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Columbus on the Cheap

Good, Cheap, Fun

Haunted Woods, Haunted Houses, and more around Columbus

Are you ready to be scared?  Halloween is almost here – are you brave enough for these Haunted Woods, Haunted Farms, and Haunted Houses around Columbus .

Check the links for additional details and don’t be a scared-y cat!  Haunts are listed in order of distance from Downtown Columbus. 

Note: some photos from attractions have been included below. If you are not into the scares of haunted houses, we recommend that you do not continue to scroll the page. However, nothing more gruesome than a scary Halloween costume is included.

Haunted Woods and Haunted Houses around Columbus

Fear columbus haunted house.

2605 Northland Plaza Dr, Columbus (located 13 miles from downtown Columbus)  Fridays and Sa turdays Sept 15 through November 4, 2023; Sundays in October; and select mid-week days in October . 

“Fear Columbus is one of the largest and most elaborate haunted house productions in Ohio. Featuring multiple immersive attractions under one roof, photo ops, a retail store, endless scares, dozens of highly trained actors, elaborate costumes and makeup, a state of the art sound system, professionally designed lighting, movie quality set design and the best customer service possible!”

Opening weekend flash sale: $19.99; limited quantity available! 

Tickets are $19.99-$49.99 per person . There are 3 types of admission; general, fast pass, and immediate admission. Dates WILL sell out, so schedule in advance

The website also lists a haunted Christmas experiences, Krampus, in December . Tickets sell out for this limited experience very quickly, so join the waitlist now . 

Haunted Hoochie at Dead Acres

13861 E. Broad St., Pataskala. Located 17 miles from downtown Columbus. (740-927-3568) Opens at 7:30.p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, September 14 through October 29, 2023 . 

$30 plus fees for admission to 2 haunts (Haunted Hoochie and Bad Trip in 3D), or $50 for VIP tickets. Not recommended for young children. 

ZOMBIEzi Bay at Zoombezi Bay

4850 Powell Rd, Powell, OH 43065 20 miles from downtown Columbus. Fridays and Saturdays, September 12-October 29, 2023, plus select Thursdays and Sundays. 

The ZOMBIEzi Bay haunted attraction, presented by Mtn Dew, features a wicked new world with four haunted houses, two scare zones, rides and plenty of sinister surprises.

There’s the Brews and Bites: Craft Beer & Food Festival to enjoy some spooky themed food and drink samples. Admission starts at $279; Zoombezi Bay Season Pass Holders and Gold Members get a $14.99 discount.

Zoombezi Bay turns into Haunted Attraction ZOMBIEzi Bay

Pataskala Haunted Forest

8838 Refugee Rd. S.W., Pataskala. 23 miles from Downtown Columbus. (740-975-7812) Open 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays starting September 29, 2023 . 

Trek through the woods will last about 45 minutes, and you may encounter mud and water, so dress appropriately.  Each group can have 12 people only; call for larger groups. Pre-packaged snacks available for purchase.

Tickets must be purchased online only , beginning Sept 25 for opening weekend. Tickets for each weekend are released on the prior Monday. $20.00 per ticket (plus transaction fee). Ticket sales are final; no refunds.

Admission is $20.  All tickets will be sold online this year for a specific date and time. Parking is free. Proceeds benefit Pataskala Lions Club. 

Haunted Farm

5450 Old Millersport Rd., Pleasantville. (740-205-7460) 30 miles from Columbus. Haunted barn and haunted corn maze. Live Entertainment on select nights. Starting September 29 through November 4, 2023 . 

Admission starts at $15 . Parents should make the determination whether kids are ready for this type of experience.

photo via The Haunted Farm

Field of Fright at Little Darby Creek

8657 Axe Handle Rd., Milford Center. Located 34 miles from downtown Columbus. Field of Fright Haunted Path is open on Friday and Saturdays, October 6-28, 2023 after dark.

Base admission & Field of Fright (Does not include Hayride, Corn Cannons, Pie Pumpkin, Pumpkin Blaster or Paintball Pandemonium). Ages 59 & under: $20.00  (on the farm $24.00)

The Works Combo Admission & Field of Fright (Includes 5 Shots at the Corn Cannon, Pie Pumpkin OR 1 Shot at the Pumpkin Blaster & 20 Shots at Paintball Pandemonium) Ages 59 & under: $24.00 (on the farm $28.00)

Fast pass is available for an additional fee.

Terror Maze

6988 Springfield Jamestown Rd. (937-215-2905) 49 miles from Downtown Columbus. Open 8 p.m. to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays, September 22 through October 31, 2023.

Admission is $17 per haunt. Zombo Combo is $27, which is a ticket, tshirt, and glow bracelet.

Nightmare in Nashport

7200 Frazeysburg Rd, Nashport, OH 43830 62 miles from downtown Columbus. Open every Friday and Saturday in October 2023 from Dark until Midnight.

The Nightmare in Nashport “Trail of Terror” is not your typical Haunted House. Our night of Evil is staged along a one half mile trail through an actual woods, not a zig-zag through a field with scares over lapping or stuffed into an over-crowded structure. Admission is $20.

Ohio State Reformatory Escape from Blood Prison

100 Reformatory Rd., Mansfield – Haunted Prison. (419-360-5689) 75 miles from Downtown Columbus. Fridays-Sundays, September 29-October 29, 2023 . Starts at 7:00 p.m. Escape From Blood Prison offers the only haunted hellscape in a real prison at The Ohio State Reformatory. 

$35 all dates; $75 ultra lighting pass . All patrons must be at least 10.* If your child appears to be younger than 10, please be prepared to show proof of age with a birth certificate or student ID. 

Halloween Haunt Kings Island

6300 Kings Island Dr., Mason. (513-754-5700) 84 miles from Downtown Columbus. Mazes, rides and shows, not recommended for children younger than 13; September 22- October 23, 2023 (park opens at 11 a.m. on Saturdays, Halloween Haunt activities start at 6 pm).

Tickets are $44.99-$59.99 online for Friday or Saturday nights (Haunt only). Fright Lane tickets $80 in advance.

Jail of Terror , Old Licking County Jail

46 S. Third St. Newark – Haunted Jail; (740-345-5245) 40 miles from Downtown Columbus. Opens Fridays and Saturdays, Sept 23 – October 28; and Sunday October 29, 2023 .

The Licking County Historic Jail has had far more than its fair share of horror since opening its doors in 1889. Including the untimely deaths of at least 3 sheriffs and 19 inmates. This location has even housed some of the most infamous inmates and murderers of their time. General admission is $25; fast passes are available for $40-$60.

Do you know of any other Haunted woods or Haunted Houses around Columbus?  Please leave a comment or email [email protected]

More Spooks…

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Posts will be updated soon! Trick or Treat, or Beggar’s Night, is scheduled for most communities around Central Ohio; check out the Trick or Treat schedule here. 

If you don’t know what to dress up as for all of these Halloween events, check out these 100 Cheap and Easy DIY Halloween Costumes .

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The haunted woods at shawnee hills .

(Cancelled for 2023)

6000 Harriott Rd Powell, OH 43065. 21 miles from Downtown Columbus. Cancelled for 2023 . 

The spooks take place on forested trails on the property of Adaptive Sports Connection on almost 1 mile of spooky trails that wind through the woods. Come see what lives in the woods if you dare. All customers welcome; accessibility accommodations may be available to schedule in advance.

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NOW OPEN : This Friday - Sunday

OPEN THIS WEEKEND

Friday 10/6 - Sunday 10/8

Friday & saturdays - extended hours, tickets available online only, "ohio's ultimate halloween event", - bloodydisgusting.com, watch trailer, what is fear columbus, largest and scariest haunted house in columbus.

Fear Columbus is one of the largest and most elaborate haunted house productions in Ohio.  Featuring multiple immersive attractions under one roof, photo ops, a retail store, endless scares, dozens of highly trained actors, elaborate costumes and makeup, a state of the art sound system, professionally designed lighting, movie quality set design and the best customer service possible!  Fear Columbus is locally owned and operated. Come experience Columbus Ohio’s premier Halloween destination.

Featured On

Columbus Haunted House ATTRACTIONS

All new 2023 attractions.

New for 2023: ‘Devil’s Night’ takes you to Fearwood High School, overtaken by students who unwittingly unleash an unspeakable force on the eve of Halloween. Navigate unknown parts of Fearwood town, now under the control of a dark entity. Experience our biggest upgrades ever, with next-level sets, lighting, and scares. Who will survive ‘Devil’s Night’? Step in and find out.”

In 2023, brace yourself for ‘The Summoning: Darkest Depths’. Traverse the shadowy passageways where the cult’s dark ambitions intensify, beckoning mysterious entities from the void. Stand face-to-face with the zealous cult members and the enigmatic forces they’ve conjured. Delve deeper into unknown realms, reaching the very heart of the abyss. This year reveals masterfully crafted sets, more scares than ever before, and an ensemble of chillingly enigmatic characters.

More Than Just a Haunted House

The most exciting way to celebrate halloween.

Horror Retail Store

• Horror Themed Items
• Fear Columbus Merch
• Drinks and Snacks

The Fear Gear Store is our full retail area at our facility featuring not only Fear Columbus merchandise but also plenty of snacks, drinks, and Halloween themed items from several partnered vendors. We also offer printed souvenir group photos that you will take when you enter the first attraction!

Halloween Souvenir Photo

• Halloween Themed Photo Op
• Printed Photo Option
• Digital Copies Available
• Selfie Stations

Your group will get a professional group photo in our themed photo op before entering the haunted house! You will have the option to purchase a printed souvenir photo or digital download at the Fear Gear Store! In addition, we have a few selfie stations around the facility where you can take your own photos.

Fright bites

Food, drinks and desserts.

• Halloween Themed Menu
• Custom Desserts
• Hot & Cold Cider
• Food Vendor
• Drinks & Snacks

Enjoy several different seasonal food and drink options. We have a dedicated food vendor on site featuring Halloween-themed menu items and even hot and cold apple cider. Looking for something sweet? Enjoy one of our custom Fear Columbus cheesecake desserts in the Fear Gear store. 

Ticketing Information

Tickets must be purchased online.

Tickets can not be purchased at the door. We have removed our box office and transitioned completely to online timed ticketing only.

NIGHTS SELL OUT IN ADVANCE

We control ticket capacity to ensure the best experience possible with the shortest possible wait times. Because of this tickets sell out in advance. Don’t wait to buy!

Prices are dynamic and vary based on the date and demand. Check the calendar for current pricing and availability.

Scream Past the Line

View our premium ticket options to reduce or eliminate your wait.

5 Star Google Reviews

Check out what customers and media outlets are saying about Fear Columbus Haunted House at the link below!

Fear Columbus Haunted house

2605 northland plaza drive, columbus, ohio 43231, free parking.

We have plenty of FREE parking in front of our building in our well-lit paved parking lot.

“A Flair for the Scare”: Inside Ohio’s Nationally Ranked Haunted Hoochie

By Russell Brickey

Waiting for the Hoochie

Sometime around 9 p.m., a hollow-eyed corpse in coveralls will appear on the balcony overlooking a 1,000-odd patrons dancing in place in the 40-degree Ohio evening. The corpse will take his time looking down in disgust at the mere mortals crammed into a sprawling queue alongside the ramshackle farmyard castle that is Paskatala’s Haunted Hoochie , and then he will fire a rifle into the blank sky.

Then, the wild night will get started.

Credit: Russell Brickey

As we mortals wait in line, thrash metal blares and a squatting demon belches fire over the heads of the crowd. This haunted acre is gloomily lit by a crown of lights on the tops of various buildings — two simulated blazes erupt like god-sized candles from nearby silos, while the luminous face of an ogre stares down from a barn loft — and the world on the ground is lost in constantly shifting darkness as the crowd stirs, restless as spooked cattle. Occasionally a glowing jetliner booms overhead, en route to touchdown at the nearby Columbus airport, giving the impression of massive mechanical overseers — monster demons, no doubt — coming home to roost. And always there are the chainsaws.

Repeatedly voted one of America’s best Halloween attractions for more than a decade, the Haunted Hoochie will swallow an estimated 5,000 people this night, as it breaks the country quiet until the wee hours of the morning. Garishly painted and shabbily dressed haunters will scream, push, pull, blast, blind, deafen, insult, and assault their patrons until these dedicated scaremongers finally haul their exhausted (and quite possibly) drunken bodies to the nearby “village” of trailers hidden back behind the trees to sleep it off and start the whole fantastic ride over again three nights a week.

The dead boy in the tower is one of these select fright masters, as are the scantily clad women in greasepaint who step out onto a small lighted stage, gaze creepily at the waiting crowd, and then vanish again. A lit cage suspended two stories up the side of the building is supposed to enclose, I’ve been told, a dancing girl (probably also scantily clad) — but the cage is empty for now. Perhaps this particular zombie refused to rise from the dead in such cold weather? But never mind, the Hoochie must go on. The zombie in the balcony is uplit by harsh arc lamps, which makes him appear even more cadaverous as he raises a rifle and fires several loud reports into the air.

We are now all just meat for the Hoochie.

A Brief Hoochie History

The Haunted Hoochie is located about 12 miles outside of Columbus — close enough to grab a crowd, far enough out of town to get really loud. The “Welcome to Pataskala” sign claims a population of 14,962 but, at least from the road I came in on, one would guess about 12,000 less than that. The Hoochie (Southern slang for “shack” – among other things) is not listed on the town’s Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau sites, which strikes me as an oversight on someone’s part, as it must bring a good deal of business into these lonely precincts. Pataskala’s only other dubious claim to fame is as the teenage home of John Holmes, the late, great ‘80s porn legend known for his natural endowment, his acquittal on murder charges, and his early death from AIDS.

