Maryland

Scary season: Haunted houses and ghost tours for frightful fun in the DC area

Published

1 year ago

September 30, 2024

Scary season: Haunted houses and ghost tours for frightful fun in the DC area

The nights are getting longer, and Halloween decor is jumping out of the bushes. It’s time to search high and low for thrills and chills!

Whether that means a horrifying haunted house or a creepy ghost tour, you have plenty of options in D.C., Maryland and Virginia… if you dare!

Haunted houses and Halloween trails in Maryland

Field of Screams

📅 Weekends and select other days through Nov. 2
📍 4501 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney, Maryland
💲 $30+ (varies by date)
🔗 Details

Voted the best haunted attraction by USA Today, Field of Screams is for those seeking a real scare across 55 horrifying stations.

Tickets are sold online only starting at $54 and grant you admission to the SUPER Screams Haunted Trail and the Slaughter Factory Haunted House (if you dare).

Field of Screams is not recommended for children under 12.

Carnival games, bonfires, s’mores and a concession stand will be available if you can stomach it before or after the scares.

Field of Screams says it’s set to open Friday, Oct. 4. It pushed back its opening date amid bad weather and reports of permitting delays.

Laurel’s House of Horrors

📅 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 2, plus extra days in the last weeks of October
📍 935 Fairlawn Ave., Laurel, Maryland
💲 $34.95+
🔗 Details

Get ready to be spooked in the area’s biggest indoor haunt. Built inside an abandoned movie theater, this season’s haunted house offers new chilling experiences in an eerie 28,000-square-foot space.

Explore the building’s paranormal activity and encounter terrifying creatures throughout the theater. Want more scares? Try out their “Escape the Movies” escape rooms based on some classic scary films (for an extra fee).

Along with general admission tickets, guests can buy additional packages with options to skip the line.

Six Flags Fright Fest in Bowie

📅 Select nights through Oct. 27
📍 13710 Central Ave., Upper Marlboro, Maryland
💲 $70 for a single-day park ticket and haunted attractions pass
🔗 Details

Six Flags has even more reasons to scream during October. Scare zones and rides for all are included with standard admission tickets. Get the Haunted Attractions Pass to experience more scares, including Haunting of Hall Manor, Sideshow: Haze House, Twisted Fairytales and more.

The scares ramp up after 6 p.m., and this experience may be too scary for kids 13 and younger. No costumes are allowed for visitors over 12.

Markoff’s Haunted Forest

📅 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October, plus Halloween
📍 19120 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson, Maryland
💲 About $40 for the trail (varies by night and attraction)
🔗 Details

Venture off into the woods to experience three haunted attractions. While waiting in Markoff’s Midway, soothe your fears at the bonfires or dance with “creepy weirdos.” Then, you can then venture off into The Town where you get up close and personal with the strange residents. The mile-long Haunted Trail has twisting turns and terrifying scenes.

Live entertainment is available some nights such as dance groups, live bands and fire spinners.

AVFD Station 7 Terror Trail

📅 Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 26
📍 2380 Davidsonville Road, Gambrills, Maryland
💲 $25 (Terror Trail) or $10 (Boo Loop maze)
🔗 Details

Looking for a family-friendly haunt? Visit the Arundel Volunteer Fire Department to wind through the scary Terror Trial aimed at kids aged 8 and up. If the kids want to have a less spooky adventure, get lost in their new Boo Loop Maze for $10. It’s geared toward kids under 8.

Kids are welcome to come in costume, uncover the mysteries of the Boo Loop filled with fairies, dancing skeletons and cackling witches.

You can purchase tickets at the firehouse or online. Proceeds go toward supporting the volunteer fire department.

Haunted houses and Halloween trails in Virginia

Fields of Fear at Cox Farms

📅 Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 2, plus Sunday, Oct. 13
📍 15621 Braddock Road, Centreville, Virginia
💲 $30-$40
🔗 Details

Fields of Fear turns this fall festival destination into one of your nightmares starting on Fridays and Saturdays.

Fear Deluxe admission includes one entry to four haunted attractions over 20 acres: the Firegrounds, Dark Side Hayride, Cornightmare and the Forest: Back 40.

Be warned: “You may be touched by Fields of Fear actors, but you will not be forcefully struck or grabbed by any Cox Farms staff member or actor at any time,” Cox Farms says.

Fields of Fear is not recommended for children under 12 years old. Children under 14 years old must have a chaperone. If Fields of Fear sounds too scary, check out Cox Farms’ Fall Festival.

