Families will find a Halloween Paradise in Hershey, Pa.! Our family recently went to Hersheypark Halloween for a spooky-filled weekend at “Dark Nights” and it was a spook-tacular experience that exceeded all expectations!

#DarkNights features five haunted houses, three frightening scare zones, rollercoasters in the dark, loads of festive treats, and priceless family fun!

Hersheypark kept all the amazing things you loved about their Dark Nights experiences from last year. And added much more!

Admission tickets to Hersheypark Halloween now include all the Dark Nights haunted houses. This is fantastic that you only pay one price and get all the Dark Nights attractions included!

The scare zones have increased in scale, jaw-dropping immersive features, and have added loads more scare actors. Plus, the pyrotechnic features are a marvel.

The awesome Chocolatier Restaurant Bar + Patio transformed its patio into “Spirits Rooftop” Bar with its own unique, spooktacular menu. We stopped in for a meal and deemed their food to be the best on the property. Can you say Chocolate Martini?

Stay at one of the official resorts of Hersheypark to make the most of your haunted holiday. We stayed at Hershey Lodge and it was as amazing as ever. It allowed our family to make a weekend trip out of our visit from New York City. It also added lots of VIP benefits. These include front gate shuttle service to the park, character meet and greets, and Hershey Chocolate bars for the family at check in. Staying so close to Hersheypark means a short commute to our comfortable beds after staying out late in the thrill park.

A new haunted house, Estate of Evil, is insanity! It features so many rooms (unlucky 13 of them), jump scares, and frightening creativity infused at every turn. We had to go four times during our weekend visit!

Treatville’s Trick-or-Treat Trail is still a star attraction distributing your favorite treats and open until 8:30pm each night. Adults don’t get candy, but you can still “steal” a few favorites from your kids like I did!

NEW THIS YEAR: “Avenue of the Afterlife” scare-free path in the water park featuring a DJ dance party, Dark Nights Character Meet & Greets and street performers. This is the perfect opportunity to meet up-close-and-personal with your favorite Decayed Brigade sliders and snap some selfies.

Experiencing “dark ride” rollercoasters at Hersheypark Halloween when it’s after dark and the lights are turned off was out of this world. It’s a game changer for all coaster fans. Additionally, the light packages on display at some of the rides like Lightening Racer and the Ferris Wheel were truly mesmerizing. If you think Wildcat’s Revenge Rollercoaster was spectacular and thrilling before … try it as a dark ride after the sun goes down! Plus, Laff Trakk is in the pitch-black all day long!

NEW THIS YEAR: ENTERTAINMENT! Performances featuring all of your favorite Hershey characters dressed in Halloween costumes happen at the Music Box Theater several times each day. The infamous Decayed Brigade sliders have their own highlight show with nightly performances. Additionally, there’s an all new “Battle for Spring Creek” Pyrotechnics Show happening by the bridge in Darkstone’s Hollow each night.

Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights happen on weekends from now through Nov. 3, starting at 6 p.m. The closing hour varies by day.

We loved our adventure to Hersheypark for their autumn-themed Halloween festivities as much as we love visiting during the summer. The majority of our favorite rides were open with the added thrill of the Dark Nights attractions, making it a holiday wonderland for our family. What are you waiting for? Plan your family visit to the Sweetest Place on Earth for their Halloween festivities now! There’s only a few more weekends left.

Disclosure: Lance Somerfeld is a member of Hersheypark’s Sweet Insiders Program. The program includes complimentary park passes and one-night hotel accommodations provided by the kind folks at Hershey’s Entertainment & Resorts. His thoughts and opinions are genuine and have not been influenced by the brand. All photos were provided by his family. Photos: Somerfeld family.

Editor’s Note: We’re digging into our archives for great articles you might have missed over the years. This article about Halloween with older children comes from 2017.

Last night was Halloween, and there were ghouls and fools aplenty. All our favorite shows were represented in various levels of costumed detail. Movies, too. Star Wars and superheroes, the staples of my own childhood, still remain firmly affixed upon those of my children. There were red balloons and orange buffoons, clowns from every angle.

The ratio of candy given to the amount received was squarely in their favor. My boys laughed. They had fun. They ate more sugar in one night than in the past six months combined. It was an evening of playful mischief and warmly lit wonder.

Man, I’m glad that’s over.

Except, and I’m not supposed to tell you this, it isn’t.

That may be because deadlines created by evil editors in eye shades are forcing me into actually writing this a week before, only pretending to have survived yet another Halloween. Or it may be because we live in a world so much scarier than anything the holiday can throw at us. Either way, we seem destined to live out the rest of our lives (or the next three years, whichever comes first) in a very special episode of American Gothic, but slightly more racist.

Maybe it’s both.

The thing is, I’m having a hard time getting into Halloween this year. There are several reasons, including, but not limited to the aforementioned fact that nothing make-believe can compare to the terror of our actual reality. Knowing that, it makes conversations about costumes and decorations feel mocking and hollow, the gallows humor of a Target aisle.

