updated for 2026
Legend has it that each October, the veil between this world and the spirit world grows thinner leading up to All Hallows' Eve, aka Halloween. It is a time to remember the dead. And some believe it is a time for the dead to visit us. Over the centuries, however, October 31 became less somber—a holiday filled with candy, pumpkins, scary stories, and haunted trails.
Whatever Halloween means to you, you’ll find it in Fairfax County. Some of our most historic sites have witnessed unexplainable encounters with things that go bump in the night. Then there are the urban legends we dust off every October to spice up our lives. And, finally, some sites have been carefully engineered by live humans to frighten you into thinking ghouls really do exist. Put it all together, and there’s something for everyone, young and old, brave and frightened, living and…well, you get the point.
Let’s start with the spooky stories.
Founded in 1742, Fairfax County’s roots go deep into American history. A revolution was led from here. Battles were fought here. Founding Fathers lived here. And a lot of hardship and triumph took place on our soil. Some say the echoes of these times remain at some of our historic sites and manifest as visions, scents, and sounds that can’t be explained. Here are just a few of those tales.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Image courtesy Mount Vernon
Going back as far as the 1890s, stories abound. Victorian-era members of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association who spent the night in George’s chamber swore his brooding spirit appeared before them in the still moments of the night. In the 1980s, an interpreter saw a full-body apparition of a young woman on the stairs with flowers who disappeared when she reached the bottom. In 2012, a security employee had already emptied the house and locked up when he heard the jingling of a large set of keys moving across the floor in the Washington bedroom. In life, George was known for being heard all over the house, jingling his heavy set of keys. These are just a few of the dozens—if not hundreds—of stories from interpreters, staff, and visitors over the years. While you may not be able to be inside the mansion at midnight, Mount Vernon does host a popular trick-or-treating event each year (October 31, 2026), as well as a Fall Wine Festival and Sunset Tour (October 9-11, 2026) and Fall Harvest Family Days (October 24-25, 2026). Who knows what you’ll encounter?
George Mason’s Gunston Hall
Image courtesy Gunston Hall
George Mason was one of our founding fathers and the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which was used as the basis for the U.S. Bill of Rights. His estate, Gunston Hall, was built in the southern end of the county near the Potomac River’s Gunston Cove. Visitors have seen George’s apparition in mirrors, unexplained footsteps have been heard in the halls and staff have seen apparitions of people dressed in period clothing inside and outside the house. It has been suggested that having costumed interpreters working in the home triggers the entities to come forward. While not Halloween-themed, there are a couple of upcoming events at the estate. Try your hand at cooking in a hearth fireplace at the Hearth Cooking Workshop on October 17, 2026. Or stay tuned for date announcements for the popular Revolutionary War Day, typically held in early November.
The Winery at Bull Run
During the Civil War, two major battles were fought in Manassas/Bull Run. But did you know The Winery at Bull Run is located adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park on grounds that were once used for battle? Ghost stories are rampant on the battlefield. Visitors say they see soldiers, smell gunpowder, hear cannon fire and see lights where there are none. And at the Winery, it has been said that some soldiers still visit to this day. They play with lights, appear as apparitions and make their presence known. From September 29 until November 1, 2026, you can attend a haunted wine tour where you can taste wines, “meet” the ghosts through costumed interpretation, learn history and hear the Winery’s ghost stories. But these sell out quickly, so don't delay!
Get in the Halloween mood with this urban legend.
Urban legends are a form of folklore, describing events that are rarely ever experienced firsthand, but rather happened to a “friend of a friend.” While there may be a grain of truth in them, most are manufactured to scare and are passed down through word of mouth. The Legend of the Bunny Man is one such tale. It is said that a man in a bunny suit once roamed a neighborhood in Fairfax carrying an ax. Some stories have him scaring off trespassers in the neighborhood. As the legend grew, he was said to harm children who misbehave. Some say he still walks the woods of the neighborhood, armed with his ax and a bad attitude.
What makes this urban legend special is its staying power. According to Fairfax County resources, it dates back to the 1940s and some of the sightings were documented at the time. Rather than go searching for a man dressed as a bunny and wielding an ax, however, we recommend the next best thing—Bunnyman Brewing. Themed around the urban legend, the folks at this microbrewery can fill you in on all the spooky deets of the “real” Bunny Man, and you can even wander into their woods for a selfie with the Bunnyman from their logo.
Big news: As with the speed at which urban legends flourish, Bunnyman Brewing Co. has opened not one, but TWO additional locations in Fairfax County in the last few years! Bunnyman Brewing Cafe in Lorton is on the campus of the Workhouse Arts Center, a thriving arts campus that was once a prison (where the Bunnyman supposedly escaped!). While there, check out the Workhouse's frightening Haunt experience and then pull up a chair at the on-site brewery afterwards to bring yourself back to reality! The third location is a result of a recent merger with Chantilly brewery Mustang Sally - this taproom now operates under the Bunnyman name and brand.
Find guaranteed ghosts, ghouls and frights this Halloween.
Real-life hauntings are unpredictable. Urban legends are rarely experienced firsthand. But haunted houses and trails of terror always deliver the Halloween frights you seek. Here are the region’s best. None of it is real, but all of it is real scary!
Workhouse Haunt: Dark Encounters
The Workhouse Arts Center is an arts community filled with working studios and exhibits. It is also set in a former penitentiary. This adds to the creep factor for their annual Workhouse Haunt. This themed walk-through event takes visitors through spooky scenes with costumed characters, then to the site’s abandoned buildings and into the dark woods where terrifying ghouls await. Runs October 3-30, 2026. This is not recommended for children 12 and under.
Cox Farms' Fields of Fear
Image courtesy Cox Farms
Cox Farms turns dark at night. Its normally friendly Imaginature Trail transforms into the half-mile-long The Forest: Back 40, where madmen with chainsaws, creepy spiders, and tales of the occult rule the night. If you survive this fright, Fields of Fear will then take you on a Dark Side Hayride or set you loose in the Cornightmare. It’s an evening your screams will never forget. From September 25 through November 7, 2026. This is not recommended for children under 12.
Clifton Haunted Trail
Image courtesy Clifton Haunted Trail website
The Clifton Haunted Trail is returning to the woods of Clifton on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Explore eight acres of haunted woods featuring scary skits and spooky scenes. The trail itself is half a mile long. This one-night-only event is highly popular and tickets go fast; they go on sale Friday, October 2.
If you’re planning a visit this October, be sure to check out all our Halloween events. You’ll find goblin golf at Burke Lake Park, and Air & Scare at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, and of course, the longstanding tradition of the Vienna Halloween Parade in the Town of Vienna. For even more Non-Spooky Halloween events perfect for the kids, check this growing list. See you among the spooks!
If you’re planning a fall trip to Fairfax County this year, make sure to check out other things the region offers during this time of year, including beautiful foliage, Halloween-decorated homes, and more fall events.
