It’s Spooky Season! If you’re looking for something to do this Halloween there are two main options; Haunts and Escape Rooms. What’s the difference? We’ve figured that most of it falls into 3 main categories; Objectives, Engagement Levels, Age Suitability. Let’s talk about it.

Engagement Levels:

Escape Rooms: Escape room experiences have a set duration (usually 60 minutes). Participants are actively solving puzzles and working toward a goal (usually involving unlocking an exit).
Haunted Houses: Haunted house experiences tend to be shorter; ranging from only a few minutes to 30 or so. The experience typically involves walking through a predetermined path and encountering frightening scenes and characters, with focus on the scares rather than completing challenges.

Objective and Interaction:

Escape Rooms: In escape rooms, the primary objective is to solve a series of puzzles and challenges to "escape" from a locked room or scenario within the time limit. Participants will need to work together to decipher clues, find hidden objects, and solve riddles to progress through the game and eventually unlock the exit.
Haunted Houses: Haunted houses are designed to create a frightening atmosphere. Instead of puzzles, the main interaction involves encountering actors and/or animatronics who aim to scare visitors. The objective for attendees is typically to navigate through the haunted house without getting too scared or startled.

Audience and Age Suitability:

Escape Rooms: Escape rooms are generally designed to be family-friendly and suitable for a wide range of ages. While some escape rooms may have themes with mild suspense or mystery elements, they are typically not intended to be overly frightening or gory. Families, friends, it doesn’t matter; all are welcome to play.
Haunted Houses: Haunted houses are often designed to be intense and scary, with themes centered around horror and fear. They may feature graphic or gory scenes, startling jump scares, and actors in frighteningcostumes and makeup. Due to their intense nature, haunted houses are typically recommended for older teenagers and adults. Many haunted houses have age restrictions, often requiring participants to be at least 12 years old, some being so strict as to only allow 18+ participants.

Of course, there is some overlap between both types of experiences. Some newer escape rooms feature animatronics, jump scares, and even scare actors. Haunted attractions are beginning to feature puzzles or physical challenges. We have a lot we can learn from each other, but that doesn’t mean both attractions are your cup of tea. Below are some recommendations for your Halloween activities. We hope you find something perfect for you: