      Now that fall is officially here, we enter the spookiest, silliest and most fun season of the year. Halloween is a time for the sound of leaves crunching under your boots and the crinkle of candy wrappers as they fall to the ground. It’s a magical time of year, and the Quad Cities knows how to celebrate it right. Check these local places out if you want to maximize your Halloween experience. Ambrosians beware, you’re in for a scare…
Country Corner- Alpha, IL
      Country Corner is first and favorite on this list because it has a little of something for everyone. Nestled about forty minutes outside of the Quad Cities, it offers guests corn mazes, a giant pumpkin patch, a petting zoo, pumpkin cannons and the best apple cider and barbecue snacks in the Midwest.
      While individual activities within Country Corner have a small fee, the magic of this place is that there’s no admission price. That’s right, you can walk around and enjoy the glory of fall all day long for free. If you’re feeling brave, you can come after dark when they open up their haunted corn maze and flashlight maze. Just don’t watch Children of the Corn before heading out…
Torment at Twelve Hundred- Orion, IL
            While you’re out at Country Corner, you might as well stop at Torment at Twelve Hundred, located out on the back roads of the neighboring town, Orion. Don’t let the small town exterior mislead you—USA Today voted it in the top ten haunted attractions in Illinois, beating out many big Chicago-area places.
           Torment uses its location to its advantage, having guests walk through over 5,000 feet through the dark countryside and various buildings. The attraction always has a cool, creepy backstory to entice guests, and, since it’s their tenth year in business, their newest one is sure to live up to the hype.
Factory of Fear- Moline, IL
           If you’re looking for a quality haunted house, you can always rely on the Factory of Fear to be there for you. It’s the Quad Cities’ largest indoor haunted attraction, and it has been voted number one by QC residents for three years in a row on HauntedQC.com. They know just how to scare people, as they’ve been around for twenty years.
           Keep your calendar marked for their “Blackout Night” on Oct. 26, in which they turn off all the lights and have you navigate the building using only a glowstick. It’s a horrifyingly unique experience that is sure to have you sleeping with the lights on.
QC Haunted Forest- Port Byron, IL
           The QC Haunted Forest is a popular attraction that’s unique from your typical haunted house. Here, guests take a hayrack ride over fifty acres of dark woodlands. Those who are brave enough are then kicked off in the middle of the forest and instructed to find their way back to the entrance by themselves. They must walk—er, run—past all sorts of ghouls and spooks to get back home.
If you ever make it back to the main entrance, you can warm up with snacks, hot beverages, and spooky bounce houses. An added bonus for those who are over twenty-one is that it’s the only haunted attraction in the Quad Cities will a liquor license and fully stocked bar. A little liquid courage might be just what you need to help you survive the forest.
For more info on these QC haunts, you can check out their websites below:
http://www.country-corner.com/index.htm
http://www.tormentwelve.com/Index.html
http://www.qcfactoryoffear.com/index.html
http://www.qchauntedforest.com/main.htm
Photo courtesy of Google.