Courtesy of Tim May/Haunted Hoochie

Pataskala’s seasonal carnival of fear all started with a Halloween hayride in 1954. Back then, Tim May’s great-grandfather sponsored an annual haunted ride around the family farm for friends and farmhands. Costumes were elaborate, considering the players were amateurs — wolfmen, wicked witches, a guillotine, voodoo priests, and even a headless horseman astride a real live horse. The scary ride became a generational tradition, and as a child May himself donned masks and crashed around in the foliage as part of the performance. Obviously there is some gene in the family line that has, in the words of the Hoochie’s own online history, “a flair for the scare.”

[blocktext align=”right”]The story of the Hoochie is three generations in the making. But it is, in the end, a family story about a man carrying on a tradition and making it big.[/blocktext]In 1991, May decided to take the family tradition pro. It was, according to the Hoochie’s webpage, quite an undertaking, given May’s own disdain for “cheap PG-rated scares.” So May, under his own steam, began uprooting, digging out, cementing, and refiguring the property. After another multiyear jump forward — past chainsaw-wielding mutants whizzing down ziplines, giant animatronic monsters ripping off rooftops, and a licensed pyrotechnics technician — and the Hoochie sits like a gigantic black crown of fungal growth among the sparse trees of the old family farm. Around its base, strange creatures cavort, hang out, and, often, make contact.

Headhunting the Head Haunt

The story of the Hoochie is three generations in the making. But it is, in the end, a family story about a man carrying on a tradition and making it big. So, obviously, I’d like to talk to the mysterious force behind the attraction, May himself. I get a promising response to an initial query on Facebook: “Sure send me some questions.”

Seems simple enough, right? But, it turns out that May is not the easiest guy to find. The “contact” link on the Hoochie homepage is dead. The voicemail at Mega Entertainment Production Company, the Hoochie’s corporate eggshell, is full and not accepting messages. Google Whitepages list six additional numbers, all with Pataskala prefixes and area codes, all of which ring endlessly into nothingness. Followup Facebook messages go unanswered. It is the season, and the guy must be busy after all, but frustration mounts.

And May is clearly out there, somewhere, like a friendly phantom in the matrix. Word-prints of his gratitude are all over Facebook. “i cant think of a better way to live my life …” the Hoochie posts above a Facebook picture of two giddy young woman en media res —dashing, clutching each other, smiling and bright-eyed, clearly thrilled — “thank u all for making it possible” On another post the phantom writes, “ignoring ur passion is suicide……ahhhh yes…” For a man who makes his living by inventing grotesque tableaux of death, May seems disarmingly genuine. Now if he will only talk.

But no messages. No notes. No returns. No Tim. In desperation, I visit every website that mentions the Haunted Hoochie until I find an email address and a name of sorts. Summoning up the spirits, I attempt to make contact with the other side.

And then, finally, a sign: my email gets a response from someone or something named “Woods Walker.” I’ve found Tim May … at least I think I have.

I tell him I am really looking forward to my visit to the Hoochie.

“This is not a normal haunted house ..sir .. Have u been here before ?”

I have not. And I admit, mostly in an attempt to be solicitous, that I am a little apprehensive.

The response is a non sequitur: “Have u read my bid for president rant ?”

Yes, I write back, I did. Said “bid” is posted on the Hoochie Facebook page. In it, May expresses a number of concerns about the state of the union and his philosophy on how to fix it.

Mostly truthful, I tell Woods Walker that yes, I loved reading his bid.

“Excellent ..” he responds. “Then we will git along ..”

So, I ask, anyone ever die while going through the Hoochie?

“Wtf let’s hope nothing like that happens” — Woods Walker seems honestly alarmed — “or if it does let it be me.” Then, apparently taking me at my word, the Walker adds, “U r apprehensive.”

My masculinity pinging, I quickly type that I’m really looking forward to my visit.

But he’s gone. The phantom Woods Walker has vanished back into the forest.

The How of the Hoochie

Unlike at other professionally run haunted houses, Hoochie actors actually touch patrons. Bodies lurch out of the darkness or drop from the walls, suddenly shoving, poking, and grabbing to increase the fright factor — although rules meant to keep things as family friendly (and litigation free) as possible are followed: Hoochie performers are instructed to only touch patrons above the shoulders and below the knees. Chainsaws — chains removed and the bars wrapped with foam—are a favorite scare tactic. As patrons wait outside for the nightly rush of fight-or-flight adrenaline, various rubber-masked ghouls gently swipe at their legs, motors roaring. The sudden shock of noise, the looming (often snarling) fright mask, and the knowledge that a chainsaw is coming at their legs causes many patrons to scream and do little happy dances in the dirt. For the most part, everybody smiles.

They also practice something I would deem ”the insect touch,” in which actors sneak up to touch patrons on the back of the neck without warning, a la Howard Wolowitz punking Rajesh Koothrappoli while visiting Dr. Crawley, the creepy entomologist in his crepuscular office on The Big Bang Theory .

To be fair, the Hoochie is up-front about its obnoxious tactics.

Signs near the front of the structure read “WARNING!! Could Result in PHYSICAL or EMOTIONAL INJURY!”

And, “If you Don’t Want to SEE IT Don’t Buy A TICKET!”

Also, “RATED NR Not Recommended For Anyone.”

And, perhaps most appropriately, “HELL Never Looked This GOOD.”

Online reviews note the aggression of the Hoochie actors, and this aesthetic of in-you-face-for-your-own-fucking-good-time becomes apparent almost as soon as the sun goes down, when a hulking and very dirty young man with a machete (hopefully honed down to a dull edge) materializes amidst the crowd of early-arrivals hanging-out in the barren lot beside the Hoochie. He pulls a young visitor’s ponytail back, exposing her throat, and places the blade in a friendly manner across her skin (shoulders up) and then swats her on the back of the calves (knees down) as she runs away, giggling. His next target is a reedy teenager in a hoodie and baseball cap, probably thirty pounds lighter than his assailant. At first the boy laughs, but he then becomes clearly freaked out when the zombie with the machete will not leave him alone (much to the amusement of his friends). “Dude,” the young man says, trying to keep his cool, “you best step off and leave me the fuck alone!”

[blocktext align=”right”]“It’s fun to see people literally on the ground, scared to death.” – Giggles the Clown[/blocktext]The actors are justly proud of their reputation for hands-on frights. “It’s fun to see people literally on the ground, scared to death,” a slender young man in greasepaint with the stage name “Giggles the Clown” says, as a group of Hoochie actors regale each other with last night’s triumphs: — “three craps and three pees.”

The Hoochie is also somewhat pornographic. YouTube videos show comely young women wearing slightly more than swimsuit models plead for mercy or gyrate like undead go-go dancers on various giggling apparatuses. The garish Hoochie website sports several bright yellow “parental advisory” warnings, and children are not allowed (although sometimes parents bring them in). Sometimes the action works too well and adults respond in kind, shoving and grabbing actors, not always in a family-friendly manner, so the Hoochie employs armed security officers who occasionally eject unruly, often drunk patrons. And yes, virtually everyone drinks — staff, actors, patrons, owners, everyone. Pataskala police have taken a dim view of these three-day challenges to sobriety, and actors know that a “Haunted Hoochie” bumper sticker might mean being pulled over, fake blood and all, and made to walk the line.

Home is the Hoochie: The Haunts in the Flesh

Incongruously, given all the above, the performers are also extraordinarily nice people. There are about 200 of them, mostly locals, but some who drive from as far away as Akron for the chance to menace the living for fairly low wages (an average Hoochie worker makes around $600 for a season). They were probably the good-natured wild bunch in high school — the kids who skipped the basketball game to go raise a little hell.

While waiting for the evening to begin, a chipper young man with a professional wrestler’s torso — who calls himself simply “Coffin Guy” because, well, he sits up from a coffin — thuds a stump-sized chunk of wood into a gasoline-and-cardboard fire shooting out of a metal barrel in the alleyway beside the Hoochie; he’s a firefighter when not playing a corpse, so I figure he must know what he’s doing. Last year Coffin Guy terrified patrons by wearing a tiara and a prom dress — and the image this conjures is pretty incongruous, if not outright alarming. Giggles and his partner clown, “Bubbles,” also lurk around the flames, both with Dadaesque angles of grease paint disfiguring their young faces; in their daylit hours they are local contractors. Looming out of the dark is “Beaver,” who looks like a jolly 300-pound Viking fresh from a swamp crawl. He perches a warm, friendly arm on my shoulder so the light on his keychain illuminates my memo book while I take notes. I am talking to a sweetly smiling middle-aged woman who simply describes herself as a “house mother” to the Hoochie. She’s an alumna whose husband is wielding a chainsaw this evening. They were married in the Hoochie. “An ordained minister works here,” she says.

Many of these actors have been doing this for a long time. Beaver, for instance, has worked the Hoochie for 15 years. But he’s a relative kid compared to the fellow who will swallow a shotgun barrel in a simulated zombie suicide later in the evening; Eric Ballinger has been a part of the Hoochie from its days as a haunted woodland trail, as has Christie, the ticket girl with a 25-year tenure. The lifers love to talk about the thrill of the scare and the camaraderie of working for America’s best haunted house. “Some of these people are closer than your own family,” Coffin Guy says, then corrects himself. “We’re actually a cult.” Then he laughs, I hope, because he is joking.

Acceptance as an actor or worker in the Hoochie is like a union membership: first a potential psycho/zombie/mutant killer must get an introduction from somebody on the inside, or be a minor-league celebrity in the world of soft-core splatter porn. The latter include The Necro Girls , publishers with a similar spatter aesthetic, and Gina Heartless , a professional model with a punk rock persona who plays a shadowy, barely glimpsed Playboy-ish rabbit in the Hoochie. There’s also Only Flesh , a performance group that utilizes body suspension (the practice of hanging from sharp metal hooks through the skin) for a show at midnight. There is something to freak out everyone. Almost.

John, who collects the tinted glasses on the Hoochie’s 3-D maze, joined the Hoochie entirely because, he says, he fell “madly in love with Gina [Heartless]” the first time he went through the Hoochie as a guest.

But did the Hoochie scare him?

“Nah,” John says with a shrug. A veteran of Desert Storm (“while the college kids sat there doing nothing”), he “saw dead bodies hanging out of tanks.” No way are actors in rubber masks going to scare this stocky, middle-aged man in a woolly ski cap. What the Hoochie offers a guy like John is the rare shot at cool, menacing, unattainable adoration. Beauty and beastliness. How is this world anything but the poles of human experience?

These people are not afraid of blood (sometimes literally thanks to the dangerous set pieces) and dirt. In fact, May often has his actors roll in the forest muck if they appear too “clean.” But despite the leader’s ability to order his followers to actually cover themselves with dirt, the Hoochie is a communal effort. Actors are the primary creators of their characters and tableaux. An actor comes up with an idea, pitches it to May, and then, in the words of several performers I spoke with, they “don’t ask or say anything else — just turn around and walk away.” If May likes the idea, he will greenlight it. Actors with enough gruesome imagination then work with May, each other, and whatever mechanical props (some quite sophisticated) they can find to develop a scene that will (hopefully) make patrons scream. A trip to the Hoochie reminds me of the Stephen King credo: terrify; if one can’t terrify, horrify; if one can’t horrify, then gross out.

All this leads to a huge bonfire and bacchanalia at the end of the season at which, if the actors are to be believed, they really let go. These people have a long haul on the weekends, five to eight hours in the cold, sometimes till dawn. Clearly this level of frightening people is hard work.

Have of them been attacked by an alarmed patron?

“Hey Bubbles,” Giggles says, “show’im your tooth.”

Bubbles uses his index finger to stretch back the corner of his mouth and reveal the gap where the first premolar should be — the victim of a punch. “If you don’t get hit,” Bubbles says with a shrug, “you’re not doing your job.”

 The Head Haunt Himself

On the other side of the flaming barrel, a man in gray materializes.

Everyone snaps to attention.

And then he is off, clearly very busy.

Ambushed. I’ve finally caught the spook master.

May has the strong tree-trunk torso of a construction worker, a ghostly fuzz of beard-shadow, and the calm, hooded eyes of either a lizard or a Zen master. I can see right away why he inspires a cultlike following. His affect is distant and a dumb question (“How long did it take you to build all this?”) is met with flicker of exasperation and an almost inaudible snort. But he greets a former actor with a warm hug and gets a cheery “G’mornin’” (it’s around 7:30 pm) from a Hoochie organizer. Warm and unavailable — of course he’s a cult leader. He’s not the easiest interview, however, and he refused to let me quote from our conversation. But, strictly speaking, we never discussed paraphrasing his many thoughts on life, politics, terror, and passion, all of which are available on the Haunted Hoochie Facebook page , and which run together something like this: The haunted house reflects society, in which we all live in a box created by our perceptions, thus nothing is good or evil except losing your passion, everything is important, and everyone should live for that passion, so I piss people off but I don’t care because I love what I does and so should you.

Or something to that effect. He may or may not know it, but he is a good existentialist, a natural follower of the complicated philosophy of a universe with no guiding principle except the pursuit of an authentic life. And, even more so, May embodies the American Dream. With between 3,000 and 5,000 guests a night, three nights a week from September 24 through October 31 (18 performances total), at a minimum $25 a pop (priority entry tickets are twice that), you can do the math. He pays for no advertising. His actors adore him. Haunted-house impresarios from all over the world seek his advice. May needs no one, and it doesn’t matter if all these sissy outsiders are cheesed off; bad publicity (such as the recent controversy over an upside-down American flag painted in black on the side of a silo) is great for a Halloween attraction predicated upon shock value — what doesn’t kill the Hoochie only makes it stronger.

As he talks, May steps closer and closer until we are virtually shoulder to shoulder. He wants to know what I think of people’s limitations. Why are they there? When I admit that I have no real idea, his eyes drop for the first time. I have failed. So I give it my best shot, “Five thousand years of cultural constraint?” This is it, and May is back on his trip. As he continues to expound on the “psychic cages” we create, his thumb does a little dance across his iPhone: he is calling, waiting two rings, hanging up; calling, waiting, hanging up; repeat, repeat, repeat in his impatience to get ahold of a dancer, he mutters, who is not dancing very well.

