4. A Petrified Forest

East of Orlando in Altamonte Springs, A Petrified Forest has long been known for its exceptionally scary haunted trail and line-up of evening entertainment. Beginning in 2014, A Petrified Forest has added a second trail, effectively doubling the number of scares. The attraction also features live music, food vendors, and laser tag, but the focus is definitely on the screams. No more than 6 guests are sent through at a time, creating an intensely personalized experience that is difficult to match.

If you are feeling especially brave, sign up for Total Eclipse Nights. On these nights only, the lights are turned off and each group receives a single glow stick. The monsters are allowed to touch you, and even to steal your glow stick. If that happens, you’ll have to make your way through in the dark. Please note that everyone participating in Total Eclipse Nights must sign a waiver, and a parent must sign for those under age 18.

If you want to learn the secrets behind the scares, A Petrified Forest is the only local haunt outside of the theme parks to provide backstage tours. Offered nightly for a separate fee, the backstage tour lets you meet some scare actors and crew members, learn some tips and tricks, and even try out what you learn by joining the scare actors on stage.

5. The Radley Haunted House

Located roughly 30 minutes from Tampa in St. Petersburg, The Radley Haunted House is changing the landscape of Tampa area haunts. A backyard haunt with extremely sophisticated scare techniques, The Radley Haunted House successfully completed a 2014 Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $4,000 for upgrades and expansion. The highly capable team also brought some new talent on board for 2014, further enhancing the creative aspects. Each year’s haunt is completely reimagined, but they always follow the adventures of the mysterious Radley family. The Radley Haunted House is particularly noted for its well-conceived and developed back stories and highly immersive theatrical sets. Find out more over at the official website, RadleyHaunt.com.