Fun Halloween Day Trips for the Whole Family

Written by Brianna Gunter

Halloween is only a week away. Before you indulge in a night of trick-or-treating with a bevy of ghost, goblins and ghouls, make time for your family to enjoy these great Halloween-themed day trips:

Camden County 4-H Haunting and Kids’ Pumpkin Patch Hayride

6 Salina-County House Road, Gloucester Township, NJ, 08012

(856) 216-7130 Ext. 8

Why Go

Haunted hayrides have become a staple of the Halloween season, and they’re most fun in the dark. Camden County’s 4-H organization delivers with their annual “Haunting,” which features a spooky hayride through the woods at night (on Fri., Oct. 25 and Sat., Oct. 26 from 7:00 to 10:30 p.m.). There also will be food and other activities. Since Halloween is on a Thursday this year, this is a great way to celebrate early with the whole family.

Families with younger children looking for other Halloween activities may prefer the Kids’ Pumpkin Patch Hayride. This includes friendly events like a costume parade (time to get sewing or get to a costume store!), free crafts, and other family-friendly goodies. Children going on the hayride also can pick a pumpkin.

Insider Tip

According to the event coordinators, over a thousand people turned up at last year’s Halloween Haunting. There is plenty of space for parking, but get there early to avoid a long walk from your car or a long line for the hayride.

Must Do

Day or night, the hayride is really the main attraction here. “We try to keep it simple,” said 4-H coordinator Sharon Kinsey. “The hayride is what everyone enjoys. It’s a nice family event, only a little bit scary…with an element of surprise.” 

The Fine Print

The evening Haunting is open both days, but the kids’ pumpkin patch hayride will only be open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 26. The costume parade will be at noon, but arrive early if your child wants to participate. The cost of the kids’ hayride and pumpkin picking is $5. Tickets for the Haunting are $8 for adults (11 and up) and $5 for children 10 and under. So while it isn’t free, it is still much cheaper than many other Halloween hayride attractions. 

Goblins in the Garden Family Festival

3 Riverside Drive, Camden, NJ 08103

856-365-8733

Why Go

Do you have kids who just can’t wait until October 31 for Halloween? Instead of letting them run wild on pseudo-holidays like “mischief night,” gear them up for the holiday by taking them to Goblins in the Garden, a unique family Halloween festival in the Camden Children’s Garden on Oct. 26 and 27. You and your family can get dressed up in your Halloween costumes (a good time to practice for the big day!) and go trick or treating during the event’s costume parade, make crafts, get your fortunes told, and more. Goblins in the Garden also celebrates the Mexican traditional holiday of El Día de los Muertos, so this is a great way to expand your child’s cultural knowledge.

Insider Tip

“The Garden and our activities are generally designed for ages 2 to 12,” organizer Valerie Frick said. So if you have both older and younger children, your older children may enjoy strolling around the garden to explore it by themselves, while your younger ones participate in Halloween crafts, etc. The garden is also along the Camden Waterfront, which is also a fun place to explore.

Must Do

The Haunted Halloween train ride is especially fun, and your family will meet various costumed characters along the way. It is also a great way to see the garden, which is home to a very diverse variety of flowers and other plants, which are very pretty even during the fall season. 

The Fine Print

You’ll see that admission is $6 per person, but know that the rides are an extra $2. However, the rest of the events are free. The Halloween event runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Fernbrook Farms ‘Not So Scary Halloween’

142 Bordentown Georgetown Road (Route 545), Chesterfield Township, NJ 08515

(609) 298-4028

Why Go

Looking for Halloween festivities that aren’t too spooky or frightening? Dress up the whole family in their best, not-too-spooky Halloween costumes (no masks, to keep things completely family-friendly) and head to Fernbrook Farms for lighthearted storytelling, a wagon ride, a campfire, prizes, healthy snacks (free!) and a meadow maze. 

Insider Tip

If using GPS to get to the farm, be careful about typing in the address. Many GPS devices will not recognize the address, so you should look up the street instead. You can also use the coordinates: N 40° 06.428′ and W 74° 40.476′. 

Must Do

Younger children will especially enjoy meeting different costumed characters around the farm, and this could make for a great photo opportunity. And while this is Halloween, none of the costumes are too spooky or intense for the little ones. “In keeping in the farm theme we'll have a spider, butterfly, scarecrow, ladybug and more,” said organizer Tina Williams.

The Fine Print

This Halloween event is free for children 3 and under! Still, the admission fee ($16 for adults, $12 for children 4 to 12) covers everything and there are no hidden extra costs. Pre-registration is necessary, however, so call 609-298-4028 to register your family as soon as possible if you want to attend. 

R and J Corn Maze

723 W. Herschel St., Galloway Township, NJ 08215

(609) 593-6180

Why Go

The main attraction of R and J Farm this Halloween season is its extensive corn maze (a full mile of trails cut into their corn fields), but this place essentially has everything a family could want for a day of Halloween fun. “We have hayrides to the pumpkin patch, the corn maze, "Redneck" paintball with plastic foam balls shooting at targets— big hit with the kids in the tween age bracket and no mess,” said Joanne Collison (the “J” in the farm’s name). “Pony rides are for the smaller kids as well as face painting.” 

Insider Tip

Don’t panic about the thought of getting stuck in a giant corn maze— there are “maze corn cops” stationed around the area to help you. Make sure your kids know this ahead of time just in case they too don’t like the idea of being lost, especially if you’re going at night. 

Must Do

At night, the corn maze morphs into the “Cornfield of Terror”, a very spooky but fun Halloween attraction that follows local lore about Galloway Township vanishing during a harvest moon. Since then, strange howls and screams have been heard in the area, and this Halloween corn maze has grown in popularity. The hayride, pumpkin patch, and daytime activities are certainly fun, but if your children are at least 10 years of age (use your best judgment), this is a must. 

“We have received numerous compliments…that our Cornfield of Terror is better, scarier, than other haunted attractions in South Jersey,” said Collison. 

If your children are younger or you and your family members scare easily, there is also the non-scary “Flashlight Maze” at night. It’s much tamer, but you’ll still have the fun challenge of finding your way out of it.

The Fine Print

The farm is open throughout October on Fridays from 2 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The “Cornfield of Terror” starts at dusk on all of these days and runs until the farm’s closing. There are different prices for each event, and all are listed on their website. However, there are special “combo” prices if you have multiple adults and/or want to participate in multiple events. Tickets for kids 10 and younger are also cheaper.