For spooky season, Nine Below, 1905 E. North Ave., metamorphosed into the city's only haunted, indoor mini golf course and cocktail lounge. Located in a walk-down space, the experience gave me bewitching vibes right off the bat (I will own that pun) as it reminded me of my favorite witch movie “Bell, Book & Candle.” The 1958-film starring Kim Novak has a walk-down lounge called "Zodiac Club" where all the New York City spooks and kooks hang out.
Once down the stairs and through the door, Halloween’s dark side comes to life. Just about every inch of the space is devilishly decorated. There are 13 holes of mini-golf, each one themed for the season from creepy carnival to Friday the 13th’s Camp Crystal Lake. The details are deliciously dark and artful: Syringes, bloody walls, eyeballs, spiders, menacing pumpkins, possessed children, Ouija boards and more.
On some nights, live actors dressed as zombies, sad clowns and other ghoulish creatures pop out of the shadows and, if you’re like me, evoke blood-curdling screams. There are also numerous selfie stations including a clever take on the coin-operated Zoltar fortune teller.
“We went bigger and spookier than last year and made the experience even more interactive,” says manager Destiny Zuknik. “There are way more moving parts.”
The bar is stocked with seasonal cocktails and snacks. The menu includes spooktacular potions served in souvenir glow cups and cauldrons; shots with names like “brain hemorrhage” and “spicy jack-o-mango"; zero-proof libations and an array of sweet treats such as pumpkin spice krispy treats and autumnal popcorn.
“We’re here to scare you,” says Zuknik. "And to have fun."
Nine Below’s Haunted Mini Golf runs through Saturday, Nov. 2. It is open Thursdays through Sundays. Guests can makes reservations online or walk down on a whim. Tickets run between $20 and $45 dollars, depending on the night and the ticket type. The experience is recommended for kids 10 years and older. For "non scare" days and times (no live actors), check out this calendar.
Enjoy a few more photos from Nine Below's haunted mini golf experience:
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
