Tag Archives: fun

Feb19

4 Ways Investing In A Boat Can Seriously Enhance Your Summer

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4 Ways Investing In A Boat Can Seriously Enhance Your Summer

Let’s think of the ideal summer’s day. You’re probably outside somewhere, surrounded by nature with your friends and family. You spend the day jumping in and out of a cooling body of water, and wrap up the evening with a delicious meal.

That is an idyllic day that sounds like a dream, but actually, if you live near a lake, then it might be more within reach than you think. If you have a boat, then all of those things could be on the table, and not just on one day, but all summer long. 

Still not convinced that a boat is right for you? We’ve put together a list of just some of the ways that buying a boat can be a game-changer for how you experience the summer months:

It Gives You Easy Access To a Good Time:

The summer months can be fun, but it doesn’t happen automatically. On a sunny day, you still have to make something happen. A boat provides an easy and convenient way to make sure that you and your family have a day to remember. Most people have to go on vacation to make the most of the summer months — if you have a boat, then you’ll have a vacation-worthy experience readily available all summer long. 

It Provides Plenty of Water-Based Fun:

It can be fun to simply spend time out on the water, but you can also use your boat to engage in water-based hobbies. While most boats are multipurpose, some are designed with a particular activity in mind. Remember how we mentioned at the beginning of the article about eating a delicious meal? Then take a look at Smoker Craft boats, which are excellent for fishing in both shallow backwaters and large lakes. If you’re looking for a boat that’s fun for the family, then a wake boat can be a great option — these high-speed boats are awesome for wakesurfing and wakeboarding, among other watersports. 

It’s a Great Hangout Spot:

Having a boat might just make you the most popular person in town. The reason? Everyone loves spending a hot summer’s evening on a boat! They’re great for socializing; all you need to do is pack some snacks and drinks, head out onto the water, and simply enjoy being together in a beautiful environment. If you’re looking for a way to bring your loved ones together this summer, then a boat will more than do the trick — and not just this summer, but for many years to come.

It Brings Adventure:

Many of us are infused with the spirit of adventure when summer rolls around. Normally, that means taking a vacation somewhere. When you have a boat, you’ll have adventure right on your doorstep. Boats allow you to explore during the hot summer months when the days are long. Maybe you’ll discover a hidden gem of a beach, find fun caves to trek through, or discover that you can easily reach the next town over by taking a shortcut over the water. 

Make a huge splash this summer with a brand new boat. Adventure awaits!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Feb19

Sunny Days Ahead

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Sunny Days Ahead

Hello! Is it just me or has this winter left a lot to be desired? January felt like it was five months long and February was particularly rough due to the passing of our beloved neighbor. I feel so mentally and physically drained. However, I did perk up this morning when I checked the weather because guess what?! It is going to be almost sixty degrees in Akron, Ohio and that sounds like just what the doctor ordered. It’s amazing what a bit of warmth and sunshine can do to boost your mood and it had me thinking of all of the things I can’t wait to do in the spring. Like the following:

Spring Hiking Spree:

My brother and I are avid hikers and it is our go to activity as soon as the weather warms up. During the winter, we hit the gym for our workouts but in the spring you can always catch us on the trails! The metro parks in our neck of the woods offers a fall and spring hiking spree and we can’t wait to participate in both of them. This will be our second year of completing the spring spree and the third year for the fall. It’s hard not to feel good when you’re immersed in nature, taking a leisurely stroll, and enjoying great company. Bring it on!

Planting Flowers:

My dad has two green thumbs and I love to help him plant flowers in the garden as soon as the appropriate weather strikes. Whether we are scattering seeds in the wildflower patch, making arrangements in raised planters, or simply cleaning up the debris from the winter – it is fun because we’re together! It’s exciting to start a project and watch it grow and come to life. The best of all is when I show up at my mom and dad’s and see the beautiful bouquets he creates from our handiwork as a greeting on the kitchen table. ❤

Warm Weather Clothing:

As much as I adore breaking out my coats, heavy sweaters, and winter accessories for OOTDs, I am SO over it lol. What started out as a mild winter went into a stretch of frigid days and lots of snow in mid January. I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of summer but I have been begging for it since then! It is going to be so glorious to step outside in shorts and a T-shirt for work or flouncy sundresses for a weekend date with my main squeeze. Seventy degrees and sunny is my ideal temperature but if it were a hundred degrees tomorrow you would not find me complaining. I don’t do well in really hot weather but trust and believe I would be basking in it like a lizard lol.

