Haunted houses and ghost tours for a frightfully fun October in the DC area

Spooky season is already underway in the DMV. Make your plans before tickets sell out or a ghoul wreaks havoc on your plans.

Unfortunately, missing from this year’s list again is Field of Screams in Olney, which will remain closed for the 2026 season. The Halloween attraction is now expected to reopen in 2027.

Still, the DMV has many other spooky haunts and such for the brave.

Haunted Halloween tours & popups in DC for 2026

Soul Strolls at Congressional Cemetery  (1801 E St SE)

Come in costume as a departed spirit as you embark on Soul Strolls at Congressional Cemetery. Organizers encourage guests to arrive early and enjoy live music, refreshments and the ghostly evening atmosphere of the cemetery. This year's hour-long tour will mark the United States’ 250th anniversary as guests hear about ghostly American secrets and the lives that shaped the nation. Evenings of Oct. 16-17, 23-24 and 30-31; adults $40; kids ages 5-12 $20; kids 4 & under free; VIP tickets $80.  

Professors and Pints, various locations 

Learn about Washington’s spookiest days, early American witch hunts, ancient terrors of the night and more with Professor and Pints’ Halloween lecture series. Throughout October, professors across the DMV will give lectures on spooky subject matter at bars, breweries and other locations. Various dates; tickets $15 in advance, $17 at the door.

Dreaded Dead Descent of the District: DC Ghosts Tour 

Although offered year-round, this Dreaded Dead Descent of the District ghost tour is perfect during spooky season season for the politically savvy friends in your circle. Uncover the nation’s capital’s “dark secrets” as the tour travels through Lafayette Square, across from the White House, sharing stories of presidential ghosts and curses. Various dates; adults $26; kids age 6 & up $17; free for kids under 6. Patrons can also join the D.C. Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl to hear spooky stories with a drink. Various dates; adult admission $29+.

Haunted houses & Halloween trails in Maryland for 2026

Laurel’s House of Horror (935 Fairlawn Ave., Laurel)

Ever gotten a spooky feeling in the back rooms of a movie theater? If you want to experience that vibe once again, head to Laurel’s House of Horror, where the horrors are inside a long-abandoned movie theater behind the Laurel Mall. Visitors can experience the movie theater’s Haunted House in a 20- to 30-minute tour, and this year, patrons can also go on a ghost tour afterhours with a paranormal guide ... IF they’re brave enough ... Now through Nov. 7; general admission $30-$40. 

Markoff’s Haunted Forest (19120 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson)

You can walk a haunted mile-long trail full of jumpscares at Markoff’s Haunted Forest, which is now up and running (like you will be, when the scares appear). If a spooky dark trail isn’t your vibe, Markoff’s also offers a haunted western experience, where you can visit ... The Town. (Ominous, right?) Neither is recommended for kids under 12. Markoff’s Midway, located before the haunted experiences, features bonfires, food, drinks and music with creepy ghouls to prepare you for the scares ahead. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus select Thursdays, now through Nov. 7. Tickets $25-$50 for the trail; tickets for The Town $35. Combination tickets are $75-$80.

Haunted houses, trails & popups in Virginia for 2026

Fields of Fear at Cox Farms (15621 Braddock Road, Centreville) 

Want to be so scared you almost drop your apple cider donut? Fields of Fear at Cox Farms has you covered (in goosebumps). You can hunt for a way through the haunted cornfield in Cornightmare, take a bone-chilling ride on The Dark Side Hayride, experience the dark woods of The Forest, or recite ghost stories around the fire pits at The Fireground. Note: Fields of Fear is not recommended for kids under 12. All guests under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Fridays and Saturdays through through Nov. 7; 7:30-11 p.m. Tickets: $40-$45 during peak times, available online only, so purchase ahead of time. 

Old Town Ghost Tours (221 King St., Alexandria)

Celebrating 50 years, Old Town Alexandria’s Original Ghost and Graveyard Tour will take you along darkened alleys and centuries-old buildings as costumed tour guides share the tales of Old Town’s restless spirits. Weeknights 7:30 p.m.; Fridays & Saturdays at 8, 8:30 and 9 p.m. Adults $20; kids $10. If you prefer to nurse a drink while listening to a ghost story, go for Old Town’s Haunted Pub Crawl experience. Patrons must be 21+ for this 2.5-hour tour. Tickets start at $29.

Haunt: Dark Encounters at Workhouse Arts Center (9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton)

"In the fall of 1996, a group of friends set out on a road trip through rural Virginia, driven by an obsession with local legends and folklore.... Before they could complete their trip, they vanished without a trace." Thus begins Haunt: Dark Encounters at Workhouse Arts Center (9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton), which will have you shivering along a terrifying trail. Sat. Oct. 3; Fridays, Saturdays and select Sundays through Oct. 30 at 7, 8, 9 and 9:30 p.m. Admission $35 (plus fees); advance discounts available.

Nightmare on the Avenue (2312 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria)

Now open to haunt your dreams: Nightmare on the Avenue (2312 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria), a Del Ray pop-up bar that'll let you commune with spirits ... both the scary kind and the beverage kind. Snack from a menu of small bites, cocktails and mocktails in an immersive yet unsettling setting, just in time for spooky season. Now through Nov. 1: Mon.-Wed. 5-10 p.m.; Thurs.-Fri. 5 p.m.-midnight; Halloween noon-midnight; Sun. 2-9 p.m.