Haunted houses, ghost tours, & other spooky experiences in DFW
From the longest walk-through horror house to visiting a cemetery full of infants, DFW has plenty of disquieting and spooky experiences.
We are officially in spooky season! As summer turns into fall and the weather gets slightly cooler (though not chilly because, you know, we’re still in Texas), Dallas-Fort Worth transforms into a hauntingly good time. Haunted houses and ghost tours abound, and already petrifying places get just a little more spine-tingling.
It’s time to get your fright on, and we’re here to help. Check out 12 of our favorite spooky experiences across the greater DFW area.
Top haunted houses in DFW
Not all haunted houses are created equal. If you want your “boos” to be of the frightful variety and not the get-off-the-stage kind, make sure to visit one (or all) of these four spots.
Cutting Edge Haunted House, Fort Worth
Welcome to the most horrifying haunted house in all of Texas. Cutting Edge is housed in an abandoned Fort Worth meat-packing plant known as “Hell’s Half Acre.” It’s also won multiple Guinness World Records as the longest walk-through horror house. As the name suggests, chainsaws, knives, and other slash-friendly environments abound, though even the tamer-seeming rooms have hidden frights that will get your heart pounding. You probably won’t actually get cut during your visit, but the slight chance it could happen is extra exciting, don’t you think?
Dark Hour Haunted House, Plano
Dark Hour is nearly on par with Cutting Edge in terms of frights. There’s no shortage of constant screams, dark corners, and flashing lights, and the actors offer just the right blend of terrifying actions with ghoulish charm. Where Dark Hour really shines is in its Creepy Concierge VIP package. You get a sneak peek at the manor behind the scenes, and you can even step into the role of monster to terrorize other guests. Doing that in a non-haunted house setting would get you thrown out immediately, so it’s a nice perk.
Moxley Manor, Bedford
Sometimes, the most horrifying stories are based on actual events. That’s the case with Moxley Manor, where a housemaid named Lillian Marshall moved in with the Moxley family. Within two years, all three members of the family had died violent and gruesome deaths. You surely won’t suffer the same fate as you traverse through the property’s three haunted attractions, though if you need to escape early, Moxley Manor is kind enough to include “chicken doors” for people to duck out.
Creekside Manor, Midlothian
Creekside Manor boasts a claim as the only “real” haunted house in the DFW area. But you won’t just walk through the halls of Creekside Manor. You’ll also get three other haunted attractions, including Zombie Fallout, the clown-infested CarnEVIL, and the T.W. Bass Insane Asylum, named after the Creekside Manor co-founder who died in 2023. Creekside Manor donates a portion of ticket sales to charities, schools, and community projects, so you’re helping out the greater DFW area by getting scared.
Ghost tours worth taking
If haunted houses aren’t your thing, perhaps you’d be more into learning about creepy tales and horrifying histories across some of Dallas-Fort Worth’s most spooktacular settings. These ghost tours will scratch that itch.
Dallas Terrors
Dallas has plenty of fascinating stories, and you’ll hear some of the best ones on a Dallas Terrors tour from US Ghost Adventures. The company’s founder, Lance Zaal, has extensively traveled the world and built an interest in preserving the legends that came before us. You’ll learn the history of Dealey Plaza, the Sixth Floor Museum, the Adolphus Hotel, and more. For a small additional cost, you can add extra locations to scope out, rent a paranormal activity detector, and take home a ghost plush as a keepsake of having a fantastical time. As a bonus, the Adolphus Hotel sports one of the best pools in DFW. Sometimes, plunging into a refreshing body of water is the best way to shake off the goosebumps (or it just may add even more of them).
Haunted Dallas Boos and Booze Walking Tours
Skeptical about the presence of ghosts in Dallas? A little booze might help. Nightly Spirits runs several different tours around the city, though the Boos and Booze Walking Tour is among the best on tap. Guests will explore some of the oldest and haunted pubs in Dallas, with the option to down a drink as they hear about eerie tales of the city’s past. Although some locations are a bit tight to maneuver, the entire tour covers only about a mile of walking. Even if you like your drinks stiff, it’s totally manageable—and you’ll get a souvenir koozie, to boot.
