Halloween Displays and Haunted Houses on Long Island for Preschoolers to Teens
If you're looking to get spooked this Halloween, Long Island is home to many haunted houses that are up to the task. While they range from the kid-friendly to the downright creepy, here we've rounded up more than a dozen spots offering haunted house fun and more Halloween thrills for your consideration.
So get out and enjoy these thrills and chills. Keep in mind even the tamest of these can sometimes be too much for a more sensitive child, so come prepared with a backup plan in case your child needs to leave quickly.
If you're looking for something more low-key, there is plenty of Halloween-themed fun to be had at area pumpkin patches, and we've got tons more seasonal fun in our Long Island Halloween Guide.
As a reminder, click through to the individual venues to see the latest social distancing guidelines and ticketing policies, as many require advance reservations to help with crowd control. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter to get posts like this delivered to your inbox.
The woodland animal Halloween display is part of a larger celebration at Sands Point Preserve. Photo courtesy of Sands Point Preserve
Not-So-Haunted Houses and Halloween Displays in Nassau County
Autumn Fest and Halloween Display — Port Washington
Saturday, October 17
Celebrate autumn with a new tradition on the Great Lawn at Sands Point Preserve. Families can enjoy music, pumpkin painting, a live raptor presentation, a woodland animal Halloween display, and more.
Halloween Happenings at Stew Leonard's — East Meadow & Farmingdale
FREE
Daily through Sunday, October 31
Stew Leonard's locations invite little ghouls and goblins to its drive-thru Halloween celebration! Cars follow a path through more than a dozen family-friendly Halloween-themed scenes featuring inflatable characters, located in each location's parking lot just steps from Stew's pumpkin patch. Costumed kids who visit during Halloween week receive a FREE ice cream cone and treat bag at checkout...if they say the magic words.
Halloween Village — Jericho
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Sunday, October 31
The Milleridge Inn hosts this family-friendly Halloween fest. Book your tickets online in advance to enjoy the haunted house, pumpkin patch, spooky train, funhouse maze, escape room, hay maze, and more.
Spooky Fest — Rockville Centre
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunday nights through Sunday, October 31
The 2021 Spooky Fest at The Center for Science Teaching and Learning celebrates the Halloween season with scary and non-scary attractions for all ages. Wooded paths, exhibits, and festivities with eerie lighting, special effects, and costumed characters greet visitors. Timed-entry tickets are required to help with social distancing measures.
Otto the Ghost — Westbury
FREE
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Sunday, October 31
Head to Hick's Nurseries, where Otto the Friendly Ghost makes his annual appearance. As always, there's an animated tale geared toward little ones. Admission is FREE, but nonperishable food donations for Long Island Cares are encouraged. Fall food is available for takeout. Social distancing protocols are in place to ensure the safety of all guests and staff.
Not-So-Spooky Walk — Westbury
FREE
Sunday, October 24
Younger children (and those easily spooked) can enjoy the Not-So-Spooky Walk during the daylight at Clark Botanic Garden. The Not-So-Spooky Walk will also include sport activities, arts & crafts, and more.
Spooky Walk — Westbury
Friday, October 22 and Saturday, October 23
Experience a spine-tingling walk through the realm of fear and fright as zombies, vampires, ghouls, and their gruesome friends inhabit Clark Botanic Garden. There will also be music and food for sale at the event.
For the best experience, book your Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze tickets for after dark. Photo courtesy of the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze
The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze — Old Bethpage
Wednesdays through Sundays until Sunday, November 7
Featuring more than 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins in scenes scattered through the self-guided, one-way pathways, orchards, and grounds of Old Bethpage Village Restoration, the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze Long Island is a visually striking, aesthetically inspiring walkthrough exhibit. While the Blaze isn't inherently scary, young children or those with sensory issues might be overwhelmed by the darkness, crowds, and special effects.
RELATED: The Best Halloween Events for Long Island Families in 2021
Enjoy pumpkins, bounce houses, and more at Kids Not So Scary Days at Bayville Adventure Park. Photo courtesy of the park
Kids Not-So-Scary Days — Bayville
Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, November 7
During weekend daylight hours, Bayville Adventure Park's scream park tones it down for kid-friendly fun. Families enjoy a funhouse, mirror maze, Halloween express train ride, pumpkin bounce, mini golf, rock climbing, bumper boat safari, spooky treetop adventure, and more.