I would like to dig deeper into the tribulations of being a nationally recognized shock-jock, but the Hoochie will wait no longer. A quick handshake and May flicks off into a darkened orifice. The Hoochie has called him home.

Nothing left but to make my own descent.

I only have enough warning to shout, “Oh man!” before a large machete-wielding zombie walks right into me.

In the Belly of the Hoochie

Black Sabbath, Nirvana, thrash metal, and Pink Floyd (“We don’t need no education”) blare over the darkened crowd scene. A monitor shows music videos from high up on one outside wall of the Hoochie; these are occasionally interrupted by clips propagating 9/11 conspiracy theories and various sound bites from the Bush administration. The fact that the Hoochie is also (somewhat disjointed) political theater seems to bother no one — or perhaps the paranoia adds to the energy, ties the simulated violence inside the walls to the very real geopolitical violence outside them. Right on cue, an airliner, its creamy underbelly outlined by red and blue lights, exhales a monster sigh as it glides gigantically overhead.

[blocktext align=”left”]Part of the experience is this waiting in the crowd. The long line, the hyperadrenalized music, the ever-shifting darkness, the proximity of so many others with the ever-present danger of chainsaw-wielding monsters makes for a thrilling gestalt.[/blocktext]The crowd skews young but virtually all ages are represented, except perhaps the very old. Visitors are African-American, Mexican-American, Euro-American, and Asian-American, all jostling each other in a rowdy but peaceful mass of humanity impatient for the abuse we paid good money for to begin. All scare the same in the Hoochie, and this idea is strangely affirming.

Part of the experience is this waiting in the crowd. The long line, the hyperadrenalized music, the ever-shifting darkness, the proximity of so many others with the ever-present danger of chainsaw-wielding monsters makes for a thrilling gestalt. Overhead the lighted cage is still empty — was this meant for the dancer May was trying so desperately to call? Scientists believe that some brains are programmed to enjoy dopamine uptake after they are startled. Those of us having fun are experiencing a natural chemical high. Not everyone experiences this, however. Chainsaws roar. Patrons scuttle under the maze of ropes, and one young woman simply crumples and rolls across the ground at my feet. “Are you OK?” her friend asks her. She rises slowly, silently, and nods in the dark: She’s OK — for now.

And then the corpse rifleman appears in the tower. He fires one-handed into the black night sky.

The line lurches forward.

Inside, the mechanisms of the Hoochie strobe and howl. Around the corner of a wall, something makes a great deal of noise, then a loud report. I see a young man turn to his girlfriend and smile, perhaps too broadly. This thunder and lightning is the first scene of the Hoochie, the controversial “zombiecide.” From a raised cubby resembling a dilapidated living room, a zombie leers down at the crowd, shouts incomprehensibly, plops down in his moldering easy chair, shoves a rifle barrel in his mouth, and blows his brains out, gore splatter and all. It’s an impressive special effect.

In 2009, several news outlets including the Columbus Dispatch and local NBC and ABC affiliates ran stories about the skit after the adult child of a suicide victim complained. The Dispatch story garnered 91 online comments, with much divided opinion. “I say shut it down,” wrote one reader. “Suicide is no laughing matter and anyone who knows anything about mental health issues knows attempted suicide is a desperate cry for help.” Representing the opposition, another articulated his position as, “The wussification of America continues!” The controversy did make May more cautious about his approach — he changed online references to the scene from “suicide” to “zombicide” — but it also garnered the Hoochie a good deal of publicity and, most likely, a bigger audience. Before we have time to be offended, however, chainsaws roar once again and two black-clad harpies shove us through the next door.

You move through the Hoochie fast, almost at a trot, constantly urged forward by the rough handling of the actors. If you are secure about being touched, this is fun. However, not everyone appreciates the playground-style bullying, and one 2013 review on the Midwest Haunter’s Association website complained that “some of the actors [got] out of control. Members in our group were grabbed and pushed by actors harder than we liked. The women in our group had their hair repeatedly pulled and one was tripped and pushed to the ground by an actor. Expect to leave this haunt with bruises.”

All are fair statements. Everyone inside the Hoochie is assaulted by a full range of overblown special effects. The constant strobe lighting and smoky atmosphere occludes the maze until disorientation is complete, and losing one’s cohort means being lost in a constantly shattered darkness of vague angles and lurching humanoids. Repeatedly I run into the woman in front of me who, in turn, repeatedly rams into the woman in front of her, whose hoodie she never lets go of. We are like stunned mice in a sadistic scientist’s maze. At one point I run smack into a wall (I understand that there are video cameras stationed around the hallways to catch true evil-doers … and I just hope I don’t end up on a YouTube fail blog somewhere). Another time I miss an animatronic T-Rex head by inches as it tries to eat my face. At one point it is simply so dark that we must make our way entirely by touch. The walls feel like … well, I don’t know what they feel like, except that I want to wash my hands.

Parental Advisory: The Following May Not Be Suitable for All Readers

But what’s most striking about the Hoochie is the obscene richness and grotesquerie of the various performances. The main Hoochie buildings create a large and tightly interwoven maze, sometimes interior, sometimes exterior, and each stage of the maze has its own nightmarish theme. There’s the Vietnam scene reminiscent of Oliver Stone’s Platoon , replete with machine-gun fire and shafts of fire-lit smoke drifting through the bamboo; a florescent-paint-splattered totem leaps to its feet and sends a couple of patrons squealing down the hallway. There’s also an outdoor graveyard where, like the Poe poem, death looks gigantically down. Actually death is a huge puppet with glowing eyes on a waving lever, but the effect is terrific.

Then there are the actors performing what can only be called torture-porn tableaux, usually involving a scantily clad woman being victimized by a wild-eyed man. There’s a grinning, satanic dentist operating sans anesthesia on a woman chained to a chair. Then there’s the woman in a skimpy dress strapped to a table with what appears to be a giant wheel-valve screwed into her head; she begs for mercy and her tormentor, a filthy, muscular man with a full beard, gives the wheel a twist and she goes limp. “You’re next, bitch!” the man yowls, pointing a dirty finger at a small female patron cringing against the far wall.

All of us are menaced, shouted at, pointed at, manhandled and woman-handled, although in general it is impossible to hear what terrible things are shouted through the cacophony except for the occasional obscenity. Somewhere along the line a very large bearded man (it may have been “Beaver”) takes my arm in a solicitous manner, says something with a toothy smile (it may have been “I’ll see you at the mall”), and then gives my rump a friendly swat. Onward, I guess.

The most infamous tableau is probably “The Demon Birth.” Here a pregnant woman lies on a blood-splattered table, her feet in stirrups and her knees draped with a sheet. “Get it out of me!” she screams, to which her “doctor” responds, “Shut up, bitch!” and slaps her. Even if they are amateurs, the Hoochie crew are great actors. The slap is timed perfectly and looks frighteningly real. Eyes blaze. Lips curl. Teeth are bared like Giger’s Alien. And when the doctor hits his pregnant patient in the stomach with a mallet, the special effects are Hollywood-worthy as the life-sized, rubber demon baby explodes in a blood gout as big as a watermelon and hits the far wall. If one is possessed of the right (or wrong) sense of humor, this is one of the most hilarious gags one will ever see (use key words “demon baby birth at Haunted Hoochie” to watch it on YouTube).

[blocktext align=”right”]All of us are menaced, shouted at, pointed at, manhandled and woman-handled, although in general it is impossible to hear what terrible things are shouted through the cacophony except for the occasional obscenity.[/blocktext]My personal favorite, however, is the rather unorthodox church toward the end of the tour. The Hoochie brackets its maze with its most shocking, most repellent, and most controversial tableaux, starting with the “zombiecide” and concluding with a man — half animatronic, half human — being cut in half with a chainsaw. Before exiting, you travel through an outdoor church brightly lit in flaring light by a blazing pentagram. Under this fiery offense, a bespectacled priest in a white robe and miter does something unholy to a squirming, squealing woman in a filthy housedress. On the floor beneath their high black altar another young woman in a short black dress grovels on the floor (how did she not hurt her knees doing that?) as nuns clad in black lingerie kick her into submission. The scene is positively oneiric, and actually quite beautiful in its attention to detail. Melted candles sit unlit and undead in a votive tray. Shadows flicker from the burning pentagram. Crooked keys on the battered pipe organ seem to smile through the dry leaves that litter it. I only have a moment to admire the aesthetic, however, before one of the nuns bares her clenched teeth and snags the brim of my baseball cap. She snarls something terrible, that much is clear, but discernment is impossible in the reverberating heavy metal, and this makes the scene even more surreal, especially as I happen to know, because the boyfriend of the woman groveling on the church floor told me, that behind the altar these satanic devotees have a slow cooker full of queso cheese for making nachos.

And then, somehow, mercifully, I find myself outside again, ears ringing and brain dazed. Nearby somebody whoops as if we have just finished a rock concert. Obscenity, sexism, torture, gun-violence, suicide, war, and, um, religious intolerance. Passion, individualism, tradition, and authenticity. Add to this fire, money, politics, a loud obsession with chainsaws, and the possibility that I just survived a monomythic quest and in some way Pataskala’s Haunted Hoochie represents America. Hell, it represents humanity — at both its best and most terrible. Or I am reaching way too far and the Hoochie illustrates nothing but a good time while being naughty? Whatever the conclusion, I hope to be back next year to see what May and his crew have conjured for their legions.

The two women who were in front of me the entire time are nowhere to be found. I just hope they made it out alive.

___ Russell Brickey’s books of poetry can be found at Wild Leaf Press, Spuyten Duyvil Press, and Kelsay Books.

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I loved this article. Humerous, insightful, and well thought out. I loved the historical bent as well. I live across the country on the West Coast but now i want to experience the Hootchie! Will definately look for more from this author and check out his poetry books at the press houses listed!

awesome article and awesome haunted house.. everyone in the haunt industry knows the Hoochie is the best haunt in America. its what we all inspire to be when we grow up

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Kenton, OH 419-673-0637

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Lebanon, OH 513-932-2853 www.ironsfruitfarm.com

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Middletown, OH (937) 672-8248 www.fallpumpkinfest.com

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Springboro, OH 937-885-3965 www.windmillfarmmarket.com

Windmill Farm Market is the home of Ohio’s favorite fall festival and features our famous adventure hayride which takes you over the hills and through the mud! SPOOKTACULAR Fall Hayride: Enjoy the best of Windmill Farm Market’s SPOOKTACULAR... Read More

Vincent, OH 740-678-7447 www.sweetapplefarm.com

Stroll through the maze and make a 'baa baa here' and a 'moo moo there' to the other friends you make along your journey! How close have you ever been to a real cow? Time for a Hayride! The hayride lasts 30 minutes and takes guests up the hill to... Read More

North Lawrence, OH 330-323-9714 www.nickajackfarms.com

The countdown is on! We love fall festival and cannot wait to share with you the celebration of the harvest! The Fall Festival includes a petting zoo, pick your own pumpkins, hayrides, tractor train rides, discovery barn, midway games, concessions,... Read More

New Paris, OH 937-877-6030 todaysharvestfarm.com

In addition to the 18 Checkpoint Corn & Bean Maze we offer a wide variety of awesome and family friendly attractions built into our admission. 2 Look-Out Bridges Cow Pattie Toss Corn Hole Putt - Golf Life Size Checkers Rope Maze Duck... Read More

Ross, OH 513-738-1145 www.burwinkelfarms.com

Burwinkel Farms is a small, family-owned farm located in Southwest Ohio and has been in operation since 1918. Our third-generation farm strives to provide the best produce on the market. During the month of September, our farm in Ross... Read More

Monroe, OH 513-539-6366 www.garverfarmmarket.com

Garver Family Farm Market takes pride in serving customers by providing a fresh quality product in the most efficient manner possible. We provide a wholesome product to consumers which often involves great care and attention. Pick your own... Read More

Coldwater, OH www.facebook.com/MenchhoferFarms

Menchhofer Farms has apples, cider, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, maple syrup, honey, baking mixes and spices for sale. We also offer horse-drawn wagon rides, a u-pick pumpkin patch, and barn animals to view and feed. We offer fun filled... Read More

Napoleon, OH 419-599-1570 www.leadersfarms.com

Leaders Farms, located in Napoleon, Ohio, is home to Ohio's first corn maze! Over the past 16 years the farm has grown into Northwest Ohio's premier fall destination. Get back to the basics and pick out a pumpkin, take a scenic hayride, and crawl... Read More

Painesville, OH (440) 358-7275 www.lakemetroparks.com

Family-friendly chills and thrills! Travel Farmpark's trails and roadways after dark in the comfort and safety of your own vehicle and experience many playfully frightful sites throughout the park--some that you have come to love and some new... Read More

Germantown, OH (937) 866-2777 tomsmaze.com

Don't settle for a cookie-cutter corn MAZE that only looks good from the air but leaves little to the imagination on the ground. Tom's Maze is grown from the ground up. 8 fun-filled acres of corn on the cob. It's more than just a regular Corn... Read More

Plain City, OH 614-873-0510 www.theorchardandcompany.com

Return to nature this fall at The Orchard and Company. We provide a variety of exciting things for the entire family. We pride ourselves with our unique tractor drawn wagon rides, large corn pit to excavate in, and hay barn. Come make new farm... Read More

Mansfield, OH 419-884-1500 applehillorchards.com

A family owned operated orchard offering u-pick your own pumpkins in fall season. Home grown apples, pears, plums, etc. are also available on a pick-your-own basis. Not only just a pumpkin, our friendly resident goat, sheep and chickens are more... Read More

