It is that time of year again: time to carve those pumpkins, cover your house in cotton ball spiderwebs, pick out that killer costume and get on over to your favorite haunted house for a good scare. There are countless haunted attractions all across the state, but some of the best are relatively local and ready to hear you scream.
Haunted Hill in Cumberland, RI is an extremely popular haunted attraction for teenagers, and it is only about thirty minutes away. Although Haunted Hill is not an actual mansion, the night is kicked off with an eerie and suspenseful bus ride to a series of smaller mazes and buildings. This attraction opens its doors Oct. 6 and remains open until Oct. 29. They are closed Monday-Thursday but reopen Friday-Sunday from 7-10 p.m.—the perfect schedule for high school students who are busy during the school week. Ticket prices for standard admission range from $20 per person on Saturdays to $17 on Fridays and Sundays (strictly cash only so make sure to go to the ATM before). To top off a night full of fright, a spooky creature awaits you at the end of the attraction to take pictures and pose for a potential Instagram with anyone who dares to come close.
Another A-list haunted attraction is Barrett’s Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA. Barrett’s is known for its employees’ frightening and extremely realistic gory makeup and bone-chilling costumes. The attraction is split up into two smaller attractions: the infamous Barrett’s mansion and another that changes annually according to theme. The second attraction this 2017 season is The Compound, a simulation of an abandoned city where you must find shelter in hopes of survival. Barrett’s opens at 7 p.m. every night, including week nights, and closes at either 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. depending on the online schedule. Tickets are $30 per person covering both attractions and can either be purchased online or at the door. On the night of Oct. 24, Barrett’s is hosting the Darkness Unleashed—a special event where spectators will experience the house in complete darkness with only a single source of light so enter at your own risk.
The last stop on our list of must-see haunted houses is the Factory of Terror in Worcester, MA. The Factory of Terror is an actual abandoned factory with five jarring attractions in one location: the Zombie Alley, 3D Nightmare, Clown College, Zellas Hideaway and the 13th Haunt. They are open solely on weekends from Sept. 23 until the night of Halloween. The hours vary each night opening from 7-10:00 p.m. on Fridays, 7-10:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 7-9:30 p.m. on Sundays. Adult tickets cost $19.99 online and $25 at the door so save 5 bucks by planning ahead. The Factory of Terror also has locations in Fall River, MA and West Warwick, RI depending on which one is most convenient for you. Each building is said to be truly haunted complete with dark passageways crawling with actors disguised as your worst nightmares and underground tunnels haunted by spirits. If you are looking for a real thrill, the Factory of Terror has repeatedly been named New England’s number 1 haunted house, so get some friends together and check it out for yourself.
The season is almost over, so hurry to one of these fright provoking locations before it is too late! Those scary movies will still be there next weekend, so take this time to grab some friends and get out of the house for a good old fashioned Halloween scare! Although haunted houses are not for everybody, with some friends by your side the exhilarating fun these attractions have to offer will probably outweigh the fright. Still, would it really be Halloween season if you escaped the season without a good scare? Don’t be afraid to get your scream on!
