Halloween is about to hit; therefore it’s time to get some last-minute scares in as the calendar reaches Oct. 31. Follow our Spooky Trail to help guide you through 13 eerie experiences ranging from Sands Point to Wading River. But be careful: These activities are not for the timid.
1. ‘THE BIRTHDAY PARTY’ 🎃
Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Rd., Sands Point
Attend the 30th birthday party of Lord Archibald Axel Von Finkelshorn Chatterton, which takes attendees on an immersive theatrical journey that will turn into an unforgettable haunted evening.
HOURS 8 p.m. Thursday, 7 and 9 p.m. Friday
COST $175, cocktails included
MORE INFO 516-571-7901, sandspointpreserveconservancy.org
2. HALLOWEEN HOUSE LONG ISLAND 🎃
Broadway Commons, 358 N. Broadway, Hicksville
Ralph DeBrosse, of East Northport, and his son, Leon, play in the Illusion room at the Halloween House Long Island in Hicksville. Credit: Linda Rosier
Snap selfies and make Instagram posts in a dozen themed room experiences. Rooms include the Haunted Carnival with evil games and a 7-foot tall blood fountain, the Shriekeasy Speakeasy containing a regulation size pool table, interactive horror movie poster trivia and dart boards, as well as the "ToFright Show," which is a haunted set of the "Tonight Show."
"You can ask questions to your guests and there’s a big applause sign," says founder Justin Schwartz. "Tour guides even hold up jokes on cue cards."
HOURS 5-8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 2-8 p.m. Thursday, 5-9:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturday
COST $29.99, $24.99 ages 13 and under
MORE INFO halloweenhouselongisland.com
3. BAYVILLE SCREAM PARK🎃
8 Bayville Ave., Bayville
Costume characters at Bayville Scream Park. Credit: Howard Simmons
Go from one haunted attraction to the next at this North Shore amusement park featuring Bloodworth Haunted Mansion, Uncle Needles’ Funhouse of Fear in 3D, the Temple of Terror, Bayville Haunted Asylum, Evil in the Woods and the Cage. Additional activities include Zombie Pirate Mini Golf, Zombie Ax-Throwing and three secret bars hidden inside the haunted houses.
HOURS 7-11 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 7 p.m.-midnight Thursday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday
COST $49.75-$52.75
MORE INFO 516-624-4678, bayvillescreampark.com
4. DARKNESS RISING HAUNTED ATTRACTION 🎃
800 Chettic Ave., Copiague
Darkness Rising Haunted Attraction in Copiague. Credit: Charlie DesJardin
Beware of this two-part haunt that begins in space with "Parasite," where everything goes haywire at a research facility on Mars and people start turning into monsters.
"It gets gross and very bloody with creatures bursting out of people," says creator Kevin Baird.
Part two is called "House of the Devil," where an entire family gets possessed one by one.
HOURS 7-11 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday
COST $38 includes entry into two haunted houses, $55 fast pass
MORE INFO 516-799-4747, darknessrising.org
5. RESTLESS SOULS HAUNTED COMPLEX 🎃
301 W. Hills Rd., Huntington Station
Dive headfirst into this four-part haunt that starts with The Shack, a haunted motel operated by mad scientist/cannibal Traefor Daniels, then hit The Dark Colony, an outdoor trail where evil hillbillies live. Witness an extraterrestrial science experiment in the Alien Autopsy Escape Room and Klownkatraz 3D features a clown jail where visitors wear ChromaDepth glasses.
"The walls and some of the characters pop out at you," says coproducer Anthony Zero. "It feels like you are totally engulfed."
HOURS 6-10 p.m. Friday, 5-9 p.m. Saturday
COST $35 (all four haunts), $10 (individual attraction)
MORE INFO 631-319-9662, restlesssoulsli.org
6. HAUNTED HOUSE OF HAMBURGERS 🎃
330 Fulton St., Farmingdale
Haunted House of Hamburgers in Farmingdale offers spooky vibes all year. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Dine into a world of Halloween surrounded by Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy and other horror icons. Dishes like the Trick-or-Treat Triple burger, R. I. Pizzas and Tombstone Tacos will fulfill the savory side. Undead desserts such as Chained Up Cheesecake, Death By Chocolate and Heart Pounding Pies provide a sweet treat.
HOURS 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday
COST Appetizers: $10-$21, entrées: $11-$35, desserts: $8-$12
MORE INFO 516-777-1031, hhhamburgers.com
7. SCHMITTS FARM HAUNT 🎃
F&W Schmitt Farms, 26 Pinelawn Rd., Melville
As showtime nears, Nick Graystone, of Bellmore, shows off the makeup just applied to his face by the makeup artists at the Schmitt's Farm Haunt in Melville. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Now in its 30th season, this haunt on a farm is known for its evil clowns. Folks will also come into a demonic church, a meat factory that’s not just for cattle and a camp that gets invaded by insects.