Berlin Heights, OH 419-588-2138 www.burnhamorchards.com

Burnham Orchards is a family owned and operated farm, providing great tasting fruits along with our fun filled activities in fall. From pick your own pumpkins to orchard hayrides, we provide a taste of the farm that you just can’t get anywhere else!... Read More

Pandora, OH 419-384-3331 www.suterproduce.com

Enjoy a day of family fun at Suter's! Take a stroll through the corn maze, go on a hayride, pick your own pumpkins, shoot the corn cannons, roll around in giant human hamster wheels, and take part in many more fun activities! Hayrides to the... Read More

Springboro, OH 937-748-9826 www.kleathers.com

Kleather's Pumpkin Patch is a family run business and has been up and growing for 35 years now! We sell an assortment of fall items including pumpkins, gourds, squash, straw bales, fresh apple cider, apples, snacks and many other fall... Read More

Arcanum, OH (937) 692-8084 www.brumbaughfruitfarm.com

Brumbaugh's Fruit Farm designed a "mini maze" for those little ones (and some adults who cannot manage the 5-acre corn maze). Children will work their way through the paths by identifying colors, adding and subtracting, and counting. Take a hayride... Read More

Sunbury, OH 740-815-9371 www.hiddencreekfarms.com

“Fall is for Fun” at our farm during our Annual Fall Festival. Come and enjoy our Hayride to the Pumpkin Patch, Great Pumpkin Slide, Kids Play Barn with Corn pit and Slide, and more games! Visit our Farm Animals -- Also, we sell fresh eggs from our... Read More

Anderson, IN (317) 218-9515 www.indyscreampark.com

Indy Scream Park Haunted House - Be Afraid… Be Very Afraid - Serving the Indianapolis, Indiana Metro - Indy Scream Park is Indianapolis, Indiana's SCARIEST haunted house! Located just minutes northeast of Indianapolis, Indiana - Indy Scream Park... Read More

Miamisburg, OH 937-847-2760

Sizemore Farm is all about family fun. Come and pick your pumpkin in our pumpkin patch...pack your own bag of fresh apples with several varieties to choose from.... let the kiddos take a Dragon Wagon Ride around the yard...sample our freshly... Read More

Monclova, OH 567-402-0900 fieldoffear.com

The Most Terrifying Haunted Corn Maze in Ohio Join us on a dark and twisted journey of terror that will test even the bravest of souls. From ghoulish zombies and psychotic doctors, to vengeful spirits and ax-wielding murderers, the Field of Fear... Read More

Sandusky, OH 419-626-4467 ghostlymanor.com/ghostly-manor-haunted-house

The Ghostly Manor Haunted House is one of the top rated haunts in the United States and is now better than ever! Ghosts lurk in every corner as you wander through this “old mansion.” See if you can make it all the way through as Ghostly Manor comes... Read More

Pataskala, OH 740-927-1333 www.lyndfruitfarm.com

Fall family fun begins when u-pick pumpkins, apples, peaches, and more at Lynd Fruit Farm! Maze: The Maze is an 8-acre scavenger hunt for clue stations. Most participants accept the challenge of finding each information post and gathering... Read More

Wellington, OH 440-647-5480 www.hooksgreenhouse.com

Visit the farm to decorate your own pumpkins every fall season and getting together the most out of our favorite fall flower -- the Mums. We grow a large variety of pesticide free produce from tomatoes, peppers, onions; squash and sweet potatoes.... Read More

Ashland, OH 419-289-3384 honeyhavenfarm.com

Honey Haven Farm is a great place to visit in fall! Enjoy a leisurely afternoon with family and friends at our fall festival Take a Belgian horse-drawn wagon ride to the field to pick pumpkins, then test your strength and accuracy at one of our 4... Read More

Wellington, OH 440-647-6749 www.braseescornmaze.com

Brasee's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch is family owned and operated. We start working on our Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in May to open mid September. New for 2023 - Haunted Walk We have a 8 acre corn maze. Through our maze we have stamps that... Read More

Kenton, OH 419-788-8236 scaryoncherry.com

Every October Friday and Saturday our Spooky Halloween House comes alive and puts on a free show. You can catch our FREE Digital Projection and Music Light Show, Family Friendly Walk-Through, and enter your Nightmares with our Scary Haunted... Read More

Paris, OH (330) 862-2733 www.arrowheadorchard.com

Visit Arrowhead Orchard and enjoy lots of fall fun activities Corn Maze - Hay Rides - Pumpkin Patch - Hamster Run - and much more! What better family outing is there than coming to the farm, having a fun-filled experience and ending up with a... Read More

Milford, OH (513) 575-2022 shawfarmmarket.com

Fall Festival at Shaw Farms provides an exciting opportunity for terrific family memories, photo ops, and, of course, some awesome, farm-grade adventures. Take the family on a ride around our scenic farm property in one of our traditional tractor... Read More

Utica, OH 740-892-3989 www.branstoolorchards.com

Branstool Orchards is set in the scenic countryside of Utica, Ohio. We are best known for our sweet and juicy peaches, but our crisp apples and savory pears are increasingly popular year after year. Our picturesque orchard sprawls across 75 acres of... Read More

Troy, OH 937-339-9731 www.idle-hourranch.com

CORN MAZE CLOSED 2023 IHR Mini Corn Maze for Kids Join us with the little ones for games in the Mini Maze, a giant slide, pumpkins, corn cobb swing, straw jump, duck races, shelled corn box, bucket ball game, toy car raceway, hill billy golf,... Read More

Mount Sterling, OH 740-869-4208 www.lohstrohfamilyfarms.com

Lohstroh Family Farms is a fall farm market & pumpkin patch located in Mount Sterling, Ohio. Our diverse farm includes a retail fall farm market and activities including pumpkin picking wagon rides and a corn maze. With the help of family, and good... Read More

DELAWARE, OH 740-363-5021 www.millerscountrygardens.com

Fall season brings in the pumpkins. Whether you need pumpkins for making pumpkin pies, decorations or for Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween, be sure to come to our farm to select your pumpkin. You can either pick one out of our huge pumpkin pile, or you... Read More

Wilmington, OH 937-383-2133

Bergefurd's Farm Market and Greenhouses is a small family owned and operated produce farm in Wilmington, Ohio centrally located between Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio. Attractions: Pumpkin Patch Hayrides Pumpkin Sling Shot ... Read More

New Springfield, OH (330) 549-9000 columbianamazecraze.com

Get Lost at Maze Craze....The best corn maze in Ohio & Pennsylvania transformed over 21 amazing acres of corn into a life-size maze. There is a total of 8.6 miles of trails that twist, turn and sometimes come to a dead end. There is fun for the... Read More

Grove City, OH 614-878-7980 www.circlesfarm.com

Circle S Farms would like to invite your school, church, company, organization, scout troop or family to the farm for a celebration of fall fun days and enjoy a beautiful day in the country. Circle S Farms is family owned and operated and we look... Read More

Minford, OH 740-280-2676

Enjoy making memories with your family this fall at Noble Family Farms! Pumpkin patch, mazes, corn pit & more. Spend the day exploring our Mega Maze or our smaller Mini Maze. Pick your favorite pumpkin from our large pumpkin patch. Race your family... Read More

Logan, OH 740-385-6758 www.facebook.com/Walker-Farm-124802044230897

Walker Farm is located at Logan in Ohio. Pick your own pumpkins in the field on all days from mid-September to the end of October. Come and enjoy a wagon ride and corn maze with your family and friends also. ... Read More

Hebron, OH (740) 928-4925 www.pigeonroostfarm.com

Pigeon Roost Farm has a huge assortment of pumpkins! What's your favorite? Do you like the big, round orange ones? Or tall, and skinny and warty? Straight stems, or with that special twist? We have them all. From dainty little mini pumpkins, up to... Read More

Columbia Station, OH 440-236-3007 redwagonfarm.com

Come out and enjoy a great family day out at the farm! Enjoy a wagon ride through our New & Improved scarecrow village, visit our 5 acre corn maze; younger visitors can climb and play in our corn kernel sandbox in our kid’s play area. Then move... Read More

Loveland, OH 513-697-9173 www.bloomsandberries.com

Traverse our 7-acre corn maze to solve The Migration Mystery. Get lost in this fun story as you track down the items lost by Monica the Monarch and solve this a-MAIZE-ing puzzle! PLUS – little tikes can enjoy our mini kids’ maze and play a game made... Read More

Perry, OH 440-259-3192 westorchardsfarmmarket.com

West Orchards is a small family owned business farm that offers locally grown produce to pick pumpkins and have pictures taken with your family, children and dogs too! You can even dress up your pup! The farm has also lots of small veggies, herbs, &... Read More

Kent, OH 330-673-5957 www.dusselfarm.com

Corn Maze, and Haunted Bus for our Fall Pumpkin Festival. The festival is open from late September through October. There are many entertaining displays in our outdoor sales area including a "Haunted Bus" and a free tent-maze for children. On... Read More

Hamilton, OH 513-738-0404 brownsfarmmarket.com

Our market takes on a festive appearance in the fall with all of the fall decorations and color. Pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, and bales of straw, added to the beautiful mums, enhance the beauty of the season. All are bundled and ready to decorate... Read More

Hartville, OH 330-877-8344 www.maizevalley.com

With activities for all ages, Maize Valley is the perfect destination for fun fall family outings. Plan to spend several hours here to experience the FUN family entertainment we offer. Enjoy an 8 acre corn maze, wagon rides, pumpkin patch, animal... Read More

Newton Falls, OH 330-984-4525 www.kuchtafarms.com

Kuchta Farms Pumpkin Patch offers a full variety of products! We have a large selection of pumpkins, from the small gourds of every shape and size, to the large carving pumpkins that are customary to fall and Halloween spectacles every year! We also... Read More

Oak Harbor, OH (419) 898-3215 jasonspumpkinpatch.wixsite.com/jasonspumpkinp...

Jason's Pumpkin Patch features over 100 varieties of pumpkins, gourds, and squash. We have a giant pumpkin tree, Amish mums, hay rides, pedal go karts, pony cart rides, kids zone, tower of slides, a corn maze and much more! Don't forget to bring... Read More

Swanton, OH (419) 826-1453 www.johnstonfruitfarms.com

Pumpkins! U-Pick or We Pick... we also have pie pumpkins, Mini pumpkins, and decorative squash for all your fall wishes. Guess the weight of the "Great Pumpkin" and win a free bushel of Honeycrisp! Apple Pickin'.. It's always a day of food,... Read More

Beavercreek, OH 937-217-7656

Katie’s Pumpkin Barn started 22 years ago at the end of our driveway selling pumpkins. We are a mother daughter family team. We love the community and enjoy seeing many of the same faces year after year. You folks are what keep us open year in and... Read More

Radnor, OH (740) 361-0055 lehnerpumpkins.com

Lehner’s Pumpkin Farm is family owned and operated. We have the best prices on pumpkins, gourds, corn shocks, straw, and Indian Corn. Come spend a day on the farm and enjoy some good, old fashioned, country fun for very reasonable prices! We have... Read More

Brunswick, OH 330-225-5577 mapleside.com

If you love to have fun with your family and friends, then experiencing Mapleside Farms in the fall is a must. Pumpkin Village is when Mapleside Farms morphs into the finest fall family experience in the country with dozens of special... Read More

Peninsula, OH 330-657-2330 heritagefarms.com

Fall is a special time at Heritage Farms. Pumpkins, hay rides, falling leaves and the laughter of children! All of your favorite memories and traditions associated with this season are alive and well at Heritage Farms during our annual... Read More

Kings Mills, OH 513-754-5700 www.visitkingsisland.com/play/haunt

With 20 thrill rides, nearly a dozen spooky mazes, scare zones, and much more, Fright Fest will give you the scare of a lifetime!... Read More

Mansfield, OH 419-884-1993 waynescountrymarket.com/fall-fun

Wayne’s Country Market is a family owned and operated established in 1993 as a small produce and landscaping store. Join us throughout the month of October to enjoy local fall fun! At Wayne’s we offer a variety of activities for children... Read More

Mansfield, OH 419-834-7770 www.pumpkinheadfarm.com

Our patch is a self-serve, pick-your-own-pumpkin-patch. You can start your adventure in the gazebo, where directions will be posted on signs. The patch is located directly across the street. All items can be picked from the field by the customer... Read More

Milford Center, OH 937-349-4781 www.mazeandberries.com

The MAiZE at Little Darby Creek is entering its exciting fall season and summer u-pick berry season. The MAiZE is becoming a tradition for fall family fun on the farm in the Central Ohio area and beyond. This summer and fall the Rauschs invite you... Read More

Mantua, OH 330-562-5234 www.guyettefarms.com

Guyette Farms is committed to providing unique family fun activities. While visiting our maze, we want our guests to have the opportunity to spend quality time together while enjoying all the fun. Maze: Our maze is designed and cut by hand. We... Read More

Mogadore, OH 330-628-1082 rufeners.com

The Fall Harvest: A great time of the year for festivities! Check out our eight acre corn maze! We supply a map to ease the navigation. Junior maze available for easier experience. Take a fun relaxing hayride on a tour of the farm to the pumpkin... Read More

Cincinnati, OH (513) 445-9767 frightsite.com

The Dent Schoolhouse is a house haunted by Charlie, the school's janitor, who allegedly murdered numerous children. Come experience the house in the dark or with lights on. Queens City Slaughteryard is also part of the schoolhouse, but it will... Read More

Lebanon, OH 513-932-1869 www.hiddenvalleyorchards.com

For over sixty years Hidden Valley Orchards has offered homegrown fruits, vegetables, seasonal U-Pick crops and fun activities at the farm in Lebanon, Ohio. Pumpkin Season has officially begun here at HVO! Come on out to the farm and celebrate... Read More

Chesterland, OH 440-729-9809 www.pattersonfarm.com

Bring the family, pack a lunch (or visit our concession, available on weekends only) and relax in our outdoor farm fun area – designed for families with preschool and elementary age children to choose the pace and activities you most enjoy... Read More

