The SCARIEST Haunted Houses in AMERICA — 2019’s Top 13 Haunts

It’s that time of year again, and we couldn’t be more ready! Halloween is coming! This season not only commands your attention, but demands your screams! We’ve put our heads together over here at Scary Overload to again bring you the TOP, the BEST, and the SCARIEST haunted attractions for 2019!

Editor’s Note: We’ve put them in no particular order, as these haunts are all worthy of a number one spot. Enjoy!

Midnight Terror Haunted House — Oak Lawn, Illinois

Midnight Terror described in one word? INSANE. This haunt is well-built, and definitely designed with terror in mind. At times the actors are above you, climbing along contraptions built to challenge your senses and cause you to duck and move around them, screaming all the while! The actors are well-trained and know exactly when to strike! The lighting and sets were aesthetically pleasing…but don’t stare at the structures too long…that’s what the monsters want you to do. Midnight Terror also offers escape rooms and axe throwing on-site! This is definitely a worthy spot for an evening of thrills and chills.

Pennhurst Asylum — Spring City, Pennsylvania

Have you ever been to an actual asylum? Well…there are many that claim this place is *actually* haunted. This Halloween season, we DARE you to go to a haunted haunted house, and Pennhurst Asylum is one of the BEST! You might want to bring some burning sage with you, you know, better safe than sorry. There are several attractions on-site, and even an area where they serve food and have live entertainment going. This haunted attraction also offers ghost hunts after hours for anyone brave enough to endure. We’ve been considering a Scary Overload paranormal exposé…stay tuned!

Dark Hour Haunted House — Plano, Texas

This haunted attraction definitely supports the claim that Texas haunted houses are the best in the country. These actors are professionally trained, and the make-up and costuming is on-point, you might just feel like you’ve stepped into a horror movie! This haunted attraction was also one of the most beautifully lit shows we had ever seen! They even thrill you with scents…we apologize in advance for the animal room…eek. If you are looking for an experience that is theatrical, thrilling, and impressive, Dark Hour Haunted House is the place for you. With the haunt’s backstory revolving around a coven of witches, you never quite know what magic they’ll have cooking. Dark Hour is also open throughout the year, we are definitely coming back out for their Christmas event this December!

Screamworld — Houston, Texas

Everything is bigger in Texas and Screamworld definitely did not disappoint! This scream park contains 5 haunted attractions! Entrance to all of those is included in admission. After an evening at Screamworld, you will have experienced all the best that haunted attractions have to offer: zombies, killer clowns, crazed voodoo swamp people…this place had it all! The Edge of Darkness is a MUST-SEE! I’m a sucker for morgues. Spoiler Alert: I’m afraid what has died surely didn’t stay dead! All in all, Screamworld delivers a hauntingly frightful evening of terror. And if you enter their contest online, you might just win a haunted limo ride for you and a group of friends! Now *that* is how to Halloween.

Brighton Asylum — Passaic, New Jersey

Brighton Asylum is not for the faint of heart. The patients and tortured souls found within these walls are only one thing…crazy. You never know what to expect! Brighton has more than one attraction on-site. The Bleeding Grounds was intense! It’s upstairs and said to be “staff quarters”. I can definitely say whatever was going on up there was in your face! The Slasher Thursday events come highly recommended as they are the only time you will get the opportunity to get scared by your horror legend favorites such as Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees! Brighton constantly innovates and brings new events to terrorize, check them out throughout the year as they do have multiple off-season shows!

Seven Floors of Hell – Cleveland, Ohio

If you were to ask us what’s scarier than a haunted house we’d probably answer “two haunted houses”. At the world famous 7 Floors of Hell in Cleveland, Ohio you not only get one haunted house…not two or three haunted houses….but SEVEN haunted houses at ONE location. Yes! Seven haunts, one event, one ticket. This is a horror lovers’ dream come true! With a slew of frightening characters roaming the “monster midway” and plenty of food, drink, and shopping, Seven Floors of Hell in Ohio presents an entire evening of frights and literal chills! This is a scream park not taken lightly. People often say “Cleveland Rocks”…but with 7 Floors of Hell in town, “Cleveland Screams”.

Fear Factory — Salt Lake City, Utah

Fear Factory is housed in an once-active cement factory. There were multiple deaths inside when the cement factory was running, so you had better believe this place is *actually* haunted! Guests can even take a Grimm Ghost tour if they choose to take the paranormal route! As for haunted attractions, Fear Factory SLC offers a traditional haunt the ‘Fear Factory’ with a ‘Touch of Fear’ upgrade. With the Touch of Fear you wear a glow necklace and this supercharges your haunt experience! While wearing the necklace the actors can actually touch you or grab you! If it becomes too much, they say you can take it off at any time. Fear Factory SLC also offers several experiences you won’t find anywhere else: Last Ride Zip Line & The Fear Fall. Last Ride Zip Line releases you at over 6 miles high! And the Fear Fall makes it hard for you to jump, but once you do, you’ll feel like you actually jumped off of a building! Fear Factory does one thing well: They use reality and very normally scary things to challenge you and help you face your fears. The ambiance was awesome, but from that high up…are you really looking at the lighting?

