Columbus, OH

With the leaves changing colors and the nip of fall just starting to caress the air, many of you will be looking for the best places to get your annual dose of terror. Here in Central Ohio we have plenty of places just waiting to terrify you. Yes, the Halloween business is alive and well in Central Ohio. This is one that I myself have experienced.

Dead Acres (or the Haunted Hoochie) is a walk-through haunt just east of Columbus. It is actually in the little town of Summit Station, a “barely there” place between Columbus and Pataskala. Dead Acres is easy to get to. You simply take state route 16 (also called Broad St.) east out of Columbus toward Newark. About five miles east of town you will see a crowd that is nearly impossible to miss and the slow down of traffic will tell you you are there.

Dead Acres is probably Central Ohio’s most well known haunt. The radio blitz that starts in late September covers WNCI and nearly every other local station. There is also some powerhouse sponsorship going on here. Even Taco Bell gets in on the scares by sponsoring the Hoochie.

It consistently winds up in Hauntworld’s Top 13 Scariest Haunted Attractions. This is a well deserved honor. I’m not sure that my definition of scary is the same as Hauntworld’s so I won’t address how scary the place is, but I will say that this haunt is extremely well done. It is clear that the people who put Dead Acres together have been doing this for a long time and they know what they are doing.

In the line outside there is a real sense of excitement. Costumed actors are out there, giving the crowd a teaser for what they will soon be experiencing. There is often a radio station doing a live show from the Dead Acres lot as well. Once inside the tension is brought up and stays up for the entire experience. If you enjoy “Haunted” attractions, Dead Acres is one I would definitely recommend.

Good to Know before You Go:

Dead Acres is an OUTDOOR attraction. You may be there for a very long time in whatever weather there is. Dress appropriately.

Dead Acres is WAY up there in the GORE factor, if you don’t like that, please don’t go.

NO REFUNDS

If you aren’t sure if your kids are too young, they are too young. Wait until you are sure they are more than old enough before you take them.

One of the things that I really like about Dead Acres is that this is a guided haunt. If at any time you decide it is really truly too much for you. Tell your guide and they will get you out of there without ruining the experience for the rest of your group.

Tickets are $15 per person.
VIP Tickets are available for $25 per person, but I have no idea what qualifies a VIP or what your extra $10 gets you.

Dead Acres is open every Thurs., Fri. & Sat. from now until Halloween, as well as the 29th, 30th & 31st. They open around 8:30 and run until just after midnight on Thursdays. Friday and Saturday they go until the crowd dies down, so you may just find you can still get tickets after the clubs close up the weekend before Halloween.

There are concessions and merchandise available, but I would wait until you’ve been through to wolf down anything that might not sit easy on your tummy. Like I said, the GORE factor is high at the Haunted Hoochie.

Columbus, Ohio, OH, haunted forest, haunted attraction, Dead Acres, Haunted Hoochie, Hauntworld, WNCI, Taco Bell, Summit Station, Pataskala, gore, demon birth, Halloween

Columbus, OH