PENNSYLVANIA STATE - Pennsylvania is a haven for Halloween enthusiasts, with spooky attractions scattered across the state. Here are some of the best, spanning from east to west:
Pennsylvania's Scariest Haunts: A Guide to the Best Haunted Houses & Attractions
When it comes to Halloween, Pennsylvania is a powerhouse. The state's historic prisons, abandoned asylums, and sprawling, dark cornfields create the perfect backdrop for some of the nation's most terrifying haunted attractions. From high-tech scream parks to genuinely haunted locations, you're never far from a world-class scare. Here is a guide to the best haunts in PA, broken down by region.
Eastern PA: Philadelphia & Beyond
The Philly area is a goldmine for some of the country's most famous haunts.
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Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia): This is the gold standard. A real, crumbling, abandoned prison transforms into a massive, terrifying spectacle. Halloween Nights is a festival-style event featuring multiple haunted attractions, immersive themed bars, historical tours, and live entertainment. It's consistently ranked as one of the best haunts in America.
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Pennhurst Asylum (Spring City): For those who want real terror. Explore the chilling, abandoned remains of the infamous Pennhurst State School. This haunt combines its disturbing real history with high-intensity haunted attractions, escape rooms, and historical tours for a truly unsettling night.
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Bates Motel & Haunted Hayride (Glen Mills): A beloved classic in the Philly suburbs, this destination features three top-tier attractions. It's most famous for its legendary, action-packed haunted hayride, but it also includes the terrifying Bates Motel haunted house and a creepy, haunted corn maze.
Central PA: Lancaster & Huntingdon
This region uses its vast, rural landscape to create unforgettable, sprawling scares.
Field of Screams (Mountville): This is a massive "scream park" and a Lancaster County institution. It boasts four intense, high-quality attractions: the Den of Darkness haunted house, the Frightmare Asylum, the Nocturnal Wasteland walk-through, and its famously terrifying Haunted Hayride.
Jason's Woods (Lancaster): Another Lancaster-area horror icon, this location features six haunts in one location. Get ready for a horrifying hayride, a zombie apocalypse experience, a terrifying chainsaw maze, and more unique horror-themed walkthroughs.
Ghosts and Goblins Tours at Lincoln Caverns (Huntingdon): Looking for something different? Take your scares underground. Lincoln Caverns hosts its spooky "Ghosts and Goblins" tours, exploring the caves' natural, eerie beauty while sharing haunting local legends.
Western PA: The Pittsburgh Area
Pittsburgh brings high-intensity, industrial-strength horror to the Halloween season.
- ScareHouse (Pittsburgh): A legend in the haunt industry. ScareHouse is consistently ranked among the scariest haunted houses in the country, known for its Hollywood-level special effects, incredibly detailed immersive sets, and terrifying actors.
- Hundred Acres Manor (Pittsburgh): This popular attraction is a massive haunted theme park. It offers a gauntlet of five different themed haunts, including a terrifying hayride and a chilling walk-through, all in one sprawling location.
- Haunted Hill View Manor (New Castle): For the brave. This isn't a typical haunt—it's a real, historic former poor farm and nursing home rumored to be one of PA's most paranormally active locations. They offer ghost tours and paranormal investigations for a truly authentic scare.
Bonus Must-Visit Haunt (Poconos)
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Reaper's Revenge (Scranton): Located in the Pocono Mountains, this massive outdoor scream park is famous for its 60-acre haunted hayride. The full experience also includes three other attractions—a haunted trail, a dark forest, and a zombie apocalypse—all known for intense scares and realism.
This is just a glimpse into Pennsylvania's terrifying Halloween scene. From haunted prisons in Philly to spooky caverns in Central PA and high-tech frights in Pittsburgh, the Keystone State is the ultimate destination for haunt fans.
