Haunted Houses, Hayrides, Other Halloween Frights In Middlesex County

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ — There are plenty of places in Middlesex County to experience all the Halloween frights. Our scary guide includes everything from haunted houses to hayrides, 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):

• Middlesex County's 4-H Haunted House & Hayrides
  Where: East Brunswick
  When: Every Friday, Saturday in October
  Admission: $6 for each activity or $10 for both Haunted House and Hayride.
• Von Thun Farms Corn Maze
  Where: South Brunswick
  When: Open daily, including Columbus Day, through Halloween
  Admission: $9.99 per person, holidays extra.
• Etsch Farms Corn Maze
  Where: Monroe
  When: Open 12 noon - 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 23 - Oct. 29
  Admission: $17.99.
• Giamarese Farm Hayrides, Corn Maze
  Where: East Brunswick
  When: Saturdays and Sundays
  Admission: $10 Hayrides per person, includes Farm Tour and 8 acre Corn Maze
• House of Horrors, Hayrides
  Where: East Brunswick
  When: Fridays and Saturdays
  Admission: $6 each for Haunted House and Hayrides per person, combo ticket $10

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.”