If you love Halloween, but find yourself a little too refined to go screaming through the Haunted Forest, you should check out Sleepy Hollow Haunted Wagon Ride that relocated to Springville in 2021. We loved this activity, and found it to be much more interesting than the typical haunted house with screaming spooks chasing you with chainsaws.
At the beginning of the ride, you climb into a horse drawn wagon and head off into the dark (we took the earliest ride so that we could get some pictures). The clip-clop of the horses hooves is accompanied by a reading of the story of Ichabod Crane in the famous short story Sleepy Hollow. As the wagon lurches along, the story unfolds with you riding along the same path as Ichabod. You pass through towering black trees, wide open grassy areas, the schoolhouse, and past many spooks, some props, and some live actors.
We loved the feel of this adventure, which we described as “understated terror,” and the fact that it revolves around a piece of classic literature. Though it was satisfyingly scary, we had children on our wagon that couldn’t have been more than three, and there were no tears. The best part was the climax when the Headless Horseman galloped out of the trees on a pure black steed right alongside the wagon. Our ten-year old thought the horses rolling eyes and foaming mouth were just scary enough!
This adventure would be perfect for that special Halloween lover or a date with that person you’d like to snuggle up to. We found it very appropriate for families, and much better than running through a dark plastic maze from a teenager wearing a hockey mask. The younger kids stayed home because they are afraid of most things, and mom was glad that we went when there was still daylight outside, but we had a blast at Sleepy Hollow Haunted Halloween Ride. Check their website for dates and ticket prices.
(We received a complimentary ride for our honest review of the Sleepy Hollow Haunted Wagon Ride.)
Tips for Families
- Dress for the weather. It gets pretty cold as the sun goes down, so we wore coats, hats, and gloves.
- Take a blanket. We put blankets over our legs and we are always glad to have a little extra warmth (and security).
- They ask you to arrive 15 minutes early, so plan accordingly.
