Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com; Adya Beasley | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com; Bane Haunted House

By Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

If the 2017 edition of real life has you thoroughly scared, what better way to unwind than making a visit to a local haunted house this Halloween season?

You can chuckle with escapist delight at all of the evil clowns, zombies, demons and whatever else lurks around the corner. They'll certainly seem tame in comparison to whatever news story awaits, along with the horror of tax season in a few months and midterm elections next year.

Jersey's haunted attractions include menacing walks through the forest, haunted corn mazes and elaborately built houses of terror stocked with chainsaw-carrying goons and other disorienting obstacles.

Have a look at our list of local haunts, then head to the comments to tell us which other haunted attractions you plan to visit this month.

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Bane Haunted House

Bane Haunted House, Livingston

Bane, in Livingston (600 W. Mount Pleasant Ave.), is a large indoor haunted house spanning 40,000 square feet. The attraction, which we first visited in 2014, topped our best haunts list two years in a row. This is not for those who don't like to be separated from their group, because you definitely will be. Expect to feel thoroughly disoriented, to crawl into small spaces and to be spun around by demons and ghouls of all sorts — and sometimes, be hit all three of those experiences at once. Last year the popular haunted attraction drew more than 30,000 visitors. Open Thursday through Sunday all month as well as Oct. 18, 25, 30 and 31. Hours vary, but the main haunt opens at 7 p.m., with a child-friendly version of the big scare running from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission $28; banehauntedhouse.com

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Haunted Hamilton, Rahway

From Oct. 27 to 31, Union County Performing Arts Center's Hamilton Stage (360 Hamilton St. in Rahway) hosts Haunted Hamilton, a haunted theater attraction that runs from 7 to 11 p.m., with a family-friendly version of the haunt that runs at 1 and 3 p.m. on Oct. 28 and 29. Also on Oct. 28, the first 200 guests for the 7 p.m. haunt get free admission to a screening of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" at 11 p.m. Some proceeds will benefit the drama club and track team at Rahway High School. Adults $15, children $10; ucpac.org

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Scared in Jersey

Scared in Jersey, Holmdel

New for 2017 is Scared In Jersey: The Legend of the Jersey Devil, a haunt open at 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday each week in October at Holmdel's PNC Bank Arts Center. The production really doubles down on the Devil mythology, too, with Mother Leed's Haunted Cottage and a Pine Barrens maze. Tickets $25; scaredinjersey.com

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Fear in the Forest, Pemberton

Fear in the Forest is a two-day haunt that lands in Pemberton (182 City Line Road, off Route 70) on Oct. 13 and 14. The attraction, founded in 2001 as a dark romp among local cranberry bogs and blueberry bushes inhabited by clowns, ghouls and maybe even the Jersey Devil himself, opens at dark each night. Gates close at 10 p.m. Suggested donations $10 for ages 16 and up; $5 for ages 5 to 15; free for ages 4 and under; fearintheforest.weebly.com

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The Dark Carnival, Bayville

Does Pennywise the clown still make you jump? The Dark Carnival in Bayville (136 Atlantic City Blvd.), open Fridays through Sundays in October starting at 7 p.m., has him beat with sideshow attractions like Morbus, the Aquatic Fish Boy, Algano, the Amphibious Lizard Man and Mongo, the Human Mutant. There are several attractions besides the carnival, including the Meat Grinder, inhabited by Pig Man; the pitch-black Night Terrors and The Sanitarium. Admission $20; darkcarnivalhauntedhouse.com

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Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Haunted Scarehouse, Wharton

We visited the Haunted Scarehouse in Wharton (105 W. Dewey Ave.) two years in a row, so know that you'll be thoroughly satisfied that you got your money's worth, given the haunt's "two floors of fear." Scarehouse is another supersize haunt, with themes and characters including bloody butchers, evil Pennywise-esque clowns and a surprise dragon with glowing eyes. New for 2017: You have to find your own way out of the haunt (a room escape game attraction is run out of the same building) and the clutches of the devious Hayden family. Open Friday to Sunday every week in October and on Halloween. Admission $28; hauntedscarehouse.com

