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Issue Date: May 20, 2007
Enjoy a mystery?
Solve one on a weekend trip.
By Kimberly Lisagor
Would you book a stay at a B&B where you'd expect to be awakened by a bloodcurdling scream? How about a country inn that serves up a homicide during dinner, then enlists you to solve the crime?
Gruesome theatrics have become a standard amenity at many accommodations, where you can enjoy a grim twist on the typical getaway -- a murder mystery weekend. Here's a sampling from across the country:
Mohonk Mountain House, New York
845-255-1000 mohonk.com
This 19th-century, seven-story castle on Lake Mohonk in New Paltz, N.Y., has been a murder mystery venue for 30 years. The old-world décor lends itself to dramatic scenarios crafted by the event's producers, who hire actors to blend in with the guests. At least one "murder" takes place during the three-day stay (the next one is March 14-16, 2008), while you're enjoying the 2,200-acre, wooded estate. After a weekend of sleuthing, you'll try to solve the case.
Jekyll Island Club Hotel, Georgia
800-535-9547 jekyllclub.com
During your first night on this island off the coast of Georgia, you'll hear a shrill scream. So begins a two-day investigation where every guest is a suspect. You'll collect clues during a cocktail party at the Victorian luxury hotel. The next "murder" is Aug. 17-19.
Great Oaks Manor, Texas
866-215-1954 greatoaksmanor.com
Don't be fooled by the columns that give this Richmond, Texas, inn a stately air. The activities within are anything but reserved. You will arrive to dinner dressed as a pirate, ready to read your lines in a dining room that has been transformed into a rogue's tavern. By the end of the meal, you'll have enough clues to solve the crime. If you outwit the other guests, the treasure is yours.
Austin Hill Inn, Vermont
802-464-5281 austinhillinn.com
The owners of this West Dover, Vt., B&B enlist their guests to star in their murder mysteries. The homey inn is 2 miles from the Mount Snow ski resort and golf club. "There's not a lot of serious, mysterious work involved," co-owner John Bailey says. "It's mainly just a weekend of laughing."
Westgate Hotel, California
877-528-9020 murdermystery.com
At Union Station in Los Angeles on Nov. 9, you can board a train bound for San Diego. The first "murder" happens on board, and you'll piece together hints as you travel to the Westgate Hotel, where you'll spend two nights. You'll solve the case in time to enjoy the train ride home.
Stone Lion Inn, Oklahoma
405-282-0012 stonelioninn.com
This Guthrie, Okla., mansion is said to be haunted by the ghost of an 8-year-old girl who died here in the early 1900s. That story adds an edge to the "murder" you'll witness when one of your companions drops dead after dinner.
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