TRISH BURNS / Benitez family house in Keyport

Do you have that one house in your neighborhood that goes all out for Halloween? Here are some of the scariest and creepiest around New Jersey.

Barnegat: The VanArsdale family welcomes you to check out their home at 5 Knox Court from 7-10 pm nightly. They set up an animatronic walk through and have live actors for a few hours on select dates. Plus, they fundraise for Vetwork in Forked River to support local veterans.

Bridgewater: 13 Skeletons’ hauntings at 948 Rte. 202-206 include an epic daytime, front yard lawn display, a show, “Reverse the Curse” and a Rube Goldberg-inspired Halloween Machine.

Clifton: A dentist’s office on the corner of Grove St. and Robin Hood Rd. attracts immense crowds throughout the year for its elaborate holiday decorations, whether it’s Christmas or Valentine’s Day. For people who count on seeing this display every year, the Bergen Record reports that the display was vandalized recently and taken down. Instead, head to Clinton Avenue near Weasel Brook Park to check out two other massive haunted lawns.

Cherry Hill: Each year, the DuBois family goes all out to give their neighbors the chills. Their haunted house will be outdoors, made up of over 5 rooms, and you can pick your own scare level!

Egg Harbor Twp.: Poplar Avenue is bright and shiny for Halloween, then again for the Christmas season.

JILL PACE

Franklin Lakes: There are only three homes on the cul-de-sac off Franklin Farms Court, but it will be obvious which one is dedicated to frightening the neighborhood. There are 10 animatronics set up across the front yard.  In between, there are some other cool decorations like a graveyard and crime scene. At night a red spotlight shines on the display, which makes it look even more creepy. And starting this Sunday, the animatronics “come alive” at dusk every night (except if there is heavy rain).

Hackettstown: Through Mission Holiday Lights, the house at 265 Mission Rd. is not only decorated for Halloween, but then for Veterans Day and Christmas.

Hawthorne: Welcome to the Graveyard! There are blowups, lights and lots of skeletons at 80 8th Ave. which you can see nightly from sundown to 10 pm.

Keyport: The Benitez family sure knows how to throw a party – a Halloween party, that is! There will be a wedding at 120 Main St. this year. They started building their epic set in September.

ARI GOLDBERGER

Margate City: Ari Goldberger’s late sister loved Halloween, and he realized his massive display is in tribute to her. The house at 8705 Ventnor Ave. is decked out for the season, with giant decorations taking over the property.

Marlton: Anthony and Christine Papaneri decorate their home at 535 Kettle Run Road every year. They have animatronic dinosaurs they bring out during their open house days when they also offer a walk-through. Opening night is October 18 from 6-8 pm, followed by Oct. 21, Oct. 24, Oct. 28 and Oct. 31, also from 6-8 pm.

Nutley: Pirates Swamp Cove will live up to its name by having the fog machine going all weekend in the swamp; watch out for the cannons at 59 Hillside Crescent. Then, take the drive to Cadmus Street for Nutley Halloween House, where you can take a picture with Betty and Barry Bones, hit the buttons to hear the pumpkins talk, watch a skeleton bartender pour a “stiff” drink, and make a donation to Nutley Family Service Bureau.

Paramus: Halloween House is a series of themed rooms that are more fun than fright. There are no actors, jump scares or strobe lighting, but you’ll still have a ball walking through the Trick or Treat Room, Glow in the Dark Room and the Horror Movie Graveyard.

STAFF PHOTO / West End Avenue, Ridgewood

Ridgewood: This free spooky maze at 124 Sheridan Terrace welcomes ghouls of all ages. Wander the maze and you’re sure to get turned around as you make your way through a secret passage. Come after dark and you may see a few creepy clowns, too. There’s also a house on West End Avenue that includes a zombie cemetery walkthrough. Hours are Fridays and Saturdays from October 13, plus Halloween night. There’s a less spooky hour for kids before the main attraction opens each night.

Roselle: Roselle Park makes trick-or-treating easy! They have collected a whole list of spooky houses and made a map for all residents to follow. Check out the Halloween Around Town Facebook page for all the details. 

MARLIN MANOR

Sea Girt: Marlin Manor at 1326 Laurel Ave. is full of surprises. They use projection mapping, lights, lasers and animatronics for their display. There is a rotten pumpkin patch, spooky graveyard with fog and lots of 12-foot monsters. The 2023 themes are Nightmare before Christmas, Haunted Mansion, Tower of Terror and Bates Motel. The Show runs from 7:30-11 pm every night. They’ll be accepting donations for Skeletons for St. Jude.

Succasunna: The homeowners of 2 Alcott Way’s Halloween House are back in action for their 35th year with an outdoor display that will be open on October 31 from 5-11 p.m.

Toms River: Terror on South Main is open this year from dusk to 11 p.m., ready to send you running and screaming! Visitors can drive by or walk around this frightful scene. You can also visit the Ferone Family Not So Spooky Light Show, which sets up a display at 184 Yellowbank Rd. as a fundraiser for the Popcorn Park Zoo.

Union Beach: The Gress House Holiday Light Spectacular takes place at 14 Johnson Ave. every year with lights and festive blow molds, both for Halloween and Christmas.

Do you know a great Halloween house we missed? Let us know!

  • Events are subject to change. Please check websites/Facebook pages before heading out to check on the display or weather updates that may close them down temporarily. 
  • Jennifer Amato contributed to this story.

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