Best Haunted Houses and Paranormal Experiences in the Cincy Region

History and horror collide in the Cincy Region. This spooky season we invite you to dive deep into the dark and eerie corners of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Uncover the creepiest haunted houses, ghost tours and paranormal experiences that will send shivers down your spine.

Haunted houses 

The Dent Schoolhouse

Walking through school hallways can be scary enough, but they’re especially frightening at the Dent Schoolhouse. Located in an actual haunted school, this iconic attraction (and ranked one of the top haunted houses in the country!) features surprises lurking behind every corner. The local lore is that over a dozen students went missing from this public school between the years of 1942 to 1955. What happened to them? You’ll have to pay a visit to find out.

Check dates and ticket prices online. Want to see how a haunted house is created? Go behind the scenes of the Dent Schoolhouse with a private tour. Running select days September 13 – November 2.

Cincinnati Fear Fest/All Hallows’ Eve Terror Town

Prepare for spine-tingling scares at Cincinnati Fear Fest/All Hallows’ Eve Terror Town. Be transported back in time as you walk down Main Street in a haunted western town, then choose your own adventure. Featuring multiple “scare zones”, plus secret specialty bars and dining, plan to spend several hours at this experience. Intended for ages 18+; get your tickets online. Running select days September 21 - November 3.

Halloween Haunt

Kings Island is more than summer fun in the sun and roller coasters. Head to Halloween Haunt for all of your favorite thrill rides plus some chills, with horrifyingly haunted attractions and terrifying creatures roaming the park. Check out the Halloween Haunt schedule and buy tickets online. Running select days September 20 – November 2.

Land of Illusion: Haunted Scream Park

Be prepared to scream, panic, and even run for your life through the seven attractions at Land of Illusion: Haunted Scream Park. The frights begin as soon as you arrive and can last for hours as you are chased along the Middletown Haunted Trail, unnerved by Killer Klowns, feel your blood curdle by Toxic Hillbillies, terrorized by mummies in Temple of Terror, and more if you can handle it. Buy your tickets ahead of time online. Running Fridays and Saturdays, September 6 – November 2.

Brimstone Haunt

Try all four experiences at Brimstone Haunt for a truly terrifying night indoors and outdoors. The Haunted Hayride is the scary starting point at Brimstone Haunt good for ages 8+). Hike through the Bog (13+), explore the dark maze of Psychosis (13+), and brave the apocalypse at Zombie Assault. Know before you go and check out the intensity level of these experiences on their website, and purchase tickets ahead of time. Running Fridays and Saturdays, September 13 – October 26.

Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride

For 18 years brave visitors have been learning that this is no ordinary hayride. Climb aboard Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride for a 25-minute bumpy and spooky trip down haunted memory lane witnessing the best of cinema's horror past and present. Tickets are cash only. Running Fridays and Saturdays, September 13 – October 26.

The USS Nightmare

Experience two decks and more than 30 minutes of terror at USS Nightmare, one of Cincy’s longest-running haunted tours in Newport. This unique attraction takes place on a haunted dredge boat, docked on the Ohio River.

Running September 13 – November 9; you can buy your tickets online ahead of time. Want to make it even more intense? Try the RIP Experience and the Captain’s Extreme Tour – if you dare.

If these events are too spooky for little ones, check out these fun Halloween events for kids.  

Haunted tours and bar crawls

Ghost Tours of Music Hall

Cincinnati's Music Hall is an icon; but did you know it is one of the most haunted places in Cincinnati? Built upon the grounds of an old potter's field, Travel Channel lists Music Hall as one of the most terrifying places in America. This October, go behind the scenes and experience a spooky tour of Music Hall with the Cincinnati Research & Paranormal Studies team.

Haunted Historic Walking Tours by American Legacy Tours

Shriek and shiver through the streets of Covington or Newport on a haunted walking tour by American Legacy Tours. Expert guides will lead you through the dark city streets and regale you with stories of haunted mansions, ghastly murders, vicious feuds, and more. Take a deep dive into Cincy’s eerie past – featuring neighborhoods like Clifton, Mt. Healthy, Newport and Covington. For tickets and availability check out their website. 

Cincinnati Booze and Boos Tour

What’s better than touring some of the most haunted places in the Cincy Region? Doing so with a drink in hand! As you wander past historic buildings, hear spine-tingling ghost stories, and stop at some of the creepiest bars in the city, you’ll experience a mix of thrills, chills, and spirits from behind the bar. This two-and-a-half-hour walking tour promises a night of ghostly encounters and unforgettable tales. Grab your friends, muster up some courage, and dive into Cincinnati's mysterious past! Must be 21+ to participate; buy your tickets online.

Paranormal experiences

Spirits by Starlight Ghost Tours

Looking for a true paranormal experience in the Cincy Region? Look no further.  An expansive collection of pioneer buildings and artifacts voyaged from across the Ohio Valley to call Heritage Village home. Now they snuggle into the curvature of a neolithic canyon, amidst Native American burial mounds, at the heart of prehistoric Sharon Woods. For half a century, strange stories have swirled around this museum. That has included: furniture moving autonomously, electrical anomalies, cold spots, disembodied voices, spectral smells and sounds, phantom footsteps, full-bodied apparitions, and more. Book your tour of this special experience here. Seeking something even more intense? You can even book a private, overnight investigation with paranormal historian Violet Shindler.

Return of the Frogman

Who doesn’t love some local cryptid lore? If you’ve never heard of the Loveland Frogman – here’s your chance to, at the “Return of the Frogman” celebration in Loveland, Ohio. Short films, games, live comedy, food trucks and more will all be featured at this community event, held only on leap years to commemorate the mysterious figure that’s been sighted in the area since 1955.

Ready to plan your trip to the Cincy Region this fall? Get ready to plan your trip by checking out these additional fun, fall festivals that are great for the whole family.