As If 2020 Wasn’t Scary Enough…

 

If 2020 hasn’t been horrifying enough for you, you’re in luck! With COVID-19 still an issue, there has been a question plaguing my mind: are haunted houses open and, if so, how are they going to do it while following CDC guidelines? Well, I’ve compiled a list of some haunted houses/attractions that can be found around the tri-state area along with how they are dealing with social distancing and other health guidelines.

1. House of the Setting Sun- 1313 Screamin Hollow Rd, Green Spring, WV 26722

Located in Green Spring, WV (about 30 minutes from Frostburg), House of the Setting Sun is one of my personal favorites. I’ve found myself going here every year for the past five years with groups of friends, and I’ve enjoyed every trip thus far. This attraction is a part of a non-profit organization, and their actors are all volunteers! Tickets cost $15 per person and are cash only.

COVID restriction: Masks and social distancing are required, and you go through the haunted house only with your group that you arrived with. According to a comment on their Facebook page, you must also sanitize throughout the house.

For 2020, the theme for this year is simply, “Wendell Manor”.

Their hours and operating days are:

Ticket Booth: 7:30 PM-11 PM

September 25th, 26th

October 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th, 31st

Special black-out nights: October 29th and 30^th

For more information, visit their Facebook page

 

2. Haunted Hollow- 126 Woodland Road, Rockwood, PA 15557

A 50-minute drive away from Frostburg, Haunted Hollow holds 5 terrifying attractions: Bruner Boarding House, HollowWood Hayride, Toxic Wasteland, Milford Asylum, and Deadend Cornfield. For this attraction, ticket prices vary anywhere between $23-$30; online ticket purchases are cheaper and make you more likely to even get a ticket, as they expect to sell out some nights due to demand and limited ticketing due to COVID.

COVID Restrictions: Quoted from their COVID Safety Plan and Website

“All customers must wear face masks…Signs will be placed at the queue lines requesting that customers maintain appropriate social distancing while in line.” “We are also limiting the number of tickets available each night. When you purchase your ticket this year it will be time and date specific which means you are required to be on property on the date and time on your ticket. We recommend you purchase tickets online before attending as WE WILL SELL OUT SOME NIGHTS. Additional cleaning will be taking place throughout the night.”

 

They are open every Friday and Saturday in October, and their box office hours are 6:30 pm-10:30 pm.

Find more information on their website

 

3. Haunted Hills Estate Scream Park- 236 Rolling Hills Estate Road, Uniontown, PA 15401

Haunted Hills Estate Scream Park is located about an hour away from Frostburg with 6 attractions. One $30 ticket grants you access to The House, Experiment 31, The Burial, Corn-Tine, The Deadwoods, and Sin Creek. I have never visited this one, but it has been featured on Travel Channel and Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 channel, so it must be worth talking about! Aside from their spooky attractions, this park also has a concession stand, live entertainment, and roaming characters! Also, this year holds a new addition- Axe Throwing!

COVID Restrictions: Quoted from their website

• All staff and customers will be temperature screened before entering the Scream Park.
• All staff and customers will wear proper face coverings.
• The capacity for each event will be limited.
• Social distancing between groups will be enforced.
• Touchpoints will be cleaned regularly and disinfected.
• Hand- sanitization stations are available throughout the Scream Park.

Their Hours are:

October: Every Friday and Saturday from 7-11 pm, and Sundays at 7-10 pm

They are also open for a final night on Saturday, November 7^th, 7-11 pm

Find more information on their website

 

4. Fright Farm- 2043 SpringHill Furnace Rd, Smithfield, PA 15478

One of the more well-known haunted attractions to locals goes to Fright Farm! A little less than one hour’s drive from Frostburg, Fright Farm has all-outdoor attractions including Hayride of No Return, Slaughter Grounds, and the Terror Maze. Typically, Fright Farm includes a large-scale haunted house to tour, but due to COVID, they’ve decided it to be safest to keep all attractions outdoor. Despite this change, Fright Farm certainly won’t be less terrifying and entertaining, as it has always exceeded my expectations.

COVID Restrictions:

Masks and social distancing are required!!!!!

All attractions are outdoor for the 2020 season

Hours:

Thursdays:

6:00pm-9:45pm

First Responders/Student/Military/Senior Citizen Night – First Responders, Students, military, and senior citizens 55+ will receive a General Admission ticket for $15. MUST HAVE ID.

Overwise, tickets are $25 per person

   Fridays:

6:00pm-11:30pm

Tickets are $30

Typically very busy nights!!

   Saturdays:

6:00pm-11:30pm

Tickets are $30

Typically very busy nights!!

Sundays:

6:00pm-9:45pm

Family Night – Purchase 4 or more General Admission tickets in one transaction for $5 off each ticket.

Find more information on their website

 

5. Lonesome Valley Farms: Valley of Terror- 180 Fairgrounds Rd, Greensburg, PA

1 hour and 22 minutes may seem a bit of a trek, but this is something completely different from any of the others mentioned above. This one…is a drive-thru! That’s right! Experience all the terror of a typical haunted house from the safety (and warmth) of your vehicle. There’s even a drive-*thru concession stand available here in case you don’t bring your own snacks to munch on while surrounded by terrifying creatures.

COVID Restrictions:

Face masks and social distancing is required

Vehicle Guidelines:

No low clearance vehicles

No vehicles over 8 feet high

No buses

No commercial vehicles

No ATV’s

No motorcycles

No Trailers

Tickets are on sale for $10 per person or $40 per vehicle- up to 6 people per car

CASH ONLY!

 

Hours:

              Friday and Saturdays in October 2020, 7:30pm-10:00pm

Find more information on their website

 

 

The important thing to keep in mind when considering a Halloween attraction such as the ones above is that it is your responsibility to follow COVID-19 guidelines. By following the guidelines, you’re making it possible for these events to continue to run and provide entertainment and scares to those who visit! Please, don’t ruin the fun by ignoring these rules; the last thing you want is being asked to leave the premises after paying $15-$30 on your ticket or driving an hour to get there- especially if you’re “asked” by a guy in the most terrifying clown mask you’ve ever seen.

Be sure to check out each attractions’ websites/pages to ensure you’re following all of their guidelines!

 

So, in short, have fun but be responsible about it!

 

 

Some honorable mentions that are a little further away than those mentioned above but are equally terrifying:

Kim’s Krypt (2.5 hours away)

Jason’s Woods (3 hours away)

Field of Screams (2 hr 40 min away)

 

Have a spooktacular time!