Top Haunted Houses in America

For some, Halloween conjures up images of sweet children dressed as cows or kitty cats, innocently Trick-or-Treating as they tote a plastic pumpkin full of sugary treats.

For others, however, Halloween is a dark and mysterious evening, filled with unspeakable horrors: Witches cauldrons, one-eyed monsters and ghoulish ghosts.

If your Halloween tastes run toward the more sinister, then you’ll definitely want to check out our spook-tacular list of America’s (unlucky) thirteen most terrifying haunted houses.* If none of the houses on our list are in your town, consider a driving trip — a scare like this is worth it!

*This list comes from hauntworld.com, the world’s premier expert on haunted houses.

Netherworld, Atlanta, Georgia

Enter Atlanta’s Netherworld at your own risk. You will encounter a pack of savage werewolves, inhuman creatures, and shocking special effects. Featured haunts this year are the vampire hunting Gargoyle, and Dead Salvage Mangler 2. Not recommended for children (or pregnant women or people with heart conditions.)

Location:
6624 Dawson Blvd
Norcross, GA 30093

Hours of Operation:
Sunday – Thursday, 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, Halloween Eve, 7 p.m. – midnight

For more information: fearworld.com
Phone: (404) 608-2484

13th Gate, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Journey down to Baton Rouge to traverse 13 terrifying indoor and outdoor areas: from crawling though an old hearse to getting lost in dark underground tunnels. The 13th Gate’s 40,000 square feet of haunted house are definitely not recommended for the faint of heart (including children, pregnant women, or those with a preexisting heart condition.)

Location:
832 Saint Philip Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday, 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, Halloween Eve, 6 p.m. – 1 a.m.

For more information: midnightproduction.com
Phone: (225) 389-1313

The Darkness/ Lemp Brewery/ Creepy World, St. Louis, Missouri

In St. Louis, the darkness will go beyond your wildest and most horrifying imagination. Someone is always waiting and watching in the Darkness. Now in its 17th year of fear, the Darkness has undergone the biggest and scariest renovation ever. At Creepy World, experience seven haunted houses for the price of one, including the all new Silo-X, with a burning helicopter and an evil 3-D ice-cream factory.

Location:
1525 South 8th Street
Saint Louis, MO 63104

Hours:
Sunday – Thursday, 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, Halloween Eve, 6 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.

For more information: scarefest.com
Haunted Hotline: 314-631-8000

Haunted Overload, New Hampshire

Haunted Overload is simply one of the most creative and unique haunted attractions in New England. Now located at the DeMerritt Lee Farm in Lee NH. The show was voted one of the top 13 haunted attractions in the country when it was still a charity home haunt in Exeter NH. Plus, the farm has a six-acre corn maze, which provides family-friendly fall entertainment.

Location:
DeMerritt Lee Farm, Lee, NH
Lee, NH

Hours: October 24, 8:30 p.m.
October 25 & 26, 7:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
October 30, 7:00 – 9:30 p.m.
October 31 & November 1, 7:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

For more information: hauntedoverload.com

Scarehouse, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Scarehouse is a whole house full of terrors, including the Hall of Nightmares, the Screamatorium, and new for 2010, The Foresaken. Get the fright of your life, but not if you are a child under the age of 13, pregnant or suffering from a medical condition. (It’s *that* scary!)

Location:
118 Locust Street
Etna, PA 15223

Hours: Fridays & Saturdays, 7 p.m. – midnight
Thursdays & Sundays, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

For more information: scarehouse.com
Phone: 412-781-5885

House of Torment, Austin, Texas

According to MSN.com, the House of Torment is “the scariest, baddest, most haunted house in Austin”. Not recommended for children under the age of 12, Torment is situated in a 20,000 warehouse offering two unique and spooktacular shows.

