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There are all kinds of lists out at this time of year, such as best scary movies, best costumes, and of course, best haunted houses.
Last year I confessed about my problem with Halloween haunted houses. Basically, they freak me out. Literally. I go into major meltdown mode trying to get through them.
In fact, I think I’ve only made it all the way through four. I’ve had to bail out before the end every other time.
It’s quite embarassing really. You can throw the scariest of scary movies or books at me and I’ll gobble them up. Traveling to a real haunted place? I thrive on it! The creepier the better. Bring it on!
But put me in a room full of people dressed up? I lose my ever lovin’ flipping mind! (It has something to do with the masks. I’ll write about that at some other time, though.)
At any rate, even though I may be too afraid to make it all the way through, I love to know about haunted houses. Especially the ones people talk about most.
But you know what I wonder? How many of the same haunted houses appear on the same “best of” lists. I decided to find out.
Under each of the three categories below are the “best of” haunted house lists I’ve seen so far this year. Following that is a list I put together of all the haunted houses that were noted on each of the “best of” lists. That should answer my question as to what the best haunted house attractions are.
10 BEST HAUNTED HOUSES LISTS
10 Best Haunted House Attractions from Bestcollegesonline.com
Top Ten Haunted Houses in the USA from America’s Best & Top 10
13 BEST HAUNTED HOUSES LISTS
13 Haunted Houses That Will Make You Wet Your Pants from Inventor Spot
HauntWorld Top 13 Haunted Houses for 2010
20 BEST HAUNTED HOUSES LISTS
Fangoria’s Top 20 Hometown Haunts
THE 3 HAUNTED HOUSES THAT WERE ON ALL OF THE ABOVE “BEST OF” LISTS
- The Darkness – St. Louis, MO
- Netherworld – Norcross, GA (This was consistently ranked either #1 or #2 on all the lists.)
- Headless Horseman – Ulster Park, NY
THE HAUNTED HOUSES THAT WERE ON FOUR OUT OF FIVE OF THE ABOVE “BEST OF” LISTS
- The 13th Gate – Baton Rouge, LA
- The Bates Motel – Glen Mills, PA
- Cutting Edge – Fort Worth, TX
- Dent School House – Cincinnati, OH
SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO NOTE
The scariest haunted attraction I ever attempted to make it through was Halloween Horror Nights, which appeared on few if any of the “best of” lists I came across. The effects, costumes, and sets there were amazing.
The haunted houses on the above lists must offer some pretty intensely terrifying experiences. That’s all I have to say.
(That and don’t go to Halloween Horror Nights and be the very first through the gates if you don’t want to get tormented. I don’t think I’d have been nearly as afraid if we’d waited a half an hour. We wouldn’t have been the only people walking through the scare zones that way!)
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Great list of the lists. 🙂 Actually I mean that, it was a great idea to put them all together. Having seen several of them…13th Gate is one of my all time favorites. But House of Shock (not listed) would be what I would do if I had to do a haunted house today 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers!
Oh, you’re so lucky to be brave enough to go through one! House of Shock made Fangoria’s list. It must be pretty good to get the Frog Queen’s vote of confidence like that. THX for the comment. (And the compliment!)
THE DARKNESS HAUNTED HOUSE IN ST.LOUIS,MO. IS #1HAUNTED HOUSE IN ST.LOUIS,MO. IT IS LISTED 10 BEST IN THE WORLD.THE DARKNESS IS REALY SCAREY.THE ACTORS ARE REALY SPOOKY.THE SETS AND PROPS ARE ALSOME.
EUREKA BUTCHER HAUNTED HOUSE IN EUREKA,MO. IS #1 HAUNTED HOUSE. EUREKA BUTCHER IS REALY SPOOKY. THE ACTORS ARE SCAREY. THE SETS ANDPROPS ARE REALY GOOD. YOU SHOULD COME SEE IT. WHEN YOU EVER COME BACK TO ST.LOUIS,MO. GO TO. http://WWW.THEHAUNTEDVALLEY.COM
THX so much for leaving your comments, tjmcmen! I do believe St. Louis’s haunted attractions are calling. The PR person for Scarefest.com sent me an invite to preview the Lemp Haunted Brewery back in August. Then my friend who lives there said she’s taking her daughter and invited me. If I wasn’t so scared I would. Especially after hearing your rave reviews!!
Having been to several of these, I have no doubt why Netherworld here in my hometown of Atlanta is consistently ranked so highly. It’s creative, immersive, and truly gets better each year. (And no, I don’t work for them…I just love the work they do.) This year’s makes great use of smells, textures (even beneath your feet), optical illusions, incredible animatronics, and dedicated actors. If you love haunted attractions and get the chance, it’s well worth the time and cash. Darkness in St. Louis is also a favorite, but Netherworld does have it beat imho. Has anyone been to the Freakling Bros. houses in Vegas? I’ve heard great things but missed the chance to go when I was there last week.
