Halloween at the Jersey Shore

Boo to you, my fellow Jersey Shore fans. Halloween is a big season at New Jersey’s beaches, with everything from scare fests to pumpkin picking to a little bit of Magic Mike for those who are so inclined. Here are four Halloween shore events for your frightful calendar.

Moreys Fears Terror on the Boardwalk in Wildwood. This is where to go if you want to be scared out of your mind, hence the name Terror on the Boardwalk. It’ll take place on October 5-7, 12-13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 from 7pm to 11pm each night. Attractions include a haunted corn maze called Cornstalkers; CarnEVIL, which is set in an abandoned carnival that went toxic (do not visit if you’re scared of clowns); Terror Trench, which has something to do with an accident that happened when the original lazy river at Raging Waters was built (I don’t want to give TOO much away); The Other Side, which involves spirits living under the boardwalk; and, of course, the Ghost Ship, which I visited from the underworld side of things in April. Moreys stresses that this is not an event for kids, and recommends that children under eight stay home – and even then, use your best judgement. The eight year old me would not be ready for this event.

Tickets are $30 a person and include all of the horror attractions and unlimited use of the handful or rides still open (which right now are Sea Serpent, Super Scooters, Tea cups, Rollie’s Coaster, Moby Dick and Musik Express).

Pumpkin Picking at Beach Plum Farm in West Cape May. If screaming isn’t your thing (I know it’s not mine), then check out the more family friendly activity of pumpkin picking at Beach Plum Farm, which happens every Saturday in October from 11am to 4pm. If you go, say hello to the chickens for me.

Fright on the Fairways in Mays Landing. Not all golf courses are boring, not when they’re turned into haunted attractions. On October 18-20, from 6pm to 10:30pm, the Mays Landing Golf & Country Club will be transformed into the setting for haunted hay rides. Each scare section is decorated by local high school students, who will be competing for the Mummy Award and Scholarship through visitor voting. Tickets are $10 each, with proceeds going toward fine arts scholarships for local high school students. Group rates are available.

Boogie Nights Halloween Costume Party at the Tropicana in Atlantic City. There are two parts of this October 27 Halloween event. First, if you’re looking to tap your inner Magic Mike, the Savage Men Male Revue kicks off at 7:30pm in the Boogie Nights space. You’re encouraged to dress up as a cop, firefighter, cowboy or military to participate as a backup dancer (I can’t make this stuff up. Really). The costume contest winner will get a VIP package for 10 friends valid for an AC or NYC Savage Men show. The SECOND part of the night is your more traditional Halloween dance party, starting at 9:30pm at the same venue, with more costume prizes but this time for scariest, sexiest, most outrageous, and best 70s and 80s costumes (not connected to men dancing). Tickets for the Savage Men portion are $31.64; for Boogie Nights, $15.