If you are a diehard fan of Halloween and haunts, there is nothing that should keep you from the ultimate haunted attractions in Pennsylvania. October comes and goes so quickly, you will want to take advantage of every (relatively) free weekend that you have to make the most of the spooky season.
For those who really want to get their scare on, even driving a few hours away from State College is worth it for some of the best haunted attractions in the country. Find a friend who lives nearby — and how hard can it be considering almost all Penn Staters are either from outside of Philly or outside of Pittsburgh — and take an overnight trip to visit one or a few of these haunted houses.
Pennhurst Asylum
Pennhurst Asylum in Spring City, Pa. is a haunted attraction located in the legendary hospital complex that had been abandoned for 25 years before opening back up to the public as a haunted house. This place is no joke — it was not constructed for the sole purpose of becoming an attraction but because it was an actual institution for the mentally and physically disabled. Now, Pennhurst offers four different attractions: Mayflower After Dark, Containment, The Morgue and the classic Pennhurst Asylum attraction. Explore the haunted halls and don’t be surprised if you find that it’s more than the actors and the props that give you a fright.
Ghost Lake
Also known as “13 Levels of Fear,” this haunted attraction in Conneaut Lake, Pa. touts itself as “the largest, longest and scariest haunted attraction in the world.” Guests must make their way through 13 different “levels” full of endless frights in order to make it out alive. There are over 160 live creatures waiting to shock you as you make your way through, and be prepared for scare after scare in this seemingly endless haunted attraction that will guarantee it is worth your money.
Field of Screams
Field of Screams in Mountville, Pa. has three different types of haunted attractions, including a hayride, two haunted houses and haunted woods. As seen on USA Today, Travel Channel, Time Magazine, Newsweek and more, Field of Screams will be sure to offer you heart-stopping thrills in four different unique and terrifying experiences: the Haunted Hayride, the Den of Darkness Horror Barn, the Frightmare Asylum Haunted House and the Nocturnal Wasteland Haunted Trail.
Arasapha Farms
Step into the movie “Psycho” at Arasapha Farms this October when you enter Arasapha Farms’ Bates Motel haunted attraction. Located in Glen Mills, Pa., the Bates Motel haunted house is accompanied by the Haunted Hayride — a 25-minute journey through huge, detailed fright scenes — and the Revenge of the Scarecrows Haunted trail — a terrifying walk through a cornfield full of actors and sets waiting to make you scream in horror. Arasapha Farms does not disappoint those looking for a good scare.
Jason’s Woods
People from all over the east coast travel far distances to come to Jason’s Woods in Lancaster, Pa. Boasting five different attractions — the Horrifying Hayride, Chamber of Horrors, Zombie Apocalypse, Lost in Jason’s Woods and Carnival of Fear — Jason’s Woods has plenty to offer you a night of never-ending fright. This haunted attraction has been up and running for 33 years, offering new and unexpected scares each Halloween season.
Though these attractions may be a bit of a drive from Penn State, they offer a great way to get off campus and have the most frightening experience of your life. Come November, you’ll be wishing that you made the trip!
