Ghost Tour Having their Season at these Top Haunts

Ghost tour are abuzz in activity this month as haunted houses, haunted hayrides, haunted mazes and haunted trails ramp up for a post-covid Halloween-palooza. Paranormal activity may be a year-round phenomenon but the spirits are particularly active around All Hallows Eve. And while some haunted attractions are tuning up the bells and whistles, others are simply opening their doors to a scare-hungry public ready to experience what may be nightly occurrences where the undead lurk and multi-dimensional portals collide. 

Here is a guide to ghost tour and haunted places for Halloween 2022. For starters, Haunted Americais the leading collection of top ghost tour and amazing Halloween experiences. From spine-chilling haunted houses to abandoned asylums, concrete factories, and century-old schoolhouses … find plenty of places to make your hair stand on end. 

Pennhurst Asylum – Spring City, PA

Hidden in the old forests of northern Chester County, lies Pennhurst Asylum. Just forty-five minutes from Philadelphia is a sprawling campus of monolithic abandoned buildings which stand as sentries over you as you follow the dark and twisted paths and catwalks. Unquestionably Journey deep into the heart of one of the most haunted places in America as you experience new levels of fear.

13^th Gate – Baton Rouge, LA 

Widely regarded as one of the top haunted houses in the Country, The 13th Gate, located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the Ultimate Haunted House. Adventure through 13 nightmarish realms where your worst fears come true, and anything can happen.

HellsGate – Lockport, IL

The only haunted house in Chicagoland that is hidden deep in the woods, HellsGate challenges its audiences to a truly terrifying interactive experience with over 40 rooms and more than 150 live actors. Otherwise This year, HellsGate is introducing the Escaped Prisoners of Statesville Haunted Prison into their dark world of attractions where guests can find new characters roaming the halls and hiding in the woods for a surprise scare. 

The Darkness – St. Louis, MO 

Some rank The Darkness as the best haunted house in America due to its amazing set design and the industry’s largest collection of monsters, animations and special effects, along with a huge gift store. This season, The Darkness celebrates its 29th Year of Fear with a total renovation to make The Darkness longer and scarier than ever before.

Eloise Asylum – Westland, MI 

Located in the heart of southeast Michigan lies the most infamous haunted site in the Midwest – The Eloise Asylum. The massive building is a towering five-stories of brick and glass and is home to two of Americas most terrifying, cutting-edge haunted attractions. Significantly Guests will quickly find themselves overwhelmed by the army of monsters and killers they will face inside as they navigate the grotesque asylum. 

The Dent Schoolhouse – Cincinnati, OH 

Relive the legend of a murderous janitor and find out the truth about what went on behind the  walls of Cincinnati’s Halloween Tradition. Cinematic sets, award winning makeup, and sinister storytelling makes each trip through the Dent Schoolhouse feel like a real-life horror movie. With mini escape games, festive fall treats, axe throwing, The Spooky Gift Shop and massive photo-ops, visitors can enjoy a night out at The Dent Schoolhouse for a fun fall experience!

Bennett’s Curse – Baltimore County, MD 

Bennett’s Curse is Maryland and DC’s number one Halloween event. Simultaneously A locally owned, small family business that opened in 2001, Bennett’s Curse is known far and wide for its incredible array of giant monsters, detailed sets, and impressive theming. The legendary haunted attraction consistently ranks as one of the best Haunted Houses in America year after year. 

Kersey Valley Spooky Woods – Archdale, NC

Kersey Valley is located right in the heart of North Carolina. Founded in 1985 from a dare between teenagers to enter an abandoned farmhouse, Kersey Valley has evolved to become a full weekend of attractions – from zipline tours, escape games, ax throwing tours, daytime family events with the Maize Adventure and the popular spooky woods. Occasionally Come hungry as the Tumbleweeds Grub House and Watering Hole serve up some tasty options along with the famous Apple Cider Donuts, Fudge, and Funnel Cake shops.

