In Michigan, we know how to scare. From scream parks, to ghost ships, to psych wards, you’ll find every variety of haunt. In fact, Michigan is home to some of the most terrifying, award-winning haunted attractions in the country. So, when October rolls around and you are truly looking to get into the spooky spirit, check out one of these awesome haunted attractions in the state.
One of Michigan's biggest names in haunted attraction, the Niles Scream Park is a 44-acre experience that covers not only a lot of ground geographically, but plenty in its themes as well. It rebuilds all five of its major attractions annually to ensure fresh scares, even for those many patrons who come back annually for the fun. Its dedication to detail shines through in its award wins, taking home Coaster Nation's Top Haunt title for two years.
Bay City's the Edson Incident is an unusual twist in haunted attraction, as it takes place entirely on board the USS Edson, a Vietnam-era U.S. Navy destroyer. It offers a thrilling premise: something has happened on board the vessel and now visitors must climb through five levels of the ship in order to find what's gone wrong and how to set it right. That's worthy of a movie in and of itself, and when you consider you'll be in it, that gives it a little extra punch. Being the only one of its kind in the Midwest doesn't hurt, either.
Taylor's Scream Machine sets up shop in the Taylor Town Strip Mall, and focuses on all those things you fear. Starting off with its “hellevator” to take on an insane asylum full of your greatest fears and overseen by a mad doctor, the Scream Machine looks to pack in some real thrills. There's also a set of events for the younger set, including two full nights of trick-or-treating a week separate, and even some “lights-on” events to cut the fear factor.
The Manistee Ghost Ship event in Manistee turns the S.S. City of Milwaukee—a former railroad car ferry turned tourist attraction—into a ghostly haunt that features several decks' worth of frights. Seeing this former ferry turned bed and breakfast turned into a haunted attraction is unnerving in and of itself, and the attraction draws several thousand visitors annually.
“Over 10 Years of Farm Fresh Fear,” that's what the Shawhaven Haunted Farm has been offering up, and you'll see that quality in every step you take. Keep an eye on their site for information about ever-changing and updating aspects of this haunt. A zombie-based corn maze, escape room, and more.
Head out to Saginaw, but don't be afraid to lose that head, as you check out Night Stalkers Haunted House. Held in an enormous five story building in Saginaw, covering 60,000 square-feet, Night Stalkers features a thrilling backstory involving the creation of genetically-modified supersoldiery and government funding. The resulting monstrosities will be on the prowl, having effectively shattered steel restraints and cages alike, and deciding that they don't much care for humanity in general.
The former world record holder for largest walk-through haunted attraction on Earth, Erebus in Pontiac can still deliver a potent package of frights. Boasting four stories and a half-mile indoor walk through some of the most terrifying examples of makeup artistry you'll see in quite some time, Erebus is packed with terror. The pictures alone will offer up vastly more than a thousand words about what you'll see here, so check this one out in advance.
Kalamazoo's Psycho Ward is a multi-tier operation that offers a little something different depending on where you go. From a zombie-based experience that has you fleeing the walking dead to a paintball course where you can fight back against the flesh-munching horde, you'll have plenty to do out here. The main attraction, though, is the Psycho Ward itself, home of Floyd Cranston, Michigan's “most notorious serial killer.” Floyd's assembled quite the fan club over the years, full of lunatics in their own right, and to get an eyeful of this killer brood for yourself, you'll just have to show up.
Head to Westland for a sweet dose of understated horror with Hush. With a name that simple, it's got to be something to see. A downright spooky preview has hit YouTube offering up bloodthirsty monstrosities, irresponsible surgery, and some less identifiable frights on hand. Coaster Nation—the same ones who gave the nod to the Niles Scream Park, ranked this one number six in the United States, so it's a top-class experience by any standard.
Slaughterhouse Adventure in Fowlerville offers up a wonderfully multi-level experience, ranging from the simplicity of a haunted hayride to corn mazes in haunted and non-haunted varieties, to of course a haunted house. Packed with some of the biggest monsters of the day.
