4 Best Tacoma Haunted Houses
Haunted Houses in and Around Tacoma
By Matt Kite
Not everybody likes a good scare. Some people prefer treats to tricks come Halloween. But if you’re someone who enjoys feeling your knees tremble and your heart quiver, here are four haunted houses in the greater Tacoma area that are guaranteed to add a few shivers to your holiday experience. Be sure to click on each link to learn more about hours, admission prices and other spooky details.
Hell’s Gateway
What could be spookier than a dark alley? Hell’s Gateway, located in an alley just off Faucet Avenue in downtown Tacoma, is actually three haunted houses in one: Haunted House, Dark Nightmare and Real Fear. The latter is for customers 18 years old and up and requires a reservation. But all three utilize a high-tech approach while providing old-school fun. The range of offerings means there’s something for everyone here. Whether you want a family-friendly experience or an interactive haunt so scary it warrants a safe word, Hell’s Gateway is your portal to Halloween thrills.
Brad’s Boo Barn
In the small community of Elk Plain, just south of Spanaway, lurks Brad’s Boo Barn, a haunted building with a rural twist. Legend has it the barn is situated on haunted ground. Seriously. You can read all about the ghostly slaughterhouse, demon-possessed preacher and 19th-century church that went up in flames at the link above. Or just buy a ticket and experience for yourself a spooktacular barn that features more than 50 actors, a clown maze and zombie halls.
Fright Factory
Claiming the mantle of the top-rated haunted house in Puget Sound, Fright Factory combines chills, thrills and a remote location in Buckley. Fright Factory is not for children or the faint of heart. It’s a walk-through experience designed to send patrons screaming out the back door. Chainsaws? Check. Creepy axe-wielding bald dude with bib overalls and a penchant for dismemberment? Check. High-pitched screams, surreal backdrops and a healthy splattering of blood? Check, check and check.
Warning: This video is creepy as heck. You could have nightmares.
Fright House Station
Hidden in Freighthouse Square near the Tacoma Dome, this year’s attraction is a double-billing: Shadows and Haunted Hollow. The first features 14,000 square feet of nightmarish mayhem. The second promises a macabre decent into darkness. Take your pick, or tour both with a Fright Pass. While you’re quaking in your boots, take a moment to appreciate Tacoma’s longest running haunted house. Though it has gone by many names over the years and has changed hands a few times, Fright House Station can trace its lineage back to the 1970s. That’s 40-plus years of making people soil their undergarments.
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