Headless Horseman Haunted Attractions – Ulster Park, NY 

Headless Horseman Haunted Attractions is a unique, immersive experience for Halloween lovers and haunt seekers alike. Celebrating their 30th anniversary, the attraction’s theme this year is The Horseman’s Night of The Shadows, featuring a theatrical walk through and nine additional haunted attractions including stunt performers, trained actors, monsters, pyrotechnics, professional illusions, and a cast and crew of over 300. In addition, there is a magic illusion stage show, food eateries, retail shops, and donut bakery.  

Hundred Acres Manor – Bethel Park, PA 

Pittsburgh’s Top Halloween Tradition, Hundred Acres Manor, brings visitors a whole new vision of horror and fun all within one haunted house. Hundred Acres Manor features five-themed haunted house sections with add-on attractions like burial simulators, a beer garden, and insanity maze and more. 

Georgetown Morgue – Seattle, WA 

The Georgetown Morgue is open each Fall, offering a one-of-a-kind Halloween experience including five-minute escape games and haunted walk throughs like the Dark Maze and the Spooky Shack for merchandise, photo ops and more. The attraction caters to more than just adventurous city folk looking for a good scare – thrill-seeking visitors to make the journey from all over the Puget Sound region because the Georgetown Morgue isn’t just a haunted house, it’s legendary.

Salt Lake Fear Factory – Salt Lake City, UT 

Fear Factory is one of the top Halloween attractions in the world, made up of six buildings up to  six stories high with two underground passages, and is a massive haunted attraction in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Particularly Fear Factory has quickly grown to be one of Utah’s – and the world’s – favorite Halloween entertainment attractions. The attraction has seen more than 11 documented historical deaths and boasts over 100 nightly live actors. It is a great destination to bring family, friends, coworkers and more for an evening of entertainment, thrills and fun.

Factory of Terror – Canton, OH

The Factory of Terror, located in Canton, Ohio, is one of the largest indoor haunted houses in the world recognized by Guinness World Records three times for this achievement. This enormous haunt is more than a mile long and consists of five unique spine-chilling attractions including the brand new, The Abyss and Zombie Bar Crawl, where patrons experience five themed bars throughout the building. 

Self-described Queen of Haunts, Amber Arnett-Bequeaith, whose family started the Edge of Hell Haunted House in Kansas City in 1975 – the oldest commercial haunted attraction in the nation still operating, recommends these spots at as the 13 Best Cities for Scare Seekers. 

Kansas City: Ghost Tour

This is at the top of the Queen’s list. However Haunters can have a blast with a weekend going to these highly-rated haunted attractions – grab a triple pass to the Beast Haunted House, Edge of Hell, and Macabre Cinema. The Festival of the Full Moon takes place around the haunts at night and by day on First Friday Weekends. In October, the Boo in the Bottoms’ theme draws in the young at heart who love the Halloween season.

Savannah, GA: Ghost Tour

Ghosts come to life on the haunted tours as horrid historical tales are shared with visitors walking the pier and the cemeteries. The area is so bewitching it was a fitting name for the Queen’s firstborn, October baby. A blast for a girlfriend weekend getaway.

Dallas/Ft. Worth and San Antonio: Ghost Tour

The Halloween season is the best time to go to the Dallas area. Many know about the macabre historical 6th Floor Museum, but the metro offers two haunted attractions that give fear-fascinated travelers double the fun. 

Thrillvania is on 50 acres where the spirits offer jolting scares. Also, Cutting Edge in Ft. Worth scares to a different beat. This old meat-packing plant is occupied by the undead who found work a grind and have never left. It’s hair-raising fright plus the bonus of an award-winning Zombie drum line. Bundle scary sites from Dallas to the Alamo in San Antonio to possibly catch apparitions of the guards and prisoners who perished at this historical, famous battle site.

