Sussex takes Halloween seriously. There are Tudor ruins with a curse attached, an Edwardian manor house that is supposed to be haunted and a farm near Crawley that has been scaring people since 1996.
Below are the events we would build an October weekend around. Dates, times and prices. A few will frighten you. Most are aimed at families with small children. Tickets do sell out, and details do change, so confirm before you set off.
Tulleys Shocktober Fest Scream Park, Crawley
Tulleys calls itself Europe's largest scream park, and this year it turns 30. It started as a single haunted house on a working farm. For the anniversary, there is House of Hades, a large live production starring The Fuel Girls, a performance group known for fire, aerial and stage work.
Around the haunts, you'll see street theatre, live music, two food courts and three bars. It is a real scare, so check the age guidance on the website before bringing anyone younger.
Ockenden Manor in Cuckfield is the closest of our hotels, and with the haunts closing at 11.30pm, a bed nearby beats a late drive home.
Date & Time: 2 October to 1 November 2026, on selected nights. The park opens at 4.30pm, the haunts start at 5.30pm and finish at 11.30pm.
Venue: Tulleys Farm, Turners Hill Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 4PE
Cost/Tickets: The standard XScream Pass runs from £42.95-£72.95 depending on the night. It covers park entry, unlimited haunts, street theatre, live music and free parking.
Ghostly Gatherings at Preston Manor, Brighton
Preston Manor was the Edwardian home of the Stanford family and is supposedly one of the most haunted houses in Brighton. The evening begins with a glass of wine and some nibbles, then an expert ghost guide takes you through the house after dark. Younger ghost hunters get their own tour, Haunted Happenings, on Friday 30 October.
Date & Time: Fridays 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 October 2026, 8pm to 11pm
Venue: Preston Manor & Gardens, Brighton
Cost/Tickets: £36 per person.
The Ghost Train at the Bluebell Railway, Uckfield
The first Ghost Train sold out last year, and the railway has brought it back with a completely new story and new ghosts. Actors tell spooky stories on the train, and you get off at Horsted Keynes station for the immersive part.
The railway makes it clear that it is spooky storytelling rather than jump scares, and suits older children and adults. That makes it a great choice for people who love atmosphere more than screaming. It finishes early enough to fit an evening out from Ockenden Manor.
Date & Time: 22 October to 1 November 2026.
Venue: Sheffield Park Station, Bluebell Railway, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 3QL
Cost/Tickets: Adults from £42, children from £21.
Plagues and Potions at the Weald & Downland Living Museum, Chichester
The year is 1665, and the plague is on its way. A village healer's protective potion has been ruined because mischievous spirits scattered the ingredients across the historic buildings, and families have to find them.
Hambrook Barn becomes Haunted Hambrook, with an eyeball and spoon race, broomstick racing and poisoned apple bobbing. Singleton is a short drive south of The Spread Eagle in Midhurst.
Date & Time: 24 October to 1 November 2026, 10am to 4pm. Activities vary by date.
Venue: Weald & Downland Living Museum, Town Lane, Singleton, Chichester PO18 0EU
Cost/Tickets: The Halloween activities are free with museum entry. Online admission is £16.90 for adults and £8.80 for children aged 5 to 17, and under-5s are free.
Borde Hill Halloween Trail & Kids' Activities, Haywards Heath
In The Owl Who Stole Halloween, a mischievous owl called Morticus Moonfeather has put a spell on the scarecrows in Pumpkin Patch Meadow. Children follow a trail through the Garden, play games, and try to break the spell. The trail suits ages 3 to 8.
The marquee schedule is magic shows with Professor Hiccup, wand-making, a Tomfoolery Halloween show, free drop-in crafts, and a spiders-and-snakes workshop. The house at Borde Hill is a Grade II listed Elizabethan mansion, which makes it a natural pairing with Ockenden Manor, just down the road in Cuckfield.
Date & Time: 17 October to 1 November 2026, 10am to 5pm. Extra activities in the Garden Marquee run on selected days from 26 to 30 October.
Venue: Borde Hill Garden, Borde Hill Lane, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1XP
Cost/Tickets: The trail is £3.50 per child on top of Garden admission, and free for children and family members. Garden admission is £13.95 for adults and £8.95 for children aged 3 to 16, with under-3s free. Marquee activities cost and need booking.
Rogate Pumpkin Patch, Petersfield
It's a pick-your-own patch in its 12th year, with themed play areas and a lot of pumpkin-related theatre. You might meet a storytelling pumpkin princess and a bubble witch, and there is a pirate ship.
The season ends with the Smash, where visitors flatten the leftover pumpkins with bats, slingshots and spiked walls. The remains feed the farm's cattle over winter. Rogate is a few miles west of Midhurst along the A272, so The Spread Eagle makes a handy base.
Date & Time: 16 to 31 October 2026, gates open 9.30am. Last entry is 3pm. The Pumpkin Smash finale is on Sunday 1 November, opening at 10am.
Venue: Slade Farm, A272, Rogate, Petersfield GU31 5EG
Cost/Tickets: £10. Under-2s and carers are free, though under-2s still need a free ticket. Tickets are timed and must be booked online.
Halloween Trail at Cowdray Ruins, Midhurst
At the Tudor ruins, children become Secret Seekers and follow clues to uncover the truth behind a chilling curse of fire and water. It is recommended for ages 3 to 12. The Friday evening session is the one for adults. It is a short walk or drive from The Spread Eagle.
Date & Time: Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, 10am to 3.30pm.
Venue: Cowdray Ruins, River Ground Stables, Midhurst GU29 9AL
Cost/Tickets: The trail is £9 to £11, and the evening tales are £7 to £12.
We're Going on a Ghost Hunt at Petworth House & Park
A family trail through the garden, based on the bestselling Bunny Adventures books. Children pick a bunny name, follow the trail with games along the way, then claim a sticker and join the celebration party. It is aimed at 3 to 8 year olds. Petworth is a short drive from Midhurst, so it combines easily with a stay at The Spread Eagle.
Date & Time: 10 October to 1 November 2026, 10am to 4pm. Storytelling sessions with the Bunnies of Hoppity Hill start on 17 and 18 October at 10.30am.
Venue: Petworth House and Park (National Trust), Petworth, West Sussex GU28 9LR
Cost/Tickets: The trail is free with admission. Entry is £21.00 for adults and £10.50 for children aged 5 to 17, with under-5s free. National Trust members get in free.
Halloween Half-Term at Battle Abbey
English Heritage runs a family programme at the site where the Battle of Hastings was fought: interactive storytelling, spooky games, a themed trail and a seasonal selfie spot.
Date & Time: 24 October to 1 November 2026, 10am to 4pm.
Venue: 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield, High Street, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0AE
Cost/Tickets: Included with general admission. English Heritage members go free.
Making a weekend of it
Most of these work as day trips, and they sit nearby. Ockenden Manor is near Tulleys, Borde Hill and the Bluebell Railway, so one stay covers a scream park, a garden trail and a steam-train ghost story.
The Spread Eagle in Midhurst has Cowdray Ruins on the edge of town, with Petworth, Rogate and the Weald & Downland Living Museum all a short drive away.
Once you've picked your events, have a look at Historic Sussex Hotels to find a room. Pack a torch and book early.