Also, I quit eating candy.

Additionally, the boys themselves seem less than excited about Halloween this year. As I typically fuel my enthusiasm from theirs, our home shows nothing to suggest the season but a couple of gourds rolling around our doorstep. The spiderwebs hung themselves.

For a while, I thought the boys may be apprehensive, seeing as each of them are in new, bigger schools than they were last year. Maybe they just needed some extra time to get a feel for how Halloween worked at the current level. I may have been too optimistic.

The oldest did have a costume idea that he seemed relatively interested in, where “interested” means he mentioned it once. He thought it would be fun to dress as Monty Python’s version of the Spanish Inquisition, which if you are familiar with the sketch, is quite funny. However, I had to point out that the context may be lost on some people, which would leave him as:

• a non-Catholic kid appropriating a different culture (the irony being that the Spanish Inquisition was established to deny others their respective culture through acts of great severity), and
• wearing religious stuff to a public school, which may or may not be against the rules, but certainly out of my comfort zone.

The youngest remains uncommitted.

I suppose my fear is that this is yet another milestone on the path out of childhood, the one where holidays, while still enjoyed, lose a bit of the magic that once made them monumental. They are no longer the pinnacle of a season, but rather Tuesday with a wig on it.

Factor in the heat (it’s over 100 degrees today), carry the one, allow for whatever, and you’ve got The Great Bupkis, Charlie Brown (rocks sold separately).

Honestly, I don’t know what will become of Halloween this year, if this is new for us or just a phase that we are going through. I’m pulling for the latter. I will do my best to keep the season, but at the end of the day, I just want my kids to have fun. We could all use a bit of that.

UPDATE: We did it. The boys picked out costumes on Monday after school while I went through the slim pickings of discount candy a couple of aisles over. The youngest chose a werewolf mask, the oldest a decorative light. One cut shirt and a jigsaw later I found myself sitting in a neighbor’s house with a group of other parents (and the frequent passerby) watching the Dodgers take it to Game 7 while the boys enjoyed the safety of mob mentality, a pack of sugar-bellied kids knocking and laughing and hopefully saying “thank you.” They were back by the bottom of the 8th, taking the corner and rounding for home.

Hersheypark, the Sweetest Place on Earth, has become a Halloween fan’s heaven! We went to the opening weekend for the 2023 Hersheypark Halloween celebration and its Dark Nights experience and it was an absolute dream (or is that “scream”) that exceeded all expectations.

This year, you’ll find five haunted houses (one more than last year) and three epic “scare zones” in addition to loads of rides, trick-or-treating at “Treatville,” awesome lights-out rollercoasters, and priceless family fun. Hersheypark kept all of the amazing things you loved about their Dark Nights extravaganza from last year and elevated it.

After spending an entire three-day weekend at Hersheypark Halloween, we’ve got the scoop on what’s new as well as insider tips for getting the most from this action-packed, electrifying family experience.

But hurry up! There are only two weekends left before Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights disappear!

Dark Nights Tickets

New this year, your admission ticket to Hersheypark Halloween ALSO includes admission to all the Dark Nights haunted houses and scare zone attractions. This is a significant cost savings! Previously, you needed to pay for an “add-on” or wait at an automated kiosk to get a wristband. Beware, though: Since every visiting guest has access to the haunted houses, the lines are longer this year.

Scare zones

Fallout Zone, Midway of Misery, and Darkstone’s Hollow have increased in scale. Jaw-dropping immersive features and loads of scare actors have been added. We loved the floating “fobbles” (fog inside bubbles), mesmerizing pyrotechnics, and watching the Decayed Brigade team of actors “sliding” across the pavement scaring the wits out of unsuspecting guests. Wandering the scare zones at dusk and after dark is a worthy attraction on its own accord.

Pro Tip: Last year, our 7-year-old daughter was worried about being frightened. We invested in a cute, but pricey “no boo” bat necklace. It lights up, is fun to wear, and alerts the scare actors NOT to scare you. It is available again this year for the faint of heart.

Haunted Houses

Hersheypark Dark Nights has five haunted houses filled with loads of “scare” actors at every turn, shadowy figures, animatronics, and mesmerizing special effects. The newest addition, Auntie Mortem’s Abattoir, is bone-chilling, ghastly and gory. However, our favorite remains The Descent, which had some creative newly added features over last year’s version.

The variety of haunted houses, recommended for ages 13 and over, are:

• Creatures Uncaged — This mainly outdoor experience introduces you to fearful and deadly creatures that lurk. Don’t worry, they’re in their cages. For now.
• Haunted Coal Mine — Enjoy this immersive preshow where you’re thrust onto an elevator down into the coal mines. Then, take a daring trek through the abandoned mines for what becomes an explosive encounter.
• *NEW* Auntie Mortem’s Abattoir — Enter this meat processing plant at your own risk. Prepare to cringe in this gruesome labyrinth as you desperately try to escape.
• The Descent — Who prowls the dark underground tunnels beneath Hersheypark? Follow into the depths of decay where the only way out … is down!
• Twisted Carnevil — Have your tarot cards read by a twisted fortune teller! Then, be forced into a never-ending carnival of nightmares. Was it real or was it all in your mind? This haunted house featured some amazing mirror maze haunts!

