It’s Scare Season! Where to Go for the Best Fall Frights
The nights are longer and there’s a chill in the air… it’s almost Halloween!! And that means scare season for local haunt actors Stacey Federoff and Dave Archer. They’re sharing their love of the holiday, which area haunts are worth a day trip from Pittsburgh, and how you and your friends can safely (and creepily?!) experience the frights and delights of their favorite “haunted” attractions.
This is episode is the second in a three-part series on the best fall getaways in our region.
For hard-core horror lovers:
- Chippewa Lake — east of Akron, Ohio (former slaughterhouse)
- Field of Screams — outside of Lancaster, PA, near Hershey
- Crawford School of Terror — Connellsville, PA
Less scary, still fun:
- Rich’s Fright Farm — Smithfield PA in Fayette County
- Factory of Terror — Canton, Ohio (excellent themed haunts like Friday 13th/Valentine’s Day/St. Patrick’s Day, and there are bars inside the haunt)
Quikiest:
- Hopewell Windmill — Beaver County, PA (mini golf and ice cream)
- Freddy’s Haunt — Beaver County, PA (Stacey’s favorite for 90s feel)
Kid-friendly:
- Haunted Hills Hayride — North Versailles, PA
- Castle Blood — Monessen, PA (theatrical vignettes in a former funeral home)
- Hobgoblin Hikes — Westmoreland County Parks
- Hallowboo at Idlewild — Ligonier, PA
- Kennywood Fall Fest — West Mifflin, PA
- ZooBoo at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium — Highland Park
- Boo Barn at Triple B Farms — Monongahela, PA
Best destination haunts:
- Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum — Weston, WV
- The Dungeon in West Virginia Penitentiary — Moundsville, WV
- Eastern State Penitentiary — Philadelphia, PA
- Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios — Orlando, Fla., or Hollywood, CA (as Dave says, the grand-daddy of all haunts)
- Knott’s (Scary) Berry Farm — Buena Park, CA
Want some more Pittsburgh news?
- Make sure to sign up for our daily morning Hey Pittsburgh newsletter.
- We’re also on Instagram @CityCastPgh!
- Not a fan of social? Then leave us a voicemail at 412-212-8893.
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Pittsburgh and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Create Your Own Pittsburgh Food Tour
Looking for your next fall getaway? What about a curated road trip with lots of tasty stops and local history? Our state's tourism site i...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How One Oregon City is Lowering Energy Costs — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
What’s a seemingly small project in Pittsburgh that’s made a big difference? In the Oregon suburb of Tualatin, a drinking water pipe has...

UPMC Yields to Trump, County Bans Big Data Centers & Goodbye Millennial Gray?
UPMC just placed a decade-long moratorium on gender-affirming care for patients under 19 and agreed to pay the federal government $950,00...

A Warrant, a Budget & Pittsburgh’s Missing $250M
Former Mayor Ed Gainey is under investigation and facing allegations of improper contracts, questionable financial decisions, and potenti...

Pittsburgh’s Flock Camera Problem
Allegheny County the most Flock cameras and automated license plate readers in PA, according to crowdsourced data. Host Megan Harris is w...

Can $25M Make Smithfield Cool Again?
In the midst of Downtown’s larger $600 million makeover, Smithfield Street’s been waiting its turn. Crews are breaking ground today on th...

Paid Parental Leave Proposal Gets a Makeover
After weighing over 1,400 public comments — mostly from parents, health care workers, and small business owners — the county health depar...

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast Pittsburgh
Would Pittsburgh be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime...

Ripping Out Skill Games, Mandatory Fun & RIP Annie Dillard
Will state police start ripping skill games out of convenience stores, vape shops, and other spots? That's what could happen if lawmakers...

Pittsburgh Restaurant Empires, Explained
Did you know a ton of Pittsburgh's most influential dining spots are run by the same six restaurant groups? Some are massive, some are lo...

