OHIO — Ghouls, skeletons, zombies, oh my! Haunted house season is back and Ohio is ready to give thrill seekers a fright.
According to thescarefactor.com, there are more than 125 haunted houses in the Buckeye State last year, which was the second-most in the nation behind California.
From haunted hayrides to a giant prison or a trail full of crazy clowns, there's plenty to choose from this Halloween season.
Spectrum News 1 compiled a list of popular haunted houses across the state, however, this list doesn't encompass all the haunted houses available. To check what's in your area, click here.
Brimstone Haunt is offering seven experiences for guests this year, which is one more than last year. Once again, each attraction is rated from one to five skulls depending on its intensity.
The scariest attraction, Psychosis, is ranked a whopping five out of five skulls. Brimstone Haunt said guests will experience "disturbing scenes of horror."
The second is the Bog, a new experience for 2024. It's ranked four out of five skulls. It's about a legend brough back to life in the town of Brimstone. "Beware the vile tendrils of black vines, slithering and seeking, as they spread their darkness," the haunt wrote on its website.
The third is Zombie Assault, ranked three out of five skulls. Guests must be wary, as a disease is spreading all over the globe in this attraction.
The fourth is Haunted Hayride, ranked two out of five skulls. Visitors will take a ride in the fields where "full of long-lost memories, stories and curses."
The last three are all ranked one out of five skulls. There's Dead Shot Paintball, which allows guests to take their aim at zombies. There's also Cranium Crusher, in which guests have to use hammers to crush brains back into the zombies before time runs out. Then, there's a new one this year: axe throwing, where visitors can see just how well and precisely they can throw an axe.
For a single ticket to one of three experiences — Haunted Hayride, The Bog or Psychosis: $22.99 (online)
Unlimited attractions for Haunted Hayride, The Bog and Psychosis: $36.99 (online)
Fast pass for unlimited attractions: $49.99 (online)
Ultimate experience pass for all seven attractions: $11
Fast pass for ultimate experience: $64.99
Location: 525 Brimstone Rd. Wilmington, Ohio
Days of operation: It will open starting Sept. 13 through Nov. 2, and will be open every Friday and Saturday.
Land of Illusion is offering eight different attractions for guests to fulfill their adrenaline rush — two more than last year. The attractions include Phobia, Temple of Terror, Killer Klowns, Dr. Psycho's Haunted Estate and Middletown Haunted Trail. The four new ones are the Ghostly Gift Shop, Toxic Hillbillies and Voodoo Lounge and Creepy Cafe.
General admission: $48.42
General admission plus the fast pass: $66.57
Pass for one attraction: $21.21
Days of operation: Friday and Saturday nights starting Sept. 6.
Location: 8762 Thomas Rd., Middletown, Ohio
This attraction has been around since 1990 and has added more attractions ever since. This year, it's taking visitors through a new attraction, Mt. Healthy General Hospital. Guests can observe the surgeon, visit patients in the psych ward and will have to avoid the plague, according to organizers.
Tickets: $12 per guest, but a $2 discount is applied if a canned good is donated. Fast passes are available for $18. Cash only.
Days of operation: Opens Sept. 27 and runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 26.
Location: 7700 Steward Ave., Mt. Healthy, Ohio
The Dent Schoolhouse has garnered attention far and wide for its legend is known for its local legend. It was also named one of the most haunted attractions in the nation by the Travel Channel.
According to the Dent Schoolhouse website, the legend goes that the school house closed after several children went missing between 1942 and 1955. The legend then goes on to say that children were found dead in the basement, caused by the janitor. There are no records to back this up, but the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the school closed in 1949, and the students were moved to another school.
Tickets: There are several different ticket options for each attraction and show it offers. Click here for more information and availability.
Days of operation: Opens Sept. 13 and runs on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October. It'll also be open Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Location: 5963 Harrison Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio
The Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio was in operation from 1896 to 1990. It was then ordered to close down stemming from prisoners’ class action lawsuit, stating the prison was overcrowded and inmates were housed in inhumane conditions. The prison has witnessed hundreds of deaths, and a riot that involved the death of two prison guards.
However, even though its closed, it's still full of life — both the living and reportedly the dead. It's been a backdrop for Hollywood, becoming a set for the infamous "Shawshank Redemption." It's also still open to the public for tours, as well as a haunted house in the Halloween season.
Tickets: General Admission is $31.50 and the Ultra Lightning Pass is $55. Both have a $5 fee.
Days of operation: Sept. 27 through Nov. 2 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights
Location: 100 Reformatory Rd., Mansfield, Ohio
This immersive attraction will feature two haunted houses this year — the Bayou and the Entity. One is about an ancient voodoo priestess that plagued a swamp full of cursed creatures lurking in the dark, looking to steal souls, according to the haunted house's website. The other is based an abandoned hospital that's filled with carnage and darkness. Visitors will experience the dark entity that spreads throughout the hospital, as well as the creatures that occupy it.