The Hersheypark Halloween Dark Nights experience starts at 6 p.m. With sunset around that time, you want to save the outdoor experiences like Creatures Uncaged until it’s pitch black so you enjoy them in all of their eerie splendor.

Note: In addition to the scare actors, inside the haunted houses you’ll find a significant amount of security guards. They made us feel safe and kept the crowd flowing smoothly through the dark mazes. If someone in your party becomes too scared, security will quickly escort them out of one of the numerous exits.

Trick-or-Treating

The Boardwalk water park area is transformed into “Treatville,” a good old-fashioned trick-or-treating trail. You’ll find 10 pit stops to load up on your favorite Hershey candy, take lots of photos in festive settings, and enjoy quality time with your family. The lines at “Treatville” got significantly longer around sundown so plan to enjoy this activity earlier in the day. Note: Treatville closes at 8 p.m.

Foodie Experiences

New this year, is the RIP Dinner Buffet & MEAT the Monsters — a dreadfully delicious all-you-care-to-eat buffet featuring eerie entrées like Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Test Tubes, yummy desserts, and a large dose of dinner theater as several unsavory characters (from the Scare Zones and haunted houses) visit and engage at your table. Our family tried this one evening and absolutely loved the experience.

Plus, as a special RIP dinner guest, you’ll receive a single-use fast-track pass that lets you skip the line for a haunted house or participating ride. This was an excellent perk to jump to the front of the line on the newest haunted house.

Next time, we’d like to try the “Dark Nights Tasting Pass” which enables you to sample up to five specialty menu items throughout the park.

Rides: Are they still open?

The majority of Hersheypark’s most popular rides and rollercoasters are still open during their Halloween and Dark Nights. You can count on riding Skyrush, Reese’s Cupfusion, Laff Trakk, Comet, and Carrousel.

Hersheypark’s “Dark Ride” is out of this world and something every rollercoaster enthusiast should experience. During the last hour of every evening, prepare for an intense, lights-off thrill ride on Wildcat’s Revenge, Comet, Lightning Racer, and Candymonium. Plus, Laff Trakk has its lights off for the entire day.

If you think the award-winning Wildcat’s Revenge was spectacular and thrilling before …wait until you try it as a dark ride!

What’s the best day to visit Dark Nights?

Smaller crowds on Fridays (and even Sundays) meant enjoying more time on our favorite rides and attractions and less congestion in the scare zones and haunted houses. Based on our many past visits, Saturdays are always jam-packed with park guests and that was 100% true for this year’s Halloween visit as well. This means extremely long food lines and lengthy wait times on rides. Make sure to download the Hersheypark app for real-time “wait times” to help plan your itinerary.

Pro Tip: Plan to stay for the last hour or two before the park closes when lines get significantly shorter because most families with younger children have already left to start their bedtime routines.

Hersheypark’s Halloween has become a new family tradition and can’t wait to return in 2024 to see what new attractions, updates, and surprises they have in store for us. Even if you can’t make it to Dark Nights this year, definitely put it on your family’s list of autumn destinations for next year!

Hersheypark Halloween Dark Nights schedule

Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights runs weekends through Oct. 29. Unfortunately, it’s closed on Halloween – Tuesday, Oct. 31. Dark Nights begins weekend nights at 6 PM. Closing time varies by the day.

What happens when it rains?

Wait times are usually shortest when it’s raining. The crowds bolt indoors to shop and eat or leave to head home. That means more rides for families that stick it out! We always come prepared with rain ponchos and relish having the park nearly to ourselves during rain showers.

Don’t like getting wet? You can still ride while escaping the rain on several indoor/covered rides: Reese’s Cupfusion, Laff Trakk, Kissing Tower, the carousel and bumper cars, for example. Or head over to Hershey’s Chocolate World for their free and entertaining chocolate factory tour ride.

Pro Tip: If the weather gets severe and causes the majority of major rides and attractions to close for a continuous 60 minutes, a voucher may be issued for a return visit for the current operating season

Disclosure: Lance Somerfeld is a member of Hersheypark’s Sweetest Families Program. The program includes complimentary park passes and hotel accommodations for our family provided by the kind folks at Hershey’s Entertainment & Resorts. His thoughts and opinions are genuine and have not been influenced by the brand. All photos by the Somerfeld family.

Hersheypark, the Sweetest Place on Earth, has reimagined its entire Halloween experience for families in 2022! The old “Hersheypark in the Dark” is now “Dark Nights”!

