Ghouls, ghosts and Halloween haunts. There's no better time of year to indulge in the mystic idea that lost spirits haunt their previous dwellings on earth.
For those looking for a good "scare," Buffalo offers a variety of fun Halloween amusements that will leave you with the hair on the back of your neck standing up.
One of Buffalo's best known haunted houses, and by far the largest, is the House of Horrors and the Haunted Catacombs on George Urban Boulevard in Depew. Multiple haunted houses are featured, the scariest of which is the Haunted Catacombs, infamous for its "chicken count" of guests who were too weak of heart and backed out of going through the house.
The Catacombs are an hour of thrills and shrills guaranteed to leave you shrieking in fear like middle school girls at an N*Sync concert. It has all the usual haunted house horrors, and a few special effects, as well as an impressive Jeepers Creepers themed ending that was uniquely frightening. This attraction combines some of the most highly trained and elaborate characters employed to scare your pants off.
The House of Horrors also features a 3-D maze, a haunted tomb and many other scares. This attraction has a house for everyone, ranging from intensely terrifying to fun and child friendly. Tickets are approximately $19, depending on the day of the week. It is also open late, and is an excellent outlet to relieve mundane dorm life.
The different houses within the House of Horrors are all approximately 40 minutes, unless, of course, you get lost - but finding your way out of the mazes is only part of the fun. The House of Horrors and Haunted Catacombs stay open for a week after Oct. 31.
Dark Raven Manor, located on Main Street in Clarence, is an attraction a bit closer to UB and just as good of a time. Inside the Western New York Event Center, Dark Raven Manor combines a large haunted house with a haunted swamp, complete with zombies and paranormal characters of the undead, winding hallways, and dark and twisty turns at every corner.
The $16 entrance fee includes this year's newest attraction, JigSaw. Open late on weekends, this is a great way to round up your friends and have some mildly frightening fall fun.
An equally amusing haunt is Williamsville's Frightworld, featuring five fun houses and mazes like "Dr. Nightmares Asylum" and "Carnevil." Located in the Sym's store building on Sheridan Drive, it is more cheesy than terrifying, but venturing into a house full of strobe lights while trying to find your way out is bound to yield a better time than staying in and watching re-runs. Ticket are $17, which covers the cost of all five houses.
And for those who can't make it off campus, or are short on cash, the Haunted Student Union will be held Monday and Tuesday, complete with free condoms, candy and a free haunted house experience.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
