Top Thirteen Haunted Attractions for Halloween 2007

With less than a week until Halloween, people around the country are scrambling to buy candy, decorate the house, and find just the right costume for themselves or the kids. There are also a plethora of haunted houses to visit, most run for charity, that help make the holiday complete. I'm fine with haunted houses, even the cheesy ones, as long as they don't contain clowns. Clowns are evil.

But as much fun as your local haunted house can be, even if they're still trotting out a bowl of peeled grapes that are supposed to be eyeballs, for a truly terrifying experience you need a professional. Last month Hauntworld Magazine released their annual list of the top 13 professional haunted attractions nationwide. As the self-proclaimed leading trade publication of the scaring industry, ignore Hauntworld's recommendations at your own peril.

The list runs the gamut from haunted hotels and prisons to spooky hayrides, but all feature attention to detail, high-quality special effects, and overall scare factor. In an industry that has reached the multi-billion dollar mark, these haunts stand out.

"The haunts we've included are as expertly produced as any major motion picture today," Larry Kirchner, Editor-in-Chief of Hauntworld Magazine, said on the magazine's website. "They have behind-the-scenes teams of master Hollywood special effects technicians, make-up artists, set designers, and trained actors. We're an industry that exists to make people scream and laugh at the same time; these haunts do just that, and more."

These Top 13 attractions are spread around the country in such a way that most everyone could visit at least one of them. Here's the list (click on the name to go to the attraction's website):

1. Netherworld Haunted House, Atlanta, GA

2. 13th Gate, Baton Rouge, LA

3. The Bates Motel, Philadelphia, PA

4. Headless Horseman, Ulster Park, NY

5. The Darkness / CreepyWorld, St. Louis, MO

6. Eastern State Penitentiary's Terror Behind the Walls, Philadelphia, PA

7. Erebus Four Story Haunted Attraction, Detroit, MI

8. 7 Floors of Hell, Cleveland, OH

9. SpookyWoods, Greensboro, NC

10. Universal Studios House of Horrors, Hollywood CA

11. Shipwreck Queen Mary, Long Beach, CA

12. Dreamreapers, Chicago, IL

13. Haunted Hotel, San Diego, CA

No matter which attraction you choose or how you spend All Hallows Eve, remember this: none of it will be as scary as the upcoming Christmas shopping season. Unless, of course, you run into a clown in a dark alley.