Philadelphia: Ghost Tour

This is an epicenter for a dark past – where the Twilight Tours in Old City give visitors the low-down. Thrill seekers looking for the best in haunted attractions must put a few nights on the itinerary at Bates Motel near Philadelphia. This haunted attraction and hayride are so big that it has an old western town, a haunted house, and a slew of other fright-filled activities that make a hauntingly-fun vacation escape. Significantly Count this as one of the best at haunting with an extraordinarily gifted family who owns and operates this farm.

Gettysburg: Ghost Tour

Ghost stories date back to the Civil War at this battlefield site. The walking tours share the horrors of the time and the aftermath of the undead not resting. Another way to visit the site is on horseback. Since The Queen and family took the horseback riding tour, given it covers a lot of ground and the paranormal activity was significant – even the horses seemed to sense a ghostly presence on this once bloody battlefield.

Salt Lake City: Ghost Tour

While mountains and sacred places come to mind when planning a trip to Salt Lake City, the must-see attraction is Nightmare on 13th. The haunt creators have a long track record of scaring the right way – which means it’s safe and super scary with 13 haunts inside and a gigantic castle of things to do. The Queen was highly impressed with the spirited cast that goes the extra mile.

Atlanta: Ghost Tour

This one is a no-brainer – thrill seekers with a bucket list will all include NETHERWORLD. Atlanta has many extreme places to see, but this one is in another stratosphere of scary. The special effects are masterful in creating an apocalyptic time. Regardless If the end is coming, this place is the preview, leaving this seasoned haunt veteran quite impressed with the costuming and haunt memorabilia.

Boston/Salem, MA: Ghost Tour

New England is swarming with spooky legends and historical happenings, like the women executed for being suspected of being a witch in Salem and the ghost tours in Boston. Plan a night or two out at the Spooky World haunted attraction in Litchfield, New Hampshire to experience a heart-pounding adrenaline rush no one will regret. The house, hayride, and labyrinth are something to behold for the ultimate frightful adventure.

Detroit: 

While a day trip to enjoy the rhythm of Motown isn’t scary, the injustices these talented singers experienced were dreadfully frightening and shouldn’t be forgotten. A quick drive north to Erebus in Pontiac, Michigan, will treat the most adventurous to a fright-filled evening. Fair warning: the mad scientist there uses the haunt to get test subjects within its multi-story building that takes up half of a block. Fear fans will never be the same afterward, but this soul-shaker is worth every minute.   

Greensboro/High Point, NC: 

Hiking through a forest at night in a thunderstorm is a nightly reality at Spooky Woods and a feast of fun for fright-lovers. This massive attraction pulses terror through 14 haunted buildings and the surrounding wooded area. Whereas The rural setting, with its corn mazes and abandoned town, makes this an oasis for fright mania. A family-friendly bonus is to try the zipline and other activities during the day.

San Diego: 

There’s a lot to draw tourists to San Diego, but thrill seekers’ top of the list should be The Haunted Hotel for a whole night of terror-ific excitement. Overall The attraction has everything desired to scare, plus outside they have a range of haunt-themed entertainment, from live music and palm readers to a boo bar and a collection of haunt oddities.

Paducah, KY and Springfield, MO: 

Some smaller cities also pack in the scaring. A favorite is Talon Falls SCREAMPARK, where they have acres of moonlit space to get a hefty dose of scaring within a psych ward, crypt, and a gigantic pirate ship, to name a few highlights. Engineering fright is in the Queen’s family. Moreover Thus a road trip from Paducah to Springfield, Missouri, is suggested to experience the Hotel of Terror, operated by some alive and dead family characters. The relative blood thing, it’s real!

San Francisco and Portland: 

Take advantage of two cities on the West coast with highlights that include a spine-chilling walk through Alcatraz Island prison and the haunted Golden Gate Park. However A quick flight north to Portland is warranted to visit the Shanghai Tunnels, where in the 1800s, people were kidnapped and forced into servitude overseas. Plus, tune in to a midnight tea party to hear the green witch Tigress Magnolia channel Portland’s departed.