Did you know that R.L. Stine, renowned author of the Goosebumps and Fear Street phenomenon, was born right here, in Columbus, OH? And went to OSU? This Halloween season, we’re taking a cue from the Ohioan himself and seeking out places in and around Columbus that give us, well, goosebumps. Join us if you dare.
Some people like #FallinCbus for the pumpkin spice lattes, while others like it for the excuse to dress up like a beheaded bride and scare their neighbors. (To each their own.) If you’re someone who has fun with fright, then you definitely have to check out these four haunted experiences in and around Columbus. From a spooky forest filled with the ghosts of a vengeful family to a famous film site – and real prison! – with the souls of dead criminals, these haunted “houses” are sure to leave you shaking in your Birkenstocks.
Image sourced from Pataskala Haunted Forest.
Pataskala Haunted Forest (Pataskala)
Central Ohio’s longest-running haunted attraction, Pataskala Haunted Forest, is sure to get your blood pumping. According to legend, the property is believed to be haunted by Jebediah Murdock, the original landowner, who told his family to kill or mutilate anyone who dared step on their land. Is it true? We may never know for sure. But considering the forest had Murdock’s headstone and – with no one in sight – shadowy figures, strange voices, feelings of being watched or grabbed, lights blowing out and nails mysteriously pulling out of wood planks on their own, it’s safe to say your 45-minute trek through it will be eventful.
When: September 27–October 31
Where: 8838 Refugee Road SW, Pataskala, OH 43062
Price: Tickets cost $20 and must be purchased in advance here. All proceeds benefit the Lions Club of Pataskala Charitable Foundation.
Fear Columbus (Columbus)
Why scare yourself one time when – for just $20 – you can be thoroughly terrified by three haunted houses in one? Fear Columbus, one of Ohio’s largest and most elaborate Halloween attractions, is bringing brand-new, horror-filled haunted houses and escape rooms to a nondescript strip mall. The theme for 2024 is “Fright Fest at Fearwood High,” and to survive, you’ll have to make your way through the nightmarish campus of Fearwood High School, where the students made an “oopsie” at their last Halloween festival and mistakenly summoned dark spirits to their school.
Speaking of nightmares, what’s a haunting without evil clowns and a trip to hell? “Oddballs: Feast of Freaks” will have you trying to outrun hungry carnies and circus freaks as you make your way through a deadly maze. On the other hand, “Dearly Departed” will introduce you to a heartbroken funeral director who tried to bring his soulmate to life using dark magic, but somehow landed you both in the Underworld instead. If you can survive hell, you can survive anything. Just remind the funeral director to stick to his day job and leave the dead to rest.
When: September 13–November 2
Where: 2605 Northland Plaza Drive, Columbus, OH 43231
Price: Tickets start at $19.99 and must be purchased in advance here.
Carnage Haunted House (Columbus)
Put “carnage” and “haunted” in the same name, and guests can guarantee they’ll leave screaming bloody murder (pun intended). Carnage Haunted House has two scary experiences. Start with The Bayou, a swamp that was cursed by an angry voodoo priestess, who filled it with dark creatures and spirits and caused visitors to lose their mind. Then, in The Entity, wander the halls of an abandoned hospital once run by a doctor who asked that priestess to grant her an endless fortune. The doctor’s new wealth came at a price; she had to wear a cursed charm that made her angry, turned her soul black and eventually led her to wish darkness on the entire hospital. Witnesses watched as hairy, worm-like creatures spilled out of her body and black liquid oozed from the hospital walls, drowning the patients and staff. Keep your eyes peeled as you explore the ghostly grounds of both terrors. With the priestess and the doctor dead, there’s no telling what voodoo remains.
When: September 27–November 2
Where: 3770 Refugee Road, Columbus, OH 43232
Price: Tickets start at $14.99 and must be purchased in advance here.
Blood Prison (Mansfield)
If you know anything about haunted houses in Ohio, you’ve probably heard of Blood Prison, which takes place in a real-life shuttered prison. That’s right – The Ohio State Reformatory, where The Shawshank Redemption was filmed, once housed some of the state’s most violent criminals. Many of them died behind bars, but did their souls ever leave the building? Wander through it and find out. Just don’t be too surprised by the blood-chilling screams, bodies twisted into revolting shapes and whatever other horrors appear from the prison’s cold cell walls.
When: September 27–November 2
Where: 100 Reformatory Road, Mansfield, OH 44905
Price: Tickets start at $35 and must be purchased in advance here.
If these haunted houses don’t give you goosebumps, what will? As you explore the creepy side of the city, tag your photos with the hashtag #FallinCbus so we can follow the fear and fun. Before you go out, make sure you download the CBUS Rewards App, which lets you check in at places around Columbus and earn rewards.