Playing Outside:

Johnny and I have three sweet nieces who live nearby and there is nothing better than playing outside all together. I revel in unleashing my inner child with my favorite old hobbies of blowing bubbles, picking flowers, drawing with chalk, and running around the yard like crazy people. Whether we are hitting up the park or staying close to home, the piece de resistance is a frozen treat or something cold to drink afterwards. The cool down is wonderful until it’s back outdoors for more warm weather activities! I am particularly excited to go bunny watching with them in my parents’ yard because there are always a bunch come springtime. ❤

Reading Outside:

As you all know, reading is one of my most treasured hobbies and it is such a simple pleasure to be able to read outside. When it’s nice out, I love to sit on our little patio at the apartment with a glass of lemonade and a good book. Feeling the sunshine on my face as I get lost in a story just makes the whole world disappear and it’s so damn nice to check out for a little while. As much as I love curling up on the couch with whatever book I’m working on, I plan on taking the majority of my reading outdoors whenever the weather is ready!

After a crummy few months, I just know that there are Sunny Days Ahead and I have been chomping at the bit since yesterday!

What is your favorite springtime activity? What are you looking forward to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb18

Best Weekend Ever!

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Best Weekend Ever!

Hello!! After a rough few weeks, Johnny and I had the best Valentine’s Day weekend ever and it was so very needed. This year we went a more interactive approach for our presents – I helped Johnny pay for the PS5 his friend sold him and he got us tickets to a Cupid’s Revenge haunted house. As a bonus prezzie for us, he also purchased a new game called Reanimal and it is freaking AWESOME. We are avid fans of the Little Nightmares series but were both thoroughly disappointed with the third installment. Reanimal is exactly what the third one should have been and we spent all Friday night playing it! We also just had to play it a bit more before heading out on our big date on Saturday. We had an amazing dinner at Boss ChickNBeer and a wacky time at the haunted house. Check it out:

Earlier last week, Johnny texted me on his break at work with the most beautiful sentiment. He asked if I wanted to get dinner at Boss ChickNBeer before the haunted house and my answer was a resounding YES! Boss ChickNBeer is a fantastic women owned business in the greater Akron/Cleveland area. They have a few other restaurants and we are lucky enough to have one ten minutes away from us. This restaurant offers a normal menu as well as a fully vegan version of it meaning that both Johnny and I can eat like kings. We were starving by the time we got to Boss Chick as we wanted to save our appetite and our eyes were, admittedly, a bit bigger than our stomachs. We did have leftovers for days, though!

Johnny ordered the chicken tenders and fries while I opted for a side of their queso mac, cauliflower wings, and an order of onion rings to share. The food is made right in front of you at Boss Chick and those onion rings looked way too good to pass up! As always, our meals were absolutely incredible and their cauliflower wings are easily the best I have ever had. They use full on florets, the most delicious breading that is so good that you don’t even need sauce, but obvi you’re going to get their homemade sauces too! They are so very filling that I barely made a dent in mine but I got to enjoy our meal again and again with everything we took home. 😀

After dinner, we made a quick stop back at our apartment to put our takeaway containers in the fridge as it was close to fifty degrees that evening. It was like a bonus Valentine’s Day gift to put on a skimpy little something and not freeze my nads off! Then, off to the Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory we went for their Cupid’s Revenge event. The festivities began with a cocktail hour at six o’clock with the haunt opening at seven. The setup was so unbelievably cute with a light up dance floor, flower wall, photo stations, and the haunt actors lurking around for photo ops. Honestly though, it was kind of a sad affair to start with as it wasn’t a raging crowd and everyone remained glued to their own tables. That was no problem for Johnny and I because we immediately made friends to booze and schmooze with and chattered the cocktail hour away until the gates opened for the haunt.

