One of the best things about Halloween, besides candy, is taking on the haunted houses!  October 31st brings with it not only trick-or-treating and costume wearing, but all things spooky as well.

Haunted houses that people put on during the Halloween season are all in the name of fun.  True, some of these haunted houses are made to scare you right down to the bones, but in the back of your mind you know that it’s not real.  Or at least that’s what I try to convince myself of as I’m making my way through some of the scarier haunted houses!  If you’re thinking of building your own haunted house this year, check out these great haunted house props.  Believe me, the animated horror props will have your customers screaming for the exit!

However, there are haunted houses AND there are houses that are haunted – two completely different realms of terror.  Places that have had paranormal activity where ghosts have been seen or heard are definitely a little more spine tingling and hair raising.

Here are some of the MOST HAUNTED PLACES TO VISIT.    

The Amityville House As the story goes, on Nov. 13, 1974, Ronald Jr. (“Butch”) DeFeo killed six members of his family in a house in Amityville, New York. He claims there were demonic forces in the home that drove him to murder. When new owners moved into the house at 112 Ocean Avenue, they too experienced terrifying phenomenon, which led to a best-selling novel and two films.

Alcatraz – The infamous San Francisco Bay’s prison, a notorious penitentiary, known for its cold dark cells, saw many murders, riots and suicides during its 29 years of service. Now a national museum, it’s said to be haunted, with tales of inexplicable sounds, cell doors closing on their own, disembodied screams and scary apparitions.

Saint Augustine Lighthouse - Legend says three little girls died on the construction site, while playing with a rail car. When the car spun out of control, the girls were drowned in the water below. Now, visitors can hear a female crying, “Help me!” inside the tower, as well as mysterious lights and footsteps.