The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Scaring up some scares
Northeast Ohio likely offers a haunt that fits your fright needs
Fall has arrived, meaning it’s time for community haunted houses to put a chill into the night.
The experiences range from blood-curdling terror to kidfriendly fun, so there should be something to match what you’re looking for. Here’s a list of what’s going on this Halloween season:
Cedar Point’s HalloWeekends
Fridays 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to midnight (through Oct. 28)
Cost: $43 single-day admission ($79 two-day admission) 1 Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky 419-627-2350 cedarpoint.com/halloweekends
When it comes to screaming excitement, Cedar Point already corners the market with its selection of roller coasters. However, the screaming ante is decidedly upped every autumn with HalloWeekends’ high-end haunted houses for teens and fun stuff for kiddies.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo
5 to 9 p.m. Fridays through Sundays (Oct. 13 through 29)
Cost: $11.50 at the gate, $10.50 online (children under 2 are free) 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland 216-635-3378
clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo Metroparks Zoo’s popular Boo at the Zoo offers treat stations, unlimited 4-D Theater movies, carousel and train rides. It’s become an annual tradition for families from all over Northeast Ohio.
Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s Hauntaquarium
6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 21, 22, 27 and 28
Cost: $12 (children 2 and under are free)
2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland greaterclevelandaquarium.com 216-862-8803 Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s not-so-spooky Halloween celebration allows kids to collect pirate items along a protected trick-or-treat trail, walk a gangplank, go nose-to-nose with a reptile during a Jungle Terry animal encounter, make a Jolly Roger-themed craft and conduct a 5-minute science experiment.
Pioneer Waterland Fall Fear Fest
7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 28 Cost: $19. Pioneer Waterland & Dry Fun Park, 10661 Kile Road, Chardon
pioneerwaterland.com/ moreinfo/FFF 440-285-0910 The event promises a large collection of “extreme haunts,” including the Night Fright Trail of Terror, Corn Creepers and Dead End Haunts, along with beer and live music.
The Arc of Medina County’s third annual Boo Bash
6 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 20 Cost: free SHC Camp Paradise, 4283 Paradise Road, Seville shc-medina.org 330-722-1900 The family-friendly event includes a costume contest, DJ, haunted building, hayrides and trick or treating, Halloween games, food trucks and a raffle.
Darkenwood
Fridays and Saturdays 7 to 11 p.m. (open the entire month of October) Cost: $5. 995 South State St., Vermilion 440-308-9620 facebook.com/darkenwoodhaunt
If you’re in the mood for a really disturbing and mature community hauntedhouse experience, DarkenWood has it all with demons, ghosts, zombies, monsters and plenty of blood. It’s so intense that organizers warm it may be too scary for kids 13 and under.
Haunted Hay Maze at Pumpkin Fest
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 8 Cost: $5 ($25 for all-day activity wristband with free admission for kids 12 and under)
33775 Hiram Trail, Chagrin Falls 216-831-5045 Hiramhousecamp.org Billed as a familyfriendly affair, the Haunted Hay Maze includes archery, a bounce house, candle dipping, cookie decorating, face painting, craft corner, pony rides, petting zoo, slime making and a rocket car ride.
Hauntville
Fridays and Saturdays 7 p.m. to midnight, 7 to 10 p.m. Thursdays (Oct. 12, 19 and 26) and Sundays (open now through Nov. 4) Cost: $20 1579 West River Road North, Elyria 440-655-0016 elyriahauntedhouse.com This haunted attraction features four themed intertwined haunted houses: CellBlock 13, The Butcher Barn, Psycho Manor and Wicked Clowns in 4-D. This year’s new attraction is called The Unknown.
Haunted Schoolhouse & Laboratory
Fridays and Saturdays 7 p.m. to midnight, 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays, 8 to 11 p.m.various Thursdays and Halloween (open now through Oct. 31) Cost: $25 to $30 1300 Triplett Blvd., Akron 330-285-7000 hauntedschoolhouse.com
For some folks, there’s nothing scarier than monsters lurking in school hallways. And that’s during the school day. Just imagine what happens at night. That’s where the Haunted Schoolhouse & Laboratory taps into people’s darkest fears with scary librarians, crazy doctors and plenty of frights.
