12 haunted houses on Long Island, ranked by scare factor
Check out Long Island's Halloween events, from haunted mansions to spooky trails, and use Newsday's scare meter to plan your visit. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
Halloween season is in full swing. Check out Newsday’s Spooky Trail highlighting 12 haunts happening throughout Nassau and Suffolk. If you’re a scaredy-cat, make sure to keep an eye on the scare meter to see if you can handle the horror.
Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
NEWSDAY SCARE METER
💀: No worries 💀💀: Light fright 💀💀💀: Somewhat scary 💀💀💀💀: Frightening 💀💀💀💀💀: Intense
HALLOWEEN HOUSE LONG ISLAND
777 Pulaski Rd., Greenlawn
Scare factor: 💀
Halloween House features a dozen rooms of festive fun. Credit: Halloween House Long Island
Get out your phone and start clicking away because Halloween House is prime for social media posts. This haunt is more of a jaunt as visitors make their way through more than 10 themed rooms.
"There’s tons of references to movies everybody loves," owner/founder Justin Schwartz says.
The Beetlejuice Illusion room features mirrors that make people look 70 feet tall or 3 feet tall. The Haunted Hotel has fun games like Halloween movie poster trivia at the check-in area and references to classic horror movies in the rooms. Don’t miss the Trick or Treat Room, which is very interactive.
"You get to go to a house and trick-or-treat receiving real candy," Schwartz says. "Additionally, guests are allowed to toilet paper the tree out front."
- SCARE METER 1 skull
- HOURS 5 to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday through Nov. 1
- COST $35.46, $29.86 ages 13 and younger
- MORE INFO halloweenhouselongisland.com
BAYVILLE SCREAM PARK
8 Bayville Ave., Bayville
Scare factor: 💀💀💀💀💀
Visitors will find scares in every corner at Bayville Scream Park in Bayville. Credit: Rick Kopstein
Get five haunted attractions for one price at this North Shore amusement park. Start with its original haunted house, Bloodworth Haunted Mansion, which comes alive with creeps. Check in at the Bayville Asylum, where the inmates are twisted and the doctors are unlicensed. Enter the warped circus of Uncle Needles’ Funhouse of Fear in 3D, then witness an experiment gone awry in The Cage. Come face to face with the undead in the Temple of Terror.
- SCARE METER 5 skulls
- HOURS 8-10:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday (extends to 11 p.m. and open on Monday, Oct. 26-29); 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday (opens 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 16); noon to 1 a.m. Saturday, noon-11 p.m. Sunday (7:30-10 p.m. Nov. 1, 8-10:30 p.m. Nov. 6, 8-11 p.m. Nov. 7) through Nov. 7
- COST $39.90-$61.90 (includes five haunted attractions)
- MORE INFO bayvillescreampark.com
DEEPWELLS HAUNTED MANSION
2 Taylor Lane, St. James
Scare factor: 💀💀💀💀
Deepwells Haunted Mansion in St. James puts on "The Mayor's Last Masquerade of 1913." Credit: Vanessa Verbanic
Long Islanders are cordially invited to "The Mayor’s Last Masquerade of 1913,” thrown by the previous owner of the mansion, former New York City Mayor William Jay Gaynor, who summered in St. James, where a history of the terror occurred.
"This year’s theme is about what happened when Mayor Gaynor invited the elites from New York to the last showing before he closed the house up," board member Denise Davis says. "The haunt focuses on the events that occurred at that ball, which never ended."
Outside there’s a Blood Harvest Maze, the Graveyard of the Undead and the Trail of the Forgotten. Check out the fortuneteller, an array of vendors and horror movie tent while waiting to enter.
- SCARE METER 4 1/2 skulls
- HOURS 7-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday through Oct. 30
- COST $30 advance, $40 at the door, 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult
- MORE INFO 631-862-2808, deepwellshauntedmansion.com
DARKNESS RISING HAUNTED ATTRACTION
Samanea New York, 1500 Old Country Rd., Westbury
Scare factor: 💀💀💀💀
Darkness Rising features 30 live actors in Copiague. Credit: Kevin Baird
Darkness Rising Haunted Attraction, formerly of Copiague, is back at a new location, Samanea New York in Westbury on the second floor. This year’s theme focuses on a zombie mutant outbreak on Mars via Gentec Labs, using 25-30 actors during a 20-minute experience of scary sci-fi shenanigans.
"The outbreak happens while you are in there. Everything starts to go haywire," founder/operator Kevin Baird says. "We play around with the suspense like a horror movie."
