The Halloween season is known for its scares, play a trick on or treating, ghost stories and, of course, the billion dollar industry spawned from this American cultural vacation: haunted houses.

Luckily for me, 20 years ago, theater degree in hand, I was able to start my own haunted house production company, and I accept been creating screams and laughs e'er since. I accept been producing haunted houses in the Chicagoland area and consulting for other attractions around the country. I am fortunate to work with my incredible team at Zombie Army Productions as we produce 2 of the top attractions in the nation, and so ranked by the powers that exist — HellsGate Haunted Firm and Statesville Haunted Prison . But when not working the halls in our houses, I love to travel the country and see the other incredible shows out in that location. It is almost incommunicable for me to rank these attractions. Each is incredible plenty to claim No. 1, but I encourage you to go out there and feel the all-time scares and dark entertainment this country has to offer for yourselves.

13th Gate Baton Rouge, Louisiana

An absolute masterpiece in breathtaking design and worldbuilding. The designs take you lot into worlds that seem too big, too real, to mayhap be in a haunted house. From live snake pits in their caves to a submarine docked in the deep underground waters, I travel their halls less like a customer, more a terrified explorer of a new world. Every fourth dimension I meet this prove I am left in a true land of awe!

Favorite Office: Consummate immersion into a new world…

13thgate.com

House of Torment Austin, Texas

Artistic and terrifying, Torment is a continual thrill throughout. The set design is fantastic, the scare design is on point, and the actors are some of the best in the unabridged Southwest.

Favorite Part: The incredible front of house performers!

houseoftorment.com

Dark Hour Plano, Texas

Open all yr long, the creative powerhouse behind this show is constantly reinventing the production. With a show for every flavour, this attraction keeps giving yous several reasons to come dorsum.

Favorite Part: No i does werewolves better!

darkhourhauntedhouse.com

Headless Horseman Ulster Park, New York

Truly the greatest hayride and haunted business firm combination in the country. For decades, this squad has been a leader in hayride production. Blending magic acts with shock acts and tying it all together on a lovely property that celebrates all things autumn and Halloween.

Favorite Office: The bodily live horse and headless player galloping the property.

headlesshorseman.com

Erebus Pontiac, Michigan

This beast of a haunted house is a multilevel building packed with some of the most creative animatronics and room designs. The designers are constantly building elements of this incredible allure from scrap. I know that every fourth dimension I visit, I will see dozens of things that I have never seen earlier.

Favorite Part: Being buried live!

hauntedpontiac.com

The Darkness St. Louis, Missouri

This multilevel attraction is packed to the gills with every prop and animatronic always made! The Darkness will overwhelm you lot with all of its detail and dedication to incredible scenic pattern. Truly a great time!

Favorite Part: Their indoor line queue is similar walking into another world. You certainly never experience similar you are waiting.

thedarkness.com

Netherworld Rock Mountain, Georgia

The show that has it all. From its wildly creative breathtaking design to its incredible acting staff, Netherworld is in a league of its ain. The creative geniuses of this attraction are constantly innovating and advancing what it means to be a haunted house. Whether building giant original animatronics, creating an immersive earth of pure imagination, or fielding 1 of the best haunt actor teams in the state, I tin ever count on beingness thrilled and inspired past this monster of an allure.

Favorite Part: It is a necktie between their flying actors and their original iconic monster creations. I Beloved this place!

fearworld.com

Dent Schoolhouse Cincinnati, Ohio

haunted attractions

He seems…overnice

Not all haunted houses follow a theme/concept, but if they ever wanted to acquire how to do information technology well, Dent School can teach us all what a perfectly executed theme looks like. Developed inside an actual 100-year-old schoolhouse, Dent follows to perfection its story and theming of the murderous janitor in a school that fallen into darkness. Their ability to create a world that is familiar and then turn it against their guests leads to abiding scares and thrills.

Favorite Office: Walking down the dark stairs into the school basement! When the theming is so consistent, we all know the janitor is hiding downward there.

frightsite.com

Haunted Overload Lee, New Hampshire

haunted attractions

There is no other outdoor event in the country that tin can hold a candle to the artistry and dark worldbuilding that the folks at Overload take created. I was in a state of awe for my unabridged walk through this haunted, nevertheless magically beautiful trail. Towering structures, haunted trees, weirdos in the woods, and an artistry that is truly unique to the talented builders of this attraction.

Favorite Part: The giant haunted trees nosotros all get to walk through.

http://www.hauntedoverload.com/

Haunted Hoochie Pataskala, Ohio

If you are looking for something a bit more extreme and ambitious, Hoochie has yous covered. This ultra aggressive attraction is built to stupor y'all, offend you, insult you, and toss you around through its oppressive show. It may not be for everyone, but I had a smash every time I went, fifty-fifty when I was being dragged effectually by a 300-pound clown. The actors are living on the line as they make you abdomen laugh, gasp for air, or shock you into disbelief.

Favorite Function: It is so over the line that it doesn't even feel legal.

deadacres.com