Lizzie Borden Fort Worth Ghost Tours
The Lizzie Borden House is no stranger to macabre events, so, naturally, the Lizzie Borden Ghost Tours keep up that ghastly spirit. The Fort Worth tour strolls by some of the city’s most haunted places, including the Stockyards Hotel, Miss Molly’s Hotel (Fort Worth’s B&B that once served as a brothel and speakeasy), and the White Elephant Saloon, where legendary gambler Longhorn Jim continues to haunt visitors. Should you not be a fan of ghost tours, the Lizzie Borden House also offers a portable mystery game and a Murder History Dinner.
Heritage After Dark
For a more family-friendly environment, Frisco’s Heritage After Dark dives into the city’s ghoulish past and inexplicable moments. You’ll get plenty of ghost stories alongside flickering candles and devilishly chilling decorations as you move about the Frisco Heritage Museum. And with ghastly themed bites and sinisterly mouth-watering mocktails like Phantom Fizz and Witch’s Brew, you’ll be well fed and hydrated, too. It’s the perfect combination for letting out a blood-curdling scream.
Other spooky DFW experiences
When you’ve had your fill of haunted houses and ghost tours, there are still a few other DFW experiences that can make your hair stand on end.
Pick your next Halloween costume at Rose Costumes
Some people, like Jim Halpert from “The Office,” are perfectly fine going with a minimalist Halloween costume design. Others prefer the more extravagant and theatrical vibes, and Rose Costumes in Denton is about the best place in town to find a killer outfit. Even if you’re not in the market for some new threads, Rose Costumes has some fantastic displays to admire. The Gypsy Rose Fortune Teller, Black Pearl Ship, and Roseini Bros. Circus Room are all impressive. If you’re lucky, you just might experience a paranormal encounter nearby.
Stroll White Rock Lake
In 1943, Anne Clark published “The Ghost of White Rock,” a story included in a publication from the Texas Folklore Society. The legend goes that a woman in a white dress, nervous and wet from the water, approached a couple and asked for a ride home in their rumble seat. She gave them an address, but before they arrived, they noticed the rumble seat was empty, albeit soaking wet. At the door, they met a man who said this was the third time a couple had come to the door with the same story, and that his daughter had drowned a few weeks earlier. More than 80 years later, locals and visitors continue to report eerie, unexplainable nighttime events at the lake.
Visit the Lost Cemetery of Infants
UT Arlington’s campus has a secret hiding on the edge of its campus, inside Doug Russell Park. The Lost Cemetery of Infants is the eternal resting place of nearly 80 infants buried in the early 20th century. Previously, the park’s location was the Berachah Industrial Home for the Redemption of Erring Girls. Young women who were shunned by society came here to rebuild their lives. Unfortunately, since they had often suffered many hardships along the way, the women’s children sometimes died during or shortly after childbirth. Legend has it that the spirits of the children remain at the cemetery. Visitors claim to have seen toys moving around the area and heard bouts of children’s laughter among the many gravesites that simply read “Infant” or “Baby.”
Join the detective squad at Keith & Margo’s Murder Mystery Texas
The wild popularity of true crime podcasts and documentaries has unveiled a rather dark truth about humans: Murders are interesting, especially unsolved ones. And you can put on your detective hat with Keith & Margo’s Murder Mystery Texas events. The organization is celebrating its 35th year and has Halloween-themed immersive events all throughout October; this year’s theme is Witchcraft and Warlocks and Wizards. You’re treated to a tasty dinner and a front row look at a murder performance—and perhaps you’ll wind up being the killer! Keith & Margo’s hosts these murder mystery events at revolving restaurants around Dallas, Fort Worth, Flower Mound, and McKinney. You can also book a virtual murder mystery party via Zoom, because sometimes leaving the comfort of your home is the most horrifying thing imaginable.
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