10 Things That Scared New Jersey Kids in the 80s and 90s

Remember when being a kid in New Jersey meant riding your bike until the streetlights came on, watching whatever happened to be on TV and then trying desperately to fall asleep after seeing something you probably had no business watching?

The 1980s and 1990s gave us some seriously creepy stuff.

And Halloween? That was when it all seemed to come alive.

Maybe it was a movie. Maybe it was a creepy clown. Maybe it was the haunted attraction at the Jersey Shore that your parents thought would be "fun." Whatever it was, there were certain things that could send an otherwise brave Jersey kid running straight back home.

Here are 10 things that scared us growing up in the Garden State.

1. Pennywise the Clown

Let's start with the obvious one.

After the 1990 television version of "IT," clowns were never quite the same. Pennywise hanging around a storm drain was enough to make plenty of kids think twice about walking past one.

A clown was supposed to make you laugh.

This one made us want to run.

2. Freddy Krueger

"Don't fall asleep."

That was basically the worst advice ever because, eventually, you HAD to sleep!

Freddy from "A Nightmare on Elm Street" turned bedtime into something completely different. Suddenly the comfort of your own bedroom wasn't quite as comforting.

And if you heard a strange noise from the hallway? Forget it.

Under the covers.

3. Jason Voorhees

New Jersey kids had an extra reason to be freaked out by Jason.

"Friday the 13th" was set at the fictional Camp Crystal Lake and was filmed in several New Jersey locations, including Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Blairstown.

So that whole "kids at summer camp" thing suddenly didn't seem so innocent.

Imagine watching that movie and then being told you were going to sleepaway camp.

NOPE.

4. Chucky

A doll.

A little doll.

That's all it took.

After "Child's Play," some kids probably looked at their toys a little differently. Chucky had that creepy combination of looking completely harmless while being anything but.

And if you had a doll sitting on a shelf across the room at night? You probably weren't looking at it.

5. Beetlejuice

Here's the funny part: "Beetlejuice" was supposed to be entertaining, and it absolutely was.

But there were some seriously creepy moments mixed in with the laughs.

The Sandworms. The waiting room. The makeup. The weird characters.

And then there was Beetlejuice himself.

You didn't necessarily want to be him — but you definitely didn't want him showing up in your bedroom.

6. The Haunted Mansion at the Jersey Shore

This one was REAL.

No television. No movie screen. No remote control.

You actually walked into the scary place.

New Jersey's shore communities had a long history of haunted attractions, including the famous Haunted Mansion in Long Branch, which drew huge crowds in the 1980s.

And let's be honest, going through a haunted attraction with your friends was one thing.

Going around a dark corner and seeing somebody actually jump out at you?

Different story.

7. The "Amityville Horror" House

For New Jersey kids, this one hit a little differently.

The story was associated with Long Island, but the 1979 movie had a major New Jersey connection, including exterior filming at a house in Toms River, along with other Garden State locations.

Knowing that a scary movie had been filmed right here in New Jersey made it feel a little too close to home.

Suddenly every old house looked suspicious.

8. The Dark

Yep. Just the dark.

You could watch a scary movie, turn off the television and then realize you had to walk from the living room to your bedroom.

That hallway suddenly looked about three miles long.

You ran.

You didn't care how old you were.

You ran.

And if you had to go downstairs to get a drink?

You were definitely turning on EVERY light along the way.

9. The Jersey Devil

Long before the internet could explain every creepy noise, New Jersey kids had the Pine Barrens and the Jersey Devil.

A strange sound outside? Probably the Jersey Devil. Something moved in the woods?Jersey Devil. Your dog started barking at absolutely nothing? You already knew what was happening.

The Garden State has plenty of spooky legends, and the Jersey Devil has been part of New Jersey folklore for generations.

10. The Creepy Halloween Decorations, Mannequins (Especially)

A mannequin that looked suspiciously real.

And those old-school Halloween decorations didn't need electronics, fog machines or giant animatronics to scare us. It was always the mannequins.

What Scared You as a Jersey Kid?

The funny thing about growing up in the 80s and 90s is that we didn't have smartphones to distract us from being scared.

We had our imaginations. And boy, did those imaginations work overtime. I know mine did.

Maybe it was Freddy. Maybe it was Jason. Maybe it was a clown, a haunted house or simply walking through your own neighborhood after dark on Halloween night. Whatever it was, there's a good chance you remember it.

Keep Reading: Shhh...Don't Tell Anyone About this Jersey Shore Gem

And there's an even better chance that you were absolutely convinced it was real.

So, Jersey, what did I miss?

Because I'm pretty sure there are a LOT of 80s and 90s kids who have a story about something that scared the heck out of them.