Halloween Haunted Houses in Columbus, Ohio

The Halloween season provides many opportunities for Columbus, Ohio area residents to pay someone to scare them into screaming. The Columbus area is home to several haunted houses every October.

Dead Acres/Haunted Hoochie - 13861 East Broad St SW, Pataskala
Just east of Columbus is the longest-running Central Ohio haunted attraction, the Haunted Hoochie. Consistently named among the best in the United States, the Haunted Hoochie strives every year to kick it up another notch.

Dead Acres/Haunted Hoochie is NOT for children or anyone who is expecting sheet-draped ghosts flitting through the woods. The show is held outdoors rain or shine starting around 8:30 PM Thursday, Friday and Saturday throughout October. There will be one Sunday Haunted Hoochie in 2010 on October 31. Thursday evenings, the Hoochie closes at midnight unless there is no crowd (they might close early). Friday and Saturday, the shows will last as long as there is a line - I've gone to the Hoochie at 3:00 AM.

2010 Haunted Hoochie Admission is $20 and tickets are available online via the official website. Parking is free.

The Terrorfest - 477 South Front Street, Columbus
Located in the Brewery District, The Terrorfest combines two attractions for scare-seekers: Butcher's Realm and The Brewery Butcher 3D. Tour D.R. Frightner's asylum every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October, with Thursday tours beginning October 14, 2010. Tours begin at 7:30 PM and end at 10:00 PM on Sunday and Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Brought to you by the creators of the former House of Nightmares, admission to the indoor haunted house is $20 and online tickets are available at The Terrorfest official website. Haunted house lovers can get a $2 discount coupon via e-mail through the website.

Paid surface parking lots are nearby.

The Scare-A-Torium - 1501 East Dublin-Granville Road, Columbus
Located in the former Big Bear store at 161 & Karl Road, The Scare-A-Torium brings together the world's greatest fears, collected by Colonel Frightmore. The Scare-A-Torium features a Sunday Lights-On Tour for families and face-painting is available for children.

The Scare-A-Torium is the work of the same company who brought Central Ohio Terror Park for many years.

General admission is $15 and parking is free. On Sunday, the price for the Lights On Tour from 5:00 until 7:00 PM is $5 and two children under 12 are admitted free with a paying adult. Regular hours are Friday and Saturday from 7:00 PM until midnight and Sunday from 5:00 PM until 10:00 PM. Thursday tours begin on October 14 and run from 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM.

Discount coupons are available via The Scare-A-Torium official website.

Trail of Fears - 1859 Walker Road, Hilliard
The Trail of Fears features demonic clowns and a hayride before you reach the woods that are homes to the actual Trail. The legend of the Wilson Clan is building each year and 2010 looks to provide more scares than years past.

Open from 8:00 PM until 11:00 PM on Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday, admission to the Trail of Fears is $14 with free parking. In case of rain, call ahead at 614-876-2833 to see if the Trail of Fears is open.

Each of these Columbus, Ohio haunted houses accepts cash, Visa or Mastercard and also offer higher-priced VIP admission, allowing you to skip the long lines.

Official Websites:
Haunted Hoochie
The Terrorfest
Trail of Fears
Scare-A-Torium