Head to Teatown Lake Reservation for a program focused on streams that includes watercoloring. Photo courtesy of the reservation
Best Things to do this Weekend in Westchester and the Hudson Valley with Kids
Celebrate spring with an Easter Egg Hunt at Benim Academy. Photo courtesy of Benim Academy
14 Top Easter Egg Hunts in Westchester and the Hudson Valley
Legoland's new Lego Duplo Peppa Pig Playground opens this spring. Photo courtesy of Legoland
Spring Break 2025: 25 Fun Things To Do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley
Summer camps are a great way to make new friends and develop new skills
GUIDE
Summer Camps Guide for Westchester & Hudson Valley Kids
Hop the ferry to Governors Island to explore all the island has to offer. Photo by Diana Kim
Spring Day Trips from NYC for Families
Enjoy water sports at Westchester Summer Day in Mamaroneck. Photo courtesy of the camp
Best Summer Camps in Westchester for Kids
Grab your little leprechauns and experience the luck of the Irish at Ridge Hill Shopping Center's St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Photo courtesy of Ridge Hill
St. Patrick's Day Parades and More Best Things To Do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley March 2025
Palisade Center's Climbzone features themed rock walls as high as 40 feet. Photo courtesy of Climbzone.
20 Best Things To Do at the Palisades Center Mall with Kids
The Play Place in Elmsford is one of Westchester's top indoor play spaces.
Top Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces in Westchester
The Ausable Chasm has been described as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks and it's one of our top 100 things to do in New York State with kids. Photo by Anna Fader
Ultimate New York Bucket List: 100 Things To Do with Kids in NY State
Poughkeepsie's Gravity Vault is an indoor rock-climbing gym with classes for kids as young as 5. Photo by Kaylynn Ebner
Best Kids' Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces in the Hudson Valley
Mount Kisco's Grand Prix New York, a go-kart hot spot, offers birthday parties with racing, arcade play, and virtual reality.
17 Best Indoor Party Places for Kids in Westchester
GUIDE
Guide to Indoor Fun for Westchester & Hudson Valley Kids
Kids explore the great outdoors Hudson Highlands Nature Center. Photo courtesy of the center
School Break Camps in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: Winter and Spring Break Camps
Roam the the cedar walk and gardens at Caramoor for a free, fun outing. Photo by Gabe Palacio
41 Free Things To Do in Westchester with Kids
At Moe's Southwestern Grill, kids eat free on Tuesdays with the purchase of an adult entree. Photo courtesy of the restaurant
Restaurants Where Kids Eat Free in Westchester and the Hudson Valley
Westchester kids will love a visit during FREE hours at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum. Photo by KD
GUIDE
Guide to Free Fun Things to Do with Westchester Kids
Kids can peek into the marine life in the aquariums at the Marine Education Center in Mamaroneck. Photo by Susan Miele
19 Free Things To Do Indoors in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: Indoor Places to Play
Castle Fun Center in Chester has a giant inflatable park, a rock wall, laser tag, and more. Photo by Katherine Dhurandhar
15 Family Fun Centers in Westchester and the Hudson Valley
Grab a colorful treat at Harley's Sweet Shop in Woodstock. Photo courtesy of the shop
25 Best Things To Do in Woodstock, NY, with Kids
The Play Place in Elmsford is one of Westchester's top indoor play spaces.
Top Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces in Westchester
Kids can climb the walls at the Cliffs in Valhalla. Photo courtesy of the Cliffs
32 Things To Do on a Rainy Day Indoors in Westchester and the Hudson Valley
Touch the soft rabbits at the Greenburgh Nature Center's petting zoo in Scarsdale. Photo courtesy of the center
Best Animal Petting Zoos near Westchester and the Hudson Valley Where Kids Can Meet Animals
Peekskill, NY, is a lovely riverfront community that acts an the unofficial gateway to the Hudson Valley.
25 Best Things To Do in Peekskill, NY, with Kids
Explore what makes things fly with the Westchester Children's Museum's Wind Tunnel Design Challenge. Photo courtesy of the museum
Visiting the Westchester Children's Museum in Rye: New and Ongoing Exhibits
Romp through the woods in the beautiful Catskills. Photo by Deborah Dadlani
40 Best Things To Do in the Catskills with Kids
GUIDE
Classes Guide for Westchester & Hudson Valley Kids
Tig & Peach offers drop-in, no reservations required, open play 7 days a week.
7 Indoor Playgrounds in Westchester and the Hudson Valley for a Wild Romp
Friends young and old enjoy the attractions and Legoland New York, the first major theme park in the Northeast in 40 years.
  VIDEO
Legoland New York: A Guide to Visiting the Hudson Valley Theme Park with Kids
Frost Valley YMCA offers a variety of day and overnight camps for kids ages 5-14. Photo courtesy Frost Valley YMCA
Affordable Summer Camps in Westchester and the Hudson Valley
Tour the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, an annual rite of fall. Courtesy Historic Hudson Valley
100 Things To Do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley Before Kids Grow Up
These boredom-busting activities turn a stuck-at-home day into a lasting memory.
75 Indoor Activities for Kids on a Rainy Day
Kids love a birthday party filled with games and pizza at Chuck E. Cheese. Photo courtesy of Chuck E. Cheese
Best Fun Restaurants for Kids' Birthdays in Westchester
Head to the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum from 5-8 pm on the third Saturday of the month to explore the museum for free, Photo by the author
Free Museums and Museum Days in Westchester and the Hudson Valley
Kids can run, swing, slide, and even make music at Sally’s Dream Playground in Montgomery. Photo by Katherine Dhurandhar
Top Playgrounds in Westchester and the Hudson Valley Worth Driving To
Creating a baking soda volcano is a classic science experiment for kids. Photo by Sara Marentette Nighswander
67 Easy Science Experiments for Kids To Do at Home
Kids can while away hours of a day with a set of watercolors and a stack of new paper for painting. Photo by Sara Marentette
Crafts for Kids: 100 Awesome Art Projects
These kids' movies are classic hits!
75 Best Movies for Kids: Top Family Movie Night Ideas
GUIDE
Guide to Playgrounds & Parks in Westchester & the Hudson Valley
Suncatcher_Liz Baill @creativishmom
GUIDE
Crafts for Kids: Thousands of Craft Ideas

