Pumpkin Patches & Corn Mazes
Not every Halloween tradition involves ghosts. Pennsylvania farms have been doing fall right for a long time, and that usually means pumpkins, hayrides, cider, and corn mazes that are somehow much harder to get out of than it seemed like from the parking lot.
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Ronks is a favorite for families, thanks to its sprawling corn maze and hands-on activities that keep kids busy for hours. In the Lehigh Valley, Flinchbaugh’s Orchard and Farm Market offers pick‑your‑own pumpkins, and in Erie, there’s Port Farms with numerous attractions, a corn maze and pumpkin patches. Freedom Farms in Butler County throws a fantastic fall festival that includes both a corn maze and a pumpkin patch.
If wandering through rows of corn after dark sounds more appealing, you’re in luck. Pennsylvania has no shortage of haunted corn mazes for people who think regular mazes aren’t spooky enough.
Haunted Houses and Attractions
Some people celebrate Halloween by carving pumpkins. Others voluntarily walk into abandoned-looking buildings while someone with a chainsaw chases them. Pennsylvania has options for both haunted houses and Halloween attractions that deliver serious scares.
The Elysburg Haunted House has been terrifying visitors for decades and even offers escape routes for anyone who suddenly remembers they don’t actually enjoy being scared. Gettysburg, already known for its history, has built a reputation as one of the most haunted places in America, making it an easy choice for anyone who enjoys a good ghost story.
If you’d rather take your Halloween underground, Lincoln Caverns in Huntington, PA, hosts seasonal Ghosts and Goblins tours that add an extra layer of creepiness to an already fascinating place.
Halloween Events Across Pennsylvania
Halloween tends to spill well beyond October 31 around here. Throughout the month, you’ll find costume parades, pumpkin festivals, lantern walks, trick-or-treat events, and community celebrations popping up across the state. Some are delightfully spooky. Others are mostly an excuse to eat seasonal treats and spend a few hours outside before winter starts making plans.
Hallowboo at Idlewild is a favorite for younger kids, with family-friendly rides, characters, and activities that keep the mood firmly on the fun side of Halloween. Plenty of towns host their own celebrations too, which means some of the best events aren’t always the biggest ones. Check the local event calendar before your trip to see what’s happening.
Things to Do During Halloween
The nice thing about Halloween in Pennsylvania is that you don’t have to choose between spooky season and everything else that makes fall worth waiting for. Maybe your ideal October day includes a haunted attraction. Maybe it includes a scenic hike, a roadside farm market, or an afternoon spent admiring fall foliage without being startled by actors hiding behind hay bales.
The Endless Mountains, Laurel Highlands, and countless back roads across the state put on a pretty good show this time of year. Add in a local bakery, a small-town main street, or a historic inn, and you’ve got a fall getaway that doesn’t need much improvement. Unless, of course, the hotel turns out to be haunted. Pennsylvania has a few of those, too.
Start planning your Halloween in PA and discover seasonal attractions, events, and fall adventures across the state.