Tickets: $19.99 for general admission. Fast passes are $35. They're also offering Immediate Access Admission, which costs $65.
Days of operation: Fridays and Saturdays starting Sept. 27. It'll also be open Friday, Oct. 27 and Tuesday, Oct 31.
Location: 3770 Refugee Rd., Columbus, Ohio
For more than two decades, Dead Acres has become a fear-favorite of Columbus. The history of the place goes back 50 years to when it once offered hayrides.
"A mixture of actors, animatronics and state-of-the-art robotics burst at you at every turn as you make your way through old log cabins, musty caverns, underground cellars, rooms on fire, across bridges over swamps filled with live monster fish," Dead Acres wrote on its website.
Tickets: $36.75 for general admission, $61.75 for a speed pass.
Days of operation: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays starting Sept. 19.
Location: 13861 Broad St., Pataskala, Ohio
Previously called the 13th Floor Columbus, it offers multiple attractions for guests to experience. This year, there are three attraction themes for guests to explore. There's the new "Oddballs: Feast of Freaks" which has two ringmaster clowns with a dark agenda, and a twisting, dark maze. The second is "Dearly Departed," which features a heartbroken funeral director who tragically lost his beloved, and will stop at nothing to get them back. Then, there's the "Fright Fest at Fearwood High." It started as a simple Halloween festival organized by students, but quickly took a horrifying turn with a nightmare coming to life.
Tickets: There are no door sales this year. Tickets can only be purchased online.
General Admission Presale: $19.99
Fast Pass Presale: $29.99
Immediate Access Presale: $39.99.
Ticket prices are subject to change.
Days of operation: Open starting Sept. 13 on every Friday and Saturday night until Nov. 4. There will also be additional days, including Oct. 10, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31.
Location: 2605 Northland Plaza Dr., Columbus, Ohio
The Dayton Scream Park is on its 22nd year of spreading Halloween fright. The haunt said it'll have new structures, scenes, props and monsters in a new compound, organizers said.
"It's not just a walk in the park; it's a nightmare come to life," the haunt wrote on its website.
Tickets: $25 on Fridays and Saturdays. VIP options will be available.
Days of operation: Will be open on Fridays and Saturdays starting Sept. 6.
Location: 4040 Wright Way Rd. Dayton, Ohio 45424
The Haunted Schoolhouse & Laboratory are back to give double the scare factor this Halloween.Guests will face Ms. Alvah, a not-so-average librarian, who manages to turn students into the terrifying tales within the books on the shelves. They will also meet Dr. Guggenheim, a deranged doctor who knows how to manipulate genes.
Online general admission: $29.95
Fast pass: $44.90
Kids' Sunday general admission: $20
Season pass: $160
Days of operation: It'll open on Sept. 13, 27 and 28. Then for October, it'll be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It'll also be open on Halloween.
Location: 1300 Triplett Blvd., Akron, Ohio
This haunted attraction is back with four themed areas for guests: Insane-a-tarium, Psycho Path, Haunted Hayride and the Forbidden Cornfield. Guests will have their choice of going through a one-mile long hayride full of nightmares, a mental institution with bizarre treatments, a house full of guts and gore, or a walk where guests may come face-to-face with "the crazies."
Tickets: $12 for the hayride only, and $30 for all attractions. Fast passes are also available.
Days of operation: Fear Forest is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting Sept. 20
Location: 6878 Tod Ave., Lordstown, Ohio
Panic in the Pines is reportedly the longest-running hayride in all of northwest Ohio. At nighttime, the haunt offers three chilling experiences for guests to enjoy. First, there's a hayride through woods which carry "the screams of souls department." Then, guests will walk a trail filled with clowns and misfits. Finally, there's an asylum that house the previous residents who lived in the area before.
Tickets:
Not yet available. Check back at their website for more information.
Days of operation: Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26 and Nov. 2 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Location: 3525 N Bolander Rd., Genoa, Ohio
For those who are deathly afraid of clowns, this may or may not be the haunted attraction for you — especially this year. New for 2024, guests can get a touch pass for those who need more of an adrenaline rush. There are four attractions for guests to explore: Insane Asylum, the Fun House, Trail of Terror and the Freakshow.
Tickets: General admission at the door is $30. It’s $29 if purchased online. There’s also a fast pass and group pass options.
Days of operation: Open Saturday, Sept. 28 through Sunday, Oct. 27
Location: 305 Wertz Ave. NW in Canton, Ohio (Stark County Fairgrounds)