In one corner of Virginia, you can sign up to spend the night inside an old sanatorium hunting ghosts. On purpose.
With a flashlight.
The rest of this list gets just as strange, and I love it.
One haunt takes visitors on a hay wagon ride to its three themed attractions.
Another hides a haunted house one block from a beach boardwalk, and it’s open year-round.
A different spot starts your night with a ghost story beside a bonfire. Then there’s the bus ride at another haunt, which is wild enough to count as a scare by itself.
Fire performers even entertain the ticket line at one stop, so the show begins before you’re inside.
I can’t decide whether these sound more fun or more terrifying. Honestly, I think that’s the point of October.
Which one would you brave first, and who are you dragging along?
Fear Forest
Zombies don’t usually stand still for target practice, but they don’t get much choice here. The hay ride lets you shoot at the undead from a wagon, which beats a regular tractor tour by a mile.
That wagon is only one of three themed experiences on this Shenandoah Valley property. Each one mixes animatronics with live actors, so you never know which scare has a pulse.
Next up is the haunted house, stocked with new props and animatronics. Then there’s the fear factory, which sounds exactly like a place you’d skip on a calm night.
The costumes and makeup on the scare actors get plenty of attention. So do the props, which do a lot of the creepy work before anyone jumps out.
Children under 12 are welcome at Fear Forest, but the attraction is not recommended for them.
Staff members keep things friendly between frights. The characters, on the other hand, are paid to be anything but friendly.
October nights in the valley can turn chilly fast. A bonfire sits on site, giving you a spot to thaw out between attractions.
Snacks are sold on the grounds too. Grab something, pull up near the fire, and debate which attraction made you scream loudest.
The setting is rural farmland and woods off Oak Shade Road. Restrooms are available, and there’s a parking lot waiting when you arrive.
Address: 6340 Oak Shade Rd, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Hexed Haunted Attraction
Most haunts make you walk to the scares. Here, the scares start on a bus ride so wild it deserves its own ticket stub.
That ride carries you to and from the haunt itself. It’s part shuttle and part opening act, and it sets the mood fast.
Out in rural Elliston, in Montgomery County, the haunt leans hard into dark country creepiness. Think backwoods dread, not shiny theme park polish.
The actors are the real headliners. Their character performances are creative, committed, and loud enough to rattle your sneakers.
Elaborate sets back them up with layer after layer of detail. You’ll notice small touches if you can stop screaming long enough to look.
A fun house is part of the lineup too. The word fun is doing some heavy lifting there, so adjust expectations.
Keep your phone tucked away once the trail begins. The outdoor route winds through country darkness, and you’ll want both hands free for clutching friends.
Hexed has been haunting this corner of southwest Virginia for about 14 years. The scares get reworked from season to season, so a repeat trip won’t feel like a rerun.
The crowd here is welcoming too. Hexed is known as an LGBTQ+ friendly spot and a safe space for transgender guests.
Restrooms are on site. Plan on paid parking, either in a lot or along the street.
One last tip: hold onto something during that bus ride. Your stomach will thank you later.
Address: 2059 Burkette Rd, Elliston, VA 24087
St Albans Sanatorium
Plenty of haunts build a creepy building from scratch. St Albans already had one, sitting on a hilltop above the New River.
The old sanatorium campus is a historic site in Radford. Its age and its isolated perch do half the scaring before any actor shows up.
The view from that hilltop is worth a glance before you head inside. Enjoy it, because your focus will shift quickly once the haunt begins.
During the season, the haunt runs as a walkthrough of around 20 minutes. Detailed scenes fill the rooms, and the gore gets plenty of attention.
Gore fans, this one is for you. Squeamish friends may want to walk in the middle of the group.
The haunt leans into the unsettling feel of the structure itself. No prop shop can sell that kind of mood.
Actors keep the frights coming but know when to ease up. That balance helps the experience land as scary without becoming too much.
History fans get their own path in. Seasonal ghost tours and a history tour share stories about the building and its past.
Then there’s the big one for brave souls. Overnight paranormal investigations let you hunt for unexplained activity long after the regular guests head home.
Would you bring a flashlight or a friend? Bring both, honestly, and maybe a backup friend.
Tickets go fast, so grab yours ahead of time. A free parking lot and restrooms make the practical side easy.
Address: 6248 University Park Drive, Radford, VA 24141
Red Vein Haunt
Four haunted houses on one farm sounds like a dare. At Red Vein, it’s simply the plan for the evening.
