Halloween haunted places

Posted by Vicki on 31.10.05

Frequently, it's the setting of a situation that is far scarier than the events unfolding. For example, Paris Hilton - or indeed anyone who has a home movie leak on the internet - in a hotel room is more terrifying than her being chased around a garage in the middle of nowhere, simply due to the comparative likelihood of her losing clothing. In the same way, there are some locations where people go to enmass at Halloween in the hope of being scared just a little more than they would be at home.

Since not everyone has the fortune of living near an old graveyard or neighbourhood haunted house, it seemed a nice idea to recommend a few places to visit this Halloween that you might not have thought of:

Anywhere in Florida: traditionally associated with cheerful Disney characters and oranges, people seem to forget that Marilyn Manson and Jack Off Jill spent far too much time in this region and it warped them into the over accessorised harlots they are today. For whilst in the sunshine looks to be all sweetness and light, in the shadows cast by Mickey's ears there is a sordid under belly that would love to take you home as dinner.

Mid Wales is a fairly terrifying prospect at the best of times. However, Aberystwyth at Halloween is something special: behold as overindulging students and locals flock to an establishment known as the Meat Market to sample overpriced mystery drinks and then decide to either go for a swim in the unforgiving ocean or wander the darkened streets attempting to find home.

Whilst a popular destination for stag and hens nights (as well as unwary elderly people suffering delusions that the place will be the same as in their youth, 60 years previously), Blackpool similarly offers the perfect opportunity to be turned into a cowering, gibbering wreck at anytime of year as hordes of day trippers eager to sell their dignity line the streets.

For those on a budget, an all-night supermarket at around 3am will be filled with people who resemble neon-painted zombies who stalk the aisles in silence, periodically looking up in mystification as a unintelligible announcement is blasted over the speakers, only to submit to despair and trudge on in their endless quest to find household goods into the aisle they are labelled to be in.

As a rule, a conventional old people's home will not usually reward lucky visitors with an appearance by Bubba Ho-Tep. However, the usual inhabitants are often quite frightening enough for even the bravest soul.

Lastly you can await the Great Pumpkin's approach in a deserted pumpkin patch. If you don't live near one, cover a patch of earth with pumpkins and lie prone amongst them - if nothing else you won't be disturbed by your neighbours.