This year at the Pennsylvania theme park you’ll find four haunted houses and three “scare zones” in addition to loads of rides, trick-or-treating at “Treatville,” and awesome lights-out rollercoasters. We just returned from a Hersheypark Halloween weekend with an 11-tip family fun guide for getting the most from this action-packed, electrifying family experience.

But hurry up! There are only two weekends left before Halloween!

1. Trick-or-treat at Treatville early in the day

Head to the festive Boardwalk water park area to indulge in good old-fashioned trick-or-treating. You’ll find 10 pit stops to load up on candy, take lots of photos in creative fall settings, and enjoy quality time with your family. The lines at Treatville got significantly longer around sundown so plan to enjoy this activity earlier in the day.

Family fun guide pro tip: Unlike last year’s Hersheypark Halloween experience, parents get to trick-or-treat as well.

2. Get your Dark Nights wristband early in the day

At this year’s Hersheypark Halloween celebration, you will need a special Dark Nights wristband (additional fee required) for entry to the four haunted houses. We recommend obtaining yours earlier in the day when lines are shorter. Additionally, you can get your wristband at several of the HPGO Stations. However, the kiosks by the park entrance and the Reese’s Cupfusion ride had very long lines. We found kiosks with almost no lines further inside the park, like the one by the Trailblazer ride.

3. Do the two indoor haunted houses first

Hersheypark Dark Nights has four haunted houses filled with loads of “scare” actors at every turn and mesmerizing special effects. For the first year of this transformative Hersheypark Halloween experience, they did an outstanding job.

The haunted houses, recommended for ages 13 and over, are:

• Creature Chaos — This mainly outdoor experience introduces you to fearful and deadly creatures. Don’t worry, they’re in their cages. For now.
• Haunted Coal Mine — Enjoy this immersive preshow where you’re thrust onto an elevator down into the coal mines. Then, take a daring trek through the abandoned mines for what becomes an explosive encounter.
• The Descent — Engaging indoor preshow. Who prowls the dark underground tunnels beneath Hersheypark? Follow into the depths of decay where the only way out … is down!
• Twisted Darkness — Have your tarot cards read by a twisted fortune teller and be forced into a never-ending carnival of nightmares. Was it real or was it all in your mind? This haunted house featured some amazing mirror maze haunts!

The Hersheypark Halloween Dark Nights experience starts at 6 p.m. With sunset around that time, you want to save the outdoor experiences until it’s pitch black so you enjoy them in all of their spooky splendor. We recommend going to The Descent or Twisted Darkness first. They’re both completely indoors so it doesn’t lose its impact if it’s still light out.

The Haunted Coal Mine topped our list of favorites. We loved this immersive, frightening attraction so much we went through it four times.

Note: In addition to the scare actors, inside the haunted houses you’ll find a significant amount of security guards which we were very happy about. They made us feel safe and kept the crowd flowing smoothly through the dark mazes.

Family fun guide pro tip: The Descent and Haunted Coal Mine seemed to have the longest lines. Queue up for those first.

4. Enjoy many of the other Hersheypark rides

The majority of Hersheypark’s most popular rides and rollercoasters are still open during their Halloween Dark Nights. You can count on riding Skyrush, Reese’s Cupfusion, Laff Trakk, Comet, and Carrousel. Sadly, the waterpark is closed for the season.

5. Ride a rollercoaster with the lights off!

Hersheypark’s Dark Ride is something that every rollercoaster enthusiast should experience. During the last hour of every evening, prepare for an intense, lights-off thrill ride on Comet, Lightning Racer, and Candymonium. Plus, Laff Trakk has its lights off for the entire day.

6. The Hersheypark Halloween vibe is contagious

Numerous families come to celebrate Dark Night dressed up in Halloween costumes. Dense fog, strobe lights, and spooky music add to the festive charm as you navigate the theme park after sundown.

7. Are the new scare zones scary?

We found the scare zones more fascinating than scary. We spent time relishing in the fog and loved watching flames burst into the sky as guests walked through a creepy gateway in Midway of Misery. The memorable Midway of Misery zone was our favorite and we recommend every guest to head over there to see what it’s all about.

Family fun guide pro tip: My 7-year-old daughter was worried about being frightened. We invested in an adorable, but pricey “no boo” bat necklace. It lights up, is fun to wear, and alerts the scare actors NOT to scare you.

8. Remember to indulge in fall-inspired treats!

Festive king-sized shakes, sundaes, and cupcakes are added to your usual Hershey favorites. You definitely need to seek out the warm, pumpkin-spiced mini-doughnuts for something truly drool-worthy.

9. Go visit Hershey’s Chocolatetown

Yes, Hershey’s Chocolatetown is open during the Hersheypark Halloween Dark Nights extravaganza! Our favorite destination on the property, The Chocolatier Restaurant, Bar + Patio was exactly what our family needed before our thrilling evening. The weather was mild so we enjoyed dining outdoors on their grand patio with expansive views of Candymonium, Skyrush and more. We loaded up on dessert with local dairy, house-made ice cream at Milton’s, and Halloween cupcakes at the Sweeterie Confectionery Kitchen. Plus, our visit is never complete without adding a new stuffed animal to our collection at The Supply Company.