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Jefferson Township Haunted House

The Jefferson Township Haunted House comes to Camp Jefferson (81 Weldon Road, Lake Hopatcong) on Oct. 21 and 22, starting with $3 children's matinees at 4 p.m. and continuing with full-fledge scary haunts ($5) later in the night (7 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday). Visit facebook.com/jthauntedhouse

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Brighton Asylum

Brighton Asylum, Passaic

When we visited Passaic's Brighton Asylum last year (2 Brighton Ave.), a massive crowd waited in a snaking line to try the haunt, which started with a frantic zombie-busting segment that equips each visitor with a gun to blast the undead into oblivion. From there, you enter the asylum, which is filled with all manner of creatures and obstacles designed to unnerve. As you wait in line in the lot outside, look for the costumed goons who are all too eager to antagonize guests with a taste of what's to come. Open Friday though Saturday every week in October, with "contact nights" (for those who want to be touched) available on Oct. 12, 19, 26 and 31. Come on Nov. 4 for a "lights out" experience. Admission $25 ahead of time, $29 on site; brightonasylum.com

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House of Horrors, East Brunswick

Horrors at House of Horrors in East Brunswick (645 Cranbury Road) include a haunted house with a "face your nightmares" theme ($5) and haunted hayride ($5). Open from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October. Proceeds go to Project Gift, a program that provides holiday toys and gifts to families in need; houseofhorrorsnj.com

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Adya Beasley | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Night of Terror, Mullica Hill

Creamy Acres Farm's Night of Terror is a sprawling haunt set in the green of Mullica Hill (448 Lincoln Mill Road) with six different attractions waiting to play on your phobias — Slaughter Cave, Head Hunters, Cornfield Maze, Zombie Mayhem, Ride of Terror and Dark Dreams. Pictured above: Lisa Sherwood backstage at the haunt in 2015. Open Oct. 6 to 7; 12 to 14; 19 to 21; and 26 to 28 starting at 6:30 p.m. each night (closing times vary). Admission $35; nightofterror.com

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Hayride of Horrors at Corrado's Farm, Hackettstown

Corrado's Farm in Hackettstown (671 Mount Bethel Road) hosts its Hayride of Horrors, Haunted House and Haunted Corn Maze. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets $16 for hayride; $16 for haunted house; $10 for corn maze. Visit hayrideofhorrors.com

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Scare Farm, Hillsborough

We visited Scare Farm, at Norz-Hill Farm in Hillsborough (120 South Branch Road), in 2014, and were genuinely impressed by the integration of the haunts into the fields, whether it was the air pumps spraying our feet, the leering clowns inside a neon funhouse or the chainsaw actors running us down. There's three different thrills to choose from: Creepy Hollow, Paranoia and The Slay Ride. A nice jaunt if you want to walk through some cornfields and stay outside for the night. Open starting at 6:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays in October, admission $16 for one haunt, $26 for two and $35 for three; scarefarm.com

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Camp Evans Base of Terror

Camp Evans Base of Terror, Wall

Camp Evans Base of Terror (2201 Marconi Road) in Wall may not be as slick and seamless as the big haunted houses, but you've got to admire its sense of humor. The haunted attraction functions as a fundraiser for InfoAge, a science museum at the century-old Camp Evans, a former U.S. Army site that was also once home to a resort frequented by ... get this! ... members of the Ku Klux Klan. Open 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October. Admission $20; campevansbaseofterror.com

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Cornfield of Terror at R and J Farm, Egg Harbor City