Haunted Houses and Halloween Displays in Suffolk County
Dark Night: Halloween Trail — Farmingville
Weekends through October 31
Dark Night: Halloween Trail, a limited time pop-up event, is geared toward families and Halloween lovers of all ages. People will travel back in time 1999 as they participate in a fictional radio show marathon.
Not So Scary Halloween Adventure — Bellport
Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, October 31
Head to Gateway's Haunted Playhouse during daylight hours on weekends for an outdoor walkthrough adventure where you're sure to encounter less-than-scary characters, including fairies, mini-monsters, superheroes, and bats. Trade screams for squeals in this more sweet-than-spooky trek catering to kids ages 3 and older.
RELATED: Our Guide to Fall Fun on Long Island for Families
Bats, Banacles, and Broomsticks at the Long Island Aquarium features not-too-scary Halloween fun and a penguin costume parade. Photo courtesy of the aquarium
Bats, Barnacles, and Broomsticks — Riverhead
Saturday, October 23
Visit the Long Island Aquarium for its annual Halloween celebration, featuring trick-or-treating, a sea lion show, and the always-popular penguin costume parade. Kids in costume receive reduced admission. Reservations are a must.
Enchanted Forest Trail — Quogue
Saturday, October 23-Sunday, October 24 & Saturday, October 30
Follow your guide at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge to meet whimsical, fun, and educational characters on the forest trails. Dress up for extra fun!
Tales, Tails, and Treats — Smithtown
Sunday, October 24
If you have wee ones too young for Sweetbriar's other Halloween happenings, consider registering for this even more tame kid event, geared toward ages 2-7. The afternoon program lets little ones get up close with the nature center's residents, explore a ghostly garden, play games, and trick-or-treat alongside animals and costumed characters.
Halloween Spooktacular — Smithtown
Saturday, October 30
The Sweetbriar Nature Center invites visitors ages 8 and older to this evening program, where you'll encounter some of the nature center's residents, plus visit a ghostly graveyard, and play games all while listening to a spooky soundtrack. Local nature trails take on a haunted evening air. Advance tickets are recommended.
Haunted Hatchery — Cold Spring Harbor
Saturday, October 30
The Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery invites all costumed characters on a not-too-scary tour of the Haunted Hatchery. The highlight, undoubtedly, is the promise of trick-or-treating on the grounds. You can also spot black catfish swimming in the inky outdoor ponds and see pumpkinseed sunfish living in the aquarium tanks.
Halloween at Wardenclyffe - Shorham
Saturday, October 30
Join Wardenclyffe for thrilling, educational fun for all ages. From a STEAM theme costume contest to a maker lab and monster mash robot challenge, this festival has it all.
Haunted Houses and Spooky Fun on Long Island for Older Kids
Darkside Haunted House — Calverton
Weekends through Sunday, October 31 and Thursdays, October 14, 21, and 28; Wednesday, October 27.
Consistently rated among the scariest haunted houses in the Northeast, Darkside is not for kids younger than 12. Its location in a deserted farm field creates an atmosphere of trepidation upon arrival.
Gateway Playhouse's Camp Terror — Bellport
Thursdays-Sundays through Sunday, October 31
This indoor-outdoor walk-through experience features designers and staff from Gateway Playhouse. No one younger than 12 is admitted. Since opening in 2009, Gateway Playhouse has three times been voted LI's top haunted house.
Halloween Haunt: Campsite X — Port Washington
Weekends beginning Thursday, October 14 to Sunday, October 31
Kids 14 and older might enjoy a nighttime walk in the woods at "haunted" Sands Point Preserve, where the nighttime forest is not what it appears to be.
Long Island Monster Gallery — Mineola
Weekends through Sunday, October 31
The Long Island Monster Gallery is Long Island's first immersive gallery dedicated to horror and Halloween movies. The gallery showcases more than 30 life-size monsters accompanied by theatrical sets, lighting, and music. Note: This is not a haunted house attraction.
A version of this post was originally published in 2012. It was updated in September 2021.