Top Haunted Attractions to Scare the $#!% Out of You
Looking to take your Halloween fun to the next level this year? While you may have a traditional haunted house or three near you, these days there are Halloween experiences that take scaring the crap out of you very seriously. If you’re lucky, or unlucky as some may see it, there’s one of these close enough to make a day-trip worthwhile.
The New Haunt on the Block – House of Shock
The House of Shock was a classic Halloween destination in New Orleans for 25 years but has been purchased by the world-famous 13th Floor Entertainment Group and turned into New Orleans’ newest & largest haunted house — New Orleans Nightmare. With attractions including mini-escape games, Laughterhouse 3D, Museum Macabre, Cursed Voodoo, and a warning that they are not recommended for children under 12, this is one freshman outing that may well be worth a visit.
Thrillvania Haunted House Park
Located just east of Dallas, this 50-acre attraction has three amazing haunted houses including The World Famous Verdun Manor, Cassandra’s House of Clowns, and Sam Hain’s Trail of Torment. Thrillvania was created by Lance Pope, a well-known name in the fright industry, and the attraction was one of the first to use movie-quality special effects including animatronics and pyrotechnics. Haunted Verdun Manor has been a DFW haunt for decades and is definitely worth the trip.
ScareHouse
With a free shuttle from the Pittsburg Zoo & PPG Aquarium, parking for this attraction in Etna, PA is at least fright-free, because the rest of your evening certainly won’t be. For one low price you get access to Infernal Darkness, Nocturnia 3-D, and Pittsburgh Zombies: Re-animated. However, if those don’t whet your Halloween appetite and you’re at least 18 years old, you can sign a required waiver for the R-Rated Basement but as they have limited tickets for this attraction, you will definitely want to get your reserve your ScareHouse spot in advance.
Frightland
If you’re in the Delaware area, you simply cannot miss Frightland. Named one of the country’s top 10 scariest haunted attractions by multiple publications, there are eight unique attractions including four indoor haunted houses, a two-mile Haunted Hayride, Ravenwood Cemetery, and more. This is Frightland’s 22nd season and is located directly on Route 13 in Middletown, Delaware and is less than an hour drive from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Baltimore, Maryland.
Lake Eerie Fearfest
Located in the Ghostly Manor Thrill Center, this haunted attraction is open year round and is ranked as the #1 haunted house in Ohio. Featuring the all new Dead in the Water along with fan favorites Ghostly Manor, Quarantine, Darkmare, and Eerie Chateau, Fearfest should definitely be on your to-do list if you’re in the area this Halloween.
Erebus – Pontiac, MI
A Guinness World Record holder for largest walk-through haunted attraction, Erebus is located in a 4-story parking garage that will take you 45 minutes to complete. The advantage of being an indoor attraction means they are open rain or shine. It has received a Top 10 attraction moniker for several years, so you may want to purchase tickets online or even consider purchasing their VIP option that allows you to skip the lines.
Or Perhaps You’re Interested in True Hauntings
If you’d rather skip the traditional haunted attractions above but still want to get into the spirit of things, you can always visit one of America’s most haunted locations. From basic tours to overnight ghost hunts, there are a few places around the country that are more than willing to help you experience some true paranormal activity this year.
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
Offering October Ghost Hunts that go from 11:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and allow you to hunt alone or in groups, this is one Halloween destination that will test your fortitude. Thousands were committed to treatment behind these walls and hundreds died while at the Asylum and there have been all sorts of unexplained activity reported from visitors and experts alike.
Eastern State Penitentiary
This last option gives you the best of both worlds. The prison itself is reportedly one of the most haunted places in America, with some dubbing it the “Hell on Earth.” You can either take a prison tour during the day or wait until night and enjoy the massive 6 attraction “Terror Behind the Walls” that are setup in the prison’s actual cellblocks and you get access to all of them with one ticket price.
I know there are plenty of other great haunted attractions around the country but which one out there is the ultimate scary destination? Comment below and tell me your favorites that didn’t make the list and if you have a real ghost story, make sure to DM me on Twitter @funewsalert, I’d love to hear them.