West Salem, OH 330-461-1178 stoneycreekfarmohio.com

We offer a variety of activities for wholesome, affordable family fun. Stoney Creek Farm literally has thousands of pumpkins to choose from. We grow a variety of sizes, shapes and colors of pumpkins. The giant pumpkins surpass 100 pounds, and have... Read More

Richfield, OH 330-659-2526 www.lutherfarms.com

Enjoy a day on the farm taking a hayride through the field, navigating your way in our corn maze and petting our beloved animals. We also have a wide range of children’s activities including face painting, hay maze, corn pool, games, and crafts.... Read More

West Alexandria, OH 937-687-3848 www.tukensfarmmarket.com

Tuken's specializes in a wide variety of seasonal, freshly harvested fruits and vegetables. U-pick destination for pumpkins, apples, strawberries, and assorted gourds to decor in fall season. The orchard is open to families, children are welcome. We... Read More

Albany, OH 740-590-9788 www.libbyspumpkinpatch.com

Looking for a U-Pick pumpkin patch in southeast Ohio? Libby's Pumpkin Patch specializes in large carving pumpkins, pie pumpkins, decorative pumpkins, and outdoor fall decorations. Come and check us out! We have a variety of family-friendly... Read More

Lancaster, OH 740-654-2689 www.ochsfruitfarm.com

Ochs Fruit Farm a family run farm and enterprise since 1872. The farm features more than 90 varieties of apples, 25 varieties of peaches along with a number of other fruits and vegetables. Large varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash during... Read More

Amherst, OH 440-988-8405 millerorchardsltd.com

Miller Orchards is a family-owned fruit farm, in business for more than 4 generations. Miller Orchards is primarily in the business of providing fresh, home-grown fruit, but we also carry other items in our farm store according to the season. We... Read More

Calcutta, OH 330-386-9177 www.randysraisings.com

In the fall, Randy's Raisings opens their Annual Corn Maze and Hayrides to their pumpkin patch at the farm market. This is a great time you don't want to miss! The whole family will have a great time trying to navigate the maze. The farm has huge... Read More

Marion, OH 740-389-3019 www.lawrenceorchards.com

This year we are inviting you to Harvest Saturdays with pick your own apples, food trucks, and fun orchard activities. Plan to spend a few hours in the orchard picking apples. Take a stroll though our Story Stroll- take a walk and read the book... Read More

New Paris, OH (937) 437-8921 www.weslerorchards.com

The farm offers a 20-minute hayride to enjoy a scenic drive to Wesler Orchards. Buy pumpkins and 25 varieties of apples to meet that certain crunch you desire, along with top quality peaches, apple cider and farm fresh produce that can't be outdone.... Read More

Plain City, OH (614) 873-5725

Jacquemin Farms along with many other central Ohio produce farms is in the midst of their busy harvest season. The farm offers fall family fun with a host of activities including picking your own pumpkins, carmel apple making, straw maze. The farm... Read More

Pataskala, OH www.deadacres.com

Dead Acres and Haunted Hoochie are a two-for-one haunted house set that promises an extremely scary experience.... Read More

Madison, OH 440-812-4936 www.regalvineyards.com

The Haunted Winery & Haunted Corn Maze: Spend an evening at Grand River Cellars and enjoy dinner with a tasting our our Blood Red and Fright White wines followed by experiencing the Haunted Winery at Regal Vineyards The Haunted Winery: You... Read More

Oxford, OH 513-893-5585 area13project.com

America's LARGEST haunted missile base! Come be scared while exploring one of our country's old missile bases. ... Read More

Dayton, OH 937-397-2273 www.daytonscreampark.com

Dayton, Ohio's premiere scream park with four attractions! Come check out our New Compound! Trail trail sits on over 22 horror filled acres with over 25 scenes an more than 60 monsters waiting to see you as you take a half hour plus walk thru the... Read More

Chardon, OH 440-285-0910 pioneerwaterland.com/cp/events

Don't miss our Nightmare @ Pioneer!! No age restriction but use discretion for children under 12 in the haunted houses. Attractions: Undead Mini Golf Freak Show Addition, Deads End Haunt Go Karts, Zombie Shooting Range and Zombie Town USA... Read More

Marion, OH 567-233-2905 hauntedhoorah.com

Haunted Hoorah is a 15,000 square foot, ten acre facility located in Marion, Ohio. You become part of the story, in this unique, interactive, Military/Sci-fi themed haunted attraction! Attacking your senses and fears with every twist and turn. The... Read More

Middletown, OH 513-423-9960 haunt.landofillusion.com

Tired of the same old haunted house? At The Land of Illusion – Haunted Scream Park, we know how to dial up the dread. Come scream through this sprawling haunted theme park of delightful autumn fright… and bring your friends. We’re always looking for... Read More

Montville, OH hiddenlakescampground.com/rotlp-dungeon-of-do...

Forget what you think you know about run-of-the-mill "walk through" haunted houses! This is a live action dungeon adventure experience. You solve the puzzles. You defeat the enemies. You open the secret doors. It is a mix of escape room mechanics,... Read More

Wilmington, OH 513-409-0644 www.brimstonehaunt.com

Four great scares for the family and the brave! Brimstone Haunted Hayride: Brimstone Kingdom was once a beautiful and prosperous place but that was before the Curse of Brimstone Road fell upon these lands. Now monsters, evil spirits, and various... Read More

Chippewa Lake, OH 440-623-3334 slaughterhouseohio.com

THIS HALLOWEEN SEASON PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A TERRIFYING HAUNTED HOUSE EXPERIENCE IN A REAL SLAUGHTER HOUSE! This Halloween season prepare yourself for a terrifying haunted house experience in a real slaughter house! Hollywood quality sets and... Read More

Perrysville, OH 419-565-5947 www.mohicanhauntedschoolhouse.com

Opening officially in 2016 (originally as Lessons in Fear), Mohican Haunted Schoolhouse has evolved into one of the top haunted house attractions in Northeast Ohio. We strive to provide a haunted schoolhouse experience near the Mansfield, Ashland,... Read More

Lafayette, OH 567-204-7695 hauntedtownhall.com

2 story haunted attraction in the original Town Hall building built in 1899. Many of the scenes depict different uses of the building over the last 100+ years... Read More

Shelby, OH 419-566-3955 www.jjfieldofscreams.com

J&J Field of Screams! North Central Ohio’s newest haunted attraction takes you on a ¼ mile hayride to the doorstep of our cemetery. Here you must exit the wagon to begin your nightmarish trek to find your way back to safety. Most of our visitors do... Read More

Columbus, OH 614-535-8516 carnagehaunt.com

Welcome to Columbus Ohio's newest and most entertaining Haunted Attraction. Our indoor Haunt features innovative, scary and exciting new ideas that have been brought to life! We utilize a combination of realistically details sets, lighting and... Read More

Roseville, OH 740-621-3039

We moved and have a great place same awesome frights and scares around every corner just awaiting for your screams. Just gotta come out and see. ... Read More

Springfield, OH 937-215-2905 www.terrormaze.com

You will see ghastly scenes of Murder and Mayhem including Dental Death, the Blood bed and The Chain Saw Death Box. You will be shocked and terrified. Your trip through the Terror Maze will take approximately 30 minutes. The Terror Maze is open even... Read More

Chillicothe, OH 740-649-1690 www.chillicothehalloweenfestival.com

The Chillicothe Halloween Festival is a three-day family-friendly festival that features celebrity guests, haunted attractions, mechanical rides, inflatables, Halloween-themed merchandise vendors, concessions/food vendors, contests, live bands,... Read More

Nashport, OH nightmareinnashport.com

The Nightmare in Nashport "Trail of Terror" is not your typical Haunted House. Our night of Evil is staged along a one half mile trail through an actual woods, not a zig-zag through a field with scares over lapping or stuffed into an over crowded... Read More

New Castle, PA 724-657-6934 hauntedhillviewmanor.com/scare-manor-hill-vie...

Scare Manor is open from late September through the end of October. The event consists of a Haunted House and grass maze field behind our main building. There are also guided tours of Hill View Manor during the evening. The Haunted House utilizes... Read More

Saint Clairsville, OH 740-720-0830 www.fearfield.com

A SCARY, GUT-WRENCHING, HEART-POUNDING experience is waiting for you this September and October in the woods. The Story / The Legend: In a small town just minutes from the city folk lived a group of people in the woods. They lived in ran down... Read More

Caledonia, OH

Come out and "play" with us! See if you can make it out alive or if you'll be stuck in our woods forever!!! Welcome to The Dead Woods haunted trails, established publicly in 2017! This is a walk through experience with live actors and other... Read More

Ottawa, OH 419-538-6333 www.pchaunt.com

Putnam County's Haunted Cornfield was one of the first cornfields in Northwest Ohio to be taken over by Ghouls and Goblins. The haunting began almost 13 years ago under the name Schmitz's Haunted Cornfield. In 2004 a new crew of haunters took over... Read More

Jewett, OH 740-491-7807

Harco House Of Horrors - You'll have 3.5 stories of terror to walk through, but are you really brave enough to go all the way? So far this season we've had multiple groups who couldn't make it all the way through, because it's too terrifying, are... Read More

Wauseon, OH 5674543363

This is a home haunt that was constructed inside of a barn and is a maze style haunt. The haunt is approx 1,000 sq ft in size and changes every year including the theme. ... Read More

Yellow Springs, OH 937- 325-0629 youngsdairy.com/haunted-wagon-rides

Haunted Wagon Rides: Things are going to get a little scary around Young’s this fall! Our Haunted Wagon Ride and Scary Stories are designed for families with children. It will be scary! We have designed this ride for families with children. We... Read More

Milford Center, OH 937-349-4781 www.mazeandberries.com/field-of-fright

The MAiZE at Little Darby Creek is entering its 13th exciting fall season and 9th summer u-pick berry season. The MAiZE is becoming a tradition for fun on the farm for families and friends in the Central Ohio area and beyond. This summer and fall... Read More

Laurelville, OH (740) 601-8574

2023 focuses more on Hollywood Horror. Come see some of your favorite horror movie killers!... Read More

Genoa, OH 419-461-1298 panicinthepines.com

Panic in the Pines 2023 Panic in the Pines is a yearly Halloween haunt at Country Lane Tree Farm. There are 3 haunts which are all included in the price of your admission ticket. First board a wagon on the longest running, most interactive... Read More

Genoa, OH 419-461-1298 www.countrylanetreefarm.com/fall_family_fun_w...

Fall Festival Farm Weekend Admission includes: Milking a real cow, not a Replica! Feeding Large Farm Animals (animal food is included in the cost) Feeding Goats, Llamas, Alpacas, Donkeys, Sheep. Feeding our Fallow Deer Families and our pig... Read More

Burton, OH (440) 548-5521 www.maandpas.com

Nothing says fall better than a horse drawn hay ride through the woods with the leaves crunching beneath the feet of a team of percheron horses, a glass of Ma & Pa's cider in your hand and a maple cookie! Come experience the fall harvest this... Read More

Sidney, OH 937-498-9528 sidneyhauntedwoods.moonfruit.com

Welcome to The Sidney Haunted Woods! Come out and visit the fire before you are taken back to our 1/2 mile track of relentless terror in which you will enjoy thrill and excitement were you will see your favorite Halloween characters such as the evil... Read More

Hiram, OH 330-569-7464 monroesorchard.com

We have PYO pumpkins from our patch or from the many bins of pre-picked. Take advise from the handsome young men on this page, Monroe's Orchard is a fun place to be. Whether you are interested in purchasing fresh fruit, picking your own, or viewing... Read More

Sycamore, OH 419-208-5502 acresofadventureohio.com

Fall fun on the farm. Hands-on lessons Animal stations Wagon rides... Read More

Columbiana, OH 330-482-4064 www.catalpagrove.com

Catalpa Grove Farm is a family run garden center/produce farm. We raise annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, succulents, herbs and so much more, right here at the farm. In the fall, we have fall activities. We offer hayrides to the pumpkin... Read More

Zanesfield, OH 937-593-8000 marmonvalley.com

Round up the family for a Sunday in October to make memories during the Harvest Round-Up Days at Marmon Valley Farm! The kids will enjoy Pony Rides. The entire family will have fun on a Hayride and picking out a Pumpkin from our stock. Enjoy... Read More

Circleville, OH 740-474-7000 www.pumpkinshow.com

The Circleville Pumpkin Show is not only the "Greatest Free Show on Earth", but it is the largest festival in Ohio and one of the largest in nation. Hundreds of thousands of pumpkin fans crowd the streets of Downtown Circleville Ohio for just about... Read More

Millersburg, OH 330-674-6096 hershbergersfarmandbakery.com

Hershberger's Farm & Bakery is a one-of-a-kind destination in Ohio's Amish Country featuring an Amish bakery, store, produce market, food trailer, and a farm animal petting area. Each season offers a different unique experience with different... Read More

Wilmington, OH 937-382-3643 themurphytheatre.org

In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon), stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and... Read More

Mentor, OH 440-364-7222

Garage complete with multiple themed haunted rooms, props, jump scares and fun!... Read More

13 haunted attractions in Greater Columbus and beyond will send shivers down your spine

Whether you want to stick to Greater Columbus or head farther afield, now is the time for haunted attractions.

In Columbus itself, Fear Columbus and Carnage Haunted House both offer a double dose of horrifying experiences.

Outside the city, outdoor experiences abound, including the relatively family-friendly Haunted Woods at Shawnee Hills and Pataskala Haunted Forest, and the definitely adult-oriented Haunted Hoochie.

Ohio amusement parks take on the season with haunted spaces and transformed rides. Close to home, Zoombezi Bay becomes ZOMBIEzi Bay , while those willing to take a road trip can explore the nighttime worlds of Cedar Point and Kings Island.

