For any students that want to get in the Halloween spirit, Field of Screams in Olney, MD is the perfect weekend trip to take with a few friends or family members. It is about a 45 minute drive from Annandale, but is well worth the drive. It is open every Friday and Saturday until Nov. 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. It is also open on select Sundays, Thursdays and on Halloween. Students should check the website before planning a trip to see when it will be open.
The event features a Trail of Terror, a haunted mansion, a haunted hayride and a paintball-zombie apocalypse. The Trail of Terror is a 35-minute walk through a trail in a dark forest where guests walk through small scenes with scary creatures jumping out to scare you. The trail can be a bit steep and hard to see, but should not be dangerous.
The haunted mansion takes guests on a tour throughout every room in the Lusion Manor, with frights around every turn. For about $15, it is a thrilling experience that will leave guests running for the exit.
The hayride is one of the less exciting attractions at Field of Screams. There is often a long wait for the line, and is not as fun as the Trail of Terror. However, it is still a fun activity if you find the trail or the mansion to be too scary.
The paintball-zombie apocalypse is a special find at Field of Screams. For $17, guests are seated in chairs on a double-decker style bus pulled by a truck. They each get 100 paint bullets to shoot at three areas, two of which have employees dressed as zombies. Visitors should be warned that while the paintball attraction is fun, it lasts for about ten minutes. In addition, guests often waste their bullets before they can get to the final destination.
Field of Screams also has a large concession stand where visitors can buy several foods and drinks such as popcorn or warm apple cider. There are also several small bonfires set up for guests to warm themselves by, and s’mores packs are available for purchase as well.
For about $50 and a bit of a long drive, Maryland’s Field of Screams is actually well worth the trouble. It will definitely create several fun memories with friends and get you in the Halloween mood.
