Spooky corn mazes on Long Island
Photo credit: Newsday / Ana P. Gutierrez | Vincent Gaeta, 18, dressed up as a scary clown performs at Schmitt's Farm haunted mansion in Melville.
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Get out in the fall air and test your skills in one of the ever-expanding corn mazes cropping up on farms, vineyards and orchards in central and eastern Long Island.
It's free to visit these places, but a trip through the maze -- available during the day and at night -- will cost you. (See maze admission prices below.) And when you get tired of walking through the stalks, you can sit and eat some roasted corn, go on a hay ride or do any number of other activities.
Here are a few suggestions:
SERIOUS AFTER-DARK SCARE
F & W Schmitt Family Farms 26 Pinelawn Rd., Melville 631-271-3276 schmittfarms.com
When: 7-11 p.m. weekends through Oct. 31
Cost: $11
By day, Schmitt's large corn maze is perfectly family-friendly (noon-5 p.m., $8), but after dark, older kids and adults can try to find their way through a smaller, much spookier corn maze filled with surprises.
Middle Earth Pumpkin Farm's night maze 137 Sound Ave., Riverhead 631-298-0800
When: Weekends 7-10 p.m.
SPOOKY, BY DAY
Krupski's Vegetable and Pumpkin Farm 38030 Rte. 25, Peconic 631-734-6847
When: Noon-6 p.m. weekends through October, plus Columbus Day
Cost: $8
Boo! It's a haunted corn maze. "We have added a few things to the corn maze," says owner Albert Krupski. "We have actors [on weekends only] in there and a few new twists and turns to it. It's not gory, but it's scary. It's good for all ages, and we have a good crew that's been able to do an age-appropriate scare. We can frighten you in broad daylight, which is our goal."
FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN
Stakey's Pumpkin Farm 270 West Lane, Aquebogue 631-722-3467 stakeyspumpkinfarm.com
When: Noon-5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekends through Oct. 26.
Cost: $6
The 3-acre corn maze is for the whole family. There also will be a country store and snack shack, face-painting, hay rides and an inflatable bounce house. Butch Patrick, who played Eddie on "The Munsters," is scheduled to visit Oct. 11 and 18.
Colonial Springs Farm 201 Main Ave., Wheatley Heights 631-643-4829
When: 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. weekends only.
Cost: $5
This 5-acre family-friendly maze is geared toward adults, and kids, too. The farm also offers pumpkin picking.
FOR THE LITTLEST ONES
Andrews Family Farm and Greenhouses 1038 Sound Ave., Wading River 631-929-5963
When: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. through Oct. 30. Closed Wednesdays.
Admission: $1
If your kids are younger than 12 years old, this maze is designed especially for them. "We call it a mini maze," says co-owner Denise Andrews. "It's just meant for the little ones. It's more cute than anything." The farm also has roasted corn, hay bales, fresh vegetables, fresh-cut flowers, U-pick pumpkins and mums.
THEMED MAZE
Kaufold's Country Florist & Farm 724 Middle Country Rd., Ridge 631-924-1265
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends in October, plus Columbus Day.
Admission: $5
There will be a scavenger hunt, in which participants can win prizes for finding items inside the 1.5-acre maze. Children 10 and younger also can take a ride through the tricycle maze. In addition to the mazes, there will be pony and hay rides, a children's playground, roasted corn and other food.
SERIOUS MAZE
Harbes' Family Farm & Vineyard 1223 Main Rd., Jamesport 631-298-0800 harbesfamilyfarm.com
Admission: $9.95-$10.95
This 8-acre maze sends visitors on a Wild West treasure hunt. Entrants are issued an old map to help guide them to clues that will enable them complete the maze, which takes about 45 minutes. A staff of cowboys and cowgirls is on hand to offer assistance. Admission includes hayrides, entry to pedal cart tracks, a hay bale maze and other games.
CROWD-PLEASER
Hank's Pumpkin Town Montauk Highway, Water Mill 631-726-4667 hankspumpkintown.com
When: 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekends and holidays through Oct. 26.
Admission: $9
Consider it a maze theme park. Three mazes of varying difficulty sit on several acres. The family-oriented maze is designed for parents to go through with their kids in about 45 minutes. Entrants receive a map and game sheet with puzzles to solve as they make their way through 18 stations. There's also a mini-maze that takes about 10 minutes. The third maze is for kids 3 to 6.
Fairview Farm 69 Horsemill Lane, overlooking Mecox Bay, Bridgehampton 631-537-6154 cornfieldmaze.com
When: 2-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday through Nov. 2.
Cost: $10, $7 ages 4-11
The middle of this 8-acre maze is cut in the shape of a duck, with the words "Fairview" and "Farm" also cut into the 10-to-12-foot-tall stalks. In addition to the maze, there also are farm animals, a corn box, corn cannon, and a country store.
MORE CORN MAZES
Queens County Farm Museum - 3-acre "Amazing Maize Maze," hayrides; $7, $4 for ages 4-11, 3 and under free, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., night maze Oct. 14 until 9 p.m.; 718-347-3276, queensfarm.org .
Seven Ponds Orchard - 5-acre maze and wagon rides; admission, $3.99, includes access to Toyland play area; 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 65 Seven Ponds Rd., Water Mill; 631-726-8015.
"Wizard of Oz" corn mazes - Two 2-acre mazes; 715Sound Ave., Mattituck; $4adults, $3 kids 3-12; 631-298-0880.
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