I had a mission; more like a dream opportunity to review the best haunted houses in Texas this year.  I picked 26 haunts to visit based on recommendations, previous experience and reputation.  If the haunted house season was only a few weeks longer I may have made it to a few more.  Texas haunted houses are some of the best in the nation and here we've reviewed some of the haunted attractions located in Texas.  We plan to review more haunted houses in Texas soon so keep checking back for more reviews.  The haunts are listed backwards from 10 to number 1... do you have a different ranking then email us and tell us what you think!!!

To find ALL the best haunted houses in Texas visit our TEXAS haunted house directory.

Hauntworld.com is the BEST place to find everything about Haunted Houses in Texas.

10.  Chaos

Chaos does not have a specific theme or story, and each scene can jump from one thing to the next. But this works for them. Chaos specializes in a classic style spook house full of fun scare tactics and scene-by-scene changes to appeal to various haunt goers' appetites. Every scene has what it needs to provide a mainstream haunt experience, although there is a lack of realism to some of the choice of decorations and prop use. Chaos made several additions this year too, and I was happy to see something new.

9. Tayman Graveyard

I have enjoyed Tayman Graveyard every year, and its definitely not a bad production for a bunch of boy scouts at all. I have been watching them grow and improve over time and it has been a nice treat. Tayman offers 4 very different attractions that are sure to get you into the Halloween spirit from the first moment you arrive. Also home to one of the very last haunted hay ride attractions in the freaking state, Tayman has a great balance of all the different sides of fun required to fulfill all your haunting needs.

8. Hatch and Kravens, Sherman, Texas

Management at Hatch and Kraven's Slaughterhouse should seriously consider having haunt actor workshops during off season, and start sharing the wealth of training abilities with the rest of the haunt industry. The Hatch and Kraven's Slaughterhouse acting crew is by far the best in the DFW metroplex. I did not see a single scene where there was less than 3 actors if they add more attractions, keep the quality acting standards high, and perfect the scene details in all attractions, Hatch and Kraven's could easily become one of the best shows in in Texas if they add more attractions.

7. Necroplex, Italy, TX

Necroplex is a great combination of dark attraction classics and highly unique scene accents (machines, dolls, mannequins, etc.) which smoothly blend the experience into traditional haunting. This is the second year for Necroplex, and I have noticed several improvements in the flow and path organization for 2009 season.  I truly enjoyed the theme and execution here, and based on the improvements this year; I look forward to seeing more additions and expansions in years to come!

 6. The Parker House, Lewisville, TX

Talented actor involvement is important for the Parker House experience. Although there are several stunning scenes and amazing props, I do not think it would be as great without the talented staff of actors working in them. A perfect balance of live talent makes Parker House more memorable. Some actors have speaking parts and interact with you, and then you also have classic startle actors that wait for the perfect moment to creep you out, jump out, or scream for help.

5. The Cutting Edge, Fort Worth, Texas

Cutting Edge is very dark, and each scene is transitioned with even darker hallways. If it weren’t for the red glow of the emergency exit signs, you would not even know that the halls are completely barren. The use of directional LED lights pointed at the props does add a great effect, but it is too hard to see much anything else at the start then I can certainly tell that there is some high quality.  This haunted house takes about an hour to go through, and its made the Guiness Book of Records for the largest haunted house in the world.

4.  Zombie Manor, Terrell, TX

I have yet to hear anyone say anything but great things about their visit. Therefore, I know I am not alone in our opinions when I say that Zombie Manor is a must see haunt.  Zombie Manor has limited space, but the space is maximized perfectly to provide as much eye candy as possible. Another great feature of Zombie Manor is that the homestead theme remains consistent through the bedrooms, kitchen, and garden shed, even onto the back porch. I love consistency! Zombie Manor is one of those places that you can visit several times and still keep noticing something that you did not see before. There really is THAT MUCH detail all around to see!

3.  Reindeer Manor, Red Oak, Texas

Reindeer Manor is so different from any other haunted attraction. I always love visiting Reindeer Manor every year because it is so unique and entertaining. I was so excited to find out that they brought back their "Thriller" graveside show, and this is truly a treat! Although a theatrical adventure may not appeal to everyone, you should at least give it a try. Besides, Reindeer Manor is the only place where you will get to see burning water, and this special effect is one that should not be missed. Since there are two more completely different types of haunted attractions located on the Reindeer Manor property (13th Street Morgue and Dungeon of Doom), you have no excuse to not take a trip out to Red Oak and see for yourself just how interesting this place really is.

2. The House of Torment, Austin, TX

Horrifying monsters everywhere, with some even dropping down on you from above. It was freakin fantastic and scarier than ever. By far the highlight of my year. Both haunted attractions have unbelievable new scares. Major improvements over last year, and I already thought it was the best ever! Tons of amazing new huge scary animated monsters and other special effects. We were terrified and cannot wait for Dark Stalkers. Whatever you do, go through both Contagium and Illusion Manor this halloween season, and then go back for Dark Stalkers. You have to experience it to believe it!‎

1. The Haunt House, Caddo Mills, TX

I can’t rave enough!!!! The Haunt House provides a classic style walk through with beautifully detailed scenes and unique design. If you have never seen The Haunt House, then you are definitely missing out! If you have seen The Haunt House before, then you absolutely have to see them again. So many new things to see, you won't believe that they added everything in just one season. Their hard work and dedication to the haunt experience truly shines through the quality design and performance.  It was long, the actors scared me a few times, that doesn’t happen to me much.  That’s why this is the best haunt in Texas.

 

            It was difficult to rank the haunted houses in the top ten, but without a doubt these are the best I found out of a multitude of contenders.  Any one of these haunts are well worth the drive and the dollar, but if you take my advice start with best and work your way down the list!

Happy Haunting!

 

EDITOR NOTE:  Hauntworld Magazine rated the House of Torment in Austin and Cutting Edge in Dallas as the two best haunts in Texas.  We have also recently done a review of The Haunt House near Forth Worth.  Visit the front page of Hauntworld.com and find feature articles on all three of these attractions.