HAUNTED HOUSES IN DUTCHESS COUNTY, NY

Dutchess County is home to several awe-inspiring haunted houses, designed by professional artists to rival any commercial display in the country. Imagine Studios’ Kevin McCurdy creates the first two haunted mansions, each with a different theme. He is a Broadway set designer whose credits include Audrey the Plant in “Little Shop of Horrors.”

The Annual Haunted Mansion is set at Bowdoin Park in Poughkeepsie weekends during October. The “spook-tacular” experience begins with a walk along the ¼ mile frightrail. While on the trail visitors will encounter ghoulish inhabitants of the land. The theme this year is “Curse of the Mummy,” with an excavated temple that resembles one from Egypt. Live actors make up this haunted mansion and frightrail. Broadway-style sets and high-tech special effects, including 3D effects, combine to terrify and astound visitors for more than one hour. After the frightening mansion and trail, visitors can stop at the concession stand or in the gift shop.

During weekends in the month of October visit Frankenstein’s Fortress in Stanfordville.
Walk along a haunted trail of terror with dozens of hysterical, historical and haunted scenes, each filled with more horror and madness than the one before. Child and adult actors bring the fortress to life. Visit their web site at www.haunteddutchess.org.

Frankenstein’s Fortress is very elaborate, but if you look closely, you’ll discover it’s created from all kinds of found objects, even…well, junk. The designer and director of the live actors is artist Peter Wing, creator of Wing’s Castle. Wing’s Castle is a true stone castle, taking over 25 years to construct, using salvaged materials from antique buildings.

Dutchess County is 1 ½ hours from New York City on the majestic Hudson River. Visitors can tour the homes of FDR, Vanderbilt, and Samuel Morse, visit wineries & farm markets, and indulge in gourmet dining. Popular activities include antiquing in small villages like Rhinebeck or Red Hook or golfing at one of the fifteen beautiful courses located in the county. Visitors will love to spend a romantic weekend at a bed-and-breakfast or a longer getaway filled with fun and family activities.