Halloween Frights

The 9 best haunted houses in Dallas-Fort Worth for Halloween chills and thrills

Reindeer Manor Halloween Park in Red Oak

Reindeer Manor in Red Oak is one of nine haunted houses in Dallas-Fort Worth guaranteed to deliver scares this Halloween season.

Photo courtesy of Reindeer Manor Halloween Park

No matter where you live in Dallas-Fort Worth, you're not far from a great haunted house. The sheer number and quality of them might allow us to lay claim to the best haunted house-area in the country.

We've rounded up some the best haunted houses for your enjoyment and/or terror. This is not a complete list of area haunted houses, but it's one that features the best of the best.

All of the haunted houses will stay open open every weekend through at least Halloween; check each event page for additional dates and times.

Cutting Edge Haunted House
Cutting Edge is a dark attraction filled with terrifying live actors, amazing special effects, and incredible monsters. Located in a 100-year-old abandoned meat-packing plant in Fort Worth, it is an intense, multistory, multithemed haunted house that uses the building's former tenant as wicked inspiration. Set aside some time for this one, as it takes visitors an average of 55 minutes to explore Cutting Edge.

Dan's Haunted House presents V
Most haunted houses go the standard zombie, clown, or serial killer route, but not Dan's Haunted House in Lake Dallas. They have a Japanese demon theme, with a continuing storyline involving terrifying samurai, frightening spirits, ghostly yōkai, and sinister creatures that inhabit the Japanese waters. All good haunted houses try to up their game each year, and Dan's does so by constantly changing things up.

Dark Hour Haunted House
The rare year-round haunted house, Dark Hour in Plano boasts sets worthy of a Broadway production, professional actors, and a strategic use of technology to produce a genuine theatrical experience. Themed around the Witch of Coven Manor, it almost guarantees you're not likely to see higher quality scares or more attention to detail anywhere in the area. Even better, you can come back at Christmas, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and other times of year to enjoy other holiday-themed terror.

Hangman's House of Horrors
Some haunted houses come and go, but Hangman's House of Horrors seems to be eternal. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the haunted house in north Fort Worth includes three separate attractions: the classic Hangman’s House of Horrors, No Place Like Home 3D, and Zombie Outbreak. Additionally, the 19-acre property will be transformed into a festival area featuring live bands, food trucks, free photos, festival activities, novelties, and more.

Moxley Manor Haunted House
The claim to fame for Moxley Manor in Bedford seems to be unique on this list: It was featured in the 2014 feature film The Houses October Built, about a group of friends traveling across the country looking for the best haunted houses. It offers two haunted attractions for the price of one, with the original Moxley Manor joined this year by a second called Big Top Terror.

Reindeer Manor Halloween Park
Don't get fooled by the cute and cuddly name of this haunted house complex in Red Oak; it just masks the horrors it has in store. The oldest haunted attraction in Texas, celebrating its 45th anniversary, features three separate areas: Reindeer Manor Estate, 13th Street Morgue, and Dungeon of Doom, plus a bonus area called the Shadow House that has a terrifying pitch-black maze, where you have only a glow stick to light the way from the entrance to the exit.

Six Flags over Texas presents Fright Fest
Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington will transform and feature 20 chilling attractions, including four new ones, that promise to deliver spine-chilling scares. There will be activities for the entire family throughout the day, then thrills and terror after the sun goes down. Ghouls are set free for their daily hunting rituals once the dark of night washes over the park.

Slaughter House Farms / Zombie Safari
Right next to door to each other in Forney are two haunted attractions guaranteed to get your blood pressure up. Slaughter House Farms has a grisly theme revolving around clowns, one that anyone with coulrophobia would probably do their best to avoid. Zombie Safari is not a haunted house, but a takeover of Cousins Paintball Park at which you can ride around on "Zombie Response Vehicles" shooting at roaming zombies without fear of being shot back.

theater holidays

Rolling a strike

High 5 Exchange bowling and entertainment mega-center rolls into Allen

Facebook/High 5 Exchange Austin

The High 5 Exchange in Austin has bowling galore.

A new family entertainment destination is rolling into Allen, bringing bowling, laser tag, miniature golf, virtual reality, and more. Called High 5 Exchange, the venue has broken ground at 2361 Quail Covey Rd. in The Farm in Allen.

It is expected to open in 2027, according to a release.

High 5 Exchange comes from a family entertainment company founded by husband-and-wife team Scott and Jenny Emley. They opened the first location in the Lakeway area of Austin more than a decade ago; a second Austin location followed a few years later.

Their roots are in Austin - Scott Emley played football for UT Austin - but the couple recently relocated to McKinney. There's also a location under construction in Mansfield.

The entertainment mega-center in Allen will combine indoor and outdoor attractions, dining, and rooms for parties and other group events.

Tasty-looking tacos at High 5 in Austin.Facebook/High 5 Exchange Austin

Bowling will be the major draw, with 24 lanes supplied by QubicaAMF. The lineup will include 16 traditional tenpin lanes equipped with EDGE String pinspotters, HyperBowling, and Neoverse, along with eight Fly'n Ducks duckpin lanes, the release says. The combination will give guests the choice between traditional full-length bowling and duckpin bowling, which uses a smaller ball.

"Bowling has a unique ability to bring different generations, interests and skill levels together," said Jody Pastula, director of new business development, U.S., for QubicaAMF, in a statement. "By offering both tenpin and Fly'n Ducks duckpin bowling, High 5 Allen is creating more ways for guests to participate and share the experience. We are pleased to be part of a project designed around connection, variety and repeat visits."

Beyond bowling, High 5 Allen will feature laser tag, a virtual reality arena, an arcade gaming floor, escape rooms, an immersive experience from Creative Works called "Limitless," and outdoor miniature golf. The venue will also have dedicated spaces for birthday parties, corporate gatherings, and private events, along with food and beverage service.

While details on the food and beverage program have not yet been announced, the Austin locations feature a full-service bar and a menu of "American classics with a gourmet twist."

High 5 Exchange Allen Rendering of High 5 Exchange at The Farm in Allen.Rendering courtesy of High 5 Exchange

High 5 Exchange will be part of The Farm in Allen, a 135-acre mixed-use development at the southeast corner of the Sam Rayburn Tollway and Alma Drive. Developed by Allen-based JaRyCo Development in partnership with the Johnson family, The Farm combines residential, office, dining, retail, and entertainment components.

"Allen and the surrounding communities have been part of our vision for this project from the beginning," said Scott Emley, co-founder and CEO of High 5 Exchange, in a statement. "The Farm brings together homes, workplaces, parks, dining and entertainment in a way that fits how people want to connect.

"We are excited to create a place where a family can spend an afternoon, coworkers can gather after work, and friends can celebrate the moments that matter."

entertainment and dining bowling allen