE: Get ready for a night at Fright Factory in South Philly

How far: Under 30 minutes

Price: $39 to $59 per person if purchased online depending on the day of the week; prices are higher at the door

Philadelphia’s renowned haunted attraction Eastern State Penitentiary has been scaring people for the last 25 years.

The prison itself was opened in 1829 to experiment with a new form of imprisonment: solitary confinement with hard labor. Today, the grounds are used as a historical education site with a mission to educate the public on incarceration.

During Halloween the defunct penitentiary turns into a haunted attraction called “Halloween Nights,” complete with haunted houses, beer gardens, campfires, and food, and a speakeasy lounge inside Al Capone’s former prison cell.

📍 2027 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, 📞 215-236-3300, 🌐 easternstate.org/halloween

How far: Under 30 minutes

Price: $40 per person, but more expensive packages are available

In the depths of South Philly resides a century-old warehouse with a haunted twist — the Basement of the Fright Factory is a ghoul-infested nightmare. You’ll walk through a gauntlet of creatures and scary props while the floors move and fog wafts through the damp air. Horror is lurking around every corner. The Travel Channel even featured this haunt on America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions and it was used as a filming location in the horror film Terrifier 2.

The Inquirer also got an inside look at how some of the actors get ready for an evening’s haunting.

📍 2200 S. Swanson St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-334-4678, 🌐 frightfactoryphilly.com

How far: Under 30 minutes

Price: $35 per person, but more expensive packages are available

This is Philly’s newest haunted attraction, opening for the first time last Halloween season.

When Hurricane Ida flooded Manayunk’s Lincoln Mill, it ravaged the interior of the building as well, revealing a decades-old dark secret — the mill’s original owner was conducting horrifying experiments on his workers. (So the story goes.) Now, the mill is running rampant with the spirits of those who died in the lower chambers of the building. Explore with friends the dark secrets of Lincoln Mill while dozens of the mill’s trapped souls chase you through the night.

If your speed is more PG-13-level spookiness, Lincoln Mill has a daytime scavenger hunt inside the attraction with no scare-actors.

📍 4100 Main St., Philadelphia, ✉️ info@lincolnmillhaunt.com (preferred), 📞 (267) 217-6097, 🌐 lincolnmillhaunt.com

How far: 30 minutes to an hour

Price: $40 per person, but more expensive packages are available

By day, Creamy Acres Farm is an idyllic farm getaway for families in the tristate area, but at night ... monsters, creatures, and chain saw wielding ghouls take over for a Night of Terror.

With many different attractions you can scream through, one ticket grants you access to the whole farm. And for $30 more, take a paintball-shooting hayride adventure to try and take out as many ghouls as possible. HGTV featured the attraction on Halloween Tricked Out.

📍 448 Lincoln Mill Rd., Mullica Hill, N.J., 📞 856-223-1669, 🌐 nightofterror.com

How far: 30 minutes to an hour

Price: $40 to $50 per person, but more expensive packages are available

Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, the Bates Motel in Glen Mills is a top-tier haunted attraction right outside of Philly. You’ll be chased, scared, and led through a night of haunted hayride trails, a murder-filled motel, and other Halloween-themed activities. CNN named this attraction one of the best haunted houses in America in 2019.

📍 1835 N. Middletown Rd., Glen Mills, Pa., 📞 610-459-0647, 🌐 thebatesmotel.com

How far: 30 minutes to an hour

Price: $25 to $55 per person, but more expensive packages are available

A haunted hayride, a ghost pirate named One-Eyed Willie after his lost treasure, and a cursed mansion with a murderous ghost? This place has got it all.

Take a quick trip north of Philly to the Valley of Fear, where three horrifying attractions await your screams. If you’re not into the whole getting scared thing, they also have live music.

📍 301 W. Bristol Rd., Feasterville, Pa., 📞 215-942-9787, 🌐 valleyoffear.com

How far: 45 minutes to an hour

Price: $40 to $55 per person, but more expensive packages are available

A highly ranked haunted attraction, Frightland features a haunted mystery surrounding the infamous Dr. Thaddeus Idalia, an evil doctor who performed gruesome experiments on the grounds of Frightland. Explore the doctor’s mysterious barn with a dark secret, Ravenwood cemetery where the victims were buried, and his manor where he secluded himself for years. With eight different attractions, from hayrides to haunted barns and a zombie prison, the price of admission is well worth it.

📍 309 Port Penn Rd., Middletown, Del., 🌐 frightland.com

How far: 45 minutes to an hour

Price: $21 to $42 per person, but more expensive packages are available

Enter the reimagined Village of Sleepy Hollow in Newtown, Bucks County, where a haunted orphanage, dark crypts, deadly farm fields, and forbidden cottages await anyone who dares to visit.

A haunted hayride takes you through the moonlit acres of fields and woods, while you’ll lose yourself to Malfate Manor’s 17 spooky rooms. If after all that you’re still not terrified out of your mind, the Field of Fright will find you out in the lonely dark with nowhere to hide.

Friendly bonfires and live music are waiting for you when you’re done with screaming through the village.

📍 881 Highland Rd., Newtown, Pa., 📞 215-860-6855, 🌐 sleepyhollowhayride.com

How far: 1 hour

Price: $52 per person, but more expensive packages are available

Pennhurst Asylum, located on the grounds of what was once the Pennhurst State School and Hospital, is now one of Pennsylvania’s most renowned haunted attractions. However, its history is not without controversy.

Pennhurst was originally a state-run institution that became notorious for its overcrowding, mistreatment, and abuse of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Today, guests can walk through areas such as the morgue, tunnels, and historical buildings while encountering actors portraying monsters, ghouls, and eerie characters. It’s a chilling experience, but one that stands in contrast to the real, often tragic stories of those who lived there. Visitors are encouraged to approach this attraction with respect for the history and lives affected by Pennhurst’s troubled past.

📍 250 Commonwealth Dr., Spring City, Pa., 📞 484-886-6080, 🌐 pennhurstasylum.com