Haunt Review: Lake Eerie FearFest / Ghostly Manor Haunted House (Sandusky, OH))

This is a year-round haunted house attraction at Ghostly Manor Thrill Center in Sandusky, Ohio.

It features a haunted mansion style walk-through experience where you pass through rooms with various scares, monsters, special effects, etc. While it runs all year, its intensity and staffing may scale depending on the season.
It’s part of a larger entertainment center that includes things like mini golf, roller skating, an arcade, escape room, laser maze, and more.

Lake Eerie FearFest (how is this different than the year round Ghostly Manor?)
This is a seasonal/Halloween-season event (usually Fridays & Saturdays in October) held at the same location (Ghostly Manor Thrill Center) that expands the scare offerings.
It’s more than just one haunted house — it includes multiple haunted attractions (Ghostly Manor itself plus additional themed attractions like “Dead in the Water,” “Darkmare,” “Eerie Chateau,” etc.).
Because it’s a special event, it tends to use more actors, extra set pieces, greater scale, added effects, and more “immersive” or elaborate scares.

Tickets for FearFest are priced higher (e.g. ~$25) and fast passes are offered.
It’s only open during its seasonal window (not year-round) — typically Fridays & Saturdays from ~8:00 pm to 11:00 pm.In short: Ghostly Manor Haunted House is the base haunted attraction you can visit any time (or outside Halloween season), while Lake Eerie FearFest is the Halloween-season “festival” that builds on Ghostly Manor by adding more scares, more attractions, and more immersive experiences for a limited run.

REVIEW:

This year, HNN visited the Lake Eerie FearFest to explore the haunts and see what this long-standing attraction is all about. As mentioned previously, Lake Eerie FearFest combines Ghostly Manor with several additional haunts to create an entertaining visit. The attraction features three haunts, one of which is a water haunt that provides visitors with plastic raincoats as they walk through. The others are interconnected, allowing you to pass directly from one into the next. Darkmare is exactly that — a very dark hallway that winds through multiple sections as you feel your way forward.

Since the main haunt, Ghostly Manor, has been here for quite some time and operates year-round, it has had plenty of time to build upon its indoor atmosphere, complete with haunted hallways full of props, set pieces, and detailed designs. It is unique to the Sandusky area, so I recommend checking out not only the haunt but the entire entertainment center. Kids and adults will enjoy the roller skating, food bar, interactive motion ride, arcade, miniature golf, and escape room offerings.

The haunted portion is themed like an old, spooky mansion. As you walk through, you’ll pass rooms such as a bedroom, nursery, kitchen, and library — all recreated with strong atmospheric detail. The scares use a combination of live actors and sophisticated props and effects, making the experience more immersive than many basic haunted houses. Surprises come from unexpected places, with scares appearing from multiple directions to keep you on edge.

Lake Eerie FearFest is a fun stop worth the time, offering a lot under one roof. Adults can even grab a bite at the Casa Mexican Restaurant located in front of the attraction before getting in line. For those who live locally, the center is a great alternative way to spend a Friday night.

It’s located at 3319 Milan Road, Sandusky, OH 44870.
https://ghostlymanor.com/

Give “Lake Eerie FearFest” and/or Ghostly Manor a stop on your way thru this small lake town by Lake Erie!