The Cupid’s Revenge haunted house was great fun and my only regret was that it wasn’t longer as it only used one of the two spaces available for the attraction. However, it was just a hoot to have Halloween vibes on Valentine’s Day that it didn’t even matter. Of course, they couldn’t change the bones of the Haunted Schoolhouse too much but the rooms were decked out in V-Day style with bleeding hearts, red streamers, classic Valentine’s Day decor, and their cast of wonderful actors handing out tricks and treats. One gave me a mushroom which we discovered when we got home and the other gave me a bag of candy! You just never know what you’re going to get!

Once the haunt was over, we were deposited back into the dance floor area and were about to make our way home. Then, we ran into the people we mingled with during cocktail hour and figured it couldn’t hurt to stay for one more drink because the party was jumping at that point. Pop hits were playing, the dance floor was packed, and the guests and character actors alike were all having a blast! While Johnny and I had an awesome time, there was one person we know for certain that had the best time of all. There was this one actor who was literally getting paid to spank people with a paddle for the evening. And the answer is YES, we did partake. And, yes, my fanny was on fire the following day. Hey, you have to go a little crazy on Valentine’s Day lolol!

Our V-Day outing was, hands down, one of my favorite dates we have ever been on. We cannot wait to go back to the Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory for their St. Patrick’s Day haunt and party!

How was your Valentine’s Day weekend? What is your favorite V-Day candy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan31

Surprise Snow Day

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Surprise Snow Day

Hello! This past weekend was christened “snowmagedden” in good ol Akron, Ohio. We had a huge snow storm on Sunday and are now treated to single digit temperatures. It sucks. What didn’t suck, however, was getting a surprise snow day on Monday! The neighborhood one of my clients lives in literally never gets plowed so they let me know that I had the day off because safety first. It was so sweet! For the duration of winter, I would jokingly ask where the adult snow days are at and I finally got one. I rarely take a day off for myself and while I was disappointed to not go to work, I decided to make the most of the me time and had an amazing time. 😀

After working on the computer for the first part of the morning, my day was wide open to do whatever I would like from the comfort of my heated blanket. So, I opened a book and power read the last one hundred and thirty pages or so of the one I was working on. Peep a brand new Lil Red’s Book Club for the review tomorrow! I still had several hours to spare once I was done reading before Johnny got home from work and my next order of business was to play some Vampire Survivors. Johnny purchased this game over our holiday break for a whole two dollars and it has been an endless source of entertainment. And, rather than have to switch off to Johnny when my level was over, I just got to keep playing. It was freaking awesome!

When I had my fill of Vampire Survivors after two rounds, I wound my afternoon down with a viewing of MTV’s Teen Wolf. One of my clients got me addicted to that show and I can’t stop watching to save my own life. It’s surprisingly well done, has a fair share of gross out and scary moments, and a strong cast of actors. My favorite character is Stiles, hands down, but I love Lydia too! I usually like to watch documentaries when I have the TV to myself and it’s really nice to have a show to put on that’s just for fun. Teen Wolf is that for me to the T and I always look forward to the next episode. I’m hoping to find the MTV Scream series on streaming at some point so I can watch that next. If it’s as good as Teen Wolf then I know I am in for a treat. 🙂

Life handed me lemons with a snow storm that kept me from work but lemonade was made with my snow day. Once I got the text from my client’s family to take the day off, I considered it a sign from the universe that a day off was just what I needed. And you know what? It really was! I got to spend the whole day doing all of the things that I enjoy. I was snugly warm in my blanket, had the space heater blasting, and was in a cocoon of comfort. The following day I woke up feeling well rested and so excited to get back to work and that sealed my snow day success. Hey, everyone needs a day off sometimes!

