Exploring Halloween attractions around Indy
Hannah Jackson
Staff Writer
November 23, 2021
A chill in the air, colorful leaves falling, the smell of apples and pumpkins, all remind you that it’s finally fall— and finally Halloween season. Halloween is one of the best holidays with its theatrical decorations, creative costumes, and mouthwatering candy. To get in the spirit, I set out to explore a few places with Halloween activities.
The first stop was Spencer Farms, located in Noblesville. Spencer Farms has tons of pumpkins to choose from and a hayride from their store to the patch and back. They also have delicious frozen apple cider in the gift shop, a perfect treat to end the visit. Heading to a pumpkin patch is always a cozy way to start the season off right, and finding the perfect pumpkin to carve is an essential aspect of Halloween.
Next, I went to Newfields, the grounds where the Indianapolis Museum of Art is located. They host Harvest Nights where the grounds are fantastically decorated to make you feel as if you have entered a Halloween wonderland. The night begins with a walk under arches made of corn stalks, leading visitors to a pumpkin-lit path. There are hundreds of pumpkins, each unique with a different face and color of light. Nearing the end of the path, you stand on a platform and watch as lights progress towards you with a train whistle and a tremble to the platform, as you stand on the Newfield’s ghost train. As you leave, there is an apple orchard with scarecrows and ravens cawing above your head, which makes for the perfect photo spot. This is also near the beer garden where they sell phenomenal pretzels (I highly recommend the pimento cheese dip). Lastly, there is the “Mischief Manor”, an old mansion on the property, lit up with ghostly projections telling a story. You see spirits from a statue dance around and watch as an elegant 30s dance party is crashed by malicious monsters. I loved spending the night here and anyone who loves Halloween decorations should definitely visit. The night is immersive, with stunning scenery and fun shows.
Then, I went to the Children’s Museum Haunted House. The theme was Frightful Frontier, and the decorations were stellar and hit the theme of a ravaged and haunted wild west perfectly. The best part of the house is the tunnel at the end, which makes you feel like you are spinning. I always love going to this haunted house solely for the decorations. They are always impressive, and make you feel like you are within the yearly theme.
To end the Halloween festivities, I went to Headless Horseman at Connor Prairie. There are lots of fun things to do there, like corn mazes, smaller attractions scattered around, and, of course, the actual Headless Horseman hayride itself. The corn maze has three different options to choose from: short maze (about 20 minutes), long maze (about 1 hour), and a scary maze. The smaller attractions include a fortune teller, a monster history museum, and Halloween-themed carnival games that are simple but fun. The actual headless horseman ride is thrilling, with people jumping out to scare you and spooky scenery throughout the journey. Eventually, the “headless horseman” comes out on a horse, and waves their sword to slash the back of your wagon before you escape. Other things the event has are slides that you ride down on pool tubes and an apple ride where you spin a pancake-like circle to whirl your apple that you’re sitting in (think spinning teacups at Disney World). I always love going here for Halloween, as there are so many fun things to do, and they are all executed well.
All in all, Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year, and these attractions certainly do the holiday justice. They are the perfect addition to the Halloween experience.