- SCARE METER 4 skulls
- HOURS 7-11 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m.-midnight Saturday, 7-10:30
- p.m. Sunday; Oct. 23-25, 29-31 and Nov. 1
- COST $32, $42 fast pass
- MORE INFO 516-799-4747, darknessrisinghaunt.com
GATEWAY’S HAUNTED PLAYHOUSE
215 S. Country Rd., Bellport
Scare factor: 💀💀💀💀💀
Gateway's Haunted Playhouse in Bellport this year presents "The Oracle's Curse." Credit: Rob Siefert
Sullivan Auger had psychic powers to see the future. His 13 descendants have dug up his grave, unearthed his body and have adorned themselves with parts of his body in order to obtain those powers. This is part of "The Oracle’s Curse," Gateway’s new haunt theme where attendees meet the 13 descendants; each one is based on a tarot card.
"It’s a journey from beginning to end," haunt director Paul Allan says. "You will get scared along the way, but all the pieces connect with the story. It’s quite an experience."
The midway has a new attraction called "Mr. Tickles’ 3D Funhouse" along with a stage featuring live acts like acrobatics, fire breathers and roaming characters. Those 21 and over (with valid ID) can grab a drink at the Fear Garden or a bite at Billie Jean’s Grill food truck.
- SCARE METER 5 skulls
- HOURS 7-11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, 7-10:30 p.m. Oct. 29-31, open through Nov. 1
- COST Haunted Playhouse: $48 ($54 at the door); $68 ($74 at the door) for a fast pass; Mr. Tickles’ 3D Funhouse: $10 ($13 at the door)
- MORE INFO 631-286-1133, fearli.com
HAUNTED HOUSE OF HAMBURGERS
330 Fulton St., Farmingdale
Scare factor: 💀💀
Take photos with Frankenstein and his bride outside at Haunted House of Hamburgers. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Munch among the monsters at this restaurant, where it’s Halloween 365 days a year, while Michael Myers, Wednesday Addams and the Monster High Girls from "Coraline" walk around.
"The lights are low and all the walls glow," co-owner Brianna Greco says. "We have various animatronics going and there are even skull toilets in the bathroom."
Meat lovers can enjoy a Tarantula burger (8-ounce patty, bacon, pepper jack cheese, onion strings, lettuce, tomato, pickles, garlic mayo — $23.99) with a side order of Friday the 13th fried pickles (served with a spicy ranch dip — $14.99). Vegetarians tend to go with the Shroom of Doom burger (mushroom burger with black aioli and sauteed onions — $19.99) plus a Boo-zy shake (choice of ice cream, Kahlúa, Bailey’s, vanilla vodka — $19.99).
- SCARE METER 2 skulls
- HOURS 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday all year
- COST Appetizers: $14.99-$21.62, entrees: $16.99-$32.99, desserts: $9.99-$19.99; reservations are strongly encouraged
- MORE INFO 516-777-1031, hhhamburgers.com
RESTLESS SOULS HAUNTED HOUSE COMPLEX
301 West Hills Rd., Huntington Station
Scare factor: 💀💀💀💀
Restless Souls Haunted House Complex is a four-part attraction in Huntington Station. Credit: Restless Souls Haunted House/John Sheehan
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, this four-part haunt cranks up the creep factor this year.
"We look to draw an emotional response, whether it’s laughing, crying or screaming," co-producer Todd Iredell says. "Every section has a fresh look and has been improved."
The Shack is a classic haunted house containing killer Traefor Daniels, while Klownkatraz 3D is a neon attraction where killer clowns take over the jail. The Dark Colony is filled with hillbillies from the woods; three escape rooms (Alien Autopsy Escape Room, Medical Escape Room and a new Las Vegas-style Casino Escape Room) complete the event.
- SCARE METER 4 skulls
- HOURS 6 -10 p.m. Friday-Sunday through Oct. 31
- COST $37 (all four haunts), $29 (three haunts), $12 (individual attractions)
- MORE INFO 631-319-9662, restlesssoulsli.org
NIGHTMARE IN NASSAU
Broadway Commons, 358 N. Broadway, Hicksville
Scare factor: 💀💀💀💀💀
Actors from Nightmare in Nassau haunted house will sure to spook visitors. Credit: Morgan Campbell
Twenty live actors will be crawling all over the 9,000-square-foot sophomore-year haunt, which has moved to Broadway Commons. Expect a lot of no touch interaction.