Location:
523 Highland Mall Blvd.
Austin, TX 78752

Hours:
Thursday – Sunday, 7 p.m. – midnight
The last two weeks of October, open daily 7 p.m. – midnight

For more information:
houseoftorment.com
Phone: (512) 407-9449

Bates Motel/ Pennhurst Asylum, Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Philly’s Bates Motel offers you a heart-pounding, 25-minute hayride through the haunted forest at Arasapha Farms. The hayride is appropriate for children and adults, especially if you live to be scared to death! You can also check out the Pennhurst asylum; one of the newest and scariest haunted houses in America.

Location:
1835 Middletown Road (Rt. 352)
Glen Mills, PA 19342

Hours:
Sunday – Wednesday, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday – Saturday, 6:30 – 10:30 p.m.

For more information:
Phone: (610) 459-0647
thebatesmotel.com

If your Halloween tastes run toward the more sinister, then you’ll definitely want to check out the rest of our spook-tacular list of America’s (unlucky) thirteen most terrifying haunted houses.

Headless Horseman, Ulster Park, New York

Located in the Historic Haunted Hudson Valley, the Headless Horesman has not only been ranked a #1 haunted attraction, but it also has the #1 hayride, according to American Airlines Magazine. The property’s forty-five acres of naturally landscaped property includes foreboding woods, surreal ponds, fruit orchards and more. Unlike many haunted houses, the Headless Horseman is “family oriented”, with a one-mile hayride, labyrinth style corn maze, and concession stands.

Location:
778 Broadway, Route 9W
Ulster Park, NY 12487

Hours:
Open Friday – Sunday, throughout the month of October

For more information:
headlesshorseman.com
Phone: 845-339-2666

Spookywoods, Kersey Valley, North Carolina

This year-round haunted house annually invests $250,000 to revamp its show and make it even more terrifying. With cutting edge design and ticketing technology, Spookywoods plays host to tens of thousands of fear seekers each fall. Situated on a 55-acre farm, Spookywoods is the only haunted attraction in North Carolina

Location:
1615 Kersey Valley Road
High Point, NC 27263

Hours:
Throughout the month of October
Wednesday/Thursday/Sunday, 8pm to 10pm
Friday & Saturday, 8pm to 12am
Halloween Eve, 8pm to 12am

For more information: spookywoods.com

Erebus, Detroit, Michigan

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Erebus is the world’s largest walk-through haunted attraction. The four-story home, located in Pontiac, Michigan, takes its name from the term referring to the darkness beneath the Earth, which the dead must pass through on their way to Hades.

Location:
18 Water Street
Pontiac, MI 48342

Hours:
During the month of October
Wednesday – Thursday and Sunday, 7 – 11 p.m.
Friday – Saturday, 7 p.m. – 1 a.m.
The week before Halloween
Open daily Sun – Thus, 7 – 11 p.m.
Halloween Eve – 7 p.m. – 1 a.m.

For more information:
Phone: (248) 332-7884

Cutting Edge, Dallas, Texas

Built in a 1920s warehouse, the Cutting Edge is truly terrifying. Frightening features include ghosts of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (of course!), walking dead pirates and death-defying phantoms.

Location:
1701 E. Lancaster Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Hours:
Sunday – Thursday, 7 – 10 p.m.
Friday – Saturday and Halloween Eve, 7 p.m. – midnight

For more information: cuttingedgehauntedhouse.com

Dent Schoolhouse, Cincinnatti, Ohio

With its Theatrical set design and expressive storytelling, it’s hard to tell what’s real or fake in this creepy house.

Location:
5963 Harrison Ave.
Cincinnati OH 45248

Hours:
Friday & Saturday: 7:30 pm – 12 am
Thursday & Sunday: 7:30 pm – 10 pm

For more information: frightsite.com

Nightmare on the Bayou, Houston, Texas

Located next to an actual graveyard, Nightmare on the Bayou is known to be the only Haunted house that is truly haunted. Also conveniently located next to the Partyboy costume store.

Location:
1515 Studmont St.
Houston, TX

Hours:
Thursday – Sunday, 7:30 pm

For more information:
nightmareonthebayou.com