The Scariest Haunted Houses in America
For those who look forward to October 31st all year long, Halloween is no one-day affair. It’s a whole season, packed with horror movie binges, terrifying ghost stories, cute yet creepy snacks, fright-filled festivals, hair-raising reads, raucous themed parties, plus obsessive costume planning. And, of course, for the ultra brave, no Halloween would be complete without a visit to one of the scariest haunted houses.
The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride
The Bates Motel and Bates Psycho Path (GET IT?) have been dazzling visitors for 30 years with a particularly slick experience featuring animatronic props actors, and digital FX. The third attraction, the monster-filled Revenge of the Scarecrows Haunted Corn Trail, features walk-through sets and over 30 actors in creepy costume. In 2021, though, those actors won’t be touching anyone—masks are also required, and there’s a temperature check at the door.
Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses
Fans flock to Ulster Park, NY, every year for the theatrical Headless Horseman Hayride. Corn maze, and several haunted house experiences on the grounds of a gorgeous, historic 18th-century manor. In 2020, the hayride was be replaced by a drive-through experience titled “The Horseman’s Trail. But details regarding the 2021 season have yet to be released. Keep in mind, though: The website promises it’s “returning bigger and better” this year.
Field of Screams
Lancaster County’s Field of Screams offers four themed attractions. The Frightmare Asylum, Den of Darkness, Nocturnal Wasteland, and the Haunted Hayride. Which sounds less scary, but looks absolutely TERRIFYING in this video trailer
The Dent Schoolhouse
Taken with a grain of salt, the allegedly-true Dent Schoolhouse storyline is a fun one: The attraction’s website claims it was once an actual public school, but it closed in the 1950s after a janitor known as Charlie was suspected of foul play after kids started going missing. These days, brave visitors roam the schoolhouse halls and the outdoor Queen City Slaughter Yard to find horrors.
The attraction—which has been frightening guests for 25 years. Opens September 17, and true thrill-seekers can experience the Dent Schoolhouse *in complete darkness* on November 5 and 6.