Oh wow, Kimberly! That’s nuts. Netherworld sounds amazing. Like I said above, it did rank #1 or #2 on all the lists, and after reading your take on it I see why. I’ve also seen that Las Vegas one on a couple of the lists and being talked about, but I haven’t gone. Sorry you missed it. Neat you have been to some around the country like that! Thanks so much for stopping by to share your expertise!
HOPE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SEE CREEPYWORLD. WHEN YOU COME DOWN TO SEE YOUR FRIEND. CREEPYWORLD IS THE BEST HAUNTED HOUSE. THE PROPS AND SETS ARE AL SOME. THEY HAD A WALK THRUE DRIVE IN THEATER . CALLED 666DRIVE IN THEATER. ICE SCRAME HAUNTED HOUSE. IN 3D. AND A BIKERS BAR &GRILE.AND THE FAMOUS SILOX.
That sounds amazing, tjmcmen! That drive in sounds cool. Different. Hadn’t heard of anything like that before. Neat! Thanks so much for sharing.
NEXTYEAR CREEPYWORLD WILL BE MUCH BIGR . FOR 2011. HOPE YOU CAN COME DOWN TO ST.LOUIS,MO. TO SEE CREEPYWORLD NEXT YEAR.WITH YOUR FRIEND AND HER DAU GHTER.
GO TO http://WWW.SCAREFEST.COM FOR PITCHHERS OF CREEPYWORLD. AND VIDOES.
IGUST YOUR WEBSITE IS CLOSED NOW. UNTILE HALLOWEEN 211.
IWENTBACK TO LEMP BREWERY HAUNTEDHOUSE. TO BUY A LEMP BREWERY HAUNTED HOUSE TEE SHIRT.THIS IS THER FIRST YEAR.]WITH SCAREFEST.COM.
THE DARKNESS AND LEMP BREWERY HAUNTED HOUSES LAST DAY IS THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY . OPNES AT 8PM TO 12AM.IT ENDS THE 2010 HALLOWEEN SEASON.
Hey, tjmcmen, I’m not closed! I stay open all year round! (I won’t be writing about as much Halloween things tho until next year, but I do ghosts/paranormal 365 days a year…except for the days I don’t write, that is. 😉
THANKS for all your fun comments about the St. Louse Scarefest.com haunts. I’ve really enjoyed them!
HOPE YOU COME DOWN TO SEE THE ALL NEW CREEPYWORLD.NEXT YEAR.SCAREFEST IS GOING TO TAKE DOWN TOMBE STONE HAUNTED HAYRIDE. FOR ANEW WORLD CLASS HAUNED ATTRACTION. FOR 2011. ITHINK CREEPYWORLD IS OPENING FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 13TH 2011. NED TO LOOK BACK IN SEPTEMBER. AT WWW. SCAREFEST.COM
I’ll be sure to check it out!
I HAD A YARD HAUNT AT MY HOUSE . IN THE FRONTYARD. IBOUGHT A FOG MANCE. AND A BATTERY OPERATED MINI STROBELIGHT.AND A WITCH POT FOR THE CANDY.ON HALLOWEEN . I PUT UP A CANAPY IN MY YARD. ISAT UNDER IT. I PUT THE STROBELIGHT IN SIDE THE CANAPY. IBUGHT A TOMBSTONES FOR MY FRONT YARD. IPUT A YELLOW LIGHT IN FRONT OF MY TOMBSTONES. MY YARD HAUNT WAS CALLEDHAUNTED GRAVE YARD. KIDS WHO CAME TO MY HOUSE FOR CANDY LIKE MY COSTUME IHAD ON.THE ADTULS AND THE KIDS LIKED MY YARDHUANT.IHAD A MOM WHO TOOK A PITCHER OF ME DRSS UP. THE MOMSAID SHE LIKE THE COSTUME I HAD ON. THE KIDS WER SCAERD OF ME WITH THE MASK ON.
THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE GHOSTBUSTRS 3 SOON!!!!! ICANT WATE TO SEE IT.ISAW GHOSTBUSTRS 1AND 2. IT WAS GOOD MOVIES.
THIS HAUNTED HOUSE WEBSET IS NOW CLOSED . RE OPEN HALLOWEEN 2011.now posting paranormal investigations only.
I saw that they’re doing another Ghostbusters. And with Ackroyd even! Looking forward to it too!
THER WILL BE NO HAUNTED HOUSES NEXT YEAR.THE PEPOLE WILL CLOSE DOWN THE HAUNTED HOUSES IN 2011. THEY SAY ITS THE OCCLT THING .
They always complain about that. They want Halloween and trick or treating stopped too, but it’s not gonna happen.
the pepole going to stop gost hunting and paranormal research al so?
THEY CANNOT DO THAT. TAKE AWAY GHOSTHUNTING AND PARANORMAL RESEARCH.TJMCMEN THANKYOU FOR LETING US KNOW ABOUT THAT.
Thanks for the share. Honestly you can’t go wrong with any of the Haunted Houses in the PA area. I have been going to haunted houses in that area for years and have never been to a bad one.