"This year, we wanted to focus on everybody’s fears, so we hit on the phobias real big," says general manager Scott Stoner.
Additionally, there’s a Haunted Corn Trail and 3D Experience to tackle then play some Skeleton Basketball on your way out.
HOURS 7-11 p.m. Thursday
COST $47.11
MORE INFO 631-271-3276, schmittsfarmhaunt.com
8. LONG ISLAND HAUNTED FIREHOUSE 🎃
Farmingville Fire Department, 1080 Portion Rd., Farmingville
The fire department is ablaze with internal scares including a claustrophobia tunnel, a dastardly dining room, hanging body parts and Pinhead from "Hellraiser."
"'The Exorcist' girl really makes everybody jump," says producer Marty Arominski, of Chamber of Horrors NY. "But the biggest scare is our massive goat head."
HOURS 7-10:30 pm Thursday
COST $17.95
MORE INFO longislandhauntedfirehouse.org
9. DEEPWELLS HAUNTED MANSION 🎃
Deepwells Farm County Park, 2 Taylor Lane, St. James
Chain-rattling "zombie pit" at Deepwells Farm Mansion in St. James. Credit: Mansura Khanam
Expect a large amount of paranormal activity in "Deepwells Freak Show," which has a reputation for bringing nightmares to life. Encounter creepy creatures in the Cabinet of Curiosities, then witness a twisted take on beloved classics in the Freaky Fairy-tale Forest as well as the Graveyard of the Undead.
HOURS 7-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday
COST $30 advance, $40 at the door
MORE INFO 631-862-2808, deepwellshauntedmansion.com
10. GATEWAY HAUNTED PLAYHOUSE 🎃
215 S. Country Rd., Bellport
A haunted creature at Gateway's Haunted Playhouse. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
A production of "Camelot" goes wrong and mad magician Merlyn makes visitors pawns in his wicked game.
"There’s always new characters, new monsters and new scares," says haunt director Paul Allan. "At Gateway, we always want it to be based in truth with something that happened or could have happened at Gateway."
HOURS 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, 7-10:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday
COST $40 online, $50 at the door; $55 online or $65 at the door for a fast pass
MORE INFO 631-286-1133, fearli.com
11. CHAMBERS OF HELL 🎃
1745 Express Dr. N., Hauppauge
Performer in the optical illusion room at Chambers of Hell Haunted House circus experience in Hauppauge. Credit: /Morgan Campbell
This haunt is a trio of terror starting with the Shadows of London where guests encounter Dorian Grey, Dracula, The Woman in Black, Jekyll & Hyde and Jacob Marley along the cobblestone streets. Next up is Area 666 with an underground army base where they were capturing aliens, who have broken loose from their cages and wreaking havoc.
"It’s all in the dark and each group is given a flashlight to get through," says co-owner Robert "Doc" Frankenberg.
The final chapter is the Depths of Fear, which shows an underwater research base that has awoke a tribe of ancient fish people, who are attacking all the researchers and crew men.
HOURS 8-11 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m.-midnight Thursday
COST $86.90 admits two
MORE INFO 631-686-4424, chambersofhell.com
12. BEDLAM AT BROOKHAVEN 🎃
19 Brookhaven Dr., Rocky Point
Head out east for this homemade outdoor haunted maze that contains five thematic rooms with Egyptian mummies, wicked witches, the Grim Reaper, a squeeze tunnel and a blood room plus a queue line with a haunted graveyard.
"It starts out medium scary then gets very gory with a lot of jump scares," says designer Tiffany Redman. "I think the squeeze tunnel is going to freak people out."
HOURS 7-10 p.m. Thursday
COST Free; donations accepted for National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
MORE INFO 631-821-1560, lihauntedhouses.com
13. DARKSIDE HAUNTED HOUSE
13. DARKSIDE HAUNTED HOUSE 🎃
5184 Route 25A, Wading River
The Darkside Haunted House in Calverton is the perfect background for Halloween-themed selfies. Credit: Howard Simmons
This classic haunted house begins with an outdoor village and leads into an indoor facility filled with terror.
"The haunt has been extended by about 25% this year. Everybody has been asking to make it longer and we did it," says owner and founder Mike Meola. "We are constantly changing and evolving to make the scares better."
HOURS 7-11 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday
COST $40.84
MORE INFO 631-369-7227, darksideproductions.com
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.