13 frights

Salem owns Halloween like the North Pole owns Christmas, although it’s best not to think too hard about the rather tenuous link between the 1692 witch trials and the modern, monthlong Haunted Happenings (www.hauntedhappenings.org). The mix of free activities and ticketed-admission events builds to a fever pitch next weekend with live music for dancing in the streets, Edgar Allan Poe tales interpreted by the Salem Theatre Company at the Custom House ($15 ages 13 and older, $10 ages 6-12), and even a Salem Witches Magic Circle on the Common. The capper is the Hawthorne Hotel’s “Reality Bites’’ costume ball ($90) on Oct. 31.

If you prefer ghosts to witches, the real-life ghost hunters of Mass Paranormal lead Ghost Tours of the USS Salem (739 Washington St., Quincy, www.hauntedship.com, 617-479-7900, open Oct. 29-31, ghost tours $15), looking for the disembodied souls of former crew members and people who died awaiting care in the ship’s hospital. The investigation into the haunts began last year, and tour leaders say that most tour visitors have heard voices, seen shadows, or watched meters suddenly register major changes in electromagnetic fields. The tours cover about a quarter of the 716 1/2-foot heavy cruiser, while the rest becomes a haunted house-type attraction as The Haunted Ship. Ask about combination tickets.

It can be hard to tell where history ends and the paranormal begins on the Mill & Mysteries tour offered at Slater Mill (67 Roosevelt Ave., Pawtucket, R.I., 401-725-8638, www.slatermill.org, Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 6-7, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., $15). The nighttime walking tour around the mill site and along the Blackstone River began as a recounting of historical events - until visitors started experiencing spectral visions and disembodied voices. Ooo-eee-ooooo.

If you’re scared of heights, you get a terror two-fer by visiting The Ghoullog (Cranmore Mountain Resort, 1 Skimobile Road off Route 16, North Conway, N.H., 800-786-6754, www.cranmore.com, open Oct. 29-31, $25 all ages, $23 if ordered online). From the base camp, it takes a full seven minutes to reach the summit of Mount Cranmore as you dangle on a quad lift, only to encounter the undead of three murderous brothers and their multiple victims. Operators discourage bringing young children, since the gore factor is high.

For Halloween frights without psyche-rattling horrors, the community theater performances of The Haunted Forest (Catamount Outdoor Family Center, 592 Governor Chittenden Road, Williston, Vt., 802-879-9160, www.thehauntedforest.org, Oct. 29-31, $12.50, children’s matinee on Saturday $8.50) might offer the perfect blend of family-friendly thrills. Spectators follow a path through the forest lighted by flickering jack-o’-lanterns to view 12 spooky scenes.

Zombies, werewolves, and the undead spirits of deceased lumberjacks haunt the forest around the Nashoba Valley Ski Area, currently transformed into Witch’s Woods (Nashoba Valley Ski Area, 79 Powers Road, Westford, 978-692-3033, www.witchswoods.com, open Oct. 25 and Oct. 29-31, $27 adults, $25 under 13). Run the gantlet of ghouls on the haunted hayride before entering the other screampark attractions like Castle Morbid, Nightmare Mansion, the Keeper’s Crypt, and the Horrorwood Chamber of Chills (replete with movie monsters). There’s also a costume ball for grown-ups on Halloween night.

New England’s haunted houses tend to show a flair well beyond the conventions of black-walled labyrinths where actors in rubber masks jump out and yell “boo!’’ The Haunted Castle of the Living Dead (347 Kenoza Ave., Haverhill, 978-521-1686, www.winnekenni.com, open Oct. 25, Oct. 30-31, $15 adults, $10 under 12) has the edge on atmosphere because it’s set at the very real turreted Winnekenni Castle, currently serving as the Castle of Fear. Other haunted venues on the grounds feature zombies, killer clowns, and other creepy creatures. Register in advance for the adults-only Monster Masquerade Bash dance party on Oct. 31 ($25 in advance, $30 at door).

If Baron Frankenstein had transplanted the brain of a heinous criminal into the body of Willy Wonka, the resulting creature might have dreamed up the Factory of Terror (33 Pearl St., Fall River, 508-324-4077, www.factoryofterror.com, open Oct. 25, Oct. 27-31, $20 adults, $13 under age 10; cash only). There are old-fashioned scares aplenty, but this attraction just blocks from Lizzie Borden’s house is a showcase of masterful horror-film makeup, electronic animated tableaus, and special effects crafted by some of the same firms that do the tricks for Orlando’s theme parks. This is a factory that makes nightmares.

The machinery you hear cranking at the Lake Compounce Haunted Graveyard (217 Enterprise Drive, Bristol, Conn., 860-347-3829, www.hauntedgraveyard.com, open Oct. 25 and Oct. 30-31, graveyard and rides $29.99 adults, $20.99 under 12; graveyard only $19.99 adults, $13.99 under 12) belongs to 18 adult amusement park rides that operate for the Halloween season. The amusement park, which closed its summer season last month, is decked out in black and orange finery with six haunted houses and a graveyard linked by labyrinthine trails of terror. Frights range from car crashes with flesh-eating demons to a particularly gory butcher shop and a sawmill gone horribly wrong.

If you can’t seem to get enough terror to wig you out, try New England’s self-proclaimed largest screampark, SpookyWorld/Nightmare New England (454 Charles Bancroft Highway [Route 3A], Litchfield, N.H., www.spookyworld.com, 603-420-8008, open Oct. 25 and Oct. 28-31, $29.99 all ages). Think of other mergers of giants (Exxon and Mobil, Wells-Fargo and Wachovia, Satan and the Yankees) and you’ll get an idea of the power of this juggernaut to the jugular. Light up your glowstick to navigate the House of Eternal Darkness, experience being buried alive, try not to fall into open graves in the cemetery, and flee for your soul from the vampire “nightfeeders.’’ Operators suggest leaving the preteens home.

Timid souls need not despair. For a more genteel Halloween, consider spending the weekend in Portland. The mighty Kotzschmar organ gets a workout on Friday as Scott Foppiano accompanies the 1920 silent film classic “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’’ (Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland, Maine; 207-553-4363, www.ticket.porttix.com, Oct. 30, $17 adults, $10 students, under 12 free), which stars John Barrymore in both title roles. Costume contest begins at 7 p.m., film at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday afternoon, kids can dress in costume and parade across the stage during the intermission of the Portland Ballet’s “Halloween Spooktacular’’ (John Ford Theater, Portland High School, 284 Cumberland Ave., Portland, Maine, 800-838-3006, www.portlandballet.org, Oct. 31, 2 p.m., advance $13 adults, $8 students; $15/$10 at door). Resident choreographer Nell Shipman takes classic “scary’’ music (“Danse Macabre,’’ “Funeral March of the Marionettes’’) and matches the tunes to funny-scary dances about childhood frights, such as monsters under the bed or zombies dancing with tombstones.

The orange-and-black giraffes at the Roger Williams Park Zoo may look like they’re dressed for the season, but things get spookier after dark with the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular (Roger Williams Park Zoo, 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence, 401-785-3510, www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org, open through Nov. 1, $12 adults, $10 seniors, $9 ages 3-12). About 150 intricately carved jack-o’-lanterns stand out among nearly 10,000 carved and lighted pumpkins arrayed on the quarter-mile Wetlands Trail in an ethereal and fanciful evocation of Halloween. On Thursday through Saturday nights, roaming performers enliven the scene and entertain the wee ones. Everyone is encouraged to dress in costume.