Connecticut's Halloween Haunted Houses

Connecticut and haunted houses seem to go hand in hand. Halloween in Connecticut conjures up images of quiet, rural areas with wind, darkness and mystery; a perfect setting for Haunted House attractions.

Connecticut borders New York City. The Halloween haunted houses in the Big Apple are great, but they lack the New England ambiance. Connecticut has haunted houses appealing to all ages and 'scare factors'. They are a popular Halloween attraction for kids and adults alike.

The following are four of the best Halloween haunted houses in Connecticut.

Dark Manor Haunted House
25 Main Street
Baltic, Connecticut
Dark Manor Haunted House

Since 2004, the Dark Manor Haunted House has been thrilling those in the Norwich area every Halloween. The thing is, though, is that it seems that every Halloween it gets just a bit scarier. In addition to the main haunted house attraction, there is an outdoor attraction called the haunted graveyard and village. This is definitely not a kids' oriented attraction; in fact they recommend that those under twelve stay away.

One of the signature features of Dark Manor Haunted House is the roster of very talented actors here...ones that may soon cause you to remind yourself that they are just actors, after all. As Dark Manor is open mostly on Fridays through Sundays throughout October (and extras such as Columbus Day and days close to Halloween as well), it can be quite crowded, but it is well worth the rate and is arguably one of the best haunted houses in Connecticut.

Haunted Tunnel
62 Juniper Drive
Coventry, Connecticut
Haunted Tunnel Website

Recently voted as the number two haunted house in Connecticut, The Haunted Tunnel in Coventry is a fun Halloween haunted house experience with a very local flair. Visitors get a discount if they bring a canned good for a local charity, for example.

Open Fridays and Saturdays from 7:00PM to 10:00PM through October, Haunted Tunnel offers an interesting layout, with plenty of hiding places for the ghouls and goblins jumping out at every turn.

Despite its local feel, it's not really for the faint of heart and younger kids might be in a bit over their heads. But for older kids, and adults who are young at heart, it's a great Connecticut Halloween experience.

Kids Haunted House
314 Flat Rock Place # F165
Westbrook, Connecticut
Kids Haunted House Website

While Dark Manor and Haunted Tunnel are really designed for older kids and adults, the Kids Haunted House, in the middle of the Connecticut shoreline, is designed solely for kids, and young ones at that. In addition to the kid friendly 'haunted' attractions here, they give the kids treats such as pocorn and lemonade. The 'monsters' here are not exactly terrifying and there's a pretty good dash of humor as much as anything else.

All in all, this is a fun place, but really only if you are a kid or have one.

Spooky Kingdom
14 Lovley Drive
Plantsville, Connecticut
Spooky Kingdom Website

The Spooky Kingdom is a Connecticut haunted house that you will feel great to support. there is no charge to walk through the Spooky Kingdom, BUT, donations are accepted. These donations are used to support the Alzheimer's Association.

But there is more to this than its charitable efforts. It is a legitimate stand alone haunted house that thrills Connecticut residents every Halloween. It is only open for a for a few weekends each October; the demand is high and the crowds can be long, so plan in advance to spend a good amount of time here.

Among the main attractions here are a fire breathing dragon, a grim reaper and a hearse inspired by the one in front of Disneyworld's haunted mansion.

So if you live in Connecticut or are visiting around Halloween time and are in the mood for some Haunted adventures, these four haunted houses are great places to visit.