Barnegat Guide To Haunted Houses, Hayrides, Other Halloween Frights

BARNEGAT-MANAHAWKIN, NJ — There are plenty of places around Barnegat and Manahawkin to experience all the Halloween frights. Our scary guide includes everything from festivals to trunk or treats, some better experienced for adults and others suitable for children.

Do you have the scariest looking home on the block? Share it with Patch!

Here’s what’s going on leading up to Halloween (the 31st is on a Tuesday, so plan accordingly):

Nightmare at Gille Park
Where: Gille Park, Lacey
When: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 and 14
Admission: $15
Features: A scary haunted trail set up by Lacey Recreation.

Kids Pumpkin Fest
Where: Living Water Community Church, 333 US-9, Bayville
When: 10 a.m. Oct. 14
Admission: Register here
Features: Carve a pumpkin, hear a story from Farmer Joe and more.

Operation Halloween
Where: Joseph A. Citta Scout Reservation, Barnegat
When: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 20 and 21
Admission: $20
Features: Free Pumpkin Street with games and a hay ride, haunted walk, the "infamous" Terror in the Pines.

Lacey Elks Haunted Hay Ride and Pavilion
Where: Lacey Elks, 900 Beach Blvd., Lacey
When: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 27 (members and their families) and 28 (general public)
Admission: $10 adults, $5 kids under 15
Features: Plenty of spooky fun, plus treats and ghostly drinks for purchase. Not recommended for kids under 10.

Trunk or Treat
Where: 775 E. Bay Ave., Manahawkin
When: 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 28
Admission: Free
Features: Corvettes on display, music, hot dogs, beverages and of course plenty of goodies for kids.

Treats in the Trunk
Where: New Hope Baptist Church, 171 11th St, Berkeley
When: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 28
Admission: Free
Features: Food trucks, bounce houses and tables for community awareness. Wear costumes and bring candy bags!

Toms River Halloween Parade
Where: 26 Robbins St., Toms River
When: Registration from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. day of
Admission: Free, donations accepted
Features: The second-largest Halloween parade there is!

Experts say some of us are hard-wired to enjoy the full-body experience of being scared, as long as we know we’re in no real danger. Adrenal glands go into overdrive when we’re frightened, triggering a rush of dopamine and endorphins, the “pleasure” hormones.

That’s different from the “bad fear” triggered in dangerous situations, according to Cleveland Clinic psychologist Chivonna Childs.

“There’s also a good side to fear, and that’s what scary movies, true crime and haunted houses tap into,” Childs wrote on a Cleveland Clinic blog. “We understand that there’s an end to those experiences, that the bear’s not gonna get us. We know that going through a haunted house is just for fun, that it’s only people in costumes.

“But it still rings those bells for adrenaline, endorphins and dopamine. You experience the euphoria because you know you’re safe.”