Haunted Houses And Woods In Charlotte
It’s that time of year when haunted houses are set up all over the city to attract people who like to get scared. Let’s be honest: teenagers and young adults probably love haunted houses the most. My daughter and my son each year, with a bunch of their buddies, pick a haunted house and go to get the crap scared out of them. They love it and sometimes try to fit in more than one haunted house.
Then there are the “real” haunted houses, the places that people claim to be haunted with spirits and ghosts. You see all the ghost shows, the reality shows about people claiming they’ve seen ghosts. I don’t think we really know for sure unless, of course, you have seen one.
So many cities also have great haunted ghost tours, either walking tours or with transportation. It’s fun to do in cities you haven’t been to and maybe even your own as well, and it’s quite fun for history buffs.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, the origins of the haunted house date back to 19th-century London, when a series of illusions and attractions introduced the public to new forms of gruesome entertainment. In 1802, Marie Tussaud scandalized British audiences with an exhibition of wax sculptures of decapitated French figures, including King Louis XVI, and Marie Antoinette. Her grotesque yet life-like collection, dubbed the “Chamber of Horrors,” is a name that has stuck to the wax museum to this day.
As Halloween looms, we take a look at some of the haunted places Charlotte has to offer this season.
The Haunted Pyramids
Located at 2745 Toney Rd., Lawndale, The Haunted Pyramids are open Fridays and Saturdays from Sept. 29-Oct. 31. 7:30 p.m.-midnight. The Haunted Pyramids has Hollywood special effects, courtesy of Ray Bivins. Ray has worked with major motion pictures such as Children of the Corn II, Hellraiser III, Mall Cop, Talladega Nights, and many others.
The cost is $30 for general admission and $45 for VIP admission, including all five attractions: The Haunted Pyramids, The Abandoned, Carnival of Terror, Monster Mill, and Dr. Venom’s Snake Pit. The Munsters-themed escape room, 1313 Mockingbird Maze, is $5.
Hillside Horror
Located at 2122 Hoots Rd., Roaring River, Hillside Horror is open every Friday-Saturday through Nov. 4. Gates are open from 7:30-11 p.m. Hillside Horror is ranked as one of the best haunted attractions in the Carolinas. Nestled deep in the darkness of the North Carolina foothills, Hillside Horror has a unique, ominous setting that cannot be duplicated.
It will cost you to go to the different attractions; they include the Spooky Hayride: $10; the Haunted Woods/Corn Maze, $20; Trail and Hayride, $25. Midway of Madness attractions vary in price; tickets are available onsite only. This one is pretty scary and is not recommended for small children, those with health issues, and pregnant women.
Reaper’s Realm Haunted Farm and Trail
Located at 5980 Woodleaf Rd., Salisbury, Reaper’s Realm Haunted Farm and Trail is open on select nights from Sept. 23-Oct. 31. Ticket sales start at 6:30 p.m. Since 2008, they have provided Halloween Season thrills and chills to 10’s of 1,000s of visitors from all over the world.
Your cost is all-inclusive: $25; $30 on Saturday nights. $5 parking. Cash only.