Cornfield of Terror, hosted by Egg Harbor City's R and J Farm (723 W. Herschel St.), stars the fleet of spirits that haunt a field after a local farmer went missing. Sounds more scary when you put it this way: "The blood-curdling screams of the victim can be heard when the moon is awake during October." Open Fridays through Sundays in October, starting at dusk (closed on Halloween). There's also a non-scary corn maze. Admission $14; $19 for all attractions; $10 for children 10 and under; $15 for children's combo ticket; cornfieldofterror.com

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Oasis Island of Terror, Robbinsville

This Halloween, Oasis Family Farm (3 Circle Drive, Robbinsville) becomes Oasis Island of Terror, a mile-long walk-through haunt "through the haunted trails of the bayou." Open starting at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October. Admission $25; oasisislandofterror.com

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Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Nightmare at Gravity Hill, Jackson

Named after the local area in Jackson known as Gravity Hill, where you can put your car in neutral and roll up a hill (an apparent optical illusion), when we visited in 2014, Nightmare at Gravity Hill at Cicconi Farms (1005 Farmingdale Road) was really just that — a true nightmare, in all its grand horror staging, complete with body bags hanging in a misty barn and a cleaver-wielding good ol' boy. There are more than a dozen different scenes total on five acres in this "abandoned ghost town." Expect clowns, zombies and visits to the psych ward and cemetery. Children under 14 not admitted without guardian. Opens starting at 6:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays in October. Admission $23; nightmareatgravityhill.com

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Brookdale Haunted Theater, Lincroft

Brookdale Community College Performing Arts Center in Lincroft (765 Newman Springs Road) features a macabre maze stocked with clowns, monsters and serial killer specters. Open starting at 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays in October. Kids' tours are available from 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 21, 22, 28 and 29. Tickets $12; $10 for seniors and alumni; $8 for those under 17 and $5 for students with ID. Kids' tours $5. Rain or shine; brookdalehauntedtheater.com

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Arcana Haunted Experience, East Brunswick

East Brunswick's Arcana Haunted Experience (44 W. Ferris St.) has a mortuary-themed "interactive" haunt starring an undertaker who tries to resurrect the dead. Open Friday through Sunday in October, starting at 8 p.m. on Friday and 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission $23; arcanaexperience.com

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Nightmare on River Road, New Milford

Nightmare on River Road in New Milford (854 River Road) is an indoor haunt that has a plot involving a lost clown, corn maze, hospital and cemetery. Open Friday through Sunday in October (6 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday) Admission $15; nightmareonriverroad.com

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Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Field of Terror, East Windsor

The Field of Terror at K&S Farms in East Windsor (831 Windsor Perrineville Road) is another open-air circus of haunts with a whole lineup of attractions, like the Killer Kornfield (pictured), the Zombie Attack Haunted Hayride, The Unknown Barn and the House of Insanity. Come for the haunts, stay for the bonfire and DJ. Open starting at 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays in October, along with Oct. 19, 26 and 31. Fireworks on Oct. 8. Single haunt $15, two haunts $25, triple pass $35 and quad pass $40. The farm also has non-scary daytime activities for children — pumpkin picking, hayrides and a corn maze — from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays; fieldofterror.com.

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4-H Haunting, Blackwood

Camden County 4-H hosts its Haunting on Oct. 20 and 21 at the Lakeland Complex (101 S. Woodbury Turnersville Road) in Blackwood. For more information and updates see camden.njaes.rutgers.edu/4h or the organizer's Facebook page.

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Scary Rotten Farms, Brick

The approach of Halloween means that Berry Fresh Farms (151 Brick Blvd, Brick Township) transforms into Scary Rotten Farms, home to Sinister Sneed's Chaotic Carnival of Chaos and the new, apocalypse-themed Blackened: The Plague. Admission $18 per attraction or $30 for both. Opens at 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays in October starting Oct. 6, in addition to Oct. 30 and 31; scaryrottenfarms.com

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Bloodshed Farms Fearfest, Columbus

