Whether it’s the chill in the air or the sun dipping beyond the horizon a little earlier, fall brings out a desire to be spooked.
With visitors and locals excited to embrace Halloween, seasonal haunts near Anna Maria Island are beginning to open their creaky doors.
From traditional haunted houses to escape rooms to ghost tours with a historical lilt, travelers staying at Anna Maria Island vacation rentals have plenty of options within driving distance.
Sandman’s Nightmare Escape
Escape rooms have exploded in popularity over the last few years. While escape rooms are not typically haunted, Escape Countdown in Sarasota has temporarily converted its room into a horror-themed one, with ghosts and zombies hiding around every corner.
Calculate your way out of this haunted maze between now and Fright Night. You can find Sandman’s Nightmare Escape at 6525 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL. You can visit the escape room anytime after the Halloween event is over. You have one hour – make every second count.
Selby Gardens Spooktacular
This year as in years past, the entirety of Selby Gardens will be converted into a spooky and family friendly haunted attraction. The festivities here are ideal for young children as the activities aren’t too scary. There will also be entertainment available for older children including a Mad Scientist center.
It’s a great opportunity for education as well, with tours of the gardens also being available. Children can bring trick or treat bags and all are encouraged to come in costume. The event will be held from 10 am to 2 pm at 900 S. Palm Avenue, Sarasota. The cost of the event is $20 for adults, and $10 for children.
Anna Maria Island Ghost Tours
What Anna Maria Island may lack in haunted houses, it makes up for in ghost stories. The scariest part? They might be real.
The area is rich in haunted history, and you can explore the beaches by night while visiting some eerie buildings and spooky properties.
Local ghost tours, put together by the Paranormal Society of Bradenton, offer something quite different from other ghostly experiences – something quiet, subdued, and potentially based on true events. Give them a call at 941-704-0621 for ghost tour booking and ticket information.
Chamber of Terror
Chamber of Terror located in Tampa is at it again. This haunted house has earned a reputation for having some truly unsettling scares – enough to warrant a non-responsibility form for visitors.
To give you an idea of what the team may have up its sleeve, visitors have reported a creepy clown chasing them down a hallway only to disappear when they turned around.
The nautical-themed (at least for this year) Chamber of Terror probably isn’t for everyone. Those looking for something a little tamer should stick to pumpkins and hayrides.
You will have to venture a bit for this one, but it’s well worth it for a true scare. The Chamber of Terror can be found at 705 Channelside Dr. Tampa, FL, a little over an hour from Anna Maria Island.
Check out the Halloween festivities on an Anna Maria Island vacation
While Universal Studios in Orlando is known for costumes and themed events, including their (in)famous Halloween Horror Night, these fantastic haunted houses and Halloween attractions should not be overlooked.
From family-friendly seasonal haunts with candy and costumes at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, to the haunts that will keep you up all night – the area around Anna Maria Island has both tricks and treats for visitors this year.
Those staying at our Anna Maria Island vacation rentals over the Halloween season can find some really unsettling haunted events to fully face your fear this season. Visit one of these and you’ll be asking yourself, was it real? Or was it all just a nightmare?
