The best haunted houses in Austin to check out this Halloween

Situated on 20 acres of dense, isolated forest in Bastrop County (149 Split Rail Lane in Smithville), Scream Hollow consists of five horrifying haunts (Mansion of Terror Coven, Lost Pines Asylum, Sinister Circus, Hell on Wheels Haunted Hayride and Wicked Darkness: The Maze) across multiple buildings. During a visit here, you should be prepared for a thrilling, highly interactive experience where you may have to work with your environment to find a way out. Admission varies based on how many of the five haunts you want to brave.

Hailed as “one of America’s scariest haunted houses” by the Travel Channel, House of Torment has been delivering sheer terror for over two decades. Their 40,000-square-foot attraction at 2632 Ridgepoint Drive routinely includes a haunted manor, bloodcurdling penitentiary, and nightmarish carnival. House of Torment takes scares seriously; they combine hundreds of skilled, costumed actors with advanced animatronics to create a truly spine-chilling experience. They also have escape games, axe throwing, and a tavern on-site for added fun. Fast pass and skip-the-line tickets are available.

Scaring and caring go hand in hand at Scare for a Cure. This volunteer-run, interactive haunted adventure donates its profits to local cancer-related charities and organizations. Previous themes included Return to Mutant Wasteland and 2022’s Curse of the Blood Demon, and tickets usually get you admission to their maze event, The Boneyard: Nightmare Wasteland. It all fittingly takes place at J. Lorraine Ghost Town, a short drive from the city in Manor. Just make sure not to wear nice clothes or open-toed shoes—you may need to crawl or climb to escape and you just might find yourself covered in “blood” or slime by the end. You’ve been warned! Tasty burgers and drinks at the bar offer a deserved reward.

Every year, immersive experience wizards at Fever dream up a Halloween world, and every year, Texans come for family-friendly fun that’s especially easy on the social media eye. Avoid Halloween FOMO on TikTok and take a trip up to Little Elm Park for a wizarding world come to life. Taking place within an enchanting forbidden forest, guests follow an interactive trail of illusions, come face-to-face with Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts creatures, and finish at a makeshift village of themed food and drink stalls around a fire. Tip: Book well in advance as tickets sell out fast. Sessions run until January 2024.

A fully immersive, massive entertainment complex dedicated to all things Halloween and horror, Bat City Scaregrounds is just 15 miles from downtown. On it, there are three intricately decorated haunted houses (Castle Orlock, Ancient Evil, and Clownocalypse), live music on Saturdays, Vegas-style performances, seasonal food, and much more. Tickets are $30, but you can upgrade to a Fast Pass for $40, or get deals on group bookings. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

The Austin Zoo has been helping animals through rescue, rehabilitation, and education efforts since 1990. For almost that entire time, they’ve been joining in on the Halloween festivities with their Boo at the Zoo event. Tickets will get you a pass on their haunted train and unlimited walks through their haunted house (actually their converted Peacock Barn). The event is friendly for all ages since they check in with each group beforehand about just how scary they want it to be and cue their staff inside accordingly. This year, a Frightfully Fun Animal Show is in the works. Costumes and picnics are encouraged.