10. Visit Dark Nights on Friday and/or Sunday during Hersheypark Halloween

Smaller crowds on Fridays (and even Sundays) mean enjoying more time on our favorite rides and attractions and less congestion in the haunted houses. Based on our many past visits, Saturdays are always literally packed with park guests. This means extremely long food lines and lengthy wait times on rides. Make sure to download the Hersheypark app for real-time, “wait times” to help plan your agenda.

Family fun guide pro tip: The “late” bird catches the worm. Plan to stay for the last hour or two before the park closes when lines get significantly shorter because most families with younger children have already left to start their bedtime routines.

11. Stay overnight at an official Hersheypark Resort

A three-hour drive from NYC is too much for us to do twice in one day. We planned our visit in advance and that included an overnight stay at an official Hersheypark Resort. This time it was Hershey Lodge, just a few short minutes from Hersheypark. We loved our experience! The stay included convenient shuttle bus service to/from the front gate of Hersheypark, candy-bar bingo, and frolicking in their indoor “Water Works” waterpark.

Disclosure: Lance Somerfeld is a member of Hersheypark’s Sweetest Families Program. The program includes complimentary park passes and hotel accommodations for our family provided by the kind folks at Hershey’s Entertainment & Resorts. His thoughts and opinions are genuine and have not been influenced by the brand. All photos by the Somerfeld family.

You know who really falls for autumn dad jokes? A-parent-ly, you!

Don’t worry, they get better.

Ha! Of course, they don’t! Did you really fall for that? You really are a fall guy!

Since you’ve loved our summer dad jokes (the Halloween and Thanksgiving ones, too) we felt a duty to dive deep into the internet to find some of the best (and mostly, the worst) autumn dad jokes out there.

So if kid-friendly puns about gourds and trees are your thing, look no further than below. If they aren’t, then leaf us alone!

Best / worst autumn dad jokes 

Q: Why did Humpty Dumpty love autumn?
A: Because Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

Q: Why did the robot couple insist on being married in the fall?
A: They wanted to be fully autumn-mated.

Q: How did the tree get a new job?
A: He had the right qua-leaf-ications.

Mom: Autumn is better than summer.
Dad: Nope, that’s a fall-acy.

Q: Why did the tree have to go to work every day this fall?
A: Because he couldn’t get any autumn leaves.

Q: What did the blades of grass say to the tree at the start of autumn?
A: “Please don’t leaf us again!”

+ + +

The four seasons were arguing about which of them was the best.

Winter says, “Snow is so beautiful, and you can build snowmen. Don’t forget Christmas! Everyone loves Christmas!”

Spring laughs. “Sure, but come springtime, everything is so fresh and new! All the new flowers and blooms — it can’t get much better than that!”

Summer laughs even harder. “Yes, but I am undoubtedly the overall best season! No school, beach vacations, ice cream, nice weather. You can’t top that! What about you autumn, what do you have to offer?”

Autumn leaves.

+ + +

Q: Why did the pumpkin lose the boxing match?
A: He let his gourd down.

Q: Who helps the little pumpkins cross the road to school?
A: The crossing gourd.

Q: How do leaves travel from town to town?
A: With autumn-mobiles.

Q: What’s the ratio of an orange gourd’s circumference to its diameter?
A: Pumpkin Pi.

Q: What does a farmer wear under his shirt when the autumn weather turns chilly?
A: A har-vest.

Q: What’s the best way to fix a broken pumpkin?
A: Use a pumpkin patch!

Q: What’s James Bond’s favorite autumn drink?
A: Pumpkin spy-ce latte

Q: Why’s it so easy to play practical jokes on leaves in autumn?
A: They fall for anything

+ + +

The mob boss had four henchmen: Winter, Summer, Spring and Autumn. The boss called them into a meeting before a heist.

“Winter,” he began. “I need you to stay cool in the face of pressure. Ice in your veins,” he said, patting his shoulder.

“Then there’s you, Summer,” he said. “If the heat becomes too much for Winter, use that hot temper of yours to make sure the cops remember who they’re working for.”

“As for you, Spring,” he laughed, “This operation is gonna bring in a lotta green. Make sure that it keeps growing.”

He turned for the door as Autumn stood up.

“Boss!” he sputtered. “What about me?”

The boss turned back, shaking his head.

“Sorry, Autumn. You’re just the fall guy.”

+ + +

Q: What’s the problem with eating too much pumpkin pie this time of year?
A: You’ll get autumn’y ache.

Q: Why did the pumpkin and the butternut squash get on so well?
A: They were gourd friends.

Q: Why did no one laugh at the oak tree?
A: He kept telling acorn-y jokes

Q: What’s a fire’s least favorite month?
A: No-ember.

Q: What is the cutest season?
A: Awwtumn.

