While several of the area's haunted attractions took 2020 off due to the pandemic, spooky season is back in full swing this Halloween. Here are 10 scary spots scattered across Greater Cincinnati that are full of evil clowns, demented dolls and chainsaw-wielding psychos.
And a note: Please check each event's website or social media for the most up-to-date attraction hours, ticketing details and health and safety updates before heading out the door.
All Hallows Eve Terror Town
The former grounds of the Old West Fest have been transformed into a Dodge City ghost town, literally. Well, almost literally. A prop fabrication and haunted attraction team has transformed the space into an immersive 19th-century Terror Town with a museum of the occult, restaurants, saloons, games, a movie theater screening classic horror films and wandering costumed characters. The 30-minute haunted trail — inhabited by the remnants of an evil cult — leaves from a desecrated church. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Sept. 3-Nov. 6. $25; $35 for a gold or red bracelet, which offers an "enhanced" horror experience and allows physical contact (for ages 18 and up). 1449 Greenbush Cobb Road, Williamsburg, allhallowsevellc.com.
Brimstone Haunt
Home to three separate attractions, guests can opt to venture through Brimstone Farm’s Haunted Hayride, the Forgotten Forest or Psychosis. The farm was a prosperous place until it was laid bare by the curse in the corn. Now it’s home to monsters, madmen and all other iterations of macabre characters whose main goal is to cause chaos on your twisted hayride. The Forgotten Forest, a higher-intensity scare experience, is a quarter-mile walk through a supernatural wood. Psychosis offers “disturbing scenes of horror that will pull you further from reality” in an indoor experience. There is also a Zombie Assault experience: "a high tech and frightening ride in our zombie attack simulator bus." Ticket office open 7-11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Sept. 24-Oct. 30. Online tickets: $16 Haunted Hayride; $15 Forgotten Forest; $9 Psychosis; $5 Zombie Assault; $28 combo (Haunted Hayride and Forgotten Forest); $48 fast pass combo; $3 cash parking. 472 Brimstone Road, Wilmington, springborohauntedhayride.com.
Dent Schoolhouse
According to legend, the bodies of several missing Dent Schoolhouse students were discovered in barrels in the building’s basement — and the janitor did it. Housed in an actual public school, Dent offers real ghost tours and lights-out experiences for those looking for a true fright, plus lights-on tours for kids and wimps. The open-air Queen City Slaughter Yard behind the school is back this year and included with admission. Saturday and Sunday tickets are sold in time slots: 7:30-9:30 p.m. or 10 p.m.-midnight. Box office 7:30-10 p.m. Thursdays; 7:30 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Sept. 17-Nov. 6. $20-$25 general admission; +$20 fast pass; +$30 front of the line. 5963 Harrison Ave., Dent, frightsite.com.
Heritage Village’s Haunted Village
Described as a “slight fright,” this haunted attraction is completely kid-friendly and a lower-key haunted experience that won’t leave the youngsters with recurring nightmares until Christmas. The recreated 19th-century village will be stuffed with "ghosts, witches, a fortune teller, a monster, and a cursed archaeologist along the way." Activities include a walk through a haunted wood or cemetery, plus balloon art, games and a "creepy critter" zoo. 6-10 p.m. Oct. 8-9; Oct. 15-16; Oct. 22-23. $10; free for members and kids 2 and under. 11450 Lebanon Road, Sharonville, heritagevillagecincinnati.org.
Halloween Haunt
The ghosts and ghouls are back at Kings Island this October for Halloween Haunt. And it's a good thing, too: USA Today readers just voted the attraction the "Best Theme Park Halloween Event" in America. People who enjoy being freaked out on purpose can hit the park for what USA Today describes as an event packed with "evil creatures, frightening mazes, haunted attractions, and night rides on The Beast, Banshee, Diamondback, Mystic Timbers, and other thrill-inducing attractions." And while Halloween Haunt is aimed at those 13 years and older, Tricks and Treats Fall Fest is back during the day for some family-friendly fun. There will be crafts, trick-or-treating, kids rides, pumpkin carving and decorating, and monster-makeup airbrushing. There is also a special themed holiday menu featuring dishes including pumpkin bread pudding, roasted butternut squash mac-and-cheese and candy corn cupcakes, as well as cocktails like the red wine Blood Bag, Hocus Pocus vodka punch with a gummy worm garnish and Zombie Juice with lemonade and vodka. For those who are too big for the fall fest and too young for the full-on Haunt, there's also Hallowtween, which offers some age-appropriate scares. Halloween Haunt runs 6 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Tricks and Treats Fall Fest and Hallowtween take place 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays. Sept. 24-Oct. 31. $39.99; Halloween Haunt Fright Lane fast pass starts at $55. Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason, visitkingsisland.com.
