Oct 2026: Tickets are sold online only, for a reserved time slot. There are no sales at the door, and late arrivals may be turned away.
Brookdale Haunted Theater At A Glance...
- The entire Performing Arts Center, both theaters and every hallway and classroom, becomes one haunted house maze.
- A new theme, new sets and new scares every year, now in its 23rd season for 2026.
- No-touch: the actors are trained never to touch you.
- Lights On, Scares Off lets families tour the haunt's sets by day with no actors, jump scares or loud noises.
- Built and run with Brookdale students, alumni and staff, and ticket money helps fund the college's theater shows.
- Todays Sunrise: , Sunset:
- New Jersey Shore Region Monmouth County
About Brookdale Haunted Theater
Brookdale Haunted Theater is the indoor haunted house that takes over the Brookdale Performing Arts Center on Brookdale Community College's Lincroft campus every October, in its 23rd year for 2026. The whole building becomes the haunt: both theaters, every hallway and every classroom turn into one haunted house maze, with a new theme, new sets and new scares each year. It is built and run with the help of Brookdale students, alumni, staff and community members, it is a member of the Haunted House Association, and ticket money goes back to the Brookdale theater department to help fund its performing arts shows.
Expect intense audio and lighting, very low visibility, strobe and fog, graphic scenes of terror, and the chance of a spray of water, soap foam, dense smoke or strong smells. The walk-through takes about 20 minutes, in groups of 4 to 8. While you wait for your time slot you sit in the main theater, where monsters and performers keep the crowd going, and you can take pictures with them; cameras are not allowed inside the haunt.
The operator says plainly that it is scary. It is also a no-touch haunt: the actors are trained not to touch guests, and guests may not touch the actors or the props, which can hide actors. No age is turned away, but children must be with an adult at all times, a paying adult has to walk through with young children, and parents are asked to use caution with children under 10. For younger or nervous visitors, Lights On, Scares Off is a daytime walk-through of the same sets with the show lighting on and no actors, jump scares or loud noises. Anyone who would rather skip the haunt can wait free in the tent outside, by the food trucks and carnival games.
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Amenities:
- Restrooms/Bathrooms
- Parking Lot(s)
- Picnic / Sitting Area
Rules/Regulations:- Alcohol Not Permitted
- Entrance Fee Required
Contact / Location
Tips and Tricks
Arrive 15 minutes before your time slot, since late arrivals may be denied entry, and expect some wait in the theater even with a timed ticket. For shorter waits the operator suggests a slot near the end of the night or a lower-priced night, which draws smaller crowds. Wear sensible shoes, secure phones and keys before you go in, and leave costume masks at home.
Admission & Guidelines
Tickets are sold online only, in advance, for a reserved time slot. There are no sales at the door, and time slots fill up. For 2026, Haunted Theater tickets are $20 early in the season and $25 at peak, priced by expected crowds, and Lights On, Scares Off is $10 per person, each plus a ticketing fee of 2.5% and 50 cents per ticket. Group rates apply automatically for groups of 10 or more, and buses are welcome. All sales are final with no refunds, but a ticket can be transferred to someone else or moved to another date before its time slot.
Costume masks, hoods and handheld props are not allowed inside (face paint is fine), and neither are smoking, vaping, lighters, weapons or intoxication. Brookdale's campus is alcohol and smoke free, and sheriff's officers are on campus during the haunt.
Hours / Season of Operation
Open on select nights in October, from 6 to 10 PM. For 2026 the dates are October 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 29 and 30. For 2026, Lights On, Scares Off runs Saturday, October 17 from noon to 2 PM and Saturday, October 24 from 2 to 4 PM.
The haunt is fully indoors with an indoor queue line, so it runs rain or shine. The Performing Arts Center box office answers questions at 732-224-2411, weekdays from 10 AM to 3 PM.
Facilities
Food trucks and a concession tent sell food and drinks, with an outdoor seating area, and there are outdoor carnival games and, weather permitting, dance performances while you wait. No outside food or drink is allowed in the building. The haunt is handicapped accessible: staff assist guests in wheelchairs, and the route may be adjusted for them.
Parking
Once on campus, follow the signs to Parking Lot 2 at the Performing Arts Center. The haunt uses Lots 1 and 2 and says there is plenty of parking, buses included. Visitors with disabilities can park in Lot 1 or use the circle drop-off in front of the theater, which has automatic doors into the lobby.
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Nearby Places
Thompson Park, a Monmouth County park with its own off-leash dog area, is next door along Newman Springs Road.
Here are 10 places near Brookdale Haunted Theater
- Brookdale Haunted Theater (~0 miles)
- Thompson Park Off-leash Dog Area (Monmouth County) (~1 miles)
- Thompson Park (Monmouth County) (~1 miles)
- Sunnyside Recreation Area (~2 miles)
- Dorbrook Recreation Area (~2 miles)
- Eastmont Orchards (~3 miles)
- Poricy Park (~3 miles)
- Fort Monmouth Recreation Area (~4 miles)
- Roadrunner Sports (Shrewsbury, NJ) (~4 miles)
- David C. Shaw Arboretum (~4 miles)
- Historic Longstreet Farm (~4 miles)
- Tatum Park (~4 miles)
Lincroft, New Jersey 07738