The haunt sits on Hanover Vegetable Farm, along Ashland Road in central Virginia. By day it’s farmland, and by night it turns into something your veggies would run from.
Walking through the four houses takes about 20 to 30 minutes. That’s a solid chunk of screaming for one trip.
Each section follows a storyline carried by the sets and decorations. Pay attention between scares and you’ll catch the plot unfolding around you.
Makeup, effects, and animatronics get serious effort here. The scare actors bring the rest, and they don’t hold back.
Outdoor options stretch the night even longer. Look for a haunted forest, haunted trails, a corn maze, and escape rooms.
Want a second round? The VIP package lets you go through the haunt twice, and it comes with a souvenir pin.
The main haunt isn’t recommended for kids under 13. Younger guests can still join the fun at a no-scare attraction and a kid-friendly swamp area.
The 2026 season is set to begin October 15. Hours run Friday and Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 7 to 10 p.m.
Free on-site parking is available, along with restrooms. Leave the fancy shoes at home, since you’re on a farm.
Address: 13580 Ashland Rd, Ashland, VA 23005
Nightmare Mansion
Sunscreen and screams don’t usually share a block. On Atlantic Avenue, they’re neighbors.
Nightmare Mansion sits near the Virginia Beach oceanfront boardwalk and operates as a seasonal Halloween haunted house.
October still feels like its moment, though. Few things fit the month better than a haunted house a short stroll from the beach.
It’s a walk-through with live actors and a heavy dose of jump scares. The actors play creepy to the hilt, and they’re good at making grown adults sprint.
Some stretches go completely dark. You may not be able to see your own hand, which is a fun thought until you’re in it.
Go with a buddy you trust. You’ll want someone to grab when the lights disappear.
Puzzles add a twist you won’t find at many haunts. They’re challenging but doable, so keep your brain working while your heart races.
The soundtrack doesn’t help your nerves. The Michael Myers theme from Halloween plays throughout, and that piano melody never gets less creepy.
The walk-through runs short. That makes it easy to fit between a boardwalk stroll and dinner.
Hours stretch late on weekends, until midnight on Friday and 1 a.m. on Saturday. Weeknights run from 6 to 11 p.m., and Sunday runs 2 to 10 p.m.
There’s no restroom inside, so plan ahead. Nobody wants that kind of emergency in a pitch-black room.
Address: 2008 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Milltown Haunt LLC
Calling yourself award-winning is a bold move for a haunt. Milltown Haunt backs it up with three attractions on a countryside property in Lovettsville.
The setting is rural northern Loudoun County. Open fields by day turn into a very different scene once the actors clock in.
Three haunted attractions make up the main event, including a house and a barn of fears. That’s a lot of fear for one night, so pace your bravery.
Detail drives the design. Each section is decorated with care, and the result feels creepy instead of cheap.
The actors bring big energy. Characters interact with you, which means you can’t just hide behind your friend and hope.
Between houses, there’s the farm midway. It gives you a chance to catch your breath and swap stories about who screamed first.
The whole thing blends indoor and outdoor scares. Dress for a fall night in the country, and wear shoes that can handle a farm.
Northern Virginia has plenty of haunts, yet this one leans into its rural roots. The barn alone says more about the mood than any sign could.
Hours run Friday and Saturday from 6 to 11 p.m. Sunday hours run from 6 to 10 p.m.
Free on-site parking and restrooms keep things simple. That leaves your full attention for the actual terror.
A night here feels like a classic country fright with polish. Who knew a quiet farm town could sound this loud in October?
Address: 13936 Milltown Rd, Lovettsville, VA 20180
Terror Manor
Fire performers in the ticket line? That’s how Terror Manor handles the wait, and it beats scrolling your phone.
The haunt sits along Norfolk Avenue SW in downtown Roanoke, near the railroad tracks. That industrial stretch makes a fitting backdrop for a night of fear.
Inside, you’ll move through more than 40 rooms. Each one carries its own theme, so the scares keep shifting.
Clowns show up, naturally. So does plenty of darkness, which pairs terribly well with clowns.
Brave enough to look a clown in the eye? This might be the year you find out.
State-of-the-art animatronics share the floor with live actors. The costumes look realistic, and the jump scares land hard.
Scares come from many directions here. Keep your eyes moving and your feet ready.
The artwork deserves its own mention. Painted details throughout the haunt add a layer you’ll want to study, if your nerves allow it.
