5 Great Haunted Houses and Ghost Tours
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The spirit of Halloween is in the air, and with it come tons of spooktacular events. Here are our picks for the best haunted houses and ghost tours in the region.
BOO Fest
Oct. 28, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at Lakewood Ranch Main Street
Trick-or-treating, a Dark Maze, and a haunted house--all for free on Lakewood Ranch’s Mai Street. Go to lwrcac.com/boo-fest for more information.
Spirit and Orb Walks at Bunker Hill Vineyard
Oct. 29, 7 p.m.
Prepare for a night of spooky fun with Bunker Hill Vineyard's spirit and orb walks. Come prepared for supernatural encounters--Bunker Hill advises guests to bring cameras with night flash capability, EVP and EMF recorders and digital temperature recorders. Tickets are $10; reservations are required and you must be 18 or older to attend. Call (941) 776-0418 or email [email protected] for more info.
Oct. 1 through 31 (see website for specific dates) at SS American Victory in Tampa
One of the most haunted attractions in the area, Chamber of Terrors is “Florida’s only nautical haunted attraction” and takes place on an actual ship, the SS American Victory. (Pro tip: wear closed-toe shoes and avoid high heels.) For more information, visit chamberofterrorfl.com or call (813) 375-9712. $25 for general admission, $40 for "immediate demise."
Howl-O-Scream: Evil Encore
Through Oct. 30 (see website for select dates) at Busch Gardens Tampa
Busch Gardens’ famed park-wide horror event continues this year with more scare zones, roaming hordes and haunted houses than ever before. With the all new Black Spot and Motel Hell houses, as well as an increase is the terrifying roaming hordes after their popular reception last year, Howl-O-Scream 2016 promises to frighten all. For more information about dates and times, click here. Individual tickets cost $65.99, or $35.99 each for groups of four or more.
Downtown Bradenton Ghost Tour
Oct. 28 and 29, 8 p.m.-10 p.m.
A 90-minute guided walking tour through downtown Bradenton with the Paranormal Society of Bradenton, with documented personal experiences of the paranormal in the area. For more information, visit paranormalsocietyofbradenton.wordpress.com. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12.