Q: What’s red, orange and yellow and doesn’t get hurt when it falls?
A: Autumn leaves!

Q: How are you supposed to talk in the apple library?
A: With your incider voice.

Q: What do you get if you drop a pumpkin?
A: Squash.

Q: What do you call a tree that doubts the existence of autumn?
A: In disbe-leaf.

Q: Did you hear about the tree that had to take a break in autumn?
A: It was on a paid leaf.

Q: What’s a tree’s least favorite month of the year?
A: Sep-timberrrrrrr!

Q: When winter arrives, what happens?
A: Autumn leaves!

Best autumn dad jokes photo: © Javier brosch / Adobe Stock.

Hersheypark has always been our happy place during the summer months: rollercoasters, chocolate treats, frolicking around the Boardwalk, the water park. So what’s so special and different about visiting during the fall for Hersheypark in the Dark?

We just returned from our first ever visit to The Sweetest Place on Earth during its annual Hersheypark In The Dark. There’s only one magical weekend left (Halloween, Oct. 29-31, 2021), and I wanted to reveal a few reasons why you need to relish in their high octane, autumn extravaganza. Doing so will prime you to want to ENTER TO WIN FOUR FREE TICKETS to Hersheypark Christmas Candylane!

1. Ride ’em … The majority of your favorite rides and rollercoasters are open. These include Laff Trakk, Reese’s Cupfusion, Skyrush, sooperdooperLooper and the Monorail. The water park, however, is closed.

2. In the dark! Experience an adrenaline rush with intense lights-out rides on Candymonium, Comet, Laff Trakk, Lightning Racer and Wildcat. After a year where Hersheypark closed early, it was a thrill to ride after dark.

3. Hershey’s Trick-or-Treat Trail: We loved navigating the festive Boardwalk “Treatville” area snagging sweet candy at every turn. There are 10 pit-stops in the park for children under 12 years of age as well as three additional stops in Hershey’s Chocolate World distributing classics like Hershey Bars, Kit Kats, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Bags provided, too.

4. Feeling Halloween-y: Celebrate Halloween at Hersheypark! In addition to trick-or-treating, loads of families dress up in costume. Dense fog and strobe lights abound along with glowing pumpkins and spooky music. It all adds to the festive autumn decor, especially after sundown.

5. Fall-inspired treat overload: Pumpkin-spiced donuts, king-size shakes, sundaes and funnel cakes are added to all of your usual Hershey favorites. You must try the warm, pumpkin-spiced, mini donuts. To die for!

6. Hershey’s newest region, Chocolatetown, is open: Our favorite place on the property, The Chocolatier Restaurant, Bar + Patio, was exactly what our family needed to recharge before being thrust back into the high energy of Hersheypark In The Dark. Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor was our go-to destination for snacks (the grilled cheese and tater tots are heavenly) and ice cream sundaes. The Supply Company store is where our daughter fell in love with our newest “stuffy” (see photo). This shop was a much more quiet and pleasurable experience than the overcrowded Hershey’s Chocolate Town.

7. Visit on Friday and/or Sunday at Hersheypark in the Dark to enjoy less congestion: Smaller crowds means enjoying more time on your favorite rides and attractions. Beware: Based on our experience and crowdsourcing other families, Saturday is packed with park guests and had the longest wait-times on most of the rides. Either way, download the Hersheypark app for real-time, “wait times” to help you plan your agenda.

8. Stay overnight at an official Hersheypark Resort. Instead of driving three hours back to New York City after an exciting day of thrills in Hersheypark, we stayed overnight at Hershey Lodge — located just a few minutes from the amusement park. Hershey Lodge, one of three official lodging sites, was a wonderful experience! The comfortable accommodations combined with free resort access benefits, including convenient shuttle bus service to/from Hersheypark, early entry to the park the night before with the “preview plan,” access to the indoor Hershey’s Water Works water park, chocolate bars at check-in, character meet and greets, and even chocolate bingo.

Overall, the most compelling reason to attend Hersheypark in the Dark is because it’s an electrifying, entertaining, and memorable family experience. We’re still reflecting about whirling around Laff Trakk in complete darkness and seeing Hersheypark aglow as we careened on Candymonium.

Ticket Giveaway: Hersheypark Christmas Candylane

After Hersheypark in the Dark wraps this weekend, the park is decked out with more than 5 million lights for their most merry event of the year, Hersheypark Christmas Candylane.

Starting Nov. 12 and running through Jan. 2, families can enjoy their favorite rides and coasters, a visit with Santa, festive Hershey Character experiences and more. Want to win tickets to attend with your family?

