New Jersey has always had a starring role in American horror — and now there's an official, state-sanctioned way to tour those real-world locations. The New Jersey Film Trails, signed into law by Governor Mikie Sherrill on September 9, 2026, launched this fall with three themed self-guided routes on VisitNJ.org. The Spooky Season Trail is the one horror fans need this week.
What the NJ Film Trails Are
The New Jersey Film Trails are a tourism initiative developed by the NJ Division of Travel and Tourism in collaboration with the NJ Motion Picture and Television Commission. Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman William F. Moen Jr., Senator John Burzichelli, and Senator Jim Beach directs the state to identify filming locations, erect markers at those sites, build self-guided itineraries that pair filming locations with nearby restaurants and attractions, and maintain a public platform on VisitNJ.org. The public can also submit locations for consideration through an online form.
The Spooky Season Trail: What's On It
The Spooky Season Trail covers New Jersey's long and underappreciated history as a location for horror films. The headline attraction is Friday the 13th (1980), filmed almost entirely in New Jersey — specifically at Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Blairstown, Warren County, which served as the fictional Camp Crystal Lake. The camp is an active Boy Scout camp, and the Blairstown Diner — also featured in the film — remains open and is listed as a dining stop on the film trail.
The Amityville Horror (1979) used New Jersey locations including Toms River and Point Pleasant. I Saw the TV Glow (2024), the critically acclaimed A24 horror film, also filmed in New Jersey and appears on the trail. The NJ Film Trails program has partnered on a contest offering a stay at the real-life Camp Crystal Lake — check VisitNJ.org for current availability and any scheduled public access events.
The Other Two Trails
The Holiday and Family Feel-Good Trail connects New Jersey filming locations from family favorites including The Preacher's Wife (1996), which filmed in Newark. The Fall in Love Trail covers romantic and drama productions — Atlantic City, Big Night, Chasing Amy — that used the state's shore towns, urban neighborhoods, and scenic countryside.
Why the Film Trail Law Matters
Beyond tourism, the law (A4883/S4268) creates a permanent infrastructure connecting screen culture with local economies. Physical markers will be erected at filming locations with descriptions of what was filmed there and when. The Blairstown Diner is the clearest current example — a New Jersey small business that has become a genuine Friday the 13th destination, and whose connection to the film the trail formalizes and amplifies.
The full NJ Film Trails platform is at VisitNJ.org, with driving directions, suggested itinerary order, and recommended nearby stops for each trail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Friday the 13th filmed in New Jersey? Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Blairstown, Warren County served as Camp Crystal Lake. The Blairstown Diner also appeared in the film and remains open.
What is the New Jersey Film Trails? A state tourism initiative signed into law September 9, 2026, identifying NJ filming locations for famous movies and TV shows and building self-guided itineraries connecting them to local restaurants, lodging, and attractions. Accessible through VisitNJ.org.
What movies are on the NJ Spooky Season Film Trail? Friday the 13th, The Amityville Horror, and I Saw the TV Glow, among others. The list grows as public submissions are verified.