Check out our list: Where can you find pumpkin patches, mazes and hayrides near Columbus?

Abandoned jails and prisons, including those in Newark and Mansfield, also make suitable settings for hauntings.

Details on these and more are included in our list.

Check websites for updates before heading out for adventure, and take a look at the weather if you're planning an outdoor experience. Many of the attractions offer Fast Passes and group rates.

Brimstone Haunt

Where : 525 Brimstone Road, Wilmington

When : Friday and Saturday nights, opening at dark and running until lines are empty, through Oct. 29.

Highlights : The Ohio Renaissance Festival's scary sibling serves up five horrific experiences, including a relatively tame Haunted Hayride, a high-intensity Forgotten Forest adventure, a Psychosis maze rated five out of five skulls for creepiness and a Dead Shot paintball shooting gallery where guests attempt to shoot zombies.

Admission : Online prices (prices at the door are $5 more): Haunted Hayride, $18; Forgotten Forest, $17; Psychosis, $11; Zombie Assault, $7; Dead Shot Paintball, $11. Combo packages also available.

Parking : $3

Age recommendations : Some attractions ages 8 and older, others ages 13 and older

Information :  brimstonehaunt.com

Carnage Haunted House

Where : 3770 Refugee Road

When : 7 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays; 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 5

Highlights : Make your way through two haunted areas: The Bayou is a swamp full of “cursed creatures,” and “The Entity” is an abandoned hospital occupied by a spooky being.

Admission : $25

Parking : free

Age requirements : Anyone younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult

Information :  carnagehauntedhouse.com

Carnival of Horrors

Where : 305 Wertz Ave. NW, Canton

When : 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Fridays; 7:30 p.m. to midnight Saturdays; 7:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 30

Highlights : Four haunted attractions include a maze through an abandoned asylum, a scary clown-filled fun house, a dark Trail of Terror for which a flashlight is supplied, and a freak show for which guests wear 3-D glasses.

Age requirements : Anyone younger than 13 must be accompanied by an adult.

Information :  carnivalofhorrors.com

Escape from Blood Prison

Where : Ohio State Reformatory, 100 Reformatory Road, Mansfield

When : 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturday, 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 30

Highlights : Tour the old reformatory by night, with abundant scares.

Admission : $35; online tickets recommended

Parking : included in admission

Age requirements : For ages 10 and older. Be prepared to show proof of age (birth certificate or school ID) for anyone who looks like they might be younger than 10.

Information :  www.bloodprison.com

More: 13 fall festivals and fairs you won't want to miss, including Coffee Festival and more

Fear Columbus

Where : 2605 Northland Plaza Drive

When : Open through Oct. 31. Dates and times vary; see website

Highlights : Make your way through two haunted houses, one where a cult is summoning demons and one where residents of a post-apocalyptic city are roaming at large.

Admission : Tickets start at $19.99, and vary by date. Online timed tickets required.

Age recommendations : Not recommended for children younger than 12

Information :  fearcolumbus.com

HalloWeekends

Where : Cedar Point, 1 Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky

When : 6 p.m. to midnight Thursdays; 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 30. Operating dates and times subject to change without notice; check website before visiting.

Highlights : Along with the regular Cedar Point rides and other activities, the park will have special Halloween activities and shows during the day and haunted houses and scary trails at night.

Admission : Starts at $49.99

Parking : $25

Age recommendations: none listed on website

Information :  www.cedarpoint.com

Halloween Haunt

Where : Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason

When : 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 30. Operating dates and times subject to change without notice; check website before visiting.

Highlights : Enjoy the usual thrill rides along with scare zones, mazes, haunted attractions and live shows.

Admission : Starts at $44.99

Information :  www.visitkingsisland.com

More: Reynoldsburg carving guru hosts class in advance of 'Halloween Wars,' 'Outrageous Pumpkins'

Haunted Farm

Where : 5450 Old Millersport Road, Pleasantville

When : 7:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 29

Highlights : “Farm fresh fear” at a haunted barn and corn maze.

Admission : $20

Information :  www.haunted-farm.com

Haunted Hoochie

Where : 13861 Broad St. SW, Pataskala

When : 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays through Oct. 29

Highlights : Expect graphic violence and horror.

Admission : $30

Age recommendations : “If you are wondering if your kids are too young, your kids are too young.”

Information :  www.deadacres.com

Haunted Woods at Shawnee Hills

Where : Adaptive Sports Connection, 6000 Herriott Drive, Powell

When : 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 29. Sensory-friendly/minimally-scary sessions from 6 to 7 p.m. Saturdays

Highlights : Experience a spooky, 1-mile trail through the woods.

Admission : $15. Proceeds benefit the work of Adaptive Sports Connection.

Information :  getoutadventures.us/haunting/

Jail of Terror

Where : 46 S. 3 rd  St., Newark

When : 8 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays; Sunday hours, 8 to 11 p.m., start on Oct. 16. The attraction is open until Oct. 30.

Highlights : Meet the spirits haunting the Historic Licking County Jail.

Information :  jail.fearticket.com

Fall arts & entertainment highlights: Columbus concerts, comedy shows, theater and more

Pataskala Haunted Forest

Where : 8838 Refugee Road SW, Pataskala

When : 8 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 29

Highlights : Take a family-friendly walk through a haunted forest.

Admission : $15. Tickets must be purchased online. Proceeds benefit the Lions Club of Pataskala Charitable Foundation.

Information :  www.pataskalahauntedforest.com

ZOMBIEzi Bay

Where : 4850 Powell Road, Delaware County

When : 6 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays; 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays

Highlights : Four haunted houses include the Catacombs, Eternal Darkness, Pleasant Screams Laboratory and the Sinister Sideshow. “Scare zones” include Photosynthesis and Welcome to Dead River. Rides, one of which is a bumper car experience amped up for scares, will also be operating.

Admission : $28.99 for Thursdays and Sundays, $32.99 for Fridays and Saturdays

Parking : $10

Age recommendations : “This event may be too intense for young children — parental discretion is advised.”

Note : Park reserves the right to close gates and refuse entry if the park reaches capacity.

Information :  zombiezibay.columbuszoo.org

[email protected]

Dead Acres Haunted Hoochie Review 2022

Dead acres haunted hoochie – full review.

Dead Acres Haunted Hoochie is a Haunted Attraction located in Pataskala, OH.

13861 E. Broad Street, Pataskala, OH 43062 View All Details

Haunt Type(s):

Paid Parking, Restrooms/Porta Potties On-Site, Food/Concessions, Gift Shop/Souvenirs, “Hi-Tech” Attraction, “Extreme” Attraction, You may be touched, Original Characters, Uncovered Outdoor Waiting Line, Indoor/Outdoor Attraction

This attraction was reviewed on September 16, 2022 by Team Teachers of Terror .

About Our Reviews and Rating System

Our Rating System

UPDATE FOR 2022: Our former “Atmosphere” and “Theme” categories have now been combined and renamed “Immersion.” Our intent with this is to give more appropriate credit to attractions that have shown a clear focus on achieving and maintaining better customer experiences (both inside and outside the attractions) and developing creative storylines.

Each of the category scores in this review are calculated using a weighted average of several questions that we rate on a scale of 1 to 10.

The following breakdown explains what these scores typically mean. All of our Teams use this as a reference for providing accurate ratings:

10: “Peak Performance” This score is treated as if it has a chastity belt on it. “10’s” are reserved for the best of the best; those that we feel could not possibly improve on what they’re doing.

9: “Innovative and Groundbreaking” It rocked! Nearly everything seemed to go as planned and it was one of the best we’ve ever seen! These guys are leaders in the industry, and attractions like this are truly hard to come by.

8: “Solid” A high score on our scale. They had a good handle on it and, overall, they knew how to use it well. Most attractions can learn from what these guys are doing.

6 to 7: “Good” We could tell that a good effort was made. However, we’ve seen this done much better at other places, or can detect areas where significant improvements can be made. This is about the top end of what we’d call “Family Friendly.”

5: “Average / Fair” Compared to the competition, they weren’t the best, but definitely not the worst. Scares and Special Effects in this range are usually considered “Family Friendly.”

3 to 4: “Below Average” We could see that a clear attempt was made, but most other professional attractions are doing a much better job at this.

1 to 2: “Poor” It appeared that very little time, thought or effort was contributed to this aspect.

0 (Zero): “Non-Existent” No apparent effort was made to make this a significant contributor to the attraction.

Afterword: This rating system is standardized across all of The Scare Factor’s official haunt review teams. However, keep in mind there will always be minor differences between Teams, as we all have varying levels of experience. Regardless, we do our best to remain true to our core values, which is to promote all haunted attractions! Perhaps the biggest thing to remember is: sometimes the score – in and of itself – doesn’t tell the whole story about an attraction’s merits. This is why we provide detailed explanations for each category… to help you better understand how and why we chose the score/s that we did. We do our best to not let feelings or emotions rule our judgement, while also viewing the attraction through the lens of the typical haunt-goer. But, because all reviews with ratings are inherently subjective, this is nearly impossible to completely prevent. Though, when in doubt, we tend to give slightly lower scores than our original “gut feelings” to account for this, and also give the attraction more room to improve over time. We also do our best to be fair and consistent across all of the haunts that we review. We know that you’ll be looking at these scores and comparing them to other attractions, so we hope this review helps you out in that aspect. Do you have some feedback about our review system? Contact Us Here to let us know what you think!

Final Score: 8.81 //

Final Scores – By Category

Final Scores – By Category:

Cast (20% of Final Score): 8.81

Costuming (10% of Final Score): 7.93

Customer Service (10% of Final Score): 9.38

Immersion (10% of Final Score): 9.25

Special Effects (15% of Final Score): 9.13

Scare Factor (20% of Final Score): 9.24

Entertainment & Value (15% of Final Score): 7.81

Final Scores – By Attraction

Final Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 8.81

Vulgar. Obscene. Outrageous. All these words are synonymous with the Haunted Hoochie, and deservedly so. Due to the vein this haunt hits, they’ve proven to be polarizing. The goal is to get you as far out of your comfort zone as possible with foul language, gore, and mature subject matter. And no, they will not apologize for it.

Just so you know, this is a touch haunt, so the actors will touch guests. This haunt is a Bucket List Haunt for the extreme haunt crowd, but be aware that you will be tested!

Cast Score: 8.81 //

Cast Scores – By Question

Cast Scores – By Question:

Q1: Did it seem like there were enough actors? (25% of Cast Score): 9.75

Q2: How creative, believable, convincing were they? (35% of Cast Score): 8.5

Q3: How interactive (verbally, physically) were they? (20% of Cast Score): 9

Q4: Was there a good variety of characters (behavior)? (20% of Cast Score): 8

Cast Scores – By Attraction

Cast Scores – By Attraction:

Cast Review:

Hoochie had actors seemingly in every nook and cranny of the place, especially in the main indoor/outdoor section. There were very few places we got any form of reprieve from the onslaught of actors doing their dirty deeds. All the actors seemingly were committed to their parts, and we had no question as to their ultimate goal of catching us off-guard and making us scream. We were yelled at throughout, but we didn’t have much dialogue with them, nor did they appear to share much dialogue with each other. We caught a “fresh meat” comment, and some phrases we couldn’t quite make out, but we’re pretty confident we are better off not knowing… we’re sure it wasn’t very nice.

We came across different characters including clowns, a tortured naked dude, a perverted chicken lover (and other country folks), scantly clad, money-grabbing nuns, mysterious creatures, cape-wearing creepsters, a church leader and a probable Jesus character, and also more chainsaw maniacs and spark tool handlers than we can count.

The 3D Bad Trip attraction, for the 5 minutes of our time in there, could have used more actors as we walked quite a bit without interaction with any actors. The actors that were there were loud, aggressive, and committed to popping out and startling us.

Costuming Score: 7.93 //

Costuming Scores – By Question

Costuming Scores – By Question:

Q1: How complete, unique, detailed were the costumes? (35% of Costuming Score): 7.75

Q2: Were the masks/makeup creative, detailed, realistic? (30% of Costuming Score): 7

Q3: How appropriate were the costumes for the respective scenes, themes? (20% of Costuming Score): 9.5

Q4: How believable-, detailed-looking were the queue actors? (15% of Cast Score): 8

Costuming Scores – By Attraction

Costuming Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 7.93

Costuming Review:

The most “unique” costumes were the naughty nuns. We knew what they were by the church scene they were placed in and the dressing on their heads. However, they had ditched the traditional cloak for a “barely there” black leather, dominatrix-style outfit, and some bright-colored contacts. Poor naked guy no doubt wished he had a costume, we certainly did!

More often than not, the costumes primarily consisted of dirtied street clothes or fatigues. We also found ourselves faced with a monkey-type creature that appeared to be appropriately costumed from head to toe in an equally appropriate jungle-themed room. Most makeup was dark and basic. Some masks fit well, but others did not.

Customer Service Score: 9.38 //

Customer Service Scores – By Question

Customer Service Scores – By Question:

Q9: How easy was it to find, park at, navigate the premises? (25% of CS Score): 7.75

Q10: Safety (30% of CS Score): 9.8

Q11: How professional, helpful, friendly were the staff members? (25% of CS Score): 10

Q12: How easy was it to find pertinent information before arrival? (20% of CS Score): 10

Customer Service Scores – By Attraction

Customer Service Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 9.38

Customer Service Review:

As always, we had GPS do the talking to get us to the Hooch. We arrived at dusk and missed the entrance. Fortunately, when we made a second attempt, we got help from a parking attendant directing us to the correct entrance. After we paid $3.00 cash, we were guided by two parking attendants to our parking spot in a large grassy field. Since there was nearly no lighting in the parking area, we easily found the lights toward the attraction and walked through the midway without incident.