• *Update* -This Contest has been closed. Congratulations to the two lucky winners: 1. Maria M., 2. Judith M. Please check your inboxes
• We’re giving away two sets of family four-packs of 1-day ticket admission to Hersheypark. (Each winner will receive four 1-day passes.)
• Contest runs Oct. 29 through Nov. 10, 2021.
• Entrants must be 18 years or older and residents of the United States.
• TWO winners will be chosen randomly using Rafflecopter after the entry period ends Nov. 10, 2021.
• Winner must follow Rafflecopter instructions for getting entries
• Winner must supply email address to receive four electronic tickets to Hershey’s Christmas Candylane for 2021. Tickets are for one daily admission to Hersheypark during Hersheypark Christmas Candylane. The tickets expire Jan. 2, 2022.
• Hersheypark charges a separate fee for parking, which is NOT included with these tickets. The winner will need to pay for parking if needed.
• City Dads Group is not responsible for lost or stolen tickets.

Disclosure: Lance Somerfeld is a member of Hersheypark’s Sweetest Families Program. The program includes complimentary park passes and hotel accommodations for his family provided by the kind folks at Hershey’s Entertainment & Resorts. His thoughts, opinions and Hersheypark tips are genuine and have not been influenced by the brand.

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Prepare to be dazzled by The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze.

This mesmerizing, immersive experience is an outdoor walk among thousands of illuminated hand-carved pumpkins. Seeing these creative displays in person is truly one of those fantastic, autumn experiences that you need to witness. Photos, word of mouth hype, and even this post just don’t do this annual Halloween treat justice.

The thematic, jaw-dropping installations create a wonderful, family-friendly experience. It will keep the adrenaline pumping whether you experience the show at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration on Long Island or Van Cortlandt Manor in the Hudson Valley.

Our family visited the Long Island location. Here, you navigate the sometimes spooky, but generally tame foot paths past The Statue of Liberty, dinosaurs, a larger-than-life spiderweb, cemeteries, a pumpkin tunnel and sunflower fields all designed using intricately, hand-carved pumpkins.

Including our munching on apple cider donuts (unlike last year, the gift shop is open this time around), gazing at the exhibits took our family approximately 45 minutes to complete.

If you’ve been to The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze on Long Island before, this year you’ll see a few new displays: an 80-foot circus train, sea monster and an electrifying LED light-display on the barn. Our only negative comment is that we wish there were more of these new exhibits.

The key details for either Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze location:

ADVANCE TICKETS REQUIRED

• Admission is by timed ticket entry. This ensures crowds are controlled and everyone is socially distanced. Do not show up at the venue to buy tickets; you will be turned away.
• Tickets sell out fast! Buy now even if you plan to go later. The experience is open through Nov. 7.
• Ticket prices range from $40 to $48 per person.
• Parking is free.

IT’S OUTDOORS

• Blaze is a self-guided, touch-free experience set on the beautiful grounds of historic, Old Bethpage Village Restoration (Old Bethpage, Long Island) and Van Cortlandt Manor (Croton-on-the-Hudson in Westchester County).
• The outdoor gift shop includes cider donuts, popcorn, light-up necklaces and more.

MASK POLICY

• Required for unvaccinated visitors.
• Encouraged for vaccinated visitors.

Disclaimer: NYC Dads Group received complimentary tickets in exchange for a review. Thoughts, comments, and opinions have not been swayed by the free tickets. All photos: Somerfeld family.

Halloween dad jokes may be the scariest part of this once ghoulish holiday. I mean, c’mon — the most horrifying thing about trick-or-treating nowadays is the shrinking size of the candy bars. Fun size, my disembodied eye!

As a service to our readers (and disservice to their friends, co-workers and relatives), we have scoured the internet for the best/worst Halloween dad jokes for kid, friends and family alike. If you use these holiday dad jokes, you will prove you know jack o’ lanterns about the puny business of this horrible, horrible season.

Enjoy … and beware. Beeeeeeeeeeewaaaaaaaaaaaare!

Best/worst Halloween dad jokes

Q: What do you get when you burn a monster in Budapest?
A: Hungarian ghoul ash.

Q: Why do ghosts speak Latin?
A: Because it’s a dead language.

Q: Why wouldn’t the skeleton go trick or treating?
A: Because he didn’t have any guts.

Q: What do short-sighted ghouls wear?
A: Spooktacles.

Q: What’s a ghost’s favorite nursery rhyme?
A: Little BOO Peep.

Q: What does a ghost do when he gets in the car?
A: Puts on his sheet belt.

Q: Why do ghosts hate rainy Halloweens?
A: It dampens their spirits.

Q: What kind of boats do vampires travel in?
A: Blood vessels.

Q: What’s a witch’s favorite subject in school?
A: Spelling.

Q: Why did the Jack-o’-Lantern look after the pie?
A: They were pump-kin.

+  +  +

Don’t bother inviting the Invisible Man to your Halloween party. He won’t show up. He’ll make plenty of excuses, but they’re all transparent.

+  +  +

Q: Why are demons and ghouls always together?
A: Because demons are a ghoul’s best friend.

Q: Why don’t skeletons go trick-or-treating?
A: Because they don’t have any body to go with.

Q: What’s a pumpkin’s favorite sport?
A: Squash.

Q: Who won the skeleton beauty contest?
A: No body.

