Spooky season, local style: Pro Halloween attractions in North Central Florida

OCALA, FL (352today.com) – You don’t have to drive to Orlando to get your immersive Halloween scare on.

As October approaches, haunted houses, trails, corn mazes and scream parks are popping up across North Central Florida. Whether your ideal night involves wandering through a dark cornfield, boarding a haunted train or being chased through the woods, there are plenty of local options to embrace the spooky side of the season.

Fear Reach Scream Park

Fear Reach Scream Park returns to Tavares this year with a new story, new haunted houses and a new mission. Guests can enter two haunted attractions—The Discarded Laboratory and Parasomnia—before exploring a midway filled with games, oddities, live entertainment and other Halloween diversions.

Fear Reach Scream Park is located at Far Reach Ranch, 1255 S Dora Blvd. in Tavares. The 2026 season runs Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 2-24, with the park open from 7-10 p.m. most nights an extended hours until 11 p.m. Oct. 17 and 24. Regular admission varies from $30-$35 depending on the night, and Speed Pass and Double Nightmares upgrades are available. Tickets include admission to both haunted attractions, while the Cyanide Circus is a separate add-on. The event is recommended for a PG-13 audience, and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. For tickets and more information, visit their website, Facebook page or call 352-933-5566.

Homestead Haunt

Homestead Haunt is bringing two haunted attractions to Homestead Park in Williston this fall. “Homestead Homecoming: 3 Years of Fear” and “Slashers: The Final Cut” offer two different takes on the traditional haunted-house experience, and visitors can tackle one or both. Those who make it to the later hours can also try Insanity Mode, when the experience gets an extra challenge and most of the lights go out. Once you’ve had enough screaming for one night, Homestead Park also offers food, drinks, axe throwing, cornhole and tiny golf.

Homestead Haunt is located at 1050 NE 6th Blvd. in Williston and runs Fridays and Saturdays from Sept. 25 through Oct. 31, from 8-11 p.m. Tickets are $20 for one house or $35 for both when purchased online, with prices increasing by $5 at the door. Insanity Mode begins at 9:30 p.m. For tickets and additional information, visit their website or call 352-558-7999.

Kirby Family Farm Scary Train

For those who think a regular haunted house needs a little more locomotive power, Kirby Family Farm’s Scary Train (or ScaryTrain, depending on where you look) puts the scares on wheels. The experience includes a ride aboard the farm’s historic train with Clydeen the Conductor and live shows, followed by attractions such as Clown Woods, The Trailer Park, The Not-So-Funhouse, Hearse Hunt, Outlaw Junction and Danowski’s Dungeon.

Kirby Family Farm is located at 19630 NE 30th St. in Williston. The 2026 Scary Train runs select nights beginning Sept. 26. Gates open at 7 p.m., attractions begin at 7:30 p.m. and the farm closes at 10 p.m. An all-inclusive advance ticket is $20, while tickets at the gate are $25 if available. Fast Passes are available for an additional $10. For dates and tickets, visit their website or call 352-812-7435.

Newberry Cornfield Maze

Getting lost in a cornfield is usually considered a problem. At the Newberry Cornfield Maze, it’s the point. After dark, visitors can make their way through the maze while dealing with fog, strange sounds and things that may or may not be hiding between the rows. The Haunted House and Haunted Hayride add another layer of scares, while the Human Hamster Ball and Zombie Bull offer a chance to take a break from the horror.

Newberry Cornfield Maze is located at 20015 W Newberry Rd. in Newberry and runs Fridays and Saturdays from Sept. 18 through Oct. 24, from 5-11 p.m. Adult general admission is $20 cash at the gate or $27.50 online and includes the corn maze and one Haunted House admission. Children under 10 are $15 cash or $22.50 online. The Haunted Hayride, Human Hamster Ball and Zombie Bull are $5 each, cash only. For tickets and information, visit their website or call 352-354-5118.

A Nightmare on Pine Street

You don’t have to leave Ocala to find something lurking in the woods. Wayne’s World of Paintball brings back “A Nightmare on Pine Street,” an annual haunted trail that transforms the outdoor paintball field into a nighttime walk through ghostly and frightening scenes. The event also has a charitable side, with proceeds supporting the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program and Ocala Fire Rescue’s Cathy’s Kids program. It is a more homegrown Halloween experience than a massive commercial haunt, making it an option for those looking for something closer to home.

“A Nightmare on Pine Street” will run select nights from 8-11 p.m. at Wayne’s World of Paintball, 4841 S Pine Ave. in Ocala. Admission pricing is cash only, at $15 for adults and $10 for child 12 and under. Those interested can go to their Facebook page or call 352-817-3216 for more information.

Peanut Patch & CornMaze

During the day, a corn maze sounds like a pretty peaceful way to spend an autumn evening. After dark, Peanut Patch & CornMaze has a different idea. Its Season of Screams combines a Haunted House, Haunted Hayride and Haunted Corn Maze, giving visitors three ways to get lost—and at least one of them is intentional. The attraction is celebrating its 10th year of Season of Screams in 2026, with new versions of its haunted house, corn maze and hayride.

Peanut Patch & CornMaze is located at 8656 SW 75th St. in Gainesville and operates Fridays and Saturdays from Sept. 25 through Oct. 31, from 5-11 p.m. Adult admission is $20 cash at the event or $25 online. Children under 11 are $15 cash or $18 online, before online processing fees. The attraction recommends parental discretion and notes that actors do not touch guests, but may get close. For more information, visit their website, Facebook page or call 352-339-2113.

Scream-A-Geddon

If one haunted house isn’t enough, Dade City’s infamous annual Scream-A-Geddon turns 60 acres into an entire horror park. The attraction features six haunted experiences, including Bloodwater Bayou, Ravenhill Asylum, Demon’s Revenge, Killgore’s 3D Circus, Breach and the new Bonzo’s Bizarre. Ravenhill Asylum and Breach offer an interactive option for guests 18 and older, who can “mark” themselves for a more hands-on experience that may include being grabbed, held back or separated from their group. Visitors can also take on Zombie Paintball Assault for an additional challenge. With everything from creepy clowns to axe throwing, the park gives horror fans plenty of ways to spend the night being scared.

Scream-A-Geddon is located at 27839 Saint Joe Rd. in Dade City. The park operates select nights now through Nov. 1, with hours varying by dates. General admission includes the haunted attractions, while Zombie Paintball Assault is an additional charge. Online ticket prices vary by night and start at $30 per person. For dates, tickets and additional information, visit their website or call 813-452-5412.