Annapolis is full of charm year-round, but come October, our historic streets take on a delightfully eerie twist. Cobblestone alleys, flickering lanterns, and centuries-old buildings set the stage for a season filled with ghostly tales and spooky adventures.
Whether you’re in the mood for a haunted history tour that’ll send a chill down your spine or you’re ready to brave a full-on fright night, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate spooky season right here in (and around) Annapolis. Grab your flashlight, call your bravest friends (or your boldest teens), and get ready to explore the spirited side of our city!
Ghost Tours in Annapolis
Whether you believe in ghosts or just love a good story, these tours are a must-try this spooky season. Tours book up fast in October so be sure to reserve your tickets ahead of time.
Annapolis Ghost Tours & Crawls
We recently joined Annapolis Ghost Tours & Crawls for their Haunted Pub Crawl, and let’s just say it was equal parts eerie and entertaining. Our evening began beneath The Maryland Inn at the Treaty of Paris restaurant, where we heard a tragic love story from the early 1800s involving heartbreak, a fall from the fourth floor, and a pair of phantom heels that some still hear pacing above.
From there, our guide Melissa Huston led us through downtown’s haunted history, sharing spine-tingling tales about our capital’s many ghosts from different bars, a cemetery, and Annapolis’ cobblestone streets. The tour mixes fascinating history with a few goosebumps along the way. Along with their haunted pub crawl, you can also check out their Hidden History and brand new Witches of Maryland pub crawls. They also offer a walking tour with the same themes without the pub stops. If you want to bring the kids along, the 7 PM walking tours are more PG-rated for spooky fun for the whole family
Watermark’s Special Historic Hauntings
Each October, Watermark partners with Historic Annapolis to offer their Special Historic Hauntings tours, a spirited walk through the city’s darker, more mysterious past. Guided by lantern light, you’ll wander down shadowy alleys and hidden side streets while hearing chilling stories pulled straight from 18th-century diaries and newspapers. The tour includes a stop inside the historic Hogshead, where you’ll step back into Revolutionary War–era Annapolis and hear tales of those who never truly left.
Haunted Attractions to Scream Over
If ghost tours let you stroll through centuries of haunted history, these attractions pull you right into the action. Haunted hayrides, eerie trails, and haunted houses galore, Maryland has plenty of scream-worthy spots for anyone ready to embrace spooky season. Whether you’re in it for jump scares, creepy corn mazes, or just a night out under the October sky, here are a few favorites to add to your list.
301 Devil’s Playground – Galena, MD
Five haunted attractions, endless screams. At 301 Devil’s Playground, you’ll face everything from a haunted corn maze to a 3D nightmare zone and the notorious Barn of Torture. For thrill seekers who love over-the-top special effects and old-school haunt energy, this one’s a can’t-miss.
AVFD Station 7 Terror Trail – Gambrills, MD
If you prefer your thrills a little closer to home, the Arundel Volunteer Fire Department’s Terror Trail delivers big scares for a good cause. This three-quarter-mile outdoor trail through the woods feels like stepping straight into a slasher flick, where every shadow could hide something waiting to jump out. You’ll be scared to look over your shoulder and might even run for the exit if the chainsaws start revving. For families or younger visitors, there’s also a lighter Boo Loop with plenty of spooky fun and far fewer screams. All proceeds support local fire and rescue services, so your fright night helps a good cause.
Bennett’s Curse – Baltimore, MD
A true Maryland legend, Bennett’s Curse has been terrifying visitors for years with movie-quality sets, detailed costumes, and jump scares that rival any Hollywood horror. You’ll walk through gothic castles, insane asylums, and 3D hellscapes that feel straight out of IT. If you’re brave enough to be in the front, you’ll quickly find out why this one is considered one of the most intense haunted houses in the region.
Laurel’s House of Horror – Laurel, MD
Housed inside an abandoned movie theater, this haunt knows how to play with your mind, because who isn’t a little uneasy in a dark theater after hours? Laurel’s House of Horror features both a full-scale haunted house and haunted escape rooms (for those who always wanted to see if they could get out of a Saw trap), so you can pick your poison or try both if you dare. Between its flickering lights, eerie sound effects, and heart-pounding jump scares, it delivers that perfect mix of 80’s slasher movie atmosphere and hands-on thrill. It’s part haunted house, part horror flick, and you’re the star.
Legends of the Fog – Aberdeen, MD
It’s a little bit of a drive from Annapolis, but so worth it for a full night of haunted fun. Legends of the Fog has something for every horror fan: a haunted hayride, haunted corn maze, haunted hotel, and a slaughterhouse walk-through. You’ll question every rustle in the corn, get in the fetal position while on the hayride, and maybe dig your face into the person in front of you’s back while walking through the haunted hotel. When you’re ready to catch your breath, relax by the firepit, grab a bite from the food trucks, enjoy live music, or unwind in the beer garden.
Whether you’re strolling through candlelit streets on a ghost tour or clutching your pearls in the middle of a haunted maze, there’s no shortage of eerie adventures waiting right here in Maryland. So grab a brave buddy or two and make this Halloween one to remember. Just don’t forget to look over your shoulder… you never know who (or what) might be following you.