Land of Illusion Haunted Scream Park
Why only have one haunted house when you could have six...and a haunted trail? Land of Illusion has multiple themed frights to choose from: Killer Klowns, Temple of Terror, Phobia, Dr. Psycho’s Haunted Estate, Big Mama’s Revenge, the Historical Mystery Mansion and the Middletown Haunted Trail — the “longest and scariest trail in the Midwest.” They also have a full bar — the VooDoo Lounge — plus the Killer Food Court, and live music/DJs or comedy acts on weekends. Gates 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Sept. 10-Oct. 31. $50; $75 fast pass; season passes available. 8762 Thomas Road, Middletown, landofillusion.com.
Mt. Healthy Haunted Hall
This haunted house started in 1990 with just one building and now includes four tents, a backyard and a giant "vortex." Familiar ghouls including Frankenstein, the Wolfman and zombies will be roaming the hall, and don't miss favorite scenes including the Bate's Motel, Dracula and Hellavator. The Haunted Hall is sponsored by the Madonna Council Knights of Columbus and benefits the Knights and other charities. There will be a special lights-on portion of the evening on Oct. 24. 8-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 7-9 p.m. Sundays. Oct. 1-30. $10; get a $2 discount if you bring a canned good (or $5 off on Sundays with two canned goods); $15 fast pass. Cash only. 7700 Seward Ave., Mt. Healthy, hauntedhallinfo.com.
Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride
Hold on tight: During this hellish hayride through a cornfield, riders are stalked and taunted by creatures hidden among the crops. Familiar faces like Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Leatherface and a bloodied take on Santa Claus appear alongside zombies, backwoodsmen, clowns and chainsaw-wielders. This year also includes a haunted barn. 8 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Sept. 17-Oct. 30. $15 hayride; $10 haunted barn; $23 combo. Cash only. 4172 Belleview Road, Petersburg, sandylandacres.com.
USS Nightmare
After taking last year off due to COVID, the USS Nightmare is reopening its cursed doors to the public. "The USS Nightmare, greater Cincinnati’s annual Halloween favorite, has returned for the 2021 haunting season. And Captain Mitchell and his crew are ready to rage on the river," says a release. All your favorite freaky characters are back, including the aforementioned evil Captain Mitchell, as well as his daughter, Anna, and her demented clowns; the "lady in red;" and the ruthless galley cook. The USS Nightmare says this year's experience "delves deeper" into the history of the haunted boat and explores its sadistic lore, including mysterious accidents and deaths that occurred on board, and possible crew exposure to radioactive chemicals. There are multiple ways to experience the USS Nightmare, including a lights-on events for kids and people who hate haunted houses, as well as the Captain's Extreme tour — an "adult-rated show featuring adult language and content, more horror, group separation and more special content." Regular ticketholders can also up the action with an RIP Experience, "a more interactive and extended tour of the ship designed for death with access to additional areas and the potential for complete separation from the civilized world." Check the schedule online for upcoming days and hours. Sept. 17-Nov. 6. General admission tickets start at $18; fast pass starts at $28; front-of-the-line tickets start at $48; the RIP Experience starts at $32. 101 Riverboat Row, Newport, ussnightmare.com.
Wilmington Haunted Hollow
It's a ride straight out of hell: fire-breathing semi-trucks chase down buses loaded with passengers as they wind their way through a haunted forest filled with "murder, madness and mayhem." In addition to the haunted ride, the Haunted Hollow also offers the Slaughter Hotel, a strange underground hotel with a rumored secret floor, scary elevator and electrical laboratory, as well as the Eville Asylum, full of tormented and dead patients, doctors and nurses. They have also added a maze, the Field of Terrors, complete with a flesh-eating serial killer. 7:30 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Sept. 25-Oct. 30. $30 for all four attractions; $50 VIP speed pass; $20 Haunted Hollow ride by itself.1261 W. Dalton Road, Wilmington, wilmingtonhauntedhollowride.com.
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