When I was planning my summer visit to the east coast for a camping trip with friends & family in upstate NY, I did a bit of searching for stuff to do in the area, and was delighted to find this place in Lake George that was nearby -- The House of Frankenstein Wax Museum!

So, a couple of weekends ago, I went! They seem to be open for most of the summer tourist weeks as well as Halloween season. If you're in the area and in need of a Summerween fix, this might just do the trick.

I won't give too much away, but overall this is campy, good fun. It wasn't too crowded when we went, despite the downtown Lake George area being very active with tourists. There was no wait to get in, although there are some fun horror-themed things to look at in the lobby to keep you occupied in case it's busy when you go. I loved this friendly guy who greeted us, he had to have been inspired by Roger Corman's film, The Raven.

Once you pay your admission, you ascend a flight of stairs and follow the hallways from scene to scene, many of which are interactive and/or animated. It's mostly campy and endearing in the way that old horror films are (and indeed, some of the scenes involve familiar horror characters), but there are some genuinely spooky moments to be found. One scene actually made me jump -- and THAT is no small feat, I'm not an easy scare when it comes to these things.

It's a self-guided tour which you can take at your own pace, but I'd recommend planning at least half an hour to 45 minutes in there, especially if you're with a small group.