Ocean City Guide To Haunted Houses, Hayrides, Other Halloween Frights

OCEAN CITY, NJ — There are plenty of places around Ocean City to experience all the Halloween frights. Our scary guide includes everything from festivals to parades, some better experienced for adults and others suitable for children.

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

HSOC "Howl-O-Ween" Parade
Where: 6th to 14th Street on the Boardwalk
When: Registration 2 p.m., parade 3 p.m. on Oct. 21
Admission: Free
Features: Dogs and their owners march down the Boardwalk dressed for the season.

Halloween Parade
Where: Asbury Avenue, 6th to 11th Street
When: 7:15 p.m. Oct. 26
Admission: Free
Features: Awards given in all divisions.

Halloween Costume Skate
Where: Ocean City Skate Park, Fifth Street and Asbury Avenue
When: 4 p.m. to dusk Oct. 28
Admission: Free
Features: Prizes for best costume and best trick, and candy for participants.

Trick or treat hours on Oct. 31 are 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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.”