Jack-o’-lanterns are gearing up for creepy, snaggletoothed smiles, pumpkin spice lattes galore are on the horizon and haunted houses are dusting off their doorsteps.
Fall is here along with the spooky season when countless kiddos and adults will test their courage at haunted attractions or run for the hills. But Halloween-leaning fun doesn’t have to be synonymous with bed-wetting fear.
Little tykes still have a chance to get in on the entertainment whether simply dressing up at an event or exploring a corn maze.
These attractions and events across Maryland allow kids to participate without the risk of getting too scared.
Maryland ZooBOO!
Attendees at the ZooBOO! Festival, which kicks off Friday, are encouraged to wear family-friendly costumes while participating in mostly free activities throughout the Maryland Zoo. There will be face painting, sack races, costume contests on Saturdays and Sundays, and food trucks and vendors.
ZooBOO!, which takes place most weekends in October, is included with the price of zoo admission or a membership. Children under 2 are free. Tickets range from $28 to $33.
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The Maryland Zoo is located at 1 Safari Place in Baltimore.
AVFD Station 7 Terror Trail
Survival isn’t guaranteed at the Terror Trail in Davidsonville, which is recommended for courageous kids over 8 years old. The Boo Loop, where no one will jump out, is designed for the younger kids, with static displays and a scavenger hunt with prizes. These offerings are only open Fridays and Saturdays throughout October. Attendees are invited to dress up as they enjoy the attractions and food truck.
Terror Trail tickets are $30 and Boo Loop tickets cost $10. Proceeds support the Arundel Volunteer Fire Department Station 7, and ticket discounts are available to first responders, teachers, veterans, medical professionals and those who bring a canned food item.
The AVFD Station 7 Terror Trail is located at 2701 Davidsonville Road in Davidsonville.
Fall Harvest Days at Weber’s Cider Mill Farm
Until Nov. 8, families can head to Weber’s Cider Mill Farm in Parkville to experience all things fall with a smidge of spooky, including a family-friendly skeleton walk, a hay maze, farm animals and play structures. For an additional cost, kids can have their faces painted or get a glitter tattoo. And for your fall food fill, apple cider donuts, apple slushies and more are on the menu.
Tickets are required for anyone 2 years old and up. Weekday festival admission starts at $12, while the weekend costs $15. Or you can get unlimited entry on weekdays with a season pass that’ll run you $35. Admission pricing is subject to change throughout the season.
Weber’s Cider Mill Farm is located at 2526 Proctor Lane in Parkville.
Westminster Hall and Burying Ground
For a controlled encounter with the dead, the Burying Ground at Westminster Hall is usually open daily for self-guided tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to Westminster Hall’s website. Edgar Allan Poe’s large marble grave site is a popular stop within the grounds. There are also catacombs that can only be explored through a guided tour.
For $5 a person, Westminster Hall is hosting a catacombs tour on Oct. 31 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Baltimore Heritage also provides a tour of the catacombs for $10-$15.
Westminster Hall and Burying Grounds are located at 551 W. Fayette St. in Baltimore.
Park’d N Pumpkin
Baltimore City Recreation and Parks is offering an opportunity to drive through terror on Oct. 16 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Pack the kiddos in the car, choose your time slot and schedule a date with horror as a portion of the 745-acre Druid Hill Park is turned into a roadway of doom. The event is open to all ages, and there are subtle ways to maximize or minimize the scares.
For an intense, scary experience, keep the doors unlocked and the windows down. For a less frightening time, make sure to do the opposite. Keep at least a half-gallon of gas in your tank since you’ll have to wait in line in your car to enter.
Each car costs $13.
Druid Hill Park is located at 3001 E. Drive in Baltimore.
The Maryland Corn Maze
For the last 20 years, the Maryland Corn Maze in Gambrills has invited families to try their luck getting out of acres of corn. The maze isn’t haunted, and flashlight nights on select Saturdays throughout October let you see for yourself. The corn maze is open Saturdays and Sundays with specific weekday openings through the first week of November. In addition to the maze, there are also pumpkins for sale.
Children 2 and under are free on weekends and do not need a ticket. Tickets start at $18. Paintball and pony rides will cost a little extra. There are also large-group rates and day-and-night combo tickets. Pack those closed-toe shoes, as well.
The Maryland Corn Maze is located at 389 Gambrills Road in Gambrills.
Fall Farm Festival at Old Maryland Farm
The annual event in Kettering takes place this season on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and has plenty of fall fun to explore for guests of all ages. Kids can explore a pumpkin patch and a barn full of friendly farm animals. Or try your hand at some games such as hobby-horse races and pumpkin bowling.
As a bonus, kids can fill out a bingo card of activities they’ve completed throughout the farm for a chance to win a prize. Admission is free.
Old Maryland Farm is located at 351 Watkins Park Drive in Kettering.
Montpelier Farms’ Fall Festival
This Upper Marlboro farm is offering up plenty of festivities to take you through spooky season and beyond. Adventurous parents can try to make it through a 7-acre corn maze that changes in shape and theme every year — this season’s is Noah’s Ark. (There’s also a smaller corn maze designed for families who may not want to wander and wander.)
Other activities included with your ticket are giant hill slides, hayrides and more. The festival runs through Nov. 8. Tickets start at $19.95, and the farm is closed on Mondays.
Montpelier Farms is located at 1720 Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro.
Trek or Treat
Watkins Regional Park in Upper Marlboro will host a costumed walk on Oct. 23 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. aimed at children 12 and under. Families can expect to make a trek lasting 30-45 minutes where you’ll encounter spooky scenes and games while collecting candy and treats. The centerpiece of the walk is the park’s 50-foot Trick-or-Tree, which is adorned in glowing Halloween lights.
Tickets are $5-$7.
Watkins Regional Park is located at 301 Watkins Park Drive in Upper Marlboro.
Markoff’s Haunted Forest: Lights on Night
Markoff’s Haunted Forest in Dickerson has a reputation for being one of the spookiest Halloween attractions in the state, but families looking for less of a fright can still join in the festive fun. Guests can book tickets for $25 on Oct. 28 between 5 and 9 p.m. for Lights on Night, a still-immersive, spooky experience walking through Markoff’s elaborately decorated forest trails — just with more lights, less intensity and no actors or jump scares.
The Markoff’s Midway, the free central hub of the sprawling haunted campus, is also advertised as family-friendly, with bonfires, concessions and live entertainment. Guests on the 28th are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes and trick or treat along the path.
Markoff’s Haunted Forest is located at 19120 Martinsburg Road in Dickerson.
Banner reporters Hau Chu and Hannah Yasharoff contributed to this story.
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