Haunted Houses, Halloween Mazes and More in Northwest Ohio: A to Z

It's almost Halloween. Soon, if they aren't already, haunted houses and attractions will be opening their doors to guests in the hopes of scaring the yell out of them.

Personally, I absolutely love haunted houses. I am always trying to find new ones from across the state to attend. In my quest, I have found a big problem: the lists of haunted houses online are often incomplete and/or inaccurate. Oftentimes, you have to visit several Web sites just to find one haunted attraction worth visiting. Other times, you think you have found a good haunted house to visit only to later find out that it is no loner open.

I have attempted to solve this problem by coming up with my own list. I attempted to make it as accurate and comprehensive as possible. Due to the fact that not all attractions are listed online, I'm sure that I missed at least one. I also tried to weed through the information available online and include only the houses that are still in operation.

Below is my guide to the haunted houses and attractions in northwest Ohio. All attractions are listed in alphabetical order. I also included a little information on each attraction.

Chainsaw Creek Haunted Attractions (Toledo)- This haunt is actually four attractions in one: Black Hole, Haunted Prison, the Butcher Shop, and a yet to be announced fourth haunt. This year marks the second year for the haunt. With the first year being a great success, the owners are hoping to do even better this year.

East Road Terror (Elida)- This haunt is located in a house purported to be haunted by an evil madman who is still on the hunt for his next victim. This haunt is not recommended for young children. However, there is a children's matinee offered. All proceeds go to the American Red Cross of Allen County.

Fear Factory (Findlay)- This haunted house gets bigger, darker, and more scary each year. All proceeds benefit Make-a-Wish Foundation of Northwest Ohio.

Ghostly Manor (Sandusky)- This haunt has been rated one of the best in the nation. In fact, it is so popular, it stays open all summer instead of just during Halloween season. It is located in the same building as a skating rink as well as the Ghostly Gifts gift shop and the XD 3D movie theater, the first and only theater of its kind in Ohio. I have been here many times and absolutely love it. One of my favorite features is the hidden cameras in the haunted house. All the people who are waiting in line as well as those who are skating can watch your journey through the haunt.

Halloweekends at Cedar Point (Sandusky)-During the month of October, Cedar Point is transformed into a huge haunted attraction. Although it is not the typical haunted attraction, it is worth mentioning on this list. Halloweekends features three haunted houses: Lair of the Vampire, Pharaoh's Secret, and Undertaker U. There are four walk-through haunts: CarnEvil, Fear Faire, Fright Zone, and Werewolf Canyon. Cedar Point also hosts a parade, many shows, and has a whole slew of activities and adventures for children. Depending on the day, some of the rides may not be open. However, there is still something for the whole family. I have been here many times and absolutely loved it each and every time.

Haunted Hydro (Fremont)- The Haunted Hydro Haunted House is an nationally-known, award winning haunt. Every year, the theme is changed and so is the house. This year's theme is "X-treme Screams." The Haunted Hydro has other haunted attractions that change each year. This year, Mid-Evil Stonehenge, The Legend of Bloody Mary Ghost Show, and Rage in the Cage are reported to be the featured attractions, along with the haunted house. All attractions are recommended for ages nine and up. I have been here before and it was really fun. It's definitely worth the drive and the price of admission.

Haunted Trail of Horror (Kenton)- This haunted trail is over a mile long. It is located next to a cemetery and the owners as well as many others believe that the neighbors like to pay a visit once in awhile. The attraction features the Tunnel of Doom as well as lots of monsters, oddities, and movie characters. It is also important to mention that the trial is completely wheel chair accessible.

Hauntville (Sandusky)- This haunt is located in an old mansion that was once a funeral home where two people died, a man went missing, and countless funerals were held. Many believe the house is really haunted. It is actually two haunts in one: The Haunted Victorian Mansion and The 3-D Mystery Mansion. It is really a haunted theatrical production using both actors and special effects. This attraction is open all summer, not just during Halloween season.

Keil's Screamhouse (Swanton)- This haunt consists of both the Screamhouse as well as the Vortex Maze which is a 3D maze that is appropriate for younger children. The theme of the Screamhouse is that of a greenhouse gone bad. Last year, there was a rather big battle over whether or not the haunted house violated regulations in the Ohio Fire Code. Unfortunately, I was not able to confirm if the attraction would be open or not this season. However, I decided to include it in the list.

Leader's ScreamAcres Haunted Cornfield (Napoleon)- This haunt is located at Leader's Family Farms. It consists of a long, twisted trail through a haunted cornfield. Along the way, watch out for the Body Snatcher. He is known to come out on Saturday nights on the prowl for his so-called "victims of creativity." Along with ScreamAcres, the site also features a corn maze during the day and barnyard activities during the day for the younger crowd as well as nightly entertainment while you wait in line for ScreamAcres. ScreamAcres is wheelchair accessible and is not recommended for small children.

Nautical Nightmare (Toledo)- This haunt is located on the Ste. Clair, the so-called "Ghost Ship" that is purported to have mysteriously vanished and then reappear years later. However, those onboard at the time of the disappearance were never found. The ship is now said to be haunted. Is the story true? You be the judge.

Nightmare Within (Tiffin)- This has been one of the area's most popular haunts for many years. However, the last few years have not been good for the attraction. It is not known if they will return for the 2007 season. As of now, their website is shut down so it doesn't look too good.

Putnum County's Haunted Cornfield (Ottawa)- This haunt used to be known as Schmitz Haunted Cornfield. Visitors not only get to trek through the haunted cornfield but they also get to visit the haunted barn. This year features all new scares.

Scare Fair at Harold's Haunted Cornfield (Cridersville) This haunt offers three attractions in one: the Haunted Cornfield, The Gauntlet, and Toxic Trauma. Supposedly, the site is located on an old Indian burial ground and many strange happenings have taken place over the years. There have been many updates for the 2007 season including doubling the number of scares in Toxic Trauma.

Scarewood Forest (Toledo)- This haunt has recently moved and, in the process, greatly grew in size. It is entirely volunteer-run and all proceeds go to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northwest Ohio. The admission is only four dollars, which is considerably lower than most haunted attractions. The haunt is not super-scary, so kids may enjoy this one.

Terror at the Westwood: School of Horrors (Rudolph)- This haunt is located in an old school that was abandoned decades ago. The building alone is very creepy. It is purported to be extremely haunted. Each night, there is charity car bashing with all proceeds going to the Christian Children's Fund. The attraction also features live bands, a pool table, and arcade games.

Terror Town (Toledo)- This haunt changes every aspect of its show every year in an attempt to make each year bigger and better. 2007 features three new attractions: House of the Dead, The Cave, and Big Top Terror. I visited here about five years ago and it was loads of fun. It's well worth a visit.

Train of Terror and Haunted Engine House (Findlay)- This haunt first takes visitors on a scary train ride past the eerie forest. Survivors go on to brave the Haunted Engine House. All proceeds go to Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation, Inc. This attraction is not recommended for young children.

Warehouse of Terror (Van Wert)- This haunt used to be known as the Haunted Hospital, however, the owners had to move the attraction due to the poor condition of the building. In doing so, they decided to rename it and to completely rethink the whole concept. It has been transformed into the Warehouse of Terror. Parents are cautioned against bringing children under the age of twelve because the haunt is very intense.