"As you walk in, you are greeted by an evil priest and nun who gives you a blessing before entering the haunt," owner Frank DiGiacomo says. "Jason Voorhees of ‘Friday the 13th’ is waiting for you in a long prison hallway. There’s also a lot of killer clowns running around."
All 22 rooms have a different theme ranging from the Egyptian room to the Werewolf room to the Butcher room. Watch out for an extra jolt of zombies this year.
- SCARE METER 5 skulls
- HOURS 6-9:30 p.m. Friday and Sunday, 5-9:30 p.m. Saturday through Nov. 1
- COST $34.99, $49.99 fast pass, $59.99 VIP (includes shirt or hat)
- MORE INFO nightmareinnassau.com
SCHMITT’S FARM HAUNT
F&W Schmitt Farms, 26 Pinelawn Rd., Melville
Scare factor: 💀💀💀💀💀
Schmitt's Farm Haunt brings terror to Melville for its 32nd season. Credit: Nicolai Patrick Photography
For 32 years, this farm haunt in Melville continues to deliver. New this season is an evil hospital featuring a crazed dentist, patient hallway, exam room and a morgue.
"We have amplified the rooms to make them more immersive," general manager Scott Stoner says. "Each one has been given a makeover with different layouts to increase the scare factor."
Make sure to catch the Haunted Corn Trail with the 3D Experience before you leave the premises.
- SCARE METER 5 skulls
- HOURS 7-10:30 p.m. Thursday, 7 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, 7 to 11 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 31
- COST $47.11
- MORE INFO 631-271-3276, schmittsfarmhaunt.com
DARKSIDE HAUNTED HOUSE
5184 Rte. 25A, Wading River
Scare factor: 💀💀💀💀
Darkside Haunted House in Wading River focuses on a full immersive horror experience. Credit: Justin Baranello
Every year for the past 28 seasons, this haunt recreates and reroutes its internal presentation, which always remains under a cloak of secrecy.
"Our goal is not to be the scariest haunted house, but rather the most entertaining," owner/creator Mike Meola says. "When you come here, you are in the middle of your own horror movie. The adventure starts as soon as you get out of the car."
Head to the Monster Midway to enjoy Zombie Brain Toss ($5), the Coffin Ride ($5) and the new Westhampton Beach Brewery stand serving Oktoberfest and Hampton Pumpkin craft beers for those 21 and over.
- SCARE METER 4 skulls
- HOURS 7-10:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday and Sunday, 7 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, through Nov. 1
- COST $40, $55 fast pass
- MORE INFO 631-369-7227, darksideproductions.com
TERRIFYING TRAILS AT BELMONT LAKE
625 Belmont Ave., West Babylon
Scare factor: 💀💀💀
Guests will be greeted by frightening characters at Belmont Lake State Park. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
Ride a zombie-driven terror cart into the woods in this new Halloween attraction. During the trip, witness 12 different scenes of horror along the trail.
"This is a frightfully unconventional trail ride, which is different from your typical haunt experience," event director Roy Mauritsen says. "You’re not even safe in the cart."
In addition to the haunted trail, guests will be treated to some extra entertainment during Saturday Fright Live. Each Saturday will feature different styles of Halloween-themed live performances, like Ghoul-A-Go-Go, Nicole Oliva’s "The Dark Side of Opera" and the Alien Spooktacular.
- SCARE METER 3 skulls
- HOURS 8-11 p.m., Oct. 16-18, 23-25 and 30-31
- COST $42-$51
- MORE INFO iconsf.org/terrifying-trails
HAUNTED HOLLOW
1774 Sound Ave., Calverton
Scare factor: 💀💀💀💀
Baiting Hollow Scout Camp's Haunted Hollow returns to Calverton this month. Credit: Frank Bayer Photography
Baiting Hollow Scout Camp continues its haunting tradition with a two-part attraction featuring up to 60 live actors portraying zombies, witches and evil clowns.
"The first part is an outside trail containing a haunted campsite, creepy cabin and a grave site location," program leader Alex Ortiz says. "The haunted house has various rooms of different scenes like an optical illusion room with a rotating tunnel, a torture chamber room as well as an Ouija board room."
Recover by the campfire with homemade s’mores and hot chocolate as an outdoor movie screen plays horror films in the background.
- SCARE METER 4 skulls
- HOURS 7-11 p.m. Oct. 16-17, 23-24 and 30-31
- COST $15
- MORE INFO scoutingevent.com/386-hauntedhollow
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
