These Bone-Chilling Halloween Attractions Take Haunted Houses to the Next Level
From ghostly zoos and fields of fear to the scariest damn riverboat you’ve ever seen.
Ghosts have no geographical limits. They can inhabit decrepit, Victorian mansions, yes, but they can also find their way into zoos, ships, hotels, steam engines, forts, and even shopping malls. Spine-tingling attractions come in all forms across the country—and in many cases, the jump scares take place in historic spaces (allegedly) filled with real ghosts for an added layer of terror. So this Halloween, think outside the stuffy basement and seek your paranormal pleasure elsewhere. Ready to face your fears? These are the best and most nightmare-inducing haunted haunted house alternatives in America.
Long Beach, California
How Shaquille O’Neal got involved in this notoriously haunted floating hotel’s annual Halloween event, we may never know. But regardless, it’s not to be missed. Here for its second year, the fright-filled festival boasts pirate-themed haunted trails, live entertainment from acts like DJ Reaper and Skeleton Sam, a Slam Dunk Bar, and classic carnival rides. And it all takes place on and around The Queen Mary’s sprawling deck, a historic decommissioned ship originally designed as a luxury cruiseliner and later nicknamed “Grey Ghost” after transporting troops during World War II. –Jessica Sulima
Ely, Nevada
The Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely is a historic passenger railroad offering train rides on century-old steam engines that served the region’s copper mining operations. On the last two Friday and Saturday nights in October, they offer the “Haunted Ghost Train of Old Ely,” where passengers will catch glimpses of headless horsemen, hitchhiking ghosts, haunted tunnels, creepy campfires, UFOs, and more. Costumes are strongly encouraged, but dress warm—this part of the state gets pretty cold at this time of the year. –Nicole Rupersburg
Estes, Colorado
The Stanley hotel is so creepy that it inspired Stephen King to write The Shining. The author claims to have experienced a night of terrifying dreams while staying in Room 217. Against a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, the regal estate has seen its share of odd moments, beginning with a gas explosion in 1911. Some employees believe founder Freelan Oscar Stanley haunts the grounds along with wife Flora, who can occasionally be heard tinkering on the hotel piano. Whether or not you dare to stay in Room 217, you can still attend the hotel’s official Spirited Night Tours to learn more about its history and hauntings. And come Halloween, the hotel goes all out with a slate of creepy events and performances playing off the building’s daunting history. –Rob Kachelriess and Meredith Heil
Newport, Kentucky
All aboard the USS Nightmare (f.k.a. the William S. Mitchell), a real-deal historic steam-powered dredge boat that claimed the lives of over 100 crewmembers in just 45 years of active service. Comb your way through two decks worth of horror, walking in the footsteps of the eponymous captain, a maniacal leader who was known for collecting bones that emerged from the water. This is not one for scaredy cats—apparently, not everyone makes it to the end of the journey. But if you happen to be an adamant thrill-chaser, make sure to sign up for the RIP Experience, otherwise known as the Mitchell Massacre, for a more immersive and extended tour of the ship. –Jessica Sulima
Seattle, Washington
What could be more terrifying than an actual morgue-turned-haunted attraction? Literally nothing. That’s why this Seattle favorite has been drawing scare-seeking crowds for decades. Originally opened in 1928 as the Kolling Mortuary Services of Seattle, the building’s history runs as cold as its current-day chills. It’s the alleged site of the 1968 Seattle Crematorium Massacre, a rumored tale that involved the entire staff being forced into the crematorium chamber, never to be seen again. Thankfully, today’s events—including staged medical procedures, jump scares, and hideously costumed actors—are just make-believe… or are they? –Meredith Heil
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincy believes in a good scare, so October is full of haunted houses that will frighten you to your core. For the hardcore, there’s the Dent Schoolhouse, a real former Cincinnati public school that, according to local lore, was the site of grisly murders. Now, it serves as one of the best haunted houses in the area. –Stephen Rubino
Columbia, Tennessee
If you’ve learned nothing else in this roundup of Halloween-themed attractions, it should be that THE WOODS ARE FREAKING HAUNTED around here. It’ll take you most of an hour to wend your way through the paths that crisscross along an old mining trail inhabited by all sorts of creepy denizens. Stay with your group lest you lose your way in the freaky forest. If you’d rather ride than walk, take the haunted hayride where you can shoot paintballs at hordes of staggering zombies. Don’t forget to spring for some extra ammo so you don’t run out before the herd is defeated! –Chris Chamberlain
Mandan, North Dakota
This time of year, the old fort named after Honest Abe is teeming with teenagers in costumes, as it’s home to a zombie-filled haunted attraction. Particularly haunted is the Custer House, once home of the same general who was slain at Little Bighorn. The general’s wife is said to roam their preserved home in the fort complex in a black dress, slamming doors and showing up to give people chills. Some believe Custer himself roams the grounds too, though others think that the ghosts in blue are other soldiers who never got mortally discharged from duty. –Andy Kryza
Bloomington, Minnesota
The latest attraction at Mall of America proves the shopping mall isn’t dead—or is it? Onionhead refers to the name of an old Louisiana legend, telling the tale of a man who was falsely accused of murder and subsequently hacked into 13 pieces by a vigilante mob. His mother put a hex on those who took her son, and a stitched-up Onionhead soon returned to take his revenge. See the monster for yourself at this immersive experience, which will challenge you to walk through teeth-chattering bayous and ghostly graveyards. This isn’t your average trip to the mall. –Jessica Sulima
Philadelphia, PA
Perhaps the best-known (and with good reason) haunted attraction in the city, Halloween Nights takes place within the walls of the world’s first penitentiary. Make your way through the cell blocks to the five attractions which include interactive 3D displays, an evil machine shop, several creepy cocktail lounges (the Speakeasy at Al Capone's Cell has our vote), a flashlight tour of the prison’s hospital, and a much less theatrical in-depth exhibit examining criminal justice and mass incarceration. –Allie Volpe and Meredith Heil
Louisville, Kentucky
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium was built as a hospital in 1910 to handle a surging number of Louisville patients with the "white plague," or tuberculosis. A striking example of early 20th-century gothic architecture, it was converted into a mental health facility in the '60s, where patients with dementia and other severe mental disabilities suffered from overcrowding and neglect. It closed in 1982, and is often described as one of the most haunted buildings in the world. The Waverly Hills Historical Society offers tours by reservation and has hosted events on the property for Halloween and other holidays. –Rob Kachelriess and Andy Kryza
Rising Sun, Maryland
In 1734, Jeremiah Brown installed a grist mill in the woods behind what is now Plumpton Park Zoo. Years later, paranormal investigators allegedly spotted the presence of Brown and his daughter Izzy lurking in a dungeon beneath the mill’s basement. And on Friday and Saturday nights in October, you can follow that same path through the woods, or enter a maze filled with zombies that have taken over the zoo. And the resulting goosebumps will be well worth it—all proceeds from ticket sales benefit the resident animals. –Jessica Sulima
Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
What’s scarier than a broken down old motel in the middle of nowhere? A haunted broken down old motel in the middle of nowhere. The Bates Motel is surely no one’s home, as the attraction’s ax-wielding actors, unsettling animatronics, and high-tech special effects can attest. Throw in Revenge of the Scarecrows Haunted Trail, a 25-minute hayride through surrounding Arasapha Farm that tours fright-lovers through spine-tingling scenes like a 200-foot-long cave, eerie old church, and a Wild West town sure to scare the spurs off even the toughest cowboy. –Meredith Heil