Daylight is getting sparse and the leaves are changing colors — sure signs Halloween is creeping closer.
For those looking to trade pumpkin patches and hayrides for dark hallways, haunted trails and a few good scares, there are plenty of places to visit across north central Ohio this fall.
Looking for a traditional haunted house, a walk through the woods or a spooky experience inside one of the area’s historic buildings? North central Ohio has many options to explore.
Whether you’re looking for a night of intense scares or simply want to add something festive to your 2026 fall plans, there are plenty of ways to celebrate this season close to home.
Spooky attractions
Blood Prison – Mansfield
A staple at the Ohio State Reformatory, Blood Prison returns this autumn on select nights through Nov. 1. The frightening attraction uses the Shawshank site’s history and architecture to immerse its visitors in an experience designed to deliver a spooky night.
📍 Location: 100 Reformatory Rd.
Find tickets, dates and times here.
The Trail of Nightmares – Ontario
For more than a decade, this outdoor attraction has invited visitors to step onto its trail and try to make it out unscathed. From wooded trails and haunted buildings to themed scenes and live actors, The Trail of Nightmares delivers a classic, spooky-good time.
📍 Location: 4135 Park Ave. W.
Find tickets, dates and times here.
J&J Field of Screams – Shelby
For those looking to get lost in a little fear, J&J Field of Screams offers a haunted corn maze and forest filled with monsters, spooky scenes and plenty of thrills. The attraction aims to create an immersive evening of frights while offering visitors a night they won’t forget.
📍 Location: 5482 St. Rt. 61 S.
Find tickets, dates and times here.
Mohican Haunted Schoolhouse – Perrysville
Looking for a classic haunted house experience? Mohican Haunted Schoolhouse takes over a 1924 schoolhouse in Perrysville, turning three floors into a maze of horror with themed areas featuring classic monsters, an abandoned carnival and Contagion Industries.
📍 Location: 155 W. Third St.
Find tickets, dates and times here.
Ghost hunting
The Phoenix Brewing Company – Ales from the Afterlife – Mansfield
Ever wanted to raise a glass with a ghost? Ales from the Afterlife Haunted Brewery Tours invites guests to explore the former 1914 mortuary-turned-brewery. The experience starts with some liquid courage and guests get to keep a branded glass as a souvenir. A ghostly guide leads visitors while sharing stories, chilling legends and the history of the Phoenix.
📍 Location: 131 N. Diamond St.
Find dates, times and pricing here.
The Ohio State Reformatory – Mansfield
Step inside the Ohio State Reformatory after dark with ghost walks, mini ghost hunts and private paranormal investigations. These experiences take visitors into parts of the historic prison known for paranormal activity, offering a chance to explore its darker side with age requirements varying by experience.
📍 Location: 100 Reformatory Rd.
Find tickets, dates and times here.
Malabar Farm Haunted Hike – Lucas
When the sun goes down, Pleasant Valley takes on a different feel. Malabar Farm’s Haunted Hike leads visitors through the area with a wagon ride and nighttime walk filled with eerie stories from Louis Bromfield’s writings, 1800s settlers and local legends.
To sign up you can call the park at 419-892-2784.
📍 Location: 4050 Bromfield Rd.
To learn more about dates and times check here.
The Mansfield Fire Museum – Mansfield
Think you can handle a night at the Mansfield Fire Museum? Its private paranormal investigations let guests explore more than its firefighting history as they visit reported haunted hotspots and search for unexplained activity, including strange sounds, lights flickering and shadowy figures.
📍 Location: 1265 W. Fourth St.
To learn more about pricing and times check here.
Landoll’s Mohican Castle – Loudonville
What’s creepier than a haunted castle? Exploring one for yourself. Landoll’s Mohican Castle offers ghost hunts that lead guests through the castle grounds, Heyd Cemetery, a replica 1830s log cabin and a tunnel beneath the property. Guests can hear tales of the castle’s haunted history before searching for signs of paranormal evidence themselves.
📍 Location: 561 Twp. Rd.
Find tickets, dates and times here.
The Gill House – Galion
Step inside the historic Gill House in Galion, where a grand early-1900s mansion comes with a history that refuses to stay in the past. Known for reports of footsteps, laughter, shadowy figures and other unexplained activity, the house has become a destination for those curious enough to see what might be waiting in the dark.
📍 Location: 342 Harding Way W.
More information can be found here.
History After Dark – Ashland
History gets a little darker after sunset with the Ashland County Historical Society’s History After Dark. Guests 17 and older can explore explore haunting stories and mysterious events from Ashland County’s past through a mix of outdoor walking, presentations and tales exploring the macabre, supernatural and unusual sides of local history.
📍 Location: 420 Center St.
Find tickets, dates and times here.
Tunnel on Township Road 1536 – Ashland
One Ashland County Road comes with a legend that might make you think twice before turning off your headlights. The “haunted tunnel” is beneath a stone bridge about half a mile west of U.S. 42 on Township Road 1536, just south of Ashland.
According to the legend, drivers who stop beneath in the tunnel, turn their headlights off, and put their vehicle in neutral may find their car mysteriously pushed or pulled through the tunnel. Reports of unexplained handprints, eerie sensations, orbs and mist have only added to the tunnel’s spooky reputation.
📍 Location: Half a mile west of U.S. 42 on Township Road 1536
Planning your upcoming spooky season events
Halloween attractions can vary from one location to the next, so check each attraction’s schedule and ticket information before heading out.
Some attractions may operate only on certain nights, while other may have different hours or admission prices depending on the date.
Have a haunted attraction or spooky event that should be included in this guide? Let us know.