Sarah (majorXpsycho)

This was my first adventure to Spooks on Spurr's Mansion & Forest of Freaks and it is officially one of my favorites! There are many things to love about this attraction, but I will do my best to keep them separate. You will need a GPS to find this one and the closest "big city" is Appleton at about 30 minutes away and Green Bay about 45 minutes. I am so glad I went out on a limb and made the drive to find this hidden gem.

The second you step out of your vehicle (the walkway to the ticket booth has surprises and a short mazes) until you return, it is non-stop entertainment. For just $5, you can come listen to the live bands, enjoy a huge selection of treats (with an on site bar and ATM) and hang out around the HUGE bonfire. As soon as we purchased our tickets, we were given numbers on the back and allowed to enjoy the entertainment until they called our number to enter the Mansion. This was the first time I WANTED to wait because the band and food was excellent! Alas, our number was called quickly and we headed to the Mansion entrance. The setting of the Mansion is in an 1842 old brick farmhouse, which is enough without the props to make your skin crawl! We were paired up with another group and consistently warned that the actors WILL touch you! The house did not disappoint as it incorporated many different phobia's and a lot of jump scares. Expect actors to grab you, floors to move and walls to come in on you. The sets were unique and very well executed with no common theme other then making sure you feel uncomfortable. The house was about 18 minutes in length and had no down time. Plenty of actors fill the rooms and halls and there are even plenty of animatronics strategically placed. You can not miss the giant slide that brings you to the exit and back to the main entertainment area.

Next, we jumped aboard a trailer pulled by a tractor over flame lit bridges to the "Forest of Freaks". The haunted forest has been around longer then the house, so it is natural that it was slightly superior to the house. It is not your typical "trail" through a woods, it has far more props and sets/scenes then any haunted trail I have personally ever been too. There is no down time in the Forest, and the actors can also "touch you" (and they will) throughout. I will not pretend that I wasn't scared, I shrieked a lot throughout the Forest. Crowd control in the forest was excellent and the actors always remained in character. It took us about 15 minutes to make it through to the end. We were so happy to board the tractor back to the main area, so we could catch our breath!

In Summary, I highly recommend this attraction to anyone looking for an evening of haunted fun! Live entertainment, excellent food selection, onsite bar, haunted woods and it is all topped off with a creepy 1800's mansion as its backdrop. If you don't mind being touched and want some really good scares, make sure to add Spooks on Spurr to your list!

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Deep in the Northwoods of Wisconsin you will find the town of Eagle River, one of the most popular destinations in the fall. Known for festivals and beautiful fall colors, this town also hosts one of the best (and only) haunted attractions in the area! This was our first visit to the House of Tormented Souls and we were surprised to find such a thrilling haunt in the area. The House of Tormented Souls is located in the heart of Eagle River and is hard to miss, but when night falls there is very little signage! At first glance, this haunted attraction looked small, but we were surprised at how much bigger it was inside. The wait is outside with a few snack options, but there is a gas station with restrooms and plenty of treats across the street. You are sent in with just your group no matter how small and they wait until the previous group is through before sending you in. This does result in a longer wait then normal, but I would rather wait a little longer for a better experience. The actors within the House of Tormented Souls are volunteers, but we were surprised at how many there were and they always stayed in character. Every inch of the attraction was meticulously designed and there was no "down time" from start until finish. The heart pounding, non-stop action made the attraction feel a lot longer then the 10 minutes is took us to go through. There is a good mix of jump scares and theatrical acting with a lot of moments where you may find yourself lost. The best part is the use of lasers to draw your eyes away from where the ghouls might be lurking. Some come from above and below in places you typically would not expect. If you keep your eyes open long enough, you will be able to catch some horror movie related props too! In summary, I recommend traveling to this area in the fall and making The House of Tormented Souls one of your after dark adventures! It is affordable, intense and not an "all night" attraction so you have plenty of time for bonfires and apple cider after.

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