Pirates of Emerson — Pleasanton, California

Tharr she blows! Pirates of Emerson in California is sure to blow your mind! One ticket to this scream park yields 5 haunted attractions, mazes, live music, fortune telling, a sideshow, and nightly stage entertainment which includes the enchanting ‘Serpent Sirens’! Tatseena’s Serpent Sirens are a theatrical belly-dancing troupe that perform with swords, snakes, and more! These mesmerizing ladies perform every night, so you can’t miss them! With 6 acres of thrills located on the Pleasanton Fairgrounds, you will feel like you’ve shipwrecked on an island of terror! So grab yer shipmates, and get ready for an evening of horrors unchained at Pirates of Emerson this Fall!

House of Horrors & Haunted Catacombs — Cheektowaga, New York

This haunted attraction is definitely next level. The creature design and makeups were outstanding! The actors really knew how to use the space they had and had us on edge most of the way through! There are several haunted attractions on-site including Hell House, Killer Theater, Mark of the Beast, and The Infected. What we found really interesting is their take on an infection haunt! They went more alien virus and government experiments gone wrong with this haunt vs the traditional and overused zombie methods. While we love zombies, it was insanely refreshing to see something new! Be prepared for mutated monsters and gore! House of Horrors and Haunted Catacombs even has a burial simulated experience and 4 escape rooms to offer. This is definitely a Halloween destination if we ever saw one! Don’t miss what they have to offer this year, but you’ll only want to take the bravest of friends.

Devil’s Dungeon & Haunted Hell — Nashville, Tennessee

With some of the best scare-acting in Nashville, you will NOT want to miss Devil’s Dungeon and Haunted Hell! These two attractions are part of Slashville Haunts, which never disappoints! Slashville definitely knows how to bring the heat and get our hearts pumping fast! Both of these attractions may be run by the same folks, but they are entirely different experiences! If you are looking for a real haunted scare of a treat this season…Haunted Hell and Devil’s Dungeon BOTH will surely give you the thrill you seek and MORE!

Necropolis — Indianapolis, Indiana

The story behind Necropolis is most impressive. It is called the “city of perpetual darkness”. The undisturbed, below-ground city was discovered in 1983 by the ‘mortal world’ and has been haunting residents of Indianapolis ever since. We can assure you, the darkness they speak of does not just mean the absence of light. On-site Necropolis offers FIVE haunted attractions: The House, The Cemetery, The Factory, The Hotel and Maintenance Man’s Revenge. This is definitely a one-stop shop when it comes to fear! Their adherence to the story really helps sell the experience. The actors are top-notch! You’ll leave Necropolis feeling like you escaped a very dark and sinister world that lurks just below the surface. We would pay top-dollar to do this one all over again!

Forest of Screams – Medina, Ohio

What do you think of when you think of traditional, old school haunts? HAUNTED HAYRIDES! This is an experience you cannot imitate in any other venue! So for our second Ohio haunt on the list, this time in Medina, just 45 minutes South of Cleveland, you’ll find Forest of Screams. This haunting attraction is home of the SCARIEST haunted hayride and trail we’ve ever encountered. Don’t let the family nature of a “hayride” fool you, this is one wagon that will summon your darkest fears and then torment you with them!

The Fear Farm – Blacksburg, South Carolina

When we pulled up to The Fear Farm, let’s just say this…if there was any question on where to go? All we had to do was to follow the bloodcurdling screams and it led us right to the ticket booth! Home to five separate haunted houses at one event, The Fear Farm delivered an eventful night of screams, laughs…and yes…intense moments of FEAR! Can you say…AHHH!! Because you will…over and over! We love a good scream in October and it seemed that people from all over the Carolinas eagerly agreed. Do not miss this amazing, multi-attraction event!

We hope you enjoyed our picks for this year’s TOP 13 Haunts! Whatever you choose to do this year, your Halloween season is most certainly what you make of it! Grab your guys and ghouls and visit a new haunted attraction every weekend, if you dare! New shows are popping up every year, and if you find one worthy of praise, send us a message! Share your story! We are always looking for new shows to check out! Halloween is upon us, and the reason for the season is…FEAR. Now, go forth, and get SCARED.