Here are some of the more interesting events, deals, websites and other travel tidbits that have come across our desk recently:
•Fans of Halloween haunted-house attractions may want to work up the courage to head to Niles Scream Park in Niles, Mich. This is fright night on steroids, with seven indoor and outdoor attractions spread across 44 acres. There’s also a midway that includes rides such as the buried alive simulator “The Last Ride.” In October the park will be open all weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) plus Wednesday, Oct. 31. www.haunted.org
•Participating lodgings in the Ludington, Mich., area are offering a fall special that takes 50 percent off the second night of a stay. The deal is good until Oct. 31 and applies only to Sunday-Thursday stays. http://tinyurl.com/y7g4u2hv
•Maiden Alley Oktoberfest in Paducah, Ky., promises craft beers, live music, art vendors, a German car show and a Bavarian food spread. The main activities are Oct. 20, but there’s a beer dinner Oct. 19 and a Sunday brunch on Oct. 21. www.maidenalleyoktoberfest.com
•Learn about parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme — and gourds, too — at the Herb and Gourd Fest on Oct. 13-14 at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Mich. On hand will be members of the Midwest Michigan Herb Association and Michigan Gourd Society. Hops are among the herbs featured, and gourd artists will demonstrate how to create gourd art. http://tinyurl.com/ybf3jmra
•Parke County, Ind., holds its annual Covered Bridge Festival on Oct. 12-21. Rockville is headquarters for the festival, but there are special events at towns across the county. There are bus tours to view the bridges, or you can do it yourself and view all 31. There’ll be lots of food, vendors, antiques and more. http://tinyurl.com/yb2by4vf
•Check out the progress of fall color in Michigan at www.michigan.org/fall. At the bottom of the page you also can sign up for the Pure Michigan e-newsletter, which has fall color updates.
•Downtown Eau Claire, Wis., is now the home of a major arts center that includes two theaters, one seating more than 1,200 people and another for nearly 400. The Pablo Center at the Confluence has an inaugural season line-up that includes dance productions, family-friendly performances, literary and film events and musical performers spanning multiple genres. There are also art galleries featuring regional and national visual arts displays in a variety of mediums. www.pablocenter.org
•Alton, Ill., claims to be one of the most haunted small towns in America. During the fall, Alton Hauntings conducts walking and bus tours to check out the town’s spooky history. www.altonhauntings.com
•Terror on Washington Street in Clinton, Ill., reportedly ranks among the scariest haunted houses in the state. The haunted house operates Friday and Saturday nights through October, plus Halloween night, Oct. 31. For the younger kids there are friendly ghost tours Oct. 20 and 27. www.clintonhauntedhouse.com
•Beers from nearly 80 breweries will be available for tastings on Oct. 13 at the Big Muddy Monster Brew Fest at Riverside Park in Murphysboro, Ill. There will also be food, live music and a home brew competition. www.bigmuddymonsterbrewfest.com
•More than 10,000 people typically attend the Wisconsin Book Festival, which will be Oct. 11-14 in Madison. The festival is held in multiple venues and features presentations by roughly 100 authors as well as other activities. www.wisconsinbookfestival.org
•Lake Geneva Canopy Tours in Lake Geneva, Wis., is holding a Pumpkin Drop & Fall Festival on Oct. 27-28. For the pumpkin drop, participants will pay to fly down the Dual Racing Zip Line and try to drop a pumpkin on a target on the ground to win a prize. There will also be free access to the Arbor Trail, live music, food for purchase, a scavenger hunt and more. http://tinyurl.com/y966bayw
Deals and websites listed here have been checked for availability as of press time. Listings are not endorsements. Send tips at least a month in advance to ChicagoTribTravel@gmail.com.
Phil Marty is a freelancer.
