Make your 2023 Halloween season a frightful one to remember by testing your nerves at one of Connecticut’s many terrifying haunts. Designed to get your adrenaline pumping and exercise your vocal chords (screaming!), be prepared for some serious thrills. Here are the 10 scariest haunted attractions in the Nutmeg State.
It is easy to imagine this former, now abandoned, schoolhouse and grounds are haunted by ghosts of students, goblins, and unsettled spirits. But with the staged actors and added exhibits, like the Graveyard and Catacombs, the Dark Manor is even scarier. Set the scene with your imagination of teachers and students driven mad in the halls and classrooms, with terror lurking around every corner and fear behind every tree. Your only way out is through the Catacombs…
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In the early 1900s, a cemetery was moved to allow for trolley tracks to travel through Hartford. Later, a visitors’ center was planned for this site, and during excavations, workers uncovered an old cemetery but no human remains. Now, this location is thought to be haunted by the disturbed spirits—are you brave enough to take a trolley ride through these haunted grounds and enter the former cemetery?
Crazy clowns, possessed children, and zombies haunt the grounds at Nightmare Acres. This indoor-outdoor experience makes you feel your way through the dark and has actors for extra frights. This experience is not for the faint of heart, especially with the fog, noises, and screams coming!
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The Shore Line Trolley is the oldest running suburban trolley line in the United States. But why not see this trolley in a different, darker light at Halloween time? On weekends from late September through October, Haunted Isle takes a lone trolley car down haunted tracks and through a dark trail in the woods. Gather your bravery, as ghouls, goblins, ghosts, and spirits will pop out at you in unexpected moments.
When you turn onto Saw Mill City Road, you’ll spot an unassuming farmhouse surrounded by fields and woods. But when you look closer, it isn’t so unassuming. You’ll hear screams in the distance, feel a chill in the air, and spot zombies, ghouls, and other un-dead creatures of the night. A haunted hayride and a Hallow Trail are also here to create the ultimate scary environment.
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How about a real life haunted house? The Lockwood Mansion in Norwalk has such a long history that it has seen its fair share of spooky history including witch trails and the New England Vampire Panic. Ghosts and spirits have also been sighted in this mansion. Learn about its eerie history with a guided tour through the candlelit halls and rooms of this massive mansion.
The Nightmare on Wolcott Street is an indoor attraction utilizing costumed actors to really frighten visitors. Dim lighting, fog, and scary sounds only enhance the experience. The timing of the experience is excellent, as your group will be alone to walk throughout the haunted houses, making it scarier than if you were bumping into other groups.
This ultra-frightening attraction pushes visitors into new levels of fear using dark ideas that insert you into your worst nightmare. This horror story finds you locked in an enclosed space in the dark. Hear the sounds around you and try to get out before your captor returns.
For something a little bit different this Halloween season, try the Trail of Terror, which is a haunted trail. This trail is not appropriate for children, as it features volunteers dressed in creepy costumes and different scenarios to walk through. Part of the fun is waiting in line for your turn to enter as well as seeing the different creatures jumping out at you. Though super spooky, Trail of Terror’s heart isn’t rotten as it uses all of their proceeds to benefit charities in the Wallingford area.
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Terror at Quassy is full of haunts to fill up your Halloween Season's schedule! There are multiple frights like: misty walkways, dungeons, haunted catacombs and even a spooky cemetary.
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