Flaming pumpkins, skeletons, and scarecrows have taken over New Hampshire and are anxious to put a friendly scare on visitors. Pumpkin festivals, haunted houses and other delightfully ghoulish attractions are spooking up the Granite State this October.
Looking for a screaming good vacation? Attractions and Howl-aween events range from an actual haunted ghost town to the world-renowned family- friendly Pumpkin Festival in Keene.
No need to ask your Ouija Board about what to do in New Hampshire this Halloween season. Here are just a few things that are sure to rattle your chains and scare up some great travel ideas!
Ghost Town At Six Gun City. Take part in a Sooktacular Halloween Adventure every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October. The White Mountains’ amusement park (near Jefferson), has unlimited free rides and shows. Young ghouls and goblins get in touch with their “inner compass” as they weave their way through a corn maze, while adults and teens will enjoy scary attractions such as the Haunted Boot Hill, and the Undertaker’s House. www.ghosttownatsixguncity.com.
Canaboie Lake Park. This 106-year old amusement park advertises that its month-long Screemfest festival is where “Fear Meets Fun”. The park, located near the city of Salem, has evening Monster Parades, a Monster Rock & Roll Bash and a wild and weird magic and variety show called Circus of the Strange. Group visitors can arrange for a visit from the Screemfest hearse. Even their website is scary, see it if you dare: www.canobiehaunts.com.
The Haunted Goullog. The Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, New Hampshire, has created the only Mountaintop haunted Halloween happening in New England! Visitors take a nighttime chairlift ride to the top of Cranmore Mountain where haunted happenings are sure to frighten and surprise the hardiest souls. www.cranmore.com/ghoullog.
Haunted Acres. The town of Epping’s Haunted Acres is set in an 1860’s Western ghost town. This is where you will find the Skeleton Saloon & Hotel, the Dark Maze, the 3D Nuclear Accident House, and the Quarter Mile Nightmare Walk (a walk through the woods that is not for the faint of heart). Visitors can also play Zombie Shoot-Out Live! – fire paint balls at actors dressed as monsters set in a haunted Western town. hauntedacresnh.com.
Keene Pumpkin Festival. This year the 19th annual all-day festival will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2009. In the evening there is a pumpkin light (a tower of more than 25,000 flaming pumpkins) followed by fireworks. During the day the entire family can take part in a costume parade, a seed spitting and pie eating contests, live music on three stages, and lots of chances to eat homemade pumpkin pie. www.pumpkinfestival.org.
Return of the Pumpkin People. The pumpkin people have already arrived in Jackson and they are expected to hang around the downtown area until Friday October 23, 2009. For the past 20 years the residents of Jackson and the downtown businesses, have decorated their properties with people and animals that have real pumpkin heads. www.jacksonnh.com.
To find out more about New Hampshire, visit www.visitnh.gov.
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