Light Up the Living Dead
6 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (open now through Oct. 28)
Cost: $18 (includes 100 paintballs)
294 Pearl Road, Brunswick
330-225-5577
lightupthelivingdead.com
If you’re disappointed with the lackluster “Fear the Walking Dead,” take out your aggression with this interactive zombie kill using paintball guns.
7 Floors of Hell
7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays and 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 22, 26 and 29 (open through Oct. 29) Cost: $23 to $25 19191 Bagley Road, Middleburg Heights 440-243-3327 7floorsofhell.com
If six floors of hell aren’t enough and eight stories are too much, the 7 Floors of Hell, with its attractions Chaos, Circus of Death, House of Nightmares, Infected, Mental Ward, Slaughter House and Shadows should be just right.
Factory of Terror
7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 6 to 9 p.m. Sundays (open through Oct. 29) Cost: $25 to $30 4125 Mahoning Road, Canton 330-455-3327 fotohio.com The Factory of Terror has won the Guinness World Record three times as the Longest Indoor Haunted Attraction in the world. The 150,000-squarefoot foundry features attractions 1300 Lost Souls, Industrial Nightmare, Backwoods Hollow, Massacre on Mahoning and the House of Nightmares.
Hudson Haunted House
7:30 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Sundays (open now through Oct. 29)
Cost: $10 adults/$6 children
2250 Barlow Road, Hudson 877-999-4679 facebook.com/hudsonhauntedhouse
The 45th annual Hudson Haunted House boasts room after room of monsters and horrors. Attractions include the popular Black Hole. Located deep in the woods of Hudson, the venue was voted Best Haunted House by the Ohio Jaycees.
Spooky Ranch at Rockin’ — ‘R’- Ranch
7 to 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 9:30 p.m. various Sundays and Thursdays (open now through Oct. 30)
Cost: $25 adults/$15 children
19066 E. River Road, Columbia Station 440-236-5454 spookyranch.com Spooky is right when this Columbia Station farmland is transformed into a scary Halloween affair with attractions including Extreme Nightmares, The Famous Haunted Hayride, The Haunted Barn, Bloodslingers Saloon, Monster Vision in 3-D and Zombie Hunt Paintball Experience.
Carnival of Horrors
7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Fridays, 7:30 p.m. to midnight Saturdays, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.Sundays (open now through Oct. 29) Cost: $19 to $28 Blossom Music Center, 1145 W. Steel Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls 330-576-6501 carnivalof horrors.com If you believe Monster Junkie magazine, Carnival of Horrors is one of the top five scariest haunted houses in the world. Attractions at Blossom include the Fun House, Wicked Woods, Insane Asylum and Freakshow in 3-D Terrorvision.
Lake Eerie FearFest and Ghostly Manor
7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. various Sundays (open now through Oct. 31) Cost: $25 3319 Milan Road, Sandusky 419-626-4467 lakeeeriefearfest.com Ghostly Manor’s Lake Erie Fearfest features scary attractions Darkmare, Caged, Quarantine and Eerie Chateau. The popular venue, which has been seen on The Travel Channel’s “Best Places I’ve Ever Been,” was rated Ohio’s No. 1 venue in Haunted Attraction magazine.
Bloodview
8 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 8 to 10 p.m. Sundays (open through Oct. 31)
Cost: $20 ($15 after 10 p.m. and $10 Sundays)
1010 Towpath Road, Broadview Heights 440-526-9148 facebook.com/bloodview
Staffed by The Legion of Terror, the World’s oldest improvisational horror acting, makeup and special FX production company, Bloodview offers a new and improved Gore House, as well as the expanded Haunted Trail through BabyDoll Island, the cemetery path and the Post Apoch Trail. Survivors then enter the Main House.
Nightmare in the Wilderness
7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (open now through Oct. 28)
Cost: Adults $20/$15 children age 6 to 10
7665 Lafayette Road, Lodi 330-948-1476 nightmareinthewilderness.net
What starts off with a pleasant hayride ends in a walk through madness as visitors attempt to make the half-mile journey back to safety. Along the way thrill seekers will encounter clowns, mazes, monsters and, well, terror.
Entertainment Editor Mark Meszoros contributed to this article.