By De-Sean Hubert, Staff Writer
Some of us enjoy horror movies and TV shows. What better way to celebrate the eerie season than to visit the Bates Motel? The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride is one of the nation’s most well-known and recognized haunted attractions. For more than three decades, it has provided thrilling shocks and unforgettable Halloween experiences. This famous attraction includes America’s best haunted hayride (as voted on by CNN and USA Today), a creepy motel, and a spine-tingling cornfield. The Bates Motel hosts a night of horror and fun. It has been featured on various television shows, websites, and magazines, and it is located near Philadelphia.
One of my best friends, Natalie Hornberger ’26, invited me and other IU students to a trip to the Bates Motel, as she is one of the professional actors involved in this experience. This was my first time being at Bates. I was super excited to receive an invitation from her, given the fact that I am a horror fanatic myself. I joined Kelley Burns ’26, Lena Rohn ’26, Matthew Sabat ’26, and Garrett Gigous ’28 to witness some of the most horrifying yet satisfying performances.
Bates Motel Haunted Gravesight. Image sourced from De-Sean Hubert.
We started our night on the Haunted Hayride, which was a “rollercoaster of mayhem.” We experienced zombie dinosaurs and monsters with so many actors “jump-scaring” us from each side of the ride. We then made our way to the Haunted Corn Maze, which was my personal favorite. It was like looking at a museum— analyzing all of the artwork and construction that the professionals had made for our amusement and entertainment. Finally, we arrived at the Haunted Motel, and it was quite an interesting experience. We jumped a lot and saw a bunch of undead props. At the end, we were jump-scared by the lovely Natalie playing Elvyra.
Natalie Hornberger ’26 as Elvyra. Image sourced from De-Sean Hubert.
I highly recommend that members of the campus community witness this extravaganza before it’s gone on Nov. 2. It was an honor to be a part of this journey, and I am thankful to my friends for experiencing the joy that is the Bates Motel with me.
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