Shipwreck: the haunting of the Queen Mary

I love wandering the decks of the graceful Queen Mary, permanently moored in the Port of Long Beach. The lovingly restored ship is rich in maritime history and loaded with authentic Art Deco period decor. The views of the Pacific Ocean and Long Beach city skyline make you feel as if you're just setting out on a romantic sea voyage (albeit on very calm seas).

Today, it's a grand hotel, with 314 suites that harken back to the ship's glamour days. Their Sunday Brunch is to, ahem, die for. For others, the main attraction of the Queen Mary are the tales of ghosts who wander the bowels of the ship to this day—lost souls permanently shipwrecked. (Check out the YouTube videos of recent sightings.)

Which is why their Annual Halloween Terrorfest, SHIPWRECK! is such a big draw, now through November 1. They've put together five mazes both on and off the haunted vessel: Vampire Village; The Graveyard; the Isolation ward (paging Nurse Slasher); Blackbeard's Revenge (a Pirate Maze, AAAAAARRRRGGG); Paranoia's House of Horror (sounds like my last job). And if you're already afraid of clowns, don't go through the Psychedelic Krazy Klown Maze. Scarey fun.

Details:1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, 800/ 437-2934 or 562/ 435-3511. Shipwreck run from 7 PM- midnight.; open later on weekends. Admission - $29; VIP Fast Pass - $40 (includes cut-the-line privileges); Month Pass - $69; VIP Month Pass - $99 (includes cut-the-line privileges); Prices Subject to change. For more info, click here.

Photo credit: Queen Mary/Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts