You’re halfway through the Halloween season, and you still haven’t felt that spooky spirit. Costume ideas lay dormant, horror movies go unwatched, and upcoming gatherings just don’t exude that eerie aura they did when you were a young believer in monsters and ghosts. Well, never fear! (Wait… Fear away!) Geek & Sundry is here to get that spine a’ tingling and that flesh a’ crawling with just a few examples of how you can kickstart your creep factor.
THEME PARKS
Our theme park pick this year is none other than Knott’s Scary Farm, featuring over 1,000 monsters and 13 dedicated haunt attractions. When you’re not playing laser tag against hordes of the undead or creeping through the fog of the Louisiana swamps, you can get your kicks on some of the country’s most thrilling roller coasters. But if Knott’s Scary Farm isn’t local to you, you can find more awesome thematic parks, hay rides, and corn mazes in your local area by visiting Haunt World’s site, which divides experiences by state.
ESCAPE ROOMS
Escape Rooms are a fast-growing phenomenon! There are a lot to choose from, so make sure to check out trusted reviews for authenticity, difficulty, creativity, and above all, tantalizing themes. We love Crossroads Escape Games, not just for production value, but for total innovation. Their latest and greatest, The Hex Room, asks participants to take a personality quiz in advance. You are then divided into different character types according to horror movie tropes, and given separate puzzles according to their roles.
INTERACTIVE THEATER
For our money, there is nothing like Delusion, based out of Southern California. The costumes, music, and storytelling are elegant and visually engaging. But it is your direct participation with the story, actors, and environment that makes this genre of experience unlike any other haunt you’ve ever experienced.
AUGMENTED REALITY
Augmented Reality experiences challenge our emotional profiles and ask us to look within. Los Angeles’ Alone: The Experience has consistently defied the competition. The unexpected, spontaneous shroud of mystery has created a veracious, cult-like following that shows no sign of slowing. Accessing these sort of experiences in your city might be tricky, and usually takes some cyber-detective work to find the appropriate community. Comprehensive fear community site Horror Buzz and immersive experience podcast Proscenium are the best entryways to this rabbit hole of experience, but you might be surprised what turns you take on your own in the middle of the night.
EXTREME HAUNTS
Are you already a little bit dead inside? Then this is the section for you! Trigger warnings abound in experiences like Heretic Horror, 17th Door, or the infamous McKamey Manor. These undertakings are NOT for the faint of heart. Bugs, vomit, and personal injury may or may not be involved. Explore at your own risk!
The list above highlights events found in Geek & Sundry’s neighborhood, but you just might be surprised at what’s offered in your neck of the deep dark woods! Check out sites like Horror Buzz or the No Proscenium Podcast for comprehensive lists of haunts and experiences around North America.
Is there a haunt you can’t wait to try, or heard rumor of? Maybe something that doesn’t exist, but should?? Leave a comment below!
Cover Image Courtesy of EC Comics,Jackie Davis’ Tales From the Crypt #37, 1950