Barrett’s Haunted Mansion review

Last year, the team from Events INSIDER went on a 10-day Halloween blitz! In October 2013, I visited 28 attractions to bring you reviews and information on everything Halloween in New England. We went indoors and outdoors as far north as New Hampshire, as far south as Rhode Island, and as far west as Connecticut. Don’t forget to visit http://EventsINSIDER.com, where we list more creative October events than anyplace else!

Wherever I went at Barrett’s Haunted Mansion I heard a little girl shrieking… and I realized it was me! If you’re willing to travel 40 minutes from Boston, Barrett’s Haunted Mansion is again this year my pick as the best haunted attraction in Massachusetts, and my 2nd favorite in New England. Whereas at Spooky World you have an entire carnival walk to stroll up and down, you’ll be mostly waiting in line at Barrett’s, but your hosts have thoughtfully provided several costumed actors to work the lines, entertaining you as you wait.

We had a great dinner at the restaurant in their large heated outdoor space, and found two main attractions:

The Cell is new this year, and a welcome addition since the house is great but a bit short. The Cell is an indoor prison themed maze that you wander, looking for the exit. Most haunted attractions force you down a single pathway, so getting to explore and return and get lost was a creative twist, and being locked in with the inmates (costumed actors) worked well. Unfortunately, to make a maze truly confusing you have to make it all look the same, and the theme of having cell bars let you see what was coming from all directions. The production quality didn’t include much beyond the cell bars, and the actors were in such close quarters that it was a challenge for them to be both menacing and believably not touching you, although there was a fog room corner. Still, a great way to get a touch more from your visit, and you can spend as much time in there as you want.