Looking for a haunted house scare this Halloween season?
Look no further.
Most haunted houses in the Atlanta metro area (and beyond) are opening their doors this weekend and kicking off autumn with a scream. Among Atlanta's haunted houses - and there are dozens - are a few uniquely haunting experiences.
»RELATED: Netherworld's new Stone Mountain location offers more room for scares
So, if it's a good scare you seek, these are the scariest ones around Atlanta and beyond:
Scarehouse of the South
Soperton, Georgia. scarehouseofthesouth.com
Tickets are $20; dates are Sat., Oct. 6 & 13, Fri.-Sat., Oct. 19-27 from 6:30 until 11 p.m.
Scare factor: 10/10
The Scarehouse of the South is objectively not close to Atlanta (it's in Soperton, which is more than halfway to Savannah). Still, it is a haunted house and then some. In fact, it sits atop the list of the scariest haunted houses for one simple reason: dedication to the fear. The Scarehouse calls itself "Georgia's most extreme haunted house," and warns potential visitors repeatedly that they are not joking when they say "do not bring kids here." So, if you want to go to a haunted experience where maxing out your real life fear is the one and only goal, this is the place. It is far and away the scariest haunted house in the state of Georgia. Drive white-knuckled and in silence down Interstate 16 until you reach it.
Sloss Fright Furnace
20 32nd St. N, Birmingham, Alabama. frightfurnace.com
Tickets range from $18 to $40, and Sloss is open Thurs.-Sun., Oct. 11-14 and 18-21, then it's open every night Oct. 23-31. The box office opens at sundown and closes at midnight (Central time).
Scare factor: 9.5/10
Located a couple hours' drive from Atlanta in Birmingham, Alabama, the Sloss Fright Furnace would be a terrifying place even without a haunted house: the abandoned steel mill that houses it is already a paranormal activity center which appears regularly on ghost hunting shows. And then the fine people of Birmingham go and put a haunted house in it! The place is actually haunted for real. Nope, nope, nope.
»RELATED: A rundown of the top grown-up Halloween parties in Atlanta
Netherworld
NEW LOCATION: 2076 West Park Place Blvd, Stone Mountain, Georgia. fearworld.com
Netherworld is open every night through Halloween, as well as November 1-4. Tickets start at $23 and go up to $55 for a Speed Pass (no waiting).
Scare factor: 8/10
What can be said about Netherworld that hasn't been said already? It is the undisputed heavyweight champion of Atlanta haunted houses. Is it the scariest of all? Probably not. But if it doesn't scare you, you've got a trip down Interstate 16 ahead of you anyway. And whatever Netherworld lacks in total fear, it more than makes up for in production value. It's the most professional haunting in the city.
Containment
1320 Blairs Bridge Road, Lithia Springs, Georgia. containmenthauntedhouse.com
Containment is open Thurs.-Sun., October 11-14 and 18-21, then it’s open every night from the 24th through the 31st, and Fri.-Sat. November 2-3) from 8 p.m. until somewhere between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. depending on the day. General admission is $25.
Scare factor: 7.5/10
Just one exit past Six Flags on Interstate 20, Containment is one of the most inventive haunted houses in Atlanta, known for its design and story line. The way Containment's story unfolds creates a very personal and intense connection to the horror around you. Previously housed in Atlantic Station, its location in Lithia Springs makes it one of the closest haunted houses to the city of Atlanta.
Credit: CURTIS COMPTON / AJC
Credit: CURTIS COMPTON / AJC
Paranoia
2075 Marietta Hwy, Canton, Georgia. paranoiahaunt.com
Paranoia is open October 12-14, 18-21, 25-31 and Nov. 2-3. Tickets start at $20 online.
Scare factor: 7/10
There are two frightening opportunities at Paranoia: Carnage, the main attraction promises to take you to a very dark place – inside of you! For Blood Bayou think swamps, gators, voodoo and scary things in the mist.
Sinister Suites
132 W. Solomon St., Griffin, Georgia. sinistersuites.com
Open October 12-13, 18-20, and 25-31. No online ticket sales. Tickets are $15-20 and kids 10 and under can come for $10. Know your kid’s appetite for this, y’all.
Scare factor: 6.5/10
Sinister Suites takes place in a 100-year-old haunted hotel in Griffin, Georgia. Though it may not look like much from the outside, the Sinister Suites benefits greatly from the history of the building it occupies. The hotel contains a century of history, and with it, all the scary ghosts one can squeeze into a hotel (which is actually a lot). The ticket price is great for such a large haunted operation with high production quality. It's worth noting that Sinister Suites has by far the best web presence and the creepiest Facebook page of all the haunted houses around town.
