Fear, fun at attractions

To kick off the Halloween season, Hauntworld Magazine, the haunt industry's trade publication, announced its list of the top 13 professional haunted attractions. These attractions are being recognized for their attention to detail, high-quality special effects, and scare factor.

Ranging from haunted hotels and prisons to spooky hayrides, the list represents the best haunted attractions the nation has to offer, the editors said. In an industry that has reached the multi-billion dollar mark, these haunts are leading the way in scream-inducing innovations.

2007 top 13 pro haunted attractions

  1. Netherworld Haunted House, Atlanta, Ga.
  2. 13th Gate Haunted House, Baton Rouge, La.
  3. The Bates Motel, Philadelphia, Pa.
  4. Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses, Ulster Park, N.Y.
  5. The Darkness, St. Louis, Mo.
  6. Eastern State Penitentiary's Terror Behind the Walls, Philadelphia, Pa.
  7. Erebus Four Story Haunted Attraction, Detroit, Mich.
  8. 7 Floors of Hell, Cleveland, Ohio
  9. Kersey Valley SpookyWoods and Maize Adventure, Greensboro, N.C.
  10. Universal Studios House of Horrors, Hollywood Calif.
  11. Queen Mary's Shipwreck Annual Halloween Terror Fest, Long Beach, Calif.
  12. Dreamreapers Haunted House, Chicago, Ill.
  13. The Haunted Hotel, San Diego, Calif.

Best home haunted house

  1. Castle Blood, Pittsburgh, Pa.
  2. Haunted Overload, Lee, N.H.
  3. Terror Syndicate, Pittsburgh, Pa.
  4. Rot Haunted House, Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Best amusement park Halloween events

  1. Universal Studios Horror Nights, Orlando, Fla.
  2. Knott's Scary Farm, Buena Park, Calif.
  3. Busch Gardens HallowScream, Tampa Bay, Fla.