Fall festivals, haunted houses and more ways to get into the fall spirit on Long Island 

Don't let shorter days and cooler nights stop you from enjoying a long list of fall activities. Mark your calendars and don't forget to make note of outdoor food festivals, haunted houses, cider tastings and corn maze adventures. 

FOOD FESTIVALS 

Taste the World

Enjoy a culinary adventure featuring dishes inspired by international cuisine. You'll find more than 60 food vendors serving up specialties, plus live music and a beer and wine lounge. Look for Cousins Main Lobster, La Braza, Knots of This World Pretzels, Rostacy’s Jamaican Food, Shrimpy's Burrito Bar and more. Cooking demonstrations, a vampire escape room, haunted house, ax-throwing and an art gallery add to the fun; 1-8 p.m. Oct. 6, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 7-9; $12, $5 ages 8-12. (Tanger Outlets Deer Park, Southeast parking lot, 152 The Arches Circle, Deer Park; famousfoodfestival.com) 

Oyster Festival

The two-day waterfront festival pays homage to the bivalve and features booths selling specialty oyster stew, seafood gumbo and raw, fresh local oysters along with other food. Other attractions include the historic John J. Harvey fireboat that served the FDNY from 1931 to 1994, carnival rides, live music, arts and crafts and a fireworks show at dusk Oct. 14. The festival runs 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 14 and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 15. (Theodore Roosevelt Park, Oyster Bay; 516-455-3179, theoysterfestival.org) 

GET SPOOKED

FOR KIDS

Spookyfest

Find out what's lurking in the woods besides zombie dinosaurs at the Center for Science Teaching and Learning this Halloween. The fest is a creepy walk in the woods featuring holiday scenes along with a meet-and-greet with merry monsters and a prince and princess during weekends in October. Try face painting or learn what your future holds with a fortune reading. You'll also find kids' arts and crafts and some "spooky bites" provided by food trucks. Admission is $20. (Center for Science Teaching and Learning, 1450 Tanglewood Rd., Rockville Centre; 516-764-0045, cstl.org) 

Gateway's Haunted Playhouse

"This Halloween production is built by Broadway designers and the performers are professional stage actors," says Scot Allen, director of public relations. Halloween characters including a mini witch, skeletons and friendly vampires greet you on a walk-thru scavenger hunt maze. The family-friendly Not So Scary Kids Adventure keeps the Halloween clock ticking; noon-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Oct. 14-29; $15, tickets must be purchased in advance. (215 S. Country Rd., Bellport; 631-286-1133, gatewayshauntedplayhouse.com)

FOR ADULTS

Chambers of Hell

Robert Frankenberg, co-owner of Chambers of Hell, says, "Long Island better get ready for an elevated level of fear in our haunt rooms, because this year, they're pitch black." Costumed actors escort you to individual haunted areas including Bourbon Street Massacre; Legends, featuring a lineup of your childhood nightmare characters; and the Inferno. Sept. 22-Oct. 31; $39.99; recommended for ages 13 and older. (1745 Express Dr. N., Hauppauge; 631-686-4424; chambersofhell.com) 

JACK-O'-LANTERN TRAILS

The Great Jack-O'-Lantern Blaze at Old Bethpage Village Restoration

Visitors can stroll a pumpkin trail featuring thousands of hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. The pumpkins are located around 19th-century buildings and historic barns and add a glow to the night with synchronized lighting. The Blaze runs evenings Sept. 22 -Nov. 5; advanced tickets are required for a time slot entry at pumpkinblaze.org; $29, $19 for ages 3-17. ( 1303 Round Swamp Rd., Old Bethpage; 914-366-6900, oldbethpagevillagerestoration.org).

Rise of the Jack-O'-Lanterns at Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts

Pumpkins are designed and arranged by local artists with music playing behind them. It's a not-so-spooky, 4,200-foot trail appropriate for all age groups. Sept. 28-Nov. 5; $15-$35. ( 185 Colonial Springs Rd., Wheatley Heights; jackolanterns.com)

GO THROUGH A CORN MAZE

Stakey's Pumpkin Farm's

Try to escape the corn maze (almost 4 acres). Visitors can get a copy of the corn maze trivia game with clues guiding you to the next station. Noon-5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends and school holidays, through Oct. 29; $10. (Stakey's Pumpkin Farm, 270 West Lane, Aquebogue; 631-722-3467, stakeyspumpkinfarm.com)

Harbes Orchard

The daytime Robin Hood trivia challenge maze at Harbes Orchard has live actors. Guests make their way through the paths while answering trivia questions on signs regarding the story of Robin Hood at six stations. The maze transforms from a trivia maze into a spooky maze with live characters on designated nights. Bring a flashlight or use your cellphone. The daytime maze is included in a combo value pass for $23-$29; night maze is $23. Daytime maze (through Oct. 29) is open 9 a.m. with last entry at 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and holidays and 10 a.m. Monday and Friday with last entry 4 p.m.; night maze (Oct. 7-29) is open 7 p.m. with last entry at 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. (Harbes Orchard, 5698 Sound Ave., Riverhead, 631-683-8388, harbesorchard.com)

RESTAURANTS WITH HALLOWEEN SPIRIT 

Haunted House of Hamburgers

For a not-so-scary Halloween meal, head to this eatery, where it's Halloween all year. Patrons can spot classic characters like Dracula and the Mummy. A festive menu includes Horror-Q burger, Haunted House fries and a Blue Monster mocktail, (330 Fulton St., Farmingdale; 516-777-1031, hhhamburgers.com)

Harbor Mist Restaurant

Legend has it that there's ghosts in the historic restaurant built in the early 1800s. The establishment was originally a bar frequented by local and cross-sound whalers and it's said ghosts from that era still lurk on the second floor. The restaurant serves Italian-American food. (105 Harbor Rd., Cold Spring Harbor; 631-659-3888, harbormistrestaurantli.com) 

Katie's of Smithtown

Featured on an episode of Travel Channel's "Ghost Adventures" and A&E's "The Paranormal State," the restaurant, once a hospital, a hotel and also a store has been known to have a "creepy" stairwell, basement and a men's restroom where staffers have spotted a male figure in a derby hat. (145 W Main St., Smithtown; 631-360-8556, katiesofsmithtown.com)

SIP CIDER

Riverhead Ciderhouse

Try a Honeycrisp Bolt or Apple Annie hard cider along with local beers and wines. The tasting room is open noon-8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, noon-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. There's also patio seating, weather permitting. (2711 Sound Ave., Calverton; 631-591-0217, riverheadcider.com) 

Jericho Cider Mill

The cider mill offers a taste of fall fun right off Jericho-Oyster Bay Road. The venue turns its parking lot from10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily from mid-September through December into a fun spot with tents featuring free games for kids and photo-ops. . Cider doughnuts are for purchase, as well as the popular crumb doughnuts (flavors include apple, apple blueberry, apple raspberry, apple raisin, banana, chocolate banana and pumpkin). New this year is ice cream by the scoop along with doughnuts made into ice cream sandwiches. (213 Rte. 106, Jericho; 516-433-3360, jerichocider.com) 

With Dorothy Levin, Nyasia Spencer and Gina Tabarus