Bennett's Curse Haunted House Maryland: 2026 Guide & Getting There

Bennett's Curse Maryland is a legendary indoor haunted house at Eastpoint Mall in Dundalk, established in 2001 and consistently ranked among America's scariest haunted attractions. For 2026, it marks a milestone: this is the attraction's 10th and final season at its Eastpoint Mall location, as the mall heads toward redevelopment — making this the last chance to experience Bennett's Curse in the space where hundreds of thousands of guests have screamed for a decade. The haunt features four back-to-back attractions across a 30–40 minute fully indoor walkthrough, open Friday and Saturday nights from 7:00 PM. This guide covers dates, tickets, what to expect, and every way to get there.

What Is Bennett's Curse?

Bennett's Curse Maryland is a haunted house established in 2001, widely ranked as one of the scariest in the country and billed as "the DMV's #1 haunted house." Over more than 25 years, it has been recognized by Hauntworld, Fangoria, the Travel Channel, and NBC Washington, building a reputation as the Mid-Atlantic haunt that "inspired them all."

The experience is a single continuous walkthrough of four distinct attractions — Halloween 3D, The Crypts, House of the Demons, and Ravenbrook Asylum — experienced back-to-back with no break, running 30 to 40 minutes total. That makes it one of the longest haunted attractions in Maryland and the DMV. Unlike outdoor haunts, Bennett's Curse is 100% indoors — including the waiting areas — so it runs rain or shine, a genuine advantage on a cold or wet October night.

2026 Dates, Hours & Tickets

Bennett's Curse operates Friday and Saturday nights through the Halloween season, with doors typically at 7:00 PM and closing between 9:00 and 10:30 PM depending on the night — shorter early in the season, extended near Halloween. The full date-by-date 2026 calendar is posted on the official tickets and hours page, so confirm your specific night there.

Tickets are best bought online in advance, since the box office is cash-only and peak Halloween weekends sell out fast. Every ticket includes all four attractions in one walkthrough. Ticket types include General Admission (timed entry), VIP Anytime (skip the wait, enter whenever), and the new-for-2026 Fright Tour Pass, which combines Bennett's Curse in Dundalk with Creepywoods Haunted Forest in White Marsh for a two-haunt night. Groups of 20 or more can contact the venue for group rates. The attraction is not recommended for children under 10, and guests 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult after 8:00 PM.

Where Is Bennett's Curse Maryland Located?

Bennett's Curse is at 7875A Eastpoint Mall, Dundalk, MD 21224, at Entrance #6 behind Gabe's. Dundalk is a community in Baltimore County just southeast of the city, and the Eastpoint Mall location sits minutes from both I-95 and I-695 (the Baltimore Beltway), making it reachable from across the region. Full directions and a map are on the official site.

The 2026 season carries extra weight for this specific location: it is the 10th and final year Bennett's Curse will operate at Eastpoint Mall, as the mall moves toward redevelopment. That "final season" status is drawing heavier-than-usual demand, which makes early tickets and a solid plan for getting there more important than in a typical year.

What to Expect Inside Bennett's Curse

Expect a movie-quality, high-intensity haunt — this is a serious scare, not a family-friendly mild attraction. The walkthrough moves continuously through four themed attractions with detailed sets, live actors, and relentless, back-to-back scares across 30 to 40 minutes. Halloween 3D plays with visual disorientation, The Crypts and House of the Demons lean into classic horror dread, and Ravenbrook Asylum delivers the "asylum gone wrong" experience that is a haunt-industry staple. Reviewers consistently single out the quality of the actors and the immersive environments. Because the entire experience is indoors and runs as one continuous pass, there is no pausing once you start — the intensity builds straight through to the exit.

Getting to Bennett's Curse From Baltimore

Bennett's Curse is about 8–10 miles from downtown Baltimore — roughly 15–20 minutes southeast via I-95 or I-895 to I-695 East (the Baltimore Beltway), taking Exit 38B toward Dundalk/Essex. It is one of the closest major haunted attractions to the city, which is a big part of its deep Baltimore following — this is the haunt that Baltimore-area horror fans consider their own, and the final-season status in 2026 is generating extra demand from locals who want one last run through the Eastpoint location.

For Baltimore groups, the drive itself is short — the planning consideration is less about distance and more about the full evening. Bennett's Curse runs Friday and Saturday evenings, it is an adrenaline-heavy experience, and it is often paired with dinner or drinks before or after. A birthday group, a couples' Halloween night, an office outing — any version of the evening where the group wants to enjoy the full night without someone stuck as the designated driver is exactly where arranging one vehicle starts to make sense, even for a trip this short.

Getting There From DC, Maryland Suburbs & Virginia

From Washington, DC, Bennett's Curse is about 45 miles — roughly 50–70 minutes north via I-95 to I-695 East. From the Maryland suburbs (Columbia, Silver Spring, Bowie) and Northern Virginia, the same I-95/I-695 corridor applies, with drive times depending on starting point and Friday evening traffic. The venue draws guests from Baltimore, DC, Northern Virginia, Southern Pennsylvania, and Delaware — its position just off the interstates makes it accessible across the whole Mid-Atlantic, which is part of how an attraction inside a suburban mall has built a regional reputation that rivals much larger operations.

For anyone coming from farther out, the drive home after a late-night haunt is the real logistics consideration. A Friday or Saturday show ending at 9:30–10:30 PM means a 50–70 minute return through the I-95 corridor, often after a full evening of dinner and drinks before the haunt. That combination of distance, late finish, and a group wanting to enjoy the night fully is exactly the scenario where one booked vehicle outperforms a caravan of individual cars.

Group Transportation for Halloween

For a group heading to Bennett's Curse — a friend group, a birthday, an office Halloween outing, or a bachelor/bachelorette party — one vehicle beats coordinating a caravan to Dundalk and back. A chartered party bus or Sprinter keeps everyone together, handles the drive and the Eastpoint Mall arrival, and manages the trip home as one coordinated departure after the haunt. For larger groups of 20 or more, a group shuttle or coach van pairs naturally with Bennett's Curse's group ticket discounts. Group transportation also turns the ride into part of the Halloween night — the trip out builds anticipation, and the ride home means no one is the designated driver after an evening out.

Frequently Asked Questions