We counted three large sections of porta-pots along the walk to the VIP line. (We ordered our VIP tickets online the night before and discovered we needed to keep moving along the VIP line.) With the ropes set up for large crowds and minimal useful signage to direct us, we needed guidance more than once to get us exactly where we needed to be. We were very pleased with the kindness and professional behaviors of the staff that helped us get to where we needed to be and answer all of our questions. We also noticed security staff posted all throughout and noted no safety concerns. We spotted a souvenir shop and food booth in the midway selling a variety of foods to fuel our night. To return to the car, we took the same path we entered on and drove until we found the dark and low-lying exit sign up ahead.

They have a very detailed website providing all the pertinent information a potential guest would need. FAQ, ticket sales, directions, dates of operation, photo and video gallery, reviews, contact info, and even an online souvenir shop, just in case you want to order some merch before or after your visit. Here, online, and in person, customers are warned about the graphic content they will encounter should they choose to proceed.

Immersion Score: 9.25 //

Immersion Scores – By Question

Immersion Scores – By Question:

Q13: How well did the pre-haunt areas (“vibe”) prepare you for the attraction/s? (25% of Immersion Score): 8.75

Q14: How obvious, creative, believable was the storyline? (20% of Immersion Score):

Q15: Were you completely, consistently immersed inside the attraction/s? (40% of Immersion Score): 9.75

Q16: How well did the “vibe” flow after, between the attraction/s? (15% of Immersion Score): 8.75

Immersion Scores – By Attraction

Immersion Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 9.25

Immersion Review:

The pre-haunt area included a wide midway with lots of entertaining signs to read, Halloween lights, and props to look at. Further in, we were treated to more large and illuminated eye candy (Farris wheel, mini coaster, car props). While in the midway, we apparently walked into a character convention because we were swarmed with three to four characters carrying weapons and just generally messing with us. While in the queue area, we had music through the speakers and a massive TV playing various YouTube hits. Directly above us was a lady in fishnet stockings swinging her hips and dancing to the music in a cage. We spotted an unused stage area on the day of our visit.

There is a short little walk across the midway to the next attraction Bad Trip, which also spilled out into the midway near the souvenir shop and food booth.

Special FX Score: 9.13 //

Special FX Scores – By Question

Special FX Scores – By Question:

Q17: How effective were the sound effects? (20% of SFX Score): 9.5

Q18: How realistic were the scene designs, details? (30% of SFX Score): 8.25

Q19: How effective, realistic were the props, animatronics? (30% of SFX Score): 9.5

Q20: How well did they use creative, special, sensory FX? (20% of SFX Score): 9.5

Special FX Scores – By Attraction

Special FX Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 9.13

Special FX Review:

Once inside the haunt, we were treated to the first of many special effects, the now famous shotgun scene. For anyone living under a rock who doesn’t know, we were given a brief narrative from the actor, who sits down and places a shotgun in his mouth, pulls the trigger, and blood is blown onto the window directly behind him.

We experienced pyrotechnics in the form of a flaming pentagram, several massive animatronics moving and growling, thick fog, and blinding strobe lights. We bore witness to a most unusual demon baby birth, with the baby shooting out from its mother. Some characters came out with chainsaws and sparking tools. We boarded a crashed airplane complete with bloody victims and were nearly run over three times by a moving vehicle of some sort. We traversed through two of some of the most effective vortex tunnels to date. We also enjoyed the massive 3D “roving eye” in Bad Trip that moved around like it was alive. We walked through rooms with flowing water and rooms that appeared on a stage specifically to display various acts of violence.

Sounds were playing throughout the night, mostly consisting of loud, heavy metal music. Walking through the war section, they added a nice touch of sounds seemingly coming from a truck for a more real feel, coupled with gunfire and a water cannon, giving us a more realistic feel. The casket and catacomb mazes created a sensory overload with the loud music, fog, and strobe lights, all the while leaving us to basically try to feel our way through. The authentic airplane cabin was nicely done with the typical sounds one would expect when boarding a plane. When there wasn’t metal, party, or “old time drinkin” music, there were creepy, ambiant sounds or screaming chickens… and chainsaws… lots and lots of chainsaws.

Scare Factor Score: 9.24 //

Scare Factor Scores – By Question

Scare Factor Scores – By Question:

Q21: How scary was it? (35% of Scare Factor Score): 9.75

Q22: How well did they provide scares for everyone in the group? (15% of Scare Factor Score): 9.5

Q23: How predictable were the scares? (25% of Cast Score): 9.5

Q24: How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of Scare Factor Score): 9

Q25: How strong was the ending/finale? (15% of Scare Factor Score): 7.5

Scare Factor Scores – By Attraction

Scare Factor Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 9.24

Scare Factor Review:

When going through the list of scares, we found that Haunted Hoochie uses several categories of scares, some simultaneously. The scary subject matter, and thus the psychological scares we faced include suicide by gunshot, baby murders, creatures (in person and giant animatronics), and counter-religious activities. They’re known for blood and gore, so we not only witnessed the mature subject matter, we fully experienced it with the added blood and gore. Many, many times, we watched actor-on-actor violence and victims screaming with beheadings and mutilation or torture.

While in the dark sections, actors used a lot of disguise and distraction to create a pop or jump scare and coupled that with coming at us from different directions and at different people in line. There were sudden and unexpected bursts of sounds and light, and the two very effective tunnels using the disorientation techniques. We didn’t just watch a show here, actors were also grabbing at us and threatening/cussing/screaming/yelling at us. Not only this, but we didn’t experience any dead spaces or downtime at all.

Unfortunately, we did witness some repetition of things, like chainsaws and beheading. When this happens, the scare just isn’t as effective as it was the first time.

Entertainment & Value Score: 7.81 //

E&V Scores – By Question

E&V Scores – By Question:

Q26: How satisfied are you with the entertainment from the Main* attractions? (50% of E&V Score): 8

Q27: How satisfied are you with the Other* entertainment (incl. w/ ticket price)? (25% of E&V Score): 7.5

Q28: How appropriate is/are the ticket price/s? (25% of E&V Score): 7.75

E&V Scores – By Attraction

E&V Scores – By Attraction:

Attraction 1: 7.81

E&V Review:

The general admission ticket price is $30, with the VIP fast pass set at $50. Our total time in both attractions was right at 25 minutes, thus creating a minute per dollar score of 0.83.

Due to the graphic nature of this program, we sure felt like we were in there longer than 25 minutes! We laughed, jumped, and screamed the entire way through!

View Full Score Sheet

Pics we took from our visit:.

Promo Images:

Click to Enlarge

Guest Reviews Guest Average: 8.44 out of 10

Michelle – 10 / 10 – October 29, 2020 This was so awesome. I am friends with some actors and my 9 year old son begged all summer to go and …show more I finally decided to take him, he did get scared after seeing the first scene in the main house but it was nice the actors helped us out and that there were still other things we were able to do! He absolutely loved the 3d clown house maze! And he love the interaction with the actors. I was so happy that even though he got scared there was still something for him to do and we had such a blast!!

Cody Bodnar – 10 / 10 – September 19, 2020 The Best haunted house I have been to

Adam – 9.5 / 10 – October 5, 2019 It was a great time,the Haunted Hoochie will have you looking over your shoulder the whole time.

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Past Awards

2022 awards.

Most Outrageous Haunt (Given by: Team Teachers of Terror )

2020 Awards

Wildest Haunt & Cast (Given by: Team Cleaverland )

The Scare Factor provides reviews and directory listings for Halloween haunted houses, haunted trails, haunted hayrides, scream parks, and other types of haunted attractions.

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6 Haunted Places to Visit in Moscow

Golosov ravine in kolomensky park.

Source: Link

Moscow is the capital city of Russia, and it is the second most famous city in Europe. This cosmopolitan city is filled with so much dark and paranormal stories in different locations. These are the most haunted places in Moscow. Golosov is believed to come from ‘Volos’, a pagan god that ruled the world beyond.  Another school of thought believes it means ‘golosa’ the voices of people who entered the ravine and can be heard but not seen. The ravine is known as an evil place. A squadron of soldiers arose from the ravine in the 17th century and marched to Kolomensky palace. They were arrested, and upon interrogation, they claimed they were soldiers of khan Devlet Girey. Witnesses were chilled to their bones because this particular khan existed at least 100 years earlier. Click the next  ARROW  to see the next photo!

Pushkin Theater on Tverskaya

The Pushkin Theater was renovated in 1950. The new building was extended to the burial site of the John the Apostle church. The Theatre’s director did not understand the implications, his widow; Alisa Koonen cursed the building and met her death in 1974. All theatrical productions were a flop; irritable audience hissed at the plays or failed to attend. His widow’s ghost still appears in the theatre. It was sanctified in 1991 and witnesses claim that a strange butterfly circled the stage during a performance and flew away. It is said that it is the ghost of the Koonen finally bidding farewell to the theatre. Click the next  ARROW  to see the next photo!

Maly Ivanovsky Lane, John the Baptist Convent

Darya “Saltychikha” Saltykova who was called the ‘monstrosity of humanity’ by Catherine II spent 3 decades in solitary confinement in this convent because she killed more than 74 serfs. Saddened by her restriction and inability to kill and destroy, she screamed and spat on her captors. She died in prison. Legend has it that her ghost still lingers and if you sight her ghost, calamity will befall you. It is one of the scariest places you could visit in Moscow, and If you are keen on horror stories, it is definitely worth a visit. Click the next ARROW  to see the next photo!

28 Malaya Nikitskaya St. Beria Mansion

This is the current site of the Tunisian Embassy in Russia. Lavrentiy Beria, head of Stalin’s secret Police kidnapped damsels and ravished them. After having carnal knowledge of them, he would kill them with a gun. There have reported echoes of footsteps in the hallway at night. It is also said that a mysterious presence scatters books and papers in the room. The Tunisian Embassy has filed for a change of location because of this. If you ever will be there, you will notice the weird atmosphere outside and inside that building without understanding the reason. Click the next ARROW  to see the next photo!

Ostankino is a Russian word which means ‘remains.’ Ostankino was built as a television station property on the site of an old cemetery. A little over 5 centuries ago, the Old Woman of Ostankino visited the city to rule over the land, and she forbade the boyar Satin from tilling and cultivating crops on the land. She did this because she believed it would disturb the dead. The Old woman was banished and after a short while, the boyar Satin died, not long after, the Tsar, Tsar Paul whom she appeared to and warned of his death, passed on too. She appeared to Alexander II who was traveling past Ostankino village and told him he would die in the hands of his enemies. Her prophecy came to pass. She was also spotted before a fire engulfed the Television Station in 2000, four persons lost their lives. Click the next  ARROW  to see the next photo!

Khovrinskaya Abandoned Hospital

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Strand Cinema

Skowhegan, maine.

This movie house was built in 1929, and became Strand Cinema in 2003. Some say it is home to a ghost who is very angry. The phenomena surrounding the place are said to have begun in 1978 when an apartment was added to the building. Workers took the brunt of ...

West Side Lake George

Unexplained activity abounds near the camp's cabins. When a group of children came across one old cabin in the woods, each one looked through the windows and saw something different. In one instant there appeared to be a game room inside, with folded chairs around the room. In the next, ...

Mallett Hall

Farmington, maine.

Haunts at Mallet Hall include a little girl known to some as Mary and a dorm mother who is said to have hanged herself. Also, the basement and the 3rd floor are both said to be home to particularly dark forces.

U. of Maine at Farmington - Auditorium

The university's auditorium is haunted by Lilian Nordica, a famed opera singer; the auditorium was dedicated to the school in her name. Folks say she can be heard singing from the stage.

Greenville Inn at Moosehead Lake

Greenville, maine.

Some weird goings-on have been reported at this inn. A beautiful young woman's apparition has been seen, and she is said to be a friendly ghost. It is also worth noting that the inn may have a talented ghost: Unexplained tap dancing has been heard in Room 302.

Mount Saint Joseph

Waterville, maine.

Mount Saint Jospeh is a nursing home that used to be a children's hospital. The site appears to be haunted by children's spirits. Different residents in the nursing home, having never met before, have reported a little girl in a purple dress who keeps them awake all night. Many of ...

Wilton Farm and Home Museum

Wilton, maine.

People have reported being touched and brushed against by people they can't see. Yelling voices and musical instruments being played have also been reported in the museum. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

Readfield Historical Society and Museum

Readfield, maine.

This building is haunted by a young schoolgirl and a hostile presence, believed to be a male. Whispering noises, moans and screams have been heard in the building, along with disembodied footsteps. A visitor was attacked by an unseen entity. Electrical appliances go on and off, and chairs and desks ...

The Devil's Footprint

Manchester, maine.

Embedded in a stone in the wall around a cemetery near the North Manchester Meeting House, the Devil's Footprint is a mark of great curiosity. Stories say that when the road was being built, the construction workers came across a rock that couldn't be moved. One worker is said to ...

Randolph Forest - Old Narrow Gauge Trail

Randolph, maine.

From the forest, witnesses have reported voices calling out to them, or screaming at them, and have seen orbs, flashes, and dark shadows. They have heard footsteps and felt a feeling of dread. Some say there is a spirit named Bicycle Eddie who may be trying to impart a message ...

Univ. of Maine - Beta Theta Pi House

Orono, maine.

This house is said to have two ghosts, one a young man who hanged himself after fighting with his brother in the 1950s, and a friendly ghost named Evelyn. Evelyn was a dorm mother in the 1950s who is said to have died of natural causes in the house. She ...

Penobscot Indian Reservation

Old town, maine.

The reservation is said to be haunted by the spirit of an evil man who died more than a century ago. It is said that he strove to rule the area, and he cruelly dominated the Native American woman he married.

Ayers Island Mill

A worker whose death accidental death occurred under mysterious circumstances and a little girl murdered by her father are said to haunt here. (Submitted by Chris Berglund)

Silver Lake

Bucksport, maine.