Instead of braving the winter wonderland, I spent an entire day in creating my own fun. The January blues were definitely getting me down and I felt like a brand new Lil Red!

What is a perfect day off like for you? What is winter weather like in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan30

Puzzle Place

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Puzzle Place

Hello! My clients got me hip to shopping at 5 Below and I am obsessed. I am an avid van of “little treats” and it is the best place to do so while ballin on a budget. Over the holiday season my parents visited 5B to get a few new games for the grandkiddos. My dad also made a treat yoself purchase by getting two puzzles. Both feature the work of Van Gogh with puzzle versions of Starry Night and Sunflowers. I have always enjoyed doing puzzles and haven’t done so in a while so I was so excited when we busted Starry Night out a few weeks ago. It turned out to be a massive pain in the butt but, my god, was it satisfying when we finally put the last piece in. It’s a beauty and we plan on gluing both the puzzles so we can display them as wall art. Check it out:

This puzzle was five hundred pieces and that is the maximum of what I can do. Any more just feels like torture and I could never imaging doing a one thousand piece puzzle! This Starry Night one might as well have been one million pieces because holy cow was it difficult. Even just getting the border right proved to be a feat as there were countless pieces throughout the puzzle that fit smoothly and looked right. Upon further examination those pieces were, in fact, wrong and it was back to the drawing board. After the border was done correctly, I decided to move onto the sprawling treetop or whatever is in the left of the painting lol. This was much easier but everything afterwards was a challenge!

The next logical step after the questionable tree was the village. This is a part that I thought would come together quickly but it was a lot harder than my dad and I originally thought. Once again, pieces that did fit mislead us and we had to backtrack to get the town just right. However, when we did start expanding to the sky it had me wishing for more of the village because it was a piece of cake in comparison. The most helpful thing that we did to finish this puzzle was color coordinating the pieces and following along with the reference picture. Yes, it’s a lot of blue but all of the shades were different and went in specific areas. This allowed us to focus on one portion at a time rather than trying to find the piece we needed in a sea of other blue pieces.

Once we were down to maybe forty pieces, we organized them to their shape because you could tell at that point which shape needed to go where. The entire time we worked on this puzzle, I couldn’t help thinking to myself “wouldn’t it suck if we were missing a piece?” The answer to that question came back with a resounding YES when I realized that we were. There was one lone piece missing smack dab in the middle. My dad and I scoured the table, looked on the carpet, and shined flashlights under furniture to find it. We were out of luck. Until I moved my feet and saw that I was standing on the missing piece the whole time SMH!!! It was a glorious revelation, though, and it felt awesome to put the last piece in and admire our hard work!

Even though this puzzle was a pain in the nads, it was so much fun to complete it with my dad. Bring on Sunflowers next, baby!

What is the maximum size of puzzles you like to do? What is your favorite indoor hobby? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan17

Vampire Survivor

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Vampire Survivor

Oh hey! The day after Christmas I couldn’t get to my computer fast enough to shop the Bath & Body Works Semi Annual Sale. I made out like a bandit and got seventeen products for sixty dollars! Johnny also did some shopping as PlayStation was having a sale. He fared incredibly well and got five or so games for around thirty dollars. While he bought a few recognizable game titles like Assassin’s Creed, the piece de resistance was something more obscure. A two dollar game called Vampire Survivor. Since Johnny’s purchase, we have been playing it nonstop and have gotten our money’s worth and then some. It’s great! Also be sure to check my TikTok for videos from Vampire Survivor too. 😀

Have you ever started playing a game and felt immediately overwhelmed by it? The game play, the rules, the items, the everything? Well, that is SO not the case for Vampire Survivor because literally all you do is walk. That’s right, you walk, choose items as you level up, and slay the demons in your path. That’s it and that’s all. And you know what? It’s awesome! Vampire Survivor is a game that anyone can play by simply picking up a controller. Classic gamers will love the highly visible nod to Castlevania (There’s a Castlevania expansion too!) and new players will enjoy its ease of play while still feeling like you are kicking major butt. No one can tell me nothin when I am playing Vampire Survivor!

