Apparently loving horror means voluntarily paying money to walk into dark buildings where strangers jump out at you. Over the years, I’ve been to haunted houses, Halloween attractions, creepy events, themed experiences and more than a few places where I immediately questioned my life choices. I love the atmosphere, the creativity, the sets, the costumes and the adrenaline — even if I’m usually watching the scariest parts through my fingers. Some were huge productions, some were local gems, and some were memorable for reasons that had absolutely nothing to do with how scary they were. This is where I keep the photos, memories and stories from the spooky places I’ve survived.
Apparently simply decorating for Halloween was never going to be enough. Over the years, I’ve hosted haunted drive-thrus, haunted carnivals, pumpkin carving contests, creepy walkthroughs and this year a haunted mini-putt! Some events were big, some were backyard-sized, and all of them involved far more planning, props, lights, extension cords and questionable ideas than any reasonable person should probably admit to.