Scare Guide: Haunted Houses Around Metro Detroit

By: Toni Cunningham | October 30, 2012
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I’ll be the first to admit that I’m perhaps a bit unnaturally obsessed with Halloween. I’m probably the only female my age with a sketch of Michael Myers hanging in my room (it was purchased at a horror convention, naturally). Having said that, it’s no surprise that October is my favorite month, because for a short time each year, my strange passion for horror seems a tad more acceptable.

The very best part of October, in my opinion, is getting to experience a scary movie firsthand via a haunted house. Metro Detroit is home to some seriously terrifying haunted houses, and you don’t want to miss out on any of them, trust me.

Erebus, 18 South Perry St., Pontiac, is not for the faint of heart. The world’s largest walk-through haunted attraction was coined one of America’s Scariest Haunts by the Travel Channel. This four-story attraction features 30,000 square feet of terror and nearly 70 actors just waiting to scare your wits out of you. Sounds like a good time to me!

Since Erebus is a world-renowned haunted attraction, you might want to purchase your tickets online ahead of time to avoid a lengthy wait. Either way, Erebus features nightly giveaways like a free t-shirt to the first 200 people to enter.

skating rink trax

Skate through your day with the confidence and style of the Chevy Trax. With its bold design and advanced features, the Trax is built for those always on the move.

General admission to Erebus is $23, or if you’d like the red carpet Hollywood treatment, you can pay $45 for a VIP ticket and walk to the front of the line upon your arrival.

Night Terrors at Wiard’s Orchards, 5565 Merritt Rd., Ypsilanti, is the second attraction on my haunted house to-do list. Wiard’s features six haunted attractions in one location, including The Ultimate Haunted Barn, The Asylum, The Labyrinth, Alien Caged Clowns, The Mined Shaft and Hayride of the Lost. As if that didn’t sound like a barrel of fun already, you get a free donut and cider with the hayride. I’m sold.

Wiard’s “Ultimate Saturdays” features entertainment, prize giveaways and more, in addition to the haunted attractions. No matter what day you attend, you have the option of choosing one of the aforementioned haunts for $17-$18 (depending on the day), or you can go through all six for $35-$38. Go big or go home, I say! Why just go through one when you have the option of experiencing 89 acres of terror with over 115 live monsters?

Deadly Intentions, 20900 Dequindre Rd., Warren, is the last stop on my haunted house tour. This year is called “The Final Chapter” because after nine years of frights, Deadly Intentions will close after this season. It features multiple levels of fear, but unlike the other haunted houses I’ve mentioned, this one supposedly features… live things. Such as snakes and spiders. I can take ghouls and goblins, but I don’t handle creepy, crawlies with much grace. For those of you braver than I, please report back.

Other haunted attractions in the area include:

 

 

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