The 2026 season marks the haunt’s eighth year. Opening nights are set for October 16 and 17.
Regular hours run Friday and Saturday nights. Sundays and weeknights stay dark, at least for visitors.
Terror Manor is known as LGBTQ+ friendly and a safe space for transgender guests. Gender-neutral restrooms are available on site.
Free street parking is nearby, along with a paid lot. Roanoke sits in the Blue Ridge region of Virginia, so the drive in can be part of the fun.
Address: 805 Norfolk Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24016
DarkWood Manor
Small mountain towns aren’t supposed to hide this much fear. DarkWood Manor proves otherwise, right off Main Street in Luray.
The haunt sits on North Hawksbill Street beside Hawksbill Creek. It’s a walkable spot, which makes it easy to pair with an evening in town.
The Shenandoah Valley sets the scene before you even park. Mountain views by day, creek-side chills by night.
Storylines drive the experience. Elaborate displays and detailed staging pull you into each scene before anyone jumps out.
The cast is huge, and much of it is made up of volunteers. Their costumes and makeup look anything but amateur.
Special effects come in many forms here. Video, props, and craftsmanship work together to keep you guessing.
The mood stays dark but full of energy. Scary, yes, but also a lot of fun.
Don’t skip the 3D maze. Its artwork is worth a look, and the 3D effect adds a playful twist.
Want a brain workout too? An escape room is part of the lineup, giving puzzle fans a different kind of challenge.
Go with a group that likes to talk things over. You’ll want to compare notes on which room got you worst.
Hours run Friday and Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. Sunday hours are 7 to 10 p.m.
Buy tickets ahead of time if you can. A popular haunt in a small town can fill up quickly.
Address: 104 N Hawksbill St, Luray, VA 22835
Creepy Hollow Scream Park
Ghost stories by a fire are a classic for a reason. At Creepy Hollow Scream Park, that’s literally how the night begins.
A creative bonfire sits at the start, where a ghost story sets the mood. Then the trail swallows you up.
The setting is a dense, wooded property on Stone Horse Creek Road in Henrico County. It feels far from the suburbs even though it isn’t.
You wander through a dimly lit forest at your own pace. Several haunted houses line the trail, each waiting with its own jump scares.
The scares are fun and creative. Expect people popping out where you least want them.
One section deserves a warning. The shock therapy area drops you into a pitch-black room, and finding the way out is part of the challenge.
Keep your group close in the dark spots. Losing your friend in a haunted forest is a story nobody wants to tell.
A hayride adds another way to enjoy the grounds. It’s a nice change of pace when your legs need a break from running.
New attractions show up to keep things fresh. Even if you’ve been before, something new may be waiting.
Hours run Friday and Saturday from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Sunday hours are 7:30 to 10 p.m.
Wear sturdy shoes for the forest trail. Dark woods and slippery sneakers are not a winning combo.
For a Richmond-area scare, this one checks a lot of boxes. Campfire tale, spooky forest, and plenty of screaming in one night.
Address: 14437 Stone Horse Creek Rd, Glen Allen, VA 23059
Haunted Nightmares
Daytime hours at a haunt sound like a typo. At Haunted Nightmares, Saturday and Sunday open at 1 p.m., so early birds get scares too.
The haunt sits along Barley Lane outside Winchester, surrounded by Shenandoah Valley farmland. Cornfields and hayride paths set the scene before a single actor appears.
Speaking of hayrides, there’s one here. A corn maze joins the lineup too, for anyone who enjoys getting lost on purpose.
The main haunt brings well-made sets and great animatronics. The visual effects are strong enough to pull real screams.
Here’s a twist. The actors don’t get right in your face, yet the props and walls deliver plenty of scares on their own.
That makes it a smart pick for friends who love spooky scenery but dislike being crowded. Groups move through on a timed system, which helps the scares land right.
Makeup and costumes get serious attention. The actors work hard, even if they keep a polite distance.
Escape rooms add a puzzle-solving break from the screaming. Bring your sharpest friend and see if your team can crack the code.
Food is available on site. A snack between attractions never hurt anyone’s courage.
Friday hours run from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday stretches from 1 to 11 p.m., and Sunday runs 1 to 10 p.m.
Grab tickets in advance to lock in your spot. This northern Virginia haunt makes a strong finale to any October road trip.
Address: 933 Barley Ln, Winchester, VA 22602
