It's Halloween in Houston, so you know what means: local actors will get some heavy work playing ghouls, ghosts, zombies, etc., while Houstonians will get some heavy work screaming and running from them.
Haunted-house season is upon us, and spots in and around Houston are already underway in giving men, women, and children the all-out creeps on a nightly basis. So, as always, here is a list of the delightfully deranged places people who just love to be frightened can frequent:
13th Floor Haunted House Houston
The latest location in this nationwide haunted-house network brings a collaboration of make-up artists, costume designers and set production to create a fully-immersive, high-intensity experience that takes you to a whole 'nutha level of fear. Runs through November 9. 7:30 pm (8 pm on last two weekends).
Creepy Hollow Haunted House
The Rosharon domicile still has three haunted attractions — 288 Scare Factory, Dark Woods and Pitch Black — as well as escape rooms and more. Halloween night will feature trick-or-treating from 6-7 pm, and November 1 and 2 will be Lights Out nights. Runs through November 2. 7 pm.
Dungeon of Doom Haunted House
Located in the breezeway under Kemah's Boardwalk Inn, take a stroll through the dark side of reality as you come across the inhabitants of this dungeon and get spooked AF by their ghoulish pursuits. Runs through October 31. 6 pm (times may vary).
The Haunted Trails
Come face your nightmares out in the open with this outdoor scarefest, filled with acres of mortifying scenes and unnatural creatures awaiting to quench their undying thirst for your screams. Runs through November 2. 8 pm (7:30 pm on Halloween night).
Houston Scream Fest
Guests can enjoy adult beverages and get the fright scared out of them at this month-long, haunted festival. There will be live concerts every night, horror films on the big screen, carnival games — and guests can shoot at zombies! Runs through November 3. 8 pm.
Houston Terror Dome
The Channelview spot still calls itself "the most terrifying of all haunted houses." This attraction also features Sicko & Freako's Paint Ball Massacre (a paintball shooting gallery full of Halloween-themed targets), plus a live clown. Runs through November 2. 7 pm (8 pm on last two nights).
The National Museum of Funeral History
Get in to the Halloween spirit — and be freaked out — at the museum's family-friendly, PG-rated, haunted house. Children under 12 are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult. Runs through November 3. 10 am (noon on Sundays).
Phobia Haunted Houses
This "mega-scarepark" has eight major attractions — three of them are linked to one super-attraction known as Exile. Our least favorite one is Clown Mania, which is (according to the website) "oodles of wack clowns." Runs through November 2. 7:30 pm.
REDRUM Haunted House
This Richmond freakshow has got its usual features — Cinegore, Twisted Circus Rewired 3D and the Deadwood Asylum — but there's a new attraction on the block this year: Lazer Fury, which is really a post-apocalyptic version of laser tag. Runs through November 2. 7 pm.
ScreamWorld
As always, this horror temple offers 4.5 acres of fright, complete with three haunted houses, an outdoor maze, graveyard and the Vortex Tunnel, designed with a seamless yet obvious transition point from one haunt to the next. Runs through November 2. 7:30 pm (8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays).
You'll enter the ScreamWorld house...but will you exit?