Each level of Vampire Survivor has an end in sight. Survive thirty minutes and you win. Now, it might start out as easy but don’t let that fool you. You will need to be smart about which weapons you choose to defeat the masses and when they start crowding, they don’t stop until you are completely surrounded. The wrong weapons choice could be your downfall. Or it could be your saving grace when you level all of them up. Believe me, it looks amazing when you do! There is also legit nothing better than making it the full thirty minutes when you are backed into a corner and thousands of demons encircle you. 😀

If you are looking for an ultra fun game, then I truly cannot recommend Vampire Survivor enough. When Johnny and I first started playing, we were nowhere close to lasting through thirty minutes of a level. This wasn’t frustrating, though, and if anything it made us want to keep playing more to unlock better weapons and characters. Now, we can get through levels like it’s *almost* nothing and look forward to playing every day when we get home from work. Best two dollar purchase ever!

Johnny and I will be hibernating for the rest of the winter with Vampire Survivor and I can’t think of anything I’d rather do more!

What is your favorite video game? Have you played Vampire Survivor before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec1

Tamagotchi App

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Tamagotchi App

Howdy! I absolutely love being a bunny mom and am a fan of all things cute and cuddly whether IRL or with substitute pets. Of course I’m talking Animal Crossing and most recently the Tamagotchi app! I have been using Finch regularly for a while now and have grown pretty bored with it. There’s literally just nothing to do on the app although I appreciate the mental health aspect of it. I needed a substitute pet with more interaction and after browsing around on the app store, I found the Tamagotchi one and have been obsessed!

My most fond virtual pet memories are racing my siblings home from school to see who could check their Neopets account first. I was addicted to that game and it really was the ideal substitute pet platform with games, shopping, exploring, and decorating. Nothing will ever trump Neopets in my opinion, but this Tamagotchi app is delightfully reminiscent of it and I am loving it! I have always wanted a real Tamagotchi to fit in my pocket and this app is the next best thing. Better, in fact, as you can see all of your activities on a bigger screen and in color.

The premise of Tamagotchi is the same as any other substitute pet. Feed it, clean it, keep it happy. However, there is so much more to it than that. In the Tamagotchi app your pets can get jobs, go to school, and land an apartment. You can dress them up, decorate your house, and add fun things to the areas surrounding the shops like water fountains, picnics, and mini golf. Earning points to shop with is as simple as going to the arcade that has about fifteen games to pick from. I am especially partial to the Candy Crush style game as well as the ice cream scoop one. It reminds me of the Coney Island mini game in Mario Party!

This app is kid friendly and clearly just as amusing to adults too. My Tamagotchi app is exactly what I wanted Finch to be and I look forward to playing and leveling up every day. I have found myself growing incredibly weary of social media as of late and wanted something to do on my phone other than doom scrolling. The Tamagotchi app has been the perfect substitute and it sure beats getting depressed on Facebook every hour lol. Highly recommend. 🙂

Looking for a virtual pet of your own or simply to kill time? Download the Tamagotchi app – it’s a blast!!

Did you have a Tamagotchi growing up? What is your favorite virtual pet? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov18

Finding Balance In How We Play

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Finding Balance In How We Play

Everybody needs time to switch off. For some, it’s exercise or cooking; for others, it’s gardening, reading, or spending time with friends. Play, in any form, gives your mind a break from the structure of daily life. It doesn’t have to be competitive or loud; it just has to be something that’s going to allow you to relax and recharge. Lately, people are rediscovering how play fits into adulthood. It’s no longer something to outgrow; it’s something to bring back in a different way:

Making Space for Leisure:

Setting aside time for play, even if it’s just small moments during the week, can make a big difference in how you handle stress in your life. It means meeting new friends online for shared hobbies. Reliable game server hosting has made it possible to stay connected even when you’re apart. You can turn short sessions into something that’s more personal. But gaming does not mean you have to spend hours on a computer; it could be a puzzle app on your phone, a trivia night with family, or a quick card game after dinner. The goal isn’t to be performing; it’s to be present.

