October is by far the best time to get yourself scared silly. Besides just having your friends and family pop out at you from behind the kitchen counter, why not pay to have professionals scare you senseless?
Earlier this month I went to my first haunted house since I was maybe 10 years old. Although I knew that it was all going to be funny masks, plastic chainsaws, and dried ketchup instead of real blood, I couldn’t help but be a little apprehensive about the whole thing.
Would I have a mental breakdown in the middle of the ridiculously scary parts? Would they have to turn the lights on and stop the whole attraction just so they could escort me out because my cowering in the corner was creeping the actors out? Luckily none of the above happened to me. And yes, I did scream a lot. But it was not nearly as frightening as I had built myself up to believe.
If you’re into the whole haunted house thing, I recommend taking the hike out to Wading River to go to Darkside Haunted House. Although a little pricey at $20 per person, it’s definitely worth the cost and the long wait in line to get in. Plus, the ride out there at night once you get past William Floyd Parkway is a little creepy in itself – so it’s sure to put you in an eerie mood.
Darkside is not your average haunted house. The first part is all outdoors where you get to wander around through a kind of maze, dodge crazed bloody farmers, masked chainsaw wielding men, and large chunks of fake hanging meat. Once inside, you are diverted into several small rooms each with their own theme. There are more “actors” covered in gory blood, psych ward patients that try to bite your head off, and yes, they have several uber creepy clowns.
As an added bonus, you have the option of going on a coffin ride at any time before or after the actual trip in the haunted house. This consists of actually laying down in a coffin, with the top fully closed, while a motor unpredictably moves the thing up and down and back and forth. Talk about a scary ride…
There’s only one day left for you to experience Darkside Haunted House this year, and it’s the perfect day to get your scare on!
