Halloween for grown-ups in Ontario

Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

Legends of Horror at Casa Loma

Keep your wits about you along the two-kilometre trail in the haunted gardens and dark castle tunnels of Legends of Horror at Casa Loma.

This one-hour immersive experience features theatrically designed sets and 3D-projected images on the castle walls, bringing characters to life and raising fear levels.

Alternatively, step into the Casa Loma Halloween zombie-themed haunted house, “Zombie Apocalypse.” Explore biological labs with grisly experiments and survivor camps where the last of humanity struggle to survive. This attraction is about 30 minutes long.

Details: Legends of Horror is open daily in October, from 7:00 p.m. to late. Family hours between 5:00 and 6:30 p.m. offers a less scary experience.

From September 30 to October 12, 2023, admission is $45 online and $50 onsite. From October 13 to 31, it’s $50 online and $55 at the gate. Buy tickets for “Zombie Apocalypse” separately or save and buy a combo for both attractions.

Location: 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto

Original Haunted Walk of Toronto

Learn about the dark history of Toronto on the spine-tingling Original Haunted Walk of Toronto.

From ghosts and graveyards to hangings to haunts, you’ll hear all sorts of scary stories on this outdoor adventure. Start at the courtyard near the Hockey Hall of Fame and tour through the city for 75 minutes.

In addition to the Original Haunted Walk, hear more eerie tales on tours in other parts of the city like the Distillery District, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre and the University of Toronto campus.

The Original Haunted Walk is also available in Ottawa and Kingston.

Details: Tickets are $24.99 for adults and $19.99 for youth up to 14 years old. Tours run throughout the year.

Location: 10 Front Street West, Toronto

AGO Meeting of the Monsters

Join the red carpet lineup of monster stars at the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Meeting of the Monsters.

This event showcases a spooky film co-hosted and live streamed by the Insomniac Film Festival, which celebrates works by emerging young Toronto filmmakers. Arrive in your scariest costume and get ready for a frightening evening paired with lively discussions about the movie.

Details: Meeting of the Monsters will take place in the gallery’s Walker Court on Friday, October 27, 2023, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Attend by purchasing the general admission for the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Location: 317 Dundas Street West, Toronto

York, Durham and Headwaters

Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland

During the Halloween season, the famous Canada’s Wonderland theme park is transformed into a sinister scream park and Canada’s largest Halloween event: Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland.

Those who love all things scary will enjoy eight mazes, horrifying scare zones, exciting night rides and hundreds of monsters. Face your fears in the “Dark Ride,” an abandoned carnival, or enjoy live entertainment during the “Day of the Dead Festival.”

Details: This event runs from September 22 to October 29, 2023. Check online for tickets for this year’s event.

Location: 1 Canada’s Wonderland Drive, Vaughan

Screemers

Toronto’s original haunted attraction is celebrating its 28th year anniversary.

Showcasing seven haunted mazes and over 120 live actors, this bone-chilling attraction is housed under a large 1,400-square-metre tent. Experience stage shows and realistic props that keep you on your toes. Enjoy unlimited rides on the Midway of Madness and sample snacks from the food truck eatery area.

The average length of time spent at Screemers is two hours, but you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.

Details: Visit Screemers on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October. General admission costs $44.95, plus a $4 booking fee. Your admission includes entrance to all seven Halloween attractions and carnival rides.

Location: 80 Interchange Way, Concord

Haunted Hollows Scream Park

Face your deepest fears when you enter the dark forest at the Haunted Hollows Scream Park.

Located near Newmarket’s Upper Canada Mall, this park is one of the top Halloween haunted attractions in the Greater Toronto Area. You’ll encounter terrifying clowns, ghouls, giant spiders and much more.

The park features other haunted attractions like The Butcher Shop, Carnevil Circus, Chainsaw Alley and The Dead Die-ner. With its sinister props and eerie animatronics, many visitors end up screaming the whole time. It takes about half an hour to fully explore the park.

Details: Haunted Hollows Scream Park is open every weekend in October. Buy your tickets online. Stay tuned for pricing in 2023.

Location: 18444 Yonge Street, East Gwillimbury

Niagara Region

Nightmares Fear Factory

Located in the heart of Niagara Falls’ popular Clifton Hill, Nightmares Fear Factory is the best haunted house in the Niagara region.  

The legend goes that the location was once a coffin factory and the proprietor, Abraham Mortimer, now haunts the premises. On this tour, you’ll walk through the factory in total darkness for about 10 minutes. Actors may grab and pull you and you’ll hear growls, barks and spooky music.

Warning! If you’re scared, yell the safe word “nightmares” and employees will guide you out through the Chicken exit. However, your name will be added to the public “chicken list”, which showcases the names of over 160,000 people who also had to leave the tour.

Details: Tickets cost $15.94 for adults and $13.95 for children 12 and under. If you’re visiting as a group, get the Dysfunctional Family Pack of 4 for $63.76 or 666 Six Pack for $95.64.

The factory is open daily and year-round, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Location: 5631 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls

Frightmare in the Falls

Dress up in your best Halloween costume and visit Frightmare in the Falls, the most intimate horror festival in North America. This popular event takes place in the Niagara Convention Centre, near the majestic Horseshoe Falls.