Q: Why is Dracula so easy to fool?
A: Because he’s a sucker.

Q: How do monsters like their eggs?
A:  Terror-fried.

Q: What’s a vampire’s favorite fruit?
A: Necktarines.

Q: Why are ghosts great cheerleaders?
A: Because they have spirit.

Q: What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
A: Frostbite.

Q: What do you call a chicken that haunts your house?
A: A poultrygeist.

Q: Which monster is red, round and only comes out in late October?
A: Frankenapple.

Q: What did the girl horse dress as for Halloween?
A:  A night mare.

Q: What do witches use on their hair?
A: Scare spray.

Q: Who did the demon take to the Halloween dance?
A: His ghoul friend.

Stay tuned — Thanksgiving dad jokes coming soon! Then watch out for more jokes for kids for Christmas, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day!

Halloween jokes for kids photo: ©be free / Adobe Stock.

Ready or not, here comes Halloween! By now, you’ve probably run across some of the hundreds of articles on the internet offering tips that guarantee a successful night of trick-or-treating for your kids.

But what about trick-or-treating success for parents? We got your back!

If your children are young, you’ll need to go trick-or-treating with them. Before leaving your house, set out an empty basket on your front porch. Make it look like it’s been tipped over. Add a sign that says, “Take one!” Kids (and more importantly their judging parents) will think you’ve already run out of candy and not that you’re too cheap to buy enough in the first place.

If you’re planning on wearing a costume while walking around with your kids, think it through. If you’re like me, Halloween is the only day of the year you even speak to half of your neighbors. Do you really want to have a conversation with them dressed as a clown or wearing a Trump wig?

In regard your kid’s costume, conventional wisdom says children should not wear masks that obscure their vision. I say, make sure your child’s costume has a full mask! With their impaired eyesight you’ll have no problem freely reaching into their candy basket for all the Krackel you can eat.

Also, while walking around your neighborhood, make sure you have a flashlight. Your neighbors will think you are being a responsible parent keeping your child safe, but you can actually use it to look for dropped candy along the sidewalks.

At the end of the night, every good parent needs to check their child’s candy before letting them eat any. I could not agree more with this tip. Don’t forget to “inspect” all the candy and remove anything that seems suspect (or contains gooey caramel and milk chocolate that you can further “investigate” after the kids are in bed).

Happy parenting and happy Halloween!

A version of this first appeared on Indy’s Child. Photo: ©famveldman / Adobe Stock.

Welcome back to our new feature focusing on “only in NYC” experiences. This fun-filled column will uncover some of the most unique and epic family destinations in and around New York City. Strap on your safety belts, grip those handlebars and come along for the ride!

Six Flags Great Adventure is our family’s favorite theme park. We’re season pass holders and we go several times a year for our fix of adrenaline-pumping roller coasters, thrilling attractions and family entertainment. Usually less than a 90-minute drive from New York City, Six Flags Great Adventure is an easy day trip.

Felling ready to conquer our biggest fears and with my son finally at a more “mature” age (11 years old), we decided to journey at dusk to immerse ourselves in Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest 2019. As the sun set over the hills of Jackson, N.J., our favorite theme park became the scariest place on the planet. Around 6 p.m., hundreds of Six Flags performers wearing professional make-up and costumes disguised as demons, ghouls, zombies, frightening clowns and freaky beasts flooded the entire theme park.

In a span of two hours, we navigated through eight different haunted mazes — indoor and outdoor — and were living in a nightmare and loving every minute of it. We dodged through fog zones, disorienting lights, frightful scenes and sometimes were being chased by zombies armed with real chainsaws (without the chains). Everything felt so real – you could smell the gasoline emanating from the chainsaws!

There’s something for everyone at this massive Halloween fright night. Along with the mazes, there are performances, photo ops and also all of the everyday rides. Beware: A “Haunted Maze Pass” (extra fees apply) is required to meander the eight, spooky labyrinths. Our favorite indoor maze was “Reflections of the Dead,” a mysterious and memorable hall of mirrors where we came face to face with some ghastly zombies at every turn, there one minute, and gone the next. After our escape, we decided we loved this unique maze so much we had to go a second time.

If you only have time for one maze, we highly recommend “The Wicked Woods.” Set in a dense, dark, and remote section of the amusement park, this particular attraction is sure to give you hair-raising chills. Evil creatures lurk behind trees, oak barrels, and abandoned cars then jump out at you when you least expect it. The heavy fog in the woods made it nearly impossible to see what’s directly in front of you so this unique experience took lots of courage for all of us. There’s definitely a reason why the suggested age for the mazes are 12 and up!

Overall, we had an incredible experience at Six Flags Great Adventure Fright Fest and can’t wait to add it to our annual family traditions.

Six Flags Fright Fest has a limited engagement so make sure to visit before it disappears on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019.

Disclosure: We received a complimentary “Haunted Maze Pass” and admission to facilitate this review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are genuine.