Scary Haunted Houses in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Head to Ulster Park to catch the spooky Headless Horseman Haunted Houses. Photo courtesy of event
Head to Ulster Park to catch the spooky Headless Horseman Haunted Houses. Photo courtesy of event
10/6/24 - By Katherine Dhurandhar

Westchester and the Hudson Valley are teeming with top-of-the-line haunted houses and scream parks, many boasting Hollywood-quality makeup and special effects. If you have teens keen on a thrilling screamfest this Halloween, look no further. 

Read on for our list of the top haunted houses and scream parks in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Some of these are returning favorites that have been recognized as the top haunted houses in the country, such as Pure Terror Scream Park. Others can even boast of being held in historic haunted locations, like the Dark Forest at Burn Brae Mansion.  

Find more great Halloween activities in our Westchester and Hudson Valley Halloween Guide. 

Sign up for our newsletters to get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Halloween spooks abound at the Dark Forest Fright Walk at Burn Brae Mansion. Photo courtesy of the venue
Halloween spooks abound at the Dark Forest Fright Walk at Burn Brae Mansion. Photo courtesy of the venue

Top Haunted Houses in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Pure Terror Scream Park

Monroe
Fridays-Sundays through November 2, 2024
An extensive Halloween attraction, Pure Terror features 13 haunted houses, including the Woods of the Dead. The walk-through experience utilizes costumed actors, special effects, and elaborate sets on a theatrical scale. Stop in the midway for food and music.  READ MORE

Prison of Horrors

Warwick
Fridays, Saturday, and Sundays through October 27, 2024, also on October 30 & 31
The Hudson Valley's newest haunted attraction is rumored to be actually haunted. Prison of Horrors is held in the Hudson Sports Complex, formerly the Mid-Orange Correctional Facility, which has an extensive, and often unsettling, history. To this day, the complex is known far and wide as a home for the paranormal.      READ MORE

Kevin McCurdy's Haunted Mansion

Wappingers Falls
Fridays-Sundays through November 2, also October 31, 2024
Opening for its 48th season, this theatrical walk-through experience features assorted creepy scenarios that pile on the Halloween spook. Guest will embark on a narrative-driven journey through an eerie forest haunted by menacing creatures. Encounter classic monsters, explore haunting abandoned ghost towns, and navigate through a horrifying cemetery where spirits rise seeking new companions. READ MORE

Classic Evening Lantern Tour at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Sleepy Hollow
Daily in October and November plus select dates in September 2024
Halloween season is a fitting time for a guided tour of the historic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, the resting place of the author of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Opt for a daytime tour or a nighttime tour lit by kerosene lamps.  READ MORE

Headless Horseman Haunted Houses

Ulster Park
Fridays-Sundays through October 27, 2024
Not for the faint of heart, this seasonal attraction pulls out all the stops to put the fright in Halloween. This year's format is a walk-through experience where horror-seekers encounter assorted settings like haunted hotels, a corn maze, and a greenhouse. A separate ticket gives access to an escape room. READ MORE

Scared by the Sound

Yorktown Heights
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, October 4-November 2, 2024
Named by CNN Travel as one of the Top 10 Haunts in the nation, Scared by the Sound is a spooky, scary, dark walk-through adventure for the older set with creepy characters and thrills and chills set in a haunted house and cemetery.  READ MORE

Dark Forest Fright Walk at Burn Brae Mansion

Glen Spey
Fridays and Saturdays, October 12-26, 2024
Dare to take a walk through the haunted forest at the historic Burn Brae Mansion, a historic haunted location, and encounter the creepy creatures that lurk there in the night. With witches, monsters, ghosts, and goblins, the trail comes alive with Halloween's scariest creatures. Live music, food, and beer and wine are available from Shrewd Fox.  READ MORE

Nightmare Circus

Mahopac
Friday & Saturday, October 18 & 19, also Sunday, October 27, 2024
Step right up!  Enter our mind-distorting funhouse, where the clowns and carnies have their own definition of fun.  We'll have you running for the exit. Too bad there isn't one. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

About the Author

Katherine Dhurandhar
Katherine Dhurandhar is a Community Publisher for Mommy Poppins, representing the Westchester and Hudson Valley region of New York, and a freelance copyeditor for Westchester Publishing Company. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, and traveling with her husband and son.
Recent Articles By Katherine Dhurandhar:
Read more articles by Katherine Dhurandhar.