Bloodshed Farms Fearfest in Columbus (2919 Route 206) offers even more scary clowns with its Clownophobia attraction, just one of several at the circus of haunts. There's also the Trail of Terror, Hellsgate Asylum and The Last Ride, a jaunt in a funeral wagon. Not included in combination tickets is another haunt called The Blood Shed ($13), which allows just one person in at a time — others watch them via night vision camera. There's also the Camper, a 15-minute escape room. Open Oct. 6 to 8; 13 to 14; 20 to 22 and 27 to 29 starting at 7 p.m. (and 6 p.m. on Oct. 22). Individual attractions $10 to $15; combination tickets $30; bloodshedfarmsfearfest.com

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Jersey Devil Haunt at V & V Adventure Farm, Shamong

V & V Adventure Farm in Shamong (1339 Old Indian Mills Road) brings another Jersey Devil attraction to the haunted scene, with its Jersey Devil Haunt, a terror-filled walk through 10-foot cornstalks. Admission $15. There's also a Zombie Invasion Hayride ($25) and flashlight corn maze ($6). Open starting at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October; vvadventurefarm.com

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Frightfest at Schaefer's Farm, Flemington

Frightfest at Schaefer's Farm in Flemington (1051 Flemington Whitehouse Road) is another four-ring horror extravaganza, with a Carnival of Chaos, Massacre Maize, Trail of Terror and Hayride of Horror. Open starting at 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays in October. Admission $30; schaefersfrightfest.com

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Monster Martin's House of Terror, Pitman

Monster Martin's House of Terror: Pitman Penitentiary 2 is a free haunted house hosted in a local home (155 Esplanade Ave., Pitman), which is celebrating its 16th year collecting food to fight hunger (the above trailer is from a previous year). Visitors are asked to bring a nonperishable food item. Open 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 26 to 28; 30 and 31; facebook.com/Monster-Martins-House-of-Terror

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Walk of Fear at Bamboo Gardens, Southampton

Southampton's Bamboo Gardens (134 Landing St.), a corporate picnic venue, hosts the Walk of Fear, a haunt featuring 13 themed areas with names like Blood Beach, Toxic Tubes and Claustrophobic Hallway of Doom (yes, that's the one that's not in your house). Open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October. Admission $25; walkoffear.com

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Six Flags Great Adventure

Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson

Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson brings new attractions this year including Lady of the Lake Cemetery, a darkened, demon-filled space, and Unleashed, an "underground steampunk world" that is less a haunted attraction than a macabre acrobatic show. Other haunted attractions: The Haunted Heist, Aftermath and Blood Shed. Visit the CarnEvil area if you're in need of some scary clowns. Open weekends as well as Oct. 9, 30 and 31; times vary. Admission $56.99 and up; sixflags.com/greatadventure/frightfest‎

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Red Mill Museum's Haunted Village, Clinton

The Red Mill Museum's 27th Haunted Village (56 Main St., Clinton) opens on Oct. 13 and starts up each Friday and Saturday in October at 7 p.m., with three floors of frights and an "infection" jungle theme. There's also a haunted hayride, terror trail, vortex and maze. Admission $30. Child-friendly Happy Haunts are set for Oct. 14, 21 and 28; redmillhauntedvillage.org

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C. Casola Farms Haunted Attractions, Marlboro

C. Casola Farms in Marlboro (131 S. Main St.) has five different options to satisfy your appetite for haunts. There's the Haunted Hayride of Terror, 3D Haunted Barn, Marlboro Zombie Breakout, Living Maze and Haunted Wooded Trail. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October starting at 7 p.m. and Halloween night. Tickets for all five attractions, including zombie paintball, are $60. Other tickets $12 to $25 per attraction; hauntedcasola.com

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More Haunts

This isn't our first brush with Jersey haunts. For the last two years, we've asked readers to recommend their favorite haunted attractions. Then we staged votes on the haunts and visited the top vote-getters to rank the best of the group.

Looking for family-friendly Halloween activities? Try our guide to Halloween events, trick-or-treating and festivals across the state.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.