By SARAH PIERCE – 2020 has definitely been a scary year… no haunted houses required. But, if you still want to find ways to get your screams out, visit one of these Pittsburgh haunted houses, hayrides, fright farms, and other scary adventures – all open for the 2020 season, and all offering new procedures and guidelines in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Haunted houses only come once a year! There are so many located right here in PA and not far from Indiana. Here are some examples of places you can visit that will surely send some shivers down your spine and get your adrenaline pumping. There are many more attractions if you are interested, in the link at the bottom.

The “ScareHouse” is located just an hour from Indiana, at 461 Pittsburgh Mills Cir, Pittsburgh, PA. 

The “ScareHouse” is a haunted attraction back with a new location for 2020 at the Pittsburgh Mills in Tarentum, PA. This year, they have “more clowns, demons, mutants, and scares than ever!” They’re open weekends from now through November 14, and all ScareHouse tickets must be purchased in advance online. The ticket prices range from $17.95 to $39.95 per person. You can visit their website at https://www.scarehouse.com/

The “Demon House” is located an hour and 30 minutes from Indiana, at 417 Coyle Curtain Road, Monongahela, PA. 

The “Demon House” in Monongahela is open weekends through November 13, offering a frightful haunted house experience. Demon House is on a first-come, first-served basis (so be prepared for long lines), and tickets are $20 per person on Fridays and Saturdays and $15 per person on Sundays. They also offer campfires, an outdoor movie theater, local artists booths, food trucks, and more to enjoy while you are waiting. You can visit their website at https://demonhouse.com/index.html

Sophomore Chloe Mchugh stated, “I enjoy getting scared. I would say that it is very fun. I would prefer going to a haunted attraction around other people because if it is a drive-thru one it won’t be that much fun.”

“Zombies of the Corn” is located an hour and 50 minutes from Indiana at 282 Rochester Road, Freedom, PA. 

“Zombies of the Corn” in Freedom, PA, brings your biggest zombie nightmares to life. Open every weekend through November 1, this ride takes guests through a haunted corn maze on a truck loaded with paintball guns. Tickets start at $35 and include the zombie shoot ride with 150 paintballs, a walk through the zombie compound, the zombie maze, spooky ghost stories, campfires, and parking. For more information, you can go to https://zombiesofthecorn.com/

“Haunted Hills Estate” is located an hour and 40 minutes from Indiana at 236 Rolling Hills Estate Road, Uniontown, PA. 

Scream through six haunted attractions and activities at Uniontown’s “Haunted Hills Estate”, featuring lots of beautifully-designed sets filled with actors, animatronics, and special effects. This year, tickets also include their newly-expanded Midway, featuring Halloween-themed games, a concession stand, gift shop, live entertainment, and more. Tickets start at $25 and Haunted Hills Estate is open weekends through October. You can visit their website at https://www.hauntedhillsestate.com/

Senior Sara Zimmerman stated, “I enjoy my adrenaline being high and being scared. I would convince them to go by saying it’s all fake and you only live once. I would prefer not being socially distanced because I like to be front row of the scare instead of sitting in my car being surrounded by metal.”

“Allen’s Haunted Hayrides & Tavern of Terror” is located an hour and 30 minutes from Indiana at 2430 Pittsburgh Road, Smock, PA. 

Open on weekends through October, “Allen’s Haunted Hayrides & Tavern of Terror” in Smock has been scaring people since 1979. Tickets to the Haunted Hayride are $15, and guests will take a one-mile tour of the farm through the haunted forest, barn, and fields, with a visit to the Allen Family Cemetery and Church. Tickets to the Tavern of Terror are also $15, and include a haunted walk through the 3,500-square-foot tavern, with a variety of classic horror scenes. Tickets to both are available for $25 per person. You can visit their website at http://www.allenshayrides.com/

“Lonesome Valley Farms” is located an hour from Indiana at 1800 Fairgrounds Road, Greensburg, PA. 

This haunted attraction is a little different because it is socially distanced for those who don’t want to be put at risk. You just stay in your car and drive through the experience. This drive-thru fright experience is open Fridays and Saturdays in October, offering a new socially-distant alternative to their traditional haunted attractions, located next to the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds. Tickets to the drive-thru are $10 per person, or $40 per car (with up to six people), and drive-thru concessions are also available. You can visit their website for more information at https://lonesomevalleyfarms.com/

Senior Janet Barber stated, “I’m an adrenaline person so I like the fact that I don’t know what to expect when I go to a haunted attraction. I would say give a past experience of being at the attraction that was really fun. I wouldn’t mind going to a haunted house around people but also I think it would be pretty cool to do a drive-thru one because it would be a whole different experience. I like the fact that I don’t know what to expect when I go to a haunted attraction.”

For more information on all of these attractions, check out https://goodfoodpittsburgh.com/all-the-pittsburgh-haunted-houses-hayrides-fright-farms-open-in-2020/

Tickets sell quickly for these events, so be sure to check with each venue before you visit! These attractions only happen one month out of the entire year. Many teenagers enjoy the thrill of going to haunted attractions. 

Some students love Halloween and wait all year for these activities. No other holiday is this extremely thrill driven!