Haunted Houses: Where Great Scare Is Taken

It's fall, when a young man's (and woman's) fancy turns to thoughts of ghosts and goblins.

The tingly night air prickles the skin; the red-gold leaves tumble like exotic acrobats through the dark sky. It's perfect Halloween weather. And how better to spend a spooky autumn evening than by touring a haunted house? We know that since the Mariner games ended you've been looking for similar heart-pounding experiences. So how about some gruesome monsters (No, we don't mean George Steinbrenner), ghouls and vampires? Here are some of the haunted houses you can check out:

-- Jefferson Community Center Haunted House and Carnival - Spooky creatures, carnival games and kids' costume parade at 3801 Beacon Ave. S., 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 31. 10 cents for carnival games and 25 cents for haunted house. Recommended for ages 2 to 8. Wheelchair-accessible. (684-7481)

-- KUBE 93 FM Haunted House - 20 eerie rooms at 415 Boren Ave. N., through Oct. 31. 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays with exception of Oct. 30 and 31. $5 admission benefits Children's Hospital and Medical Center. Not recommended for children under 10 unless accompanied by an adult. Wheelchair-accessible. (448-8766)

-- KZOK 102.5 FM Haunted House, Des Moines - 18 theme rooms at 22030 Cliff Ave. S. at the north end of Des Moines Marina, through Oct. 31. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. $4 admission benefits Des Moines/ Midway Rotary Club Charities. Not recommended for children under 6. Wheelchair-accessible. (824-3309)

-- Magnolia Community Center Haunted House and Carnival - Creepy crawlies, games and prizes at 2550 34th Ave. W., 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 28. $1 admission plus canned food donation for food bank. Recommended for all ages. Wheelchair-accessible. (386-4235)

-- March of Dimes Haunted House, Tacoma - 19 rooms including an alien chamber and cages to hold Wolfman and Igor at the B&I Public Marketplace, 8012 S. Tacoma Way, through Oct. 31. 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and on Oct. 31. $4 admission (with dollar-off coupons available at selected locations) benefits the March of Dimes. Free "no scare day" (house lights on) 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28. Not recommended for children under 6 unless accompanied by an adult. Wheelchair-accessible. (624-1373)

-- Miller Community Center Haunted House and Carnival - Give yourself a good scare and enjoy games and prizes at 301 20th Ave. E., 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31. Costumes encouraged. Donation taken at the door. Recommended for ages 12 and under. Wheelchair-accessible. (684-4753)

-- Montlake Community Center Haunted House and Carnival - Ghosts, goblins, ghouls and games at 1618 E. Calhoun, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 27. Costumes encouraged. $1 admission. Recommended for ages 3 to 7. Wheelchair-accessible. (684-4736)

-- Northshore Kiwanis Haunted Park - See the mad scientist, headless horseman and Count Dracula inside Lake Forest Park Towne Centre Mall, Bothell Way Northeast and Ballinger Way Northeast, Tuesday through Oct. 31. 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $3 admission. Recommended for elementary-age children. Wheelchair-accessible. (367-6617).

-- Pacific Science Center Haunted Halloween - Includes the Chamber of Chills, the Headhunter Village, Scary Stories in the Dark, magic acts, a planetarium show, laser Halloween, a science demonstration, and less-scary Gremlin's Grotto and Treasure Hunt. 200 Second Ave. N., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 27 to 29. Free with paid admission to Pacific Science Center ($6.50 adults, $5.50 ages 6 to 13 and seniors 65 and over, $3.50 ages 2 to 5). Laser show $2 extra. Recommended for all ages. Wheelchair-accessible. (443-2001)

-- Rainier Beach Haunted House and Carnival - Ghosts and goblins, games, candy and prizes at 8825 Rainier Ave. S., 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 27. 50 cents admission. Recommended for ages 10 and under. Wheelchair-accessible. (386-1925)

-- Snohomish High School Halloween Fun, Snohomish - A haunted house, kiddie haunted house and carnival games 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28, at 1316 Fifth Ave. $2.50 for haunted house, 50 cents for kiddie haunted house, 25 cents per carnival game. Recommended for elementary-school-age kids. Wheelchair-accessible. (360-568-0637)

-- South Park Community Center Haunted House and Carnival - Scary monsters, costume contests, games and movies at 8319 Eighth Ave. S., 6 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 27. $1 admission. Recommended for ages 12 and under. Wheelchair-accessible. (684-7451)

-- STAR 101.5 FM Pavilion Mall Haunted House, Tukwila - 5,000 square feet of interactive exhibits including a re-assembled 1900s-era cabin, at 17900 Southcenter Parkway, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily through Oct. 31. Children can decorate Halloween bags and trick-or-treat throughout the mall free on Halloween from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. $4 admission benefits Tukwila Rotary Club, $3.50 with a can of food. Not recommended for children under 6. Wheelchair-accessible. (382-STAR).

-- Stillaguamish Valley, Everett and Snohomish Jaycees Haunted House, Monroe - Dracula, Frankenstein and swamp monsters inhabit the house under the grandstand area at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds. 7 to 11 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays, 6 p.m. to midnight Saturdays, 6 to 10 p.m. Sundays, 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 31. $6 admission. Not recommended for children under 6. Wheelchair-accessible. (360-658-0800)

-- The Stranger's House of Horrors - Vampires, chainsaws and other horrific elements are featured in the first haunted house sponsored by the tabloid. But for truly twisted terrors, visit its Job Interview Room, the Dreaded Folk Singer Room and the Revenge of the Flower People Room. At Moe's Mo'roc'n Cafe, 925 E. Pike St., 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 31. Bands Sage and 66 Saints perform after 11 p.m. $7 for House of Horror only, $10 for both house and concert. Admission benefits Seattle Displacement Coalition. For 21 and older only. Not wheelchair-accessible. (323-7101)

-- Studio East Haunted Theater, Kirkland - Four rooms of theater-themed horrors (Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein) at 402 Sixth St. S. 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 27, 6 to 11 p.m. Oct. 28, 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 29 and 30. Special Kiddie Tour with lights on 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 28 and 29. $3 admission. Not recommended for children under 6. Wheelchair-accessible. (827-3123)

-- Vikestar Entertainment's "The House," Renton - 70,000 square feet with more than 40 live monsters and 30 different experiences, at 743 Rainier Ave. S., through Oct. 31. 7 p.m. to midnight Wednesday to Friday, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. weekends. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays with exception of Oct. 30 and 31. Portion of $7 admission benefits Special Olympics. Discount coupons available at AMC Theatres. Not recommended for children under 8. Behind-the-scenes "Kid's Day" 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 31. Children $5 admission, adults free. Wheelchair-accessible. (228-0360)