Participants in the Corpus Christi Zombie Walk go all out with their horrifying costumes. Courtesy photo
Wicked and horrifying haunts take over Corpus Christi every October. As the days grow shorter and the nights darker and more terrifying, unnerving creatures lurk in the hellish attractions cropping up across the city. The events listed below are not for the weak of heart. Careful when reading — even the descriptions are enough to raise goosebumps.
Fright Night Haunted Hotel
If you’re looking for sheer terror, you will find it in this 100-year-old, 13-room haunted hotel. Fright Night Haunted Hotel offers three haunts: Hotel Hell, Tormented Souls and the newest attraction, The Dark — a pitch-black haunt where guests are equipped with one flashlight that can only be turned on and off by creatures lurking in the corners. Expert set designers have created a chilling atmosphere with alarming props and professional actors to bring it all to life — or should we say, death.
Fright Night Haunted Hotel is open on weekends starting Oct. 7, and the full week before Halloween, Oct. 31. The Haunted Hotel is located at 615 N. Mesquite St. in Corpus Christi. For more information, visit imnotgoinginthere.com.
USS Lexington: Haunting on the Blue Ghost
Already haunted by a ghost sailor every day of the week, during October, the USS Lexington becomes home to vampires, werewolves and zombies lurking in its darkest, blood-dripped corners. The Haunting on the Blue Ghost hits overdrive the last four weekends in October. Tour two floors of terror featuring a hologram of the ship’s resident ghost, an animated electric chair and horrifying scenes of guts and gore. Be careful as you walk the tight hallways, where a number of creatures await.
The Haunting of the Blue Ghost is open 7-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 8 through Halloween, Oct. 31.
11th Hour Escape: Pirate Captives
The 11th Hour Escape locks you in a room with strangers where you must decipher a series of clues, puzzles and riddles to escape. The 11th Hour Escape has locations in Dallas, Austin and Corpus Christi, each with a different theme. In Corpus Christi, you are captured by pirates, locked in the brig of a ship, where you have 60 minutes to solve the puzzles or walk the plank. Visitors can choose from three levels of difficulty, depending on experience and skill. But beware: Even experts only have a 10 percent chance of escape!
The 11th Hour Escape is located at 4455 South Padre Island Drive, #105 in Corpus Christi. Visit 11thhourescape.com or call (361) 429-2424 for more information.
House of Rock Zombie Prom XII
Dance with the dead at the House of Rock’s 12th annual Zombie Prom on Saturday, Oct. 22. Dress up in your tattered, bloody best and bring along an undead prom date. The party starts at 9 p.m. Admission is $5.
House of Rock is located at 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi. For tickets and more information, visit texashouseofrock.com.
Aurora Theater ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’
In classic Halloween tradition, the Aurora Theatre unveils the tale of mad scientist Frank N. Furter’s strange castle and insane laboratory. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” opens Sept. 16 with shows on Fridays and Saturdays until Oct. 29.
The Aurora Theatre is located at 5635 Everhart Road in Corpus Christi. For tickets and more information, visit auroraartstheatre.com or call (361) 851-9700.
Zombie Walk
Clothes should be torn, dirty and covered in blood to participate in the fifth annual Corpus Christi Zombie Walk on Saturday, Oct. 22. Don’t forget about bite marks, blacked-out eyes, rotting skin — the more gruesome, the better. Walk with the dead for only $10 (zombies ages 15 and younger walk for free). The Zombie Walk starts at 1 p.m. at the House of Rock, 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi.
For tickets and more information, visit texashouseofrock.com.
NOT SO FRIGHTENING FAMILY FUN
Texas State Aquarium: Green Halloween
For a more family-friendly Halloween, visit the Texas State Aquarium from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, for the annual Green Halloween celebration. The party features safe, fun and educational activities: Halloween-themed animal enrichment sessions, a spooky dive show, a costume contest, trick-or-treating and more.
The Texas State Aquarium is located at 2710 N. Shoreline Blvd. in Corpus Christi. Visit texasstateaquarium.org for more information.
Museum of Science and History: Boo Bash
Focused on ages 12 and under, the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History’s Boo Bash is all new. Fantasy stations with themes including dinosaurs, mad scientists and princesses will offer activities and experiences. You’ll find Harry Potter, Star Wars, Under the Sea and more from 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct.29.
The Museum of Science and History is located at 1900 Chaparral St. Call (361) 826-4667 or visit ccmuseum.com for more.
Dia de los Muertos
On Oct. 29, from 3 p.m. to midnight, 10 blocks in downtown Corpus Christi burst into color and celebration for Dia de los Muertos. Three stages feature live entertainment, including Ballet Folklorico and mariachi along with local bands and music with a Texas twist. A kids’ area will have crafts, games and a climbing wall. Student art demonstrations, a gallery exhibit, a giant puppet parade, vendors and food will delight those outside, while inside the Ritz Theater, altars commemorating lost loved ones lend a more spiritual air.
