October is Dark Tourism month and the Field of Screams experience

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I am kicking off October with a series of October related travel. There is a whole industry related to dark tourism which caught my attention with the Netflix series Dark Tourist. Dark Tourism is related to death and tragedy but has been expanded to include the historical value to certain sites. This is not everyone’s cup of tea so I found some family friendly and less frightening options for enjoying this beautiful month.

I have to admit I am faint of heart and of compromised disposition when it comes to live haunted amusements. My kids, Amanda especially, indulge in those attractions and it was something they enjoyed with their dad. When it comes to paying to have someone chase me with a chainsaw, I am disinclined to do so. I’ll meet you at the car. My fascination is with the history, the stories and the people behind the stories. There is something for everyone.

Amanda and her husband, Jimmy, went to Field of Screams a couple of weekends ago and they really like it. One of their favorite scenes was the crawl through the attic in the Den of Darkness. They had to feel their way out and through objects. They’re weren’t any actors scaring them just the crawl through the unknown. Their least favorite was the Haunted Hayride. Other attractions include the Den of Darkness, Frightmare Asylum and the Nocturnal Wasteland. The characters were well made up and frightening. The scenes were different from other attractions they had been to which ensured they couldn’t predict what was coming for them. I realize that this is a pretty general review without a lot of details but Jimmy and Amanda don’t want to give out a lot of details so that the experience is fresh. There are also games, live music and concessions. For more information and tickets go to https://fieldofscreams.com/

Even though they enjoyed Field of Screams, their favorite is Pennhurst. It has to do with the setting and the horror that stems from the realities of the site. This attraction was once a real asylum and children’s home. If you want more information about Pennhurst there is an excellent documentary called Suffer The Little Children from 1968. There are also other documentaries and exposés on YouTube about what happened there during its time as an asylum and state school. Another difference is that in Pennsylvania, the characters can touch you while in Jimmy’s home state of Virginia they cannot. So, here you have to sign a waiver. It makes these sites more frightening.

Jim,y and Amanda have gone through Eastern State Penn and Amanda and Alex went to the Bates Motel when they were in high school. There are quite a few of these attractions in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation. I am reposting the haunted attractions information since I know this is something that people will start looking for this coming weekend. Have fun and stay safe! Here it is:

Here is a list of the Philadelphia region:

Night Tours at Eastern State Penitentiary

Select dates: September 18-November 15

2070 Fairmont Ave., Philadelphia

Fright Factory

Select dates: September 25-October 31

2200 S. Swanson St., Philadelphia

Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride

Select dates: September 25-November 1

1835 N. Middletown rd., Glen Mills (near Linvilla Orchards!)

Sleepy Hollow Haunted Acres

Select dates: September 26-October 31