The Workhouse Arts Center

📅 Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays through Nov. 2, plus Halloween
📍 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton, Virginia
💲 $30 in advance, or $35 day-of
🔗 Details

Operating on the grounds of a notorious former prison, Workhouse Arts Center has real-life scary stories to back up its haunted trail.

“Haunt: Twisted Tales of Terror” immerses guests in an outdoor walk-through trail where classic fairy tales take a very dark turn. Grab your loved ones close: The haunted house promises “gruesome characters and nightmarish surprises around every corner.”

Before and after the haunt, check your adrenaline in a festive atmosphere with a DJ, a bar and food trucks. Local artists will be selling their wares at the Haunt Pop-up Shop.

On Oct. 20, the Center is set to offer designated sensory-friendly time slots. On the trail, sound levels will be less intense and strobe lights won’t be turned on, the center says.

For a more lighthearted twist on Halloween scares, check out their production of “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.”

Spooky tours in the D.C. area

Congressional Cemetery

📅 Various dates
📍 1801 E St. SE
💲 Suggested donation ($5+)
🔗 Details

While the Congressional Cemetery’s Soul Strolls is sold out, you can still enjoy a variety of other tours of the permanent resting place of 65,000 people.

Congressional Cemetery offers Sunday Strolls and Only at Congressional Tours regularly. They’re in the daytime, so it’s a good option if you’re looking for slightly spooky vibes.

Halloween Ghosts and History Tour

📅 Various dates
💲 About $22
🔗 Details

Author Edward Moser offers three ghost tours highlighting the spooky side of landmark neighborhoods. Here’s info on Georgetown and Old Town, Alexandria.

Screams & Disease Tour

📅 Oct. 18, 26 and 26
📍 Lee-Fendall House Museum (614 Oronoco St., Alexandria, Virginia)
💲 $15
🔗 Details

Explore the dark and bloody history of the Civil War hospital at the Lee-Fendall House.

Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

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Maryland

Frigid temperatures to start the week in Maryland

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11 hours ago

December 15, 2025

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Frigid temperatures to start the week in Maryland – CBS Baltimore

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Frigid temperatures to start the week in Maryland

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4 takeaways from Michigan Basketball’s 101-83 win at Maryland

Published

1 day ago

December 14, 2025

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4 takeaways from Michigan Basketball’s 101-83 win at Maryland

It wasn’t a 40-point win like the Michigan Wolverines have been used to, but they put together a strong second half to take down the Maryland Terrapins, 101-83, on the road Saturday night.

The Wolverines haven’t had a true road test in over a month, and it took 30 minutes to shake off the dust. While Maryland had a strong night from the three-point line to flirt with an upset, Michigan stuck to its game plan and went on a run in the final 10 minutes of the contest to win the game.

There is a lot to unpack, so here are four takeaways:

David “Diggi” Coit legacy first half

The Terrapins gave Michigan its first deficit going into halftime this season, and it can be largely thanks to point guard David “Diggi” Coit. The Northern Illinois and Kansas transfer was on another level in the first half, scoring 22 points on 7-for-13 shooting, including six makes from three.

Coit wasn’t just sitting in the corner either. He was creating his own shot from everywhere on the hardwood, going up against Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau, Yaxel Lendeborg, and even hitting one in the face of Morez Johnson Jr., all of whom are taller than the graduate transfer.

He continued his hot streak to start the second half, but eventually cooled off and finished with 31 points. It was a remarkable showing, and it should be a good sign for the Terrapins going forward if he can produce every night like Saturday.

As for Michigan, it was a good test to face a player who could not miss for a half, and learn how to adjust at halftime to take away the threat. It will happen again, and as Dusty May always says, it is better for it to happen now than in March.

Michigan hasn’t played a close game since Nov. 14. Its reserve players have seen a ton of action, but it came at the expense of the Wolverines having to put games away at a consistent rate. While Maryland put the pressure on Michigan for 30 minutes, the final 10 are what gives May confidence in a potential national championship for this team.

The Wolverines shot 8-for-10 from the field to balloon their lead from five to 15 in a matter of minutes. It was an uncomfortable, yet promising finish for the Wolverines.

When many top teams would start forcing shots, Michigan continue to attack the paint and get the ball in the hands of its go-to players, capitalizing on a Maryland cold streak to go from a deficit to a double-digit lead late in the game.

There are a lot of talented teams on Michigan’s schedule, and there will be a few more matchups with spunky teams like Maryland that will force the Wolverines to lock in. They passed this test and can rest easy as they face some lighter non-conference opponents before the New Year.