The Joy of Slower Play:

Not every kind of play comes through a screen. Many people are finding comfort in things like tabletop gaming, board games, dice games, and anything that gets people around the table. There’s something refreshing about slowing down, laughing, and focusing on something really simple together. These moments don’t rely on technology or trends, and they remind us that a connection doesn’t always need to be from something like Wi-Fi. Sitting down with others, sharing a snack, and working towards a small goal are all kinds of breaks that bring balance to a busy life.

Small Habits Make a Difference:

You don’t need hours of free time in order to enjoy yourself; brief instances of play can help you reset your focus. Try putting aside some time one evening a week for something light and fun. It might be a simple game, a work project, or a creative project. The key is to be consistent. The more often you give yourself space to unwind, the easier it is to become separate from work and rest. You’ll find yourself feeling calmer, clearer, and better able to focus on what matters when it matters.

You are allowed to take time for yourself to do something that is just purely fun and doesn’t have a reason. Whether you are building something online with friends or shuffling cards on a table, you’re giving yourself permission to take a pause. That’s not a waste of time; that is something that helps you to have balance in your life!

Featured Image By: David Bartus

Nov7

Haunted Schoolhouse And Laboratory

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Haunted Schoolhouse And Laboratory

Howdy!! I had a most successful spooky season this year and I hope all of you had a blast too. I absolutely loved my pirate costume but my favorite thing was going to two different haunted houses! Johnny and I had a fabulous date night at the Factory Of Terror and on Halloween we went to the Haunted Schoolhouse And Laboratory with my big bro. We were so happy he wanted to come with us because haunted houses aren’t really his thing and we had the best time! The Schoolhouse And Lab has been a staple in Akron, Ohio for so long and I was most impressed with our visit. Check it out:

The last time I went to the Haunted Schoolhouse And Laboratory was at least seven years ago and honestly? It sucked ass lol. I don’t remember too much about going but I do recall paying a lot for tickets and being thoroughly disappointed by the experience considering what we paid. Because of that, I never bothered with it again until this past Halloween. Right from the jump I was amazed by how much this haunt has improved and I enjoyed every minute of it!

The Haunted Schoolhouse was definitely the main attraction and it was fantastic. It is set in an old brick building that is at least five stories tall and we got to explore all of it. Every floor was something different from scary nuns at school to a Texas Chainsaw Massacre-esque feature that I was most fond of. It is my favorite horror movie of all time! One of the coolest parts of this haunt was being banished to hell for the last floor by a nun. This floor took us into a dungeon style area complete with huge statues of Baphomet, cemeteries, creepy organ music, and exorcisms. After making our way down five floors, it felt like we were going into the abyss and it looked phenomenal. Just one floor alone of the Schoolhouse blew my past review out of the water and I couldn’t wait for more.

Once we emerged from hell, we went outside to the next addition of the haunt which is the Laboratory. This was set up like an alien takeover and holy WOW did it have some dynamite features. My only regret was that it wasn’t longer! For me, the best part of this haunted house was close to the beginning. Like the Schoolhouse, we began from the top down and were walking across sturdy theater catwalks. We were up fairly high and when Johnny told me to look down it was like staring into the mouth of a cave. It could have gone on for forever!

As we made our way through the floors of the lab, we saw a bunch of scenes of aliens causing mayhem. All the while we were walking through the most terrific lighting. It legit looked like we were making our journey in a swirling waist high sea of green. That was a really nice touch! At the final floor of the lab, we were greeted by a mad scientist who asked us if we were ready for the big show. Then, he turned on a huge orb that crackled with purple light and electricity. It was quite the send off because afterwards we were back outside into the Halloween night and delighting over our time together. ❤

The Haunted Schoolhouse And Laboratory is a haunt that I would happily visit again next year. This time around, the ticket prices were well worth it and then some and it was the perfect way to spend Halloween!