Participate in over 4,645 square metres of horror-themed activities like memorabilia, panels, displays, celebrities and special effects props. Watch screenings of famed Halloween movies or join the Cosplay Contest to determine the best-crafted costume.

Later, join special celebrity guests for live performance and more at the official Frightmare in the Falls After Party at the Falls View Hose Brigade presented by Icon Paragraphs. This after-party is restricted to those aged 19 years old and up.

Details: Frightmare in the Falls will be held from Friday, October 27 to Sunday, October 29, 2023. Buy ticket passes online, valid for one day or all three days of the event.

Location: 6815 Stanley Avenue, Niagara Falls

Huron, Perth, Waterloo and Wellington

Screampark at Bingemans

Featuring a variety of gory attractions like Crypt of Terror, The Slaughter Shed and The Blood Bar, Bingemans Screampark is not for the faint of heart.

Each attraction is different—you’ll venture through a spooky labyrinth, an eerie forest and a chilling maze with haunts around every corner. Shaky paths, crawling areas, smoke and strobe lights heighten the fear factor at this scream park.

Details: Buy your tickets online or at the gate, though online is recommended. Friday and Saturday tickets cost $45.95 and Sunday and Thursday tickets are $39.95. If you want to camp overnight at the Bingemans Camping Resort, packages start at $99.95.

Screampark is open on September 29 and 30, and on October 6–8, 12–15, 19–22 and 26–29, from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Location: 425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener

Bruce, Grey and Simcoe

Cannington Haunted Attraction

Hear the howling of ghoulish creatures and the screams of the fearful at the Cannington Haunted Attraction.

Two outdoor wooded trails and an indoor barn maze have been transformed into immersive, horror-themed environments featuring live scare actors. Entertainers will roam the area, meaning there’s always a chance you’ll be scared, even while you’re in line. Stay alert!

If you love escape rooms, try the new “Face Your Fears” or “Cemetery of Lost Souls” games. A photo booth, food vendor, axe throwing and decorated museum are onsite for extra fun.

Details: This attraction is open during the last two Fridays and Saturdays in October, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online and cost $20 per person. The escape games cost $5 per person.

Location: 91 Elliot Street, Cannington

Southeastern Ontario

Acres of Terror at Cannamore Orchard

This year is the 31st anniversary of Eastern Ontario’s “Most Terrifying Halloween Attraction,” Acres of Terror at Cannamore Orchard.

Acres of Terror features four main attractions. Take a tractor-pulled wagon ride over the 25-hectare property staged with spooky scenes, hike through Cannamore’s terrifying cemetery, make your way through the House of Terror or escape from the indoor, fog-filled maze.

Details: This is a limited-ticketed experience. Tickets must be pre-booked online and booked for a certain date and 15-minute timeslot. This event runs during September and October on the weekends.

Admission is $25 per person during the day and $34 at night.

Location: 1480 County Road 32, Crysler

Ottawa

Haunted Ottawa Jail Tour

Wander through the creepiest jail in the capital of Canada, the Old Carleton County Jail, with the Haunted Ottawa Jail Tour.

This 75-minute ghost tour in Ottawa will guide you through a real-life murder mystery at a 19th-century haunted jail, which now operates as a hostel. Retrace the footsteps of inmates who were imprisoned and executed at the last working gallows in Canada. Enjoy a night of spooky tales about these famed gallows from your costumed guide.

Details: The tour costs $24.99 for adults and $19.99 for youth up to 14 years old. Tours run year-round. Both private and group tours are available.

Location: 46 1/2 Sparks Street, Ottawa

Southwestern Ontario

Scarehouse

The only indoor haunted attraction in Southwestern Ontario, Scarehouse invites you to explore five themed haunted houses—if you dare.

Ranging from the Mirror Maze to Haunted Darkness, these chilling rooms feature dark lighting, horrifying graphics and actors crawling from the beds and closets.

Get the immersive dinner experience for a private, 90-minute session. Savour a multi-course meal of beef brisket, ratatouille or charcuterie. Next, travel through the five haunted houses, with VIP access to the terrifying Scared Evil attraction.

Details: Buy your timed tickets in advance online. The Fright Package includes visits to three attractions and costs $35, while the Monster Package lets you enter all five attractions and costs $45. To skip the line, get the Fast Pass for $55 on weekdays and $65 on weekends. The immersive dinner experience is $99.

Scarehouse runs from September 15 to October 31, 2023. Hours of operation are different every day, but range from 6:00  to 11:00 p.m.

Location: 1441 McDougall Street, Windsor

Creepy Caledonia Ghost Tours

Venture on a lantern-lit walking tour through the cobblestone paths of Caledonia.

On the Creepy Caledonia Ghost Tours, hear the local ghost stories, legends and folklore. This unique tour is a great way to learn about the town’s ghostly history and get in the Halloween spirit. It’s been running since 2008 to raise money for the Caledonia Agricultural Society.

Details: These ghost tours last 1.5 hours and will be held on October 7, 14, 21 and 28, 2023. Get your tickets online, admission is $8 for adults and free for children five and under.

Location: 151 Caithness Street East, Caledonia