When Michigan has needed a spark since its tournament in Las Vegas, the Wolverines have turned to their top transfer portal get — Yaxel Lendeborg. He led Michigan scorers with 13 points in the first half, but coming out of halftime down seven points, he was on a whole other level. Lendeborg put the ball in his own hands with 20 minutes to go, scoring 10 straight points to start the second, bringing Michigan within one point.

As Maryland continued to keep pace, Lendeborg would not let up and put together seven more points to get to 29 points for the night and 16 for the half with 11 minutes still to go.

When Maryland started double-teaming Lendeborg, he started spreading the wealth and giving his teammates open-opportunities. Elliot Cadeau knocked down a couple of shots, L.J. Cason made back-to-back threes and Mara was putting on a show with reverse dunks and alley-oops. Before long, Michigan held a 15-point lead.

While it was tough-sledding for most of the team in College Park, Michigan showed it only needed a couple of guys to be in rhythm to keep pace and even lead opponents who were having their best shooting night.

Michigan continued dominance in the paint

You can try to beat Michigan with the three-ball, but it is going to be very hard to claim ultimate victory if you can’t stop it in the paint. The Terps shot 55 percent from behind the arc in the first half and 48 percent in the second half, but Michigan didn’t mess around down low in the paint.

The Wolverines dominated Maryland, 20-10, in the paint in the first half, and put on an even stronger showing in the second with 24 points down low. It didn’t help that Maryland best front court player, Pharrel Payne, went down with a knee injury in the first half. As a result, Michigan quietly continued to grow its lead when the Terps’ threes stopped falling.

Between Mara, Will Tschetter, Johnson and Lendeborg, the options are limitless for the Wolverines in the post.

After gritting it out to stay undefeated, Michigan heads back home and will get a week off before facing La Salle on Sunday, Dec. 21 (4 p.m., BTN).

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Maryland HOA holiday lights dispute highlights what homeowners can and can’t do

Published

2 days ago

December 13, 2025

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Maryland HOA holiday lights dispute highlights what homeowners can and can’t do

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A Maryland family’s ongoing battle with their homeowners’ association over a Christmas light display has reignited a broader conversation about how much control HOAs can legally exercise over holiday decorations.

7News has been following the case, in which the family continues to face fines from their HOA over their holiday lights.

To better under how homeowner associations operate and what options residents may have, 7News spoke with Alfredo Vásquez, a Washington, D.C.-based homeowner defense attorney.

RELATED COVERAGE | HOA vs. Christmas decorations: Maryland family facing hundreds in fines for lights

Why HOAs often cite holiday decorations

According to Vásquez, disputes over holiday decorations are common, but they usually center on timing rather than style.

“It may vary by community or HOA,” Vásquez said. “The most common reason would be that residents put decorations up too early or take them down too late.”

He explained that most HOA governing documents regulate how long decorations can remain on display, outlining specific start and end dates of holiday decor.

Are there rules on lights, music, or colors?

While many homeowners wonder whether HOAs can ban flashing lights, colored bulbs, or loud holiday music, Vásquez said those restrictions are less common.

“I haven’t seen any restrictions that are specific in that way,” he said. “Most governing documents I’ve reviewed focus on whether lights or music interfere with a neighbor’s lot.”

In other words, enforcement is often tied to nuisance complaints rather than aesthetics.

What if homeowners feel targeted?

Vásquez emphasized that HOA boards are legally required to enforce rules consistently.

“The Board of Directors has a duty to implement regulations in an equitable manner across the entire community,” he said.

If homeowners believe they are being unfairly singled out, the first step is reviewing the HOA’s governing documents to confirm whether the association actually has authority to regulate the issue at hand.

MORE COVERAGE | HOA still not specifying ‘nuisance’ in Germantown, Md. family’s Christmas decorations

Can issues be resolved without going to court?

Yes, and in most cases, that’s the recommended path.

HOAs must follow state condo and HOA laws, which typically require formal processes for enforcement, including notices of violations and opportunities for hearings.

“It would be ideal for homeowners to act quickly and request a hearing with the board,” Vásquez said. “They should present their case and allow the board to decide whether the violation and fines can withstand scrutiny.”

Do homeowners have any recourse after signing HOA bylaws?

Once a homeowner buys into an HOA-regulated community, they are generally bound by its bylaws, Vásquez said.

“As long as those bylaws comply with federal and state laws, homeowners’ hands may be tied,” he explained.

However, bylaws can be changed, usually through a supermajority vote of the community. Homeowners may also have stronger grounds to challenge newly adopted amendments, as long as they act promptly.

Vásquez added that staying engaged in HOA meetings and decisions is critical.

“Homeowners have to pay attention to what’s going on in their community so they can challenge changes in a timely manner,” he said.

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