What to know about one of Virginia’s newest Halloween scary spots — there’s wine
The Nefarious Haunt Experience at Grayhaven Winery takes spooky season to a whole new level. Here’s what you need to know.
Found roughly halfway between Charlottesville and Richmond is a winery adventure unlike any other. The Nefarious Haunt Experience, located in Gum Spring’s Grayhaven Winery, is part Escape Room and part haunted trail, all fueled by award-winning wines from South Africa. Monsters are lurking in the shadows of the surrounding forest, waiting for their chance to frighten you and your friends in this one-of-a-kind interactive experience.
Be advised: The Nefarious Haunt Experience isn’t for the faint of heart—it’s intentionally geared toward mature audiences. Mark Quesenberry, who designed the Halloween escapade, told CBS 6 reporter Scott Wise, “I knew I wanted to do something different than the toned-down ‘so-many-rules’ haunts like Kings Dominion. I wanted something more mature, where our guests (victims?) could feel like they were part of the haunt, and not just passing through. Something immersive, hands-on, gory, with contact and truly scary scenarios.”
14 scare actors are placed throughout the winding path, along with interactive structures, to make for a truly terrifying (but fun!) way to celebrate the season. As Quesenberry put it, “This is your chance to be part of the horror show.” He added, “This is not just a walk-through trail. We offer many chances to become part of us, with hands-on participation in a number of horror scenes.”
For those who want to enjoy The Nefarious Haunt without being totally immersed in the action, there’s a hands-off experience available as well. When you’re there, ask for a free glow necklace to wear throughout the evening to signal to the scare actors that you want a hands-free version of the event.
What’s included in the Nefarious Haunt Experience?
In addition to offering wine by the bottle or the glass, Grayhaven’s owners Max and Deon Abrams are selling soup, light food, s’mores, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages for visitors to enjoy either before the Nefarious Haunt Experience or after they make it out unscathed. Mark Quesenberry noted that there’s also cornhole, music, and a laid-back patio to enjoy on the Grayhaven grounds.
Those who have already partaken in the haunting thrills have left positive feedback. One visitor told CBS 6’s Scott Wise that their group of friends enjoyed “The fact that we were on what felt like very old trails that were not lit made it feel more realistic — at times it did feel like we were in a scary movie and a real monster might jump out at us.” They added a word of caution, though, “We all live in the country so we are used to walking around at night in the dark. If someone wasn’t used to that I think they would find the experience very scary!”
On the plus side, the walk isn’t that long, so you can enjoy the Nefarious Haunt and still spend time sipping wine and unwinding by the fire before you head home for the evening. The experience runs through November 2 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. You can purchase your tickets here…if you dare.
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