“The sea captain has returned from his mysterious journey, and brought back a creepy crew of gray faced ghouls and walking dead goons….ooooh!” I creepily whispered to my six-year-old and his best pal as we passed two (very friendly) men caked in impressive zombie makeup. To my delight, the Newport Yachting Center has been eerily transformed into three clearly sectioned haunted adventures called The Haunted Shipyard.
The Haunted Pier 23 (where all the zombies hail) is too scary for any kids under the age of ten, and parents should decide if their child could handle this eerie tour for the older ones, but the “Lights-On” Spooky Wharf is perfect for 2-8 year-olds ready for a sweet, simple, and playful treat.
The kid tent is a NON-SCARY tent with six activity stations ranging from the Witches Brew, to Pirate Digging, to Alligator Pond, along with Sully the fuzzy blue monster from Monsters
, Inc. Each activity is joyfully rewarded with a treat for the kid’s goody bags that they are handed upon entering. I noted the 2-5-year-olds really enjoyed the pirate digging, witches brew, and decorating masks. Meanwhile, the 6+ crew thoroughly enjoyed the candy rewards of each activity and the bumper boats, where they can slam and smack into each other at a simple puttering speed…tons of giggles!
For the older (I’d say elementary age) kids, head across to the third tent called The Armory…a.k.a. the Zombie Hunt. This space resembles something straight out of a Wii combat zone; it’s pretty darn cool. After meeting the targeted zombie and werewolf, my son was game for getting behind the appointed partition area, wearing his safety mask, and shooting pink paint pellets at his moving targets. To my delight, the safety and expertise on hand allowed this nervous mom to enjoy such a big-kid moment. And oh boy, did those kids love this activity!
Top off your night with a quick bite at the Creepy Canteen (the bloody aprons are fantastic), a drink for the parents (yes, please) at the Boo Bar, and I’d say you’ve had a gruesomely good evening!
The Haunted Shipyard at the Newport Yachting Center continues tonight through Halloween. Click here for hours, tickets and prices.