How did you celebrate Halloween? Did you go to any haunted houses this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct23

Factory Of Terror Date Night

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Factory Of Terror Date Night

Hello! If there is one haunted house to go to in the greater Northeast Ohio area, the Factory Of Terror is the place to be. It holds the record for the largest indoor haunted attraction in America boasting four different haunted houses, three separate bars, a dance floor, tarot readings, and axe throwing too. Every year you go is completely different than the last and you will never experience the same thing twice. It is absolutely amazing and my favorite place to go when spooky season hits.

Johnny and I had a date night to Factory Of Terror this past Friday and it was such a scary good time! I was also lucky enough to win my first radio contest EVER and scored two free tickets to the haunt. I couldn’t believe it and was literally on cloud nine. What’s better than a free night on the town to a place we planned on going to anyways?! SCORE! This was my third time going to the Factory Of Terror and I think it was the best year yet! Check it out:

^^^ Be sure to peep my TikTok for the video tour!!

Walking into the Factory Of Terror is like walking into a great big scary playground and the fun starts as soon as you set foot on the property. Character actors roam and are ready to sneak up on anyone that passes by. It makes something mundane like waiting in line for entrance wristbands into part of the experience and sets the tone perfectly for your night of spooky delight. After getting our wristbands, our first move was to hit the Poison Ivy bar for test tube shots. We opted for a blue concoction that tasted like straight up blue and was delicious!

After hitting up the Poison Ivy, it was off to the first haunt called the Forsaken Asylum. The bones of this haunted house hasn’t changed but the interior was totally different and transformed into a freaky hospital. It was filled with jump scares galore but the best part was twofold. Halfway through the house, there was a huge slide that you went down on a burlap sack. It was a wild ride! The ending was also excellent as it was a maze of mirrors. Johnny and I were running into the mirrors left and right and eventually a creepy doll character actor helped show us the way out lol. Not so scary after all and we were most appreciative. ❤

Next up was our favorite of the bunch – the Industrial Nightmare. This haunted house took us into the bowels of a factory complete with steaming pipes, compressed air switches on the ground, and glowing green lights to guide us through the pitch black setting. Everywhere we turned were “injured” employees from factory accidents and their scares couldn’t be beat. Some of the actors were legit perched on the ceiling, others were on bungee cords to leap out in front of you, and just being followed around in the dark was enough to send shivers down my spine. The highlight of this haunt had to be when the front of a train literally looked like it was coming straight towards you. I screamed so loud it could have shattered glass. It. Was. Awesome!!

The third haunted house holds a special place in my heart because it is Factory of Terror’s take on my favorite horror film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This is their staple haunted house called Massacre On Mahoning and while the theme remains the same every year, the inside always changes. For someone who is such a huge fan of TCM, going through this haunted house was a treat filled with tricks. Its setting was exactly what you could imagine if you are familiar with the story and was a pure celebration of one of the greatest, most influential horror movies of all time. I just loved it. 🙂

The last haunt to visit was called The Abyss and it simply delighted me and Johnny. For the first half of the haunt, we walked through almost complete darkness and were able to be guided by waist high walls to keep us on the path. After making it through this portion, we were welcomed into a sunken pirate ship and we were so there for it since we are being pirates for Halloween this year! The Abyss was so visually appealing once we made it to the light but it was also pure FUN. While we were waiting in line, we made friends with one of the actors and he made it a point to sneak up on us throughout the haunt. After we emerged on the other side, we all shared a great big hug and he asked us if we had a blast. It was a resounding YES on our part!! ❤

My first job was as a character actor at a haunted house and being at the Factory Of Terror hit me right in the nostalgia. This place is so incredibly special and all throughout the night I couldn’t help thinking how much fun it would be to work there. Our hats go off to the spectacular cast and crew that make the Factory Of Terror possible because the work that has gone into it is awe inspiring. We can’t recommend it enough if you are in the area!

What is the best haunted house in your neck of the woods? What are your Halloween plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah