Whether you’re looking for a low-key glass of apple cider or ready to scream your vocal cords out in a haunted house, Halloween in Atlanta offers plenty of options. This year the event falls on a Thursday, so costume parties and themed nights will be featured throughout the week. Check out the selection below to find your perfect All Hallows Eve.
Monster mash
For some, it’s not Halloween until you’ve screamed bloody murder. And it’ll certainly look like bloody murder at Netherworld Haunted House, the huge multi-story walk-through attraction based just outside the perimeter in Norcross. Open every night until Nov. 3, Netherworld promises live actors, gruesome make-up and dizzying special effects. There are two different exhibits with their own unique storylines: “Boogeyman” and “The Dead Ones.” If you’re looking for the biggest scares possible, Netherworld is your destination; people travel from all over the nation to get their shriek on in this super-sized haunted house. The website alone gives me the heebie jeebies.
If you’d like to keep your pants-wetting closer to Midtown, try Atlantic Station’s brand-new haunted house, Containment. Also open through Nov. 3, Containment is a quarter mile long indoor maze. This one’s got a more confusing premise than the standard scary fare of Netherworld: when the train carrying demonic artifacts collected by Frightmares, Inc., derails (stay with me here), the disaster of a situation is thought to be contained at Atlantic Station. Obviously it isn’t, because you’re going to pay to scream your head off in 25,000 square feet of horrors.
Pumpkin booze, please
Maybe you’re worried about heart palpitations and would rather try your Halloween luck at a costume party. The Atlanta Brewing Company will be hosting the fourth annual Boos and Brews, a 21-and-up event at Front Page News and Tijuana Garage in Little Five Points. If your costume looks best when rocking out at a club, try Jezebel’s Halloween Party at the Havana Club or Tongue and Groove’s Halloween Frightfest, both on Oct. 31.
All Hallows stroll
If you like your Halloween a little more low-key but still want to go out, why not try a walking tour? The Atlanta Botanical Gardens hosts Fest-of-Ale on Oct. 31; you’ll meander through the Scarecrows in the Garden exhibition while sipping a seasonal brew or cider. Many of the cities outside the perimeter have ghost tours in their historic districts. Try downtown Roswell and Marietta for histories of paranormal activity in these beloved Georgia cities. From Oct. 31 through Nov. 2, the Georgia Aquarium offers a family-friendly Georgia A-Scary-um; the event title may be the scariest thing about it, but those giant Japanese spider crabs are surely in the running, too.
Candy on the couch
Reserve a mixed bag of KitKats and Crunch bars for yourself, and tune into “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” on ABC on Halloween night. Starting at noon, AMC will be playing the entire “Halloween” series as part of their annual FearFest. Whatever costume your dog is wearing, sometimes the best party is right at home.