The ghost of Sally Weir is said to haunt Silver Lake, also known as Mattakeunk Pond. Sally was a maid and prostitute in the late 1800s who was brutally murdered. There are varying accounts of the circumstances surrounding the crime. Some say Sally's ghost haunts the area waiting for her ...

Prospect, Maine

Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970, Fort Knox is said to be quite a spooky place. Folks have reported apparitions, electronic voice phenomena and the feeling of being physically touched by the spirits here. The site has been featured on TV's Ghost Hunters.

1794 Watchtide by the Sea

Searsport, maine.

Reports say this establishment is no longer operating as an inn, but it was said to be haunted by a friendly apparition who has been nicknamed Connie.

Carriage House Inn

The inn, originally built in 1874 by sea captain John McGilvery, is said to be haunted by ghosts who appear in the windows and smoke cigars. The owners' beagle Jimi, clearly freaked out by the spirits who reside here, chooses not to go into certain rooms. The staircase is said ...

Buck Cemetery

Find the grave of Jonathon Buck, and you'll see it has a footprint stained into the tombstone. Legends told by the locals say the tombstone has been replaced several times, but the foot always reappears. As the legend says, Jonathon Buck ordered his mistress executed, saying that she was a ...

North Bowdoin Cemetery - Cemetery in the Pit

Bowdoin, maine.

Rumored to have been buried here in the 1800s is a woman who practiced witchcraft. Some say she was buried near a big stump, and if a star appears in the stump, it means the witch is roaming the grounds with you. It is said that there is a curse ...

The White Lady of Brownville Road

Millinocket, maine.

Locals tell a tale of a newlywed couple who swerved off the road in the 1950s or 1960s. The car went down an embankment, and the man went for help. When he came back, his new wife was gone, never to be seen again... alive, anyway. People say she can ...

The Lucerne Inn

Dedham, maine.

Reports vary on who and why the Lucerne Inn is haunted. Some people claim that there was double murder-suicide that took place here when a man caught his wife cheating. Details of the catching and the man vary from story to story with his name changing with the ...

Maiden's Cliff

Camden, maine.

A girl is said to have fallen on the rocks below here while chasing her windblown hat. Some reports say she died instantly; others say she was taken home and died later of internal injuries. The spot is marked by a large white cross. Her screams are said to echo ...

Auburn Public Library

Auburn, maine.

The 1903 library is haunted by a ghostly smiling man. Staff have reportedly seen him staring down at them from inside the building, but upon investigation, the place is empty. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

Hotel Crypt

Lewiston, maine.

Welcome to The Hotel Crypt, the only attraction of its kind in America -- possibly the world. In 1907, Father Wallace, the first priest of St. Patrick's Church in Lewiston, Maine, was laid to rest in a crypt below the church's mortuary chapel. Today, except for the ...

Balsams Grand Resort Hotel

Colebrook, new hampshire.

The early 1900s Balsams Grand Resort Hotel became an active haunt hot spot after renovations were made. Ghostly residents who reside here include a beautiful woman who sits in a chair just beyond the landing, a translucent naked man who stood at the foot of the bed of a guest ...

Pitcher Man - Goose River Bridge

Rockport, maine.

Legend has it that William Richardson threw a 1783 party to celebrate the end of the Revolutionary War. He drunk more than his fill and made sure everyone else did too, carrying pitchers around and making sure mugs were always full. He is said to have wandered off from the ...

Governor Smith House

Wiscasset, maine.

The historic house, a private home, is said to have 3 ghosts: an elderly lady, a Penobscot Indian, and a dog named Guy. The lady has been seen upstairs, waving from the window, or rocking in the parlor. The dog scratches at doors, and living cats stop and stare as ...

Musical Wonder House Museum

Original a two-family home built in 1852, this museum is said to be haunted by a young man in his early 20s. His apparition has been seen around the museum, and it is believed that he was a former resident of the house long ago.

Canfield's Restaurant

Built in the 1790s to be a boardinghouse, the building that now houses Canfield's Restaurant is said to be haunted by a poltergeist. Witnesses say teapots are turned topsy-turvy, chairs move around, and the some witnesses are smacked in the behind. Believed to be Lydia Dana, a previous owner, she ...

Route 26 Hitchhiker

Poland, maine.

The glowing ghost of Route 26 is a hitchhiker, a young lady in a fancy dress. Some tales tell that she was a bride who was killed in a fatal accident in the 1930s; others say she was a teen on her way to the prom. Another version says she ...

Poland Spring Resort

Reportedly haunted by the original owner, people claim they have seen his apparition walking the hallways, that they hear his footsteps and that he moves objects in the Inn.

Union Church - Durham Historical Society

Durham, maine.

According to members of the local historical society, the 1835 church-turned-museum is haunted by a ghostly parishioner. (Submitted by Callum Swift)

Berry Manor Inn

Rockland, maine.

In the main house of this historic 1898 home-turned-inn, the ghosts of three women in Victorian clothing are often seen standing by a downstairs window. They have also been seen from the street by passersby.

Maine State Prison

Cushing, maine.

Some equipment used at this prison came from an old prison in Thomaston, which was reported to be haunted. When that prison was torn down, its equipment was recycled for use at Maine State Prison. Correction officers at the new prison have seen spirits of former inmates and have had ...

LimeRock Inn

This historic inn was once the home of Dr. Lawry, and ghostly patients of his have been seen and heard waiting in the parlor. Also, spirits have been seen from the outside, looking out the upstairs windows. The staircase is said to be a particularly good spot for witnessing paranormal ...

Captain Lindsey House Inn

A generic variety of haunting, this inn boasts at least one ghost (though some claim there are ghosts that number in the dozens there). Doors slamming, footsteps being heard when there is no one present and someone who likes to rumple the freshly made bed, these are are some ...

Royalsborough Inn - Bagley House

The 1770's bed and breakfast inn is supposedly haunted by a ghostly maid. The owners at the time had considered her a gossiper, and refused to let her leave the premises to go into town. Nowadays, guests have reported hearing a ghostly female voice, whilst others (in particular male ...

West Durham Methodist Church

The historic church was built on the site of a meeting ground used since 1802, and is rumoured to be haunted. Visitors to the building have reportedly been locked in by an unseen presence, an event which has occurred on several occasions. Interestingly, the church is located adjacent to ...

Five Stones of River Road

Brunswick, maine.

The 5 mysterious stones have no known purpose, but those who love nearby say that on moonlit nights, singing voices can be heard around them. Some say they are the voices of long-gone Native Americans who lived here long ago.

South Thomaston, Maine

At Keag Inn, a mysterious spirit appears, the ghost of a man who may be the former owner. His presence has been felt by both employees and guests, and some have seen a shadowy form on the second floor. The inn was built in 1854.

Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum

The museum is named for a former owner, Civil War general, Bowdoin College president, and Maine Governor Joshua L. Chamberlain. Built around 1924, the Greek Revival home is still home to Chamberlain and his wife Fanny, some say. Their apparitions have been seen in the house many times, as well ...

Pickard Theatre - Bowdoin College

At the Pickard Theater at Bowdoin College, a technician reported seeing a lamp swinging although there was no ventilation in the room, and feeling extremely cold.

East Wind Inn

St. george, maine.

If you want to stay in a haunted room, try room 12 or 14 as those two rooms seem to have the most haunted activity associated with them. Be warned however, the ghost appears to be a malevolent one, as people claim they have been attacked by an unseen ...

Fort William Henry - Colonial Pemaquid

Bristol, maine.

A ghost is said to live at this popular historic tourist attraction. In 1696, Native American Chief Taukolexis was said to be hanged here at the fort. Locals say that his ghost now resides in the tree from which he was hanged. His spirit also is said to appear as ...

The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor

Boothbay harbor, maine.

It is said that at the Boothbay Opera House, the ghost of an unknown soul haunts a room on the second floor.

Christmas Farm Inn and Spa

Jackson, new hampshire.

This inn complex, originally opened in the 1880s, contains some buildings that are as old as the late 1770s. It is rumored to be haunted, and the staff can advise curious guests as to where the hot spots are. The inn has been featured on TV's Ghost Hunters.

Eagle Mountain House and Golf Club

Although the original structure was built in 1879, it has been expanded quite a bit since those days. It was rebuilt after a fire in the early 20th century. A ghostly Lady in Red and the apparition of a little boy both make occasional appearances here, according to reports.

The Inn at Jackson

The inn was built in 1902 as the summer home of Kate Corinne Baldwin, of Baldwin piano fame. It is believed to be haunted by a ghost some call Jason. Unexplained glowing lights are said to appear and disappear here. Room 2 is often described as the most active for ...

Harpswell Harbor

Harpswell, maine.

A famous phantom ship was said to appear just before dark. It was depicted in the John Greenleaf Whittier's 1866 poem "The Dead Ship of Harpswell." The ship changed size and shape, but always appeared sailing straight ahead at full sail, no matter what the weather was like. Legends say ...

Admiral Peary Inn

Fryeburg, maine.

A 7- or 8-year-old girl's ghost is said to haunt the Admiral Peary House. The apparition is called Annabelle, because a visiting psychic claimed this was the child's name.

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Top 13 places in Russia where you may face a ghost

1. Kusovnikov House in Moscow

In the 19 th   century house № 17 on Myasnitskaya street in central Moscow was inhabited by a rich, but very greedy couple – Pyotr and Sofya Kusovnikov, who scrimped on almost everything. Extremely suspicious, they used to hide money from their servants in different places. Once they hid some in the fireplace, but the janitor accidentally burned it when lighting the fire. When she found out, Sofya died instantly of a broken heart, her husband passed away a little later. Since then, the ghost of a hunched old man in a coat has routinely appeared on the street near the house – this is Pyotr Kusovnikov mourning his lost money.

2. Sokol metro station

During WWI, not far from the modern Sokol station of the Moscow metro, a cemetery for fallen soldiers was located. In 1918, mass executions of White officers and priests by the Reds were held there. All this led to the appearance of ghosts in the dark tunnels of the station. Early in the morning diaphanous figures with festering wounds can be seen there.  

3. St. Michael’s Castle in St. Petersburg

This castle was a royal residence built by order of Tsar  Paul I. On March 21, 1801, he was killed there by a group of conspirators. It is considered that the restless spirit of the tsar was unable to leave the castle. It appears there in the corridors with a burning candle in its hand.

4.   Znamenskaya Tower in Yaroslavl

During the Civil War in Russia (1917-1922), a group of White troops held positions in the Volkovsky theater in Yaroslavl. The Red commissar in command of the siege promised to spare their lives. However, he lied and all the Whites were executed at the Znamenskaya Tower. Since then, the ghost of the commissar who didn’t keep his promise has been seen at the place of his crime.

5. Igumnov House in Moscow

The house at 43 Bolshaya Yakimanka Street in Moscow, also known as “Igumnov House,” serves today as the residence of the French ambassador. It was built at the request of the industrialist Nikolay Igumnov in the late 19 th   century. He settled his young mistress here, but one day caught her with a lover. The lover was kicked out, but the girl was never seen again. It is believed that the outraged Igumnov bricked her up in a wall. During Soviet times, people often saw the ghost of a young girl walking through the walls with deep, plaintive sighs.     

6. House of Rasputin in St. Petersburg

The flat on the second floor at 64 Gorokhovaya street in St. Petersburg is today a usual residential apartment. However, in the early 20th century it was home to one of the most mystical figures in Russian history – Grigory Rasputin. His ghost sometimes appears here, scaring inhabitants with its clunking steps and grunting in dark corners.

7. House on the Embankment

This house at 2 Serafimovicha Street, simply known as “House on Embankment,” is among the most famous in the Russian capital, known as the place of residence for the Soviet   crème de la crème : writers, artists, actors, generals, athletes. However, it also has a dark history. During the Great Purge, a campaign of political repressions in the USSR, dozens of the house’s inhabitants were arrested and executed. Today, the house is full of the ghosts of those victims, who sometimes appear in their old dwelling place. 

8. Tower of the old hospital in Ryazan

Among the high-rise modern buildings at 15 Gorky Street in Ryazan is an old tower – all that remains of the old hospital. At night, a lonely dark figure can be seen walking in this tower. This is the ghost of Alexander Smitten, who administered the hospital more than a century ago.

9. Griboyedov Canal in St. Petersburg

During a misty night in March, one can see the ghost of a young girl near the Griboyedov Canal in St. Petersburg. Her face is blue because of asphyxiation, and there is a big red mark on her neck caused by a rope. This is famous revolutionary Sophia Perovskaya, who assassinated Tsar Alexander II and was hanged for her deed. To meet this ghost is a bad omen, and can cost nocturnal pedestrians their lives.

10. Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

There is a legend that when the Kremlin in Nizhny Novgorod was being built, the constructors were unable to finish one of the towers. It kept falling down. In the end, they decided to make a sacrifice and to build the tower on the blood of the first person who passed by. It happened to be a pregnant woman hurrying to the river for water. She was seized and bricked up in the tower alive. The ghost of a pale woman holding a baby has appeared near this place ever since.

11. Oldenburg Palace near Voronezh

Built in the late 19th century, the palace belonged to Princess Eugenia of Leuchtenberg. Today her ghost rises from the deep casemates of the palace to wander through its rooms and corridors. There is also another ghost there, much older — the ghost of a young peasant girl. It is even said that Princess Eugenia saw it when she was alive.

12. Stalin’s country house near Sochi

Stalin’s ghost can be seen at his country house, located today within the Green Groove hotel near Sochi. The “father of the nations” walks in his white jacket, smoking his trademark pipe.

13. Psychiatric hospital near Nizhny Novgorod

Near the modern psychiatric hospital in the village of Lyakhovo near Nizhny Novgorod, one can see an abandoned old building. Several dozen years ago a young girl hanged herself there because of unrequited love. At night it is possible to see a white silhouette and hear the moaning and cries of the “love-stricken schoolgirl” as the locals call her.

And if you want to see a UFO, here are several places in Russia where you will have a chance.

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