Spooky season is upon us which means an influx of truly frightening things such as pumpkin spice, Ugg boots and flannel clothing. Thankfully, there are a few other seasonal attractions to keep us entertained. I’m talking about haunted houses. Houston (and surrounding areas) are host to many great haunted houses. I had the chance to check out one billed as “The Scariest Haunt in Texas!” I’m, of course, talking about Creepy Hollow. Let’s get into some quick details:
- Location: 12872 Valley Vista Dr, Rosharon, TX 77583. Located about 30 minutes outside of downtown Houston. A quick trip down south on 288 will get you there in no time.
- Price: $40 for all attractions or $50 for all attractions and a No Touch Pass* (more on this later). You have the option to purchase a $10 pass to skip the line.
- Attractions: Haunted attractions include “288 Scare Factory”, “Dark Woods Swamp” and “Pitch Black”. Also included in the tickets, you gain access to Dead Man’s Alley which connects the whole thing together. From here you can enjoy freak shows, dance at a nightclub, interact with actors or even buy some souvenirs.
- Schedule: According to their website, they are open 7:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29 - Oct. 28 and of course the big day Oct. 31.
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Creepy Hollow was my first haunted house of the season. I chose this because of a very special rule they have. They are a full contact haunted house. The actors will touch you - adding to the fear factor - unless you pay for the “No Touch Pass.” I had great interactions on my way through the attractions. I literally gave a piggyback ride to one actor and had a huge smile on my face the whole time. Let me tell you about some of the things I saw.
As I was approaching the gated entrance, my beautiful wife said “Ya know, I’m just going to wait in the car. This is too scary for me.” So, I did what any good husband would do: gave her the keys, said “I’ll be back in an hour!” and proceeded to the ticket booth.
Right after I purchased my ticket, I entered a short walkway that housed spooky relics and seemed to set up some lore for the place. After this short walk, I saw two things. The entrance to the “Dark Woods Swamp” and a mini stage. A performer was on the stage doing tricks with a ball on fire. The show was very entertaining, but I was eager to try out the first haunted attraction.
Dark Woods Swamp
This haunt takes you to what feels like the backwoods of Louisiana. For the first half, you walk through a dilapidated cabin full of horrors. Body parts and pig carcasses are very common here. The sets and actors do a fantastic job of immersing you into the environment. Halfway through, you find yourself outside. Satanic markings help guide you around tall mausoleums. I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder terrified of what I was going to see. Jump scares come aplenty here. Actors hide themselves extremely well due to the excellent construction of the sets. I believe I counted over 20 actors on this one attraction alone. The exit of this includes being chased by Mr. Chainsaw Man, so watch your back!
Exiting the Dark Woods Swamp brought me to Dead Man’s Alley. There were a few actors here dressed in a variety of costumes. If you wish to dance with a macabre atmosphere, then you need to check out the Voodoo Lounge. Lights and music will be blaring all night from here. Want to buy a souvenir? This place has a variety of small shops to stop in and check out. Hunger shouldn’t be an issue, because there are at least two food trucks on site. Here you can also find a main stage for bigger shows. I did observe what appeared to be a wrestling ring that was being built but not operational at my time of visit. From here, you can also find the next two haunts. I chose Pitch Black which is not a good one to choose if you are scared of clowns.
Pitch Black
To start this one, you walk up a set of stairs and knock on a door. The door swings open and you are greeted with a clown. A very creepy clown. All the actors in this exhibit are dressed as clowns. She told me all the rules and provided me with 3-D glasses. The art and paint on the walls look like they are jumping out at you with the help of the glasses. Small corridors are plenty in this haunt. About halfway through, you walk down a set of stairs into a pitch-black area (hence the name). The only saving grace is the terrifying clown with a flashlight. The brief respites from the dark also include Mr. Scary Clown Face Man, which was fun. Near the end you will be forced go through a tunnel that will befuddle your senses. This one wasn’t quite as long as the previous one, but the clowns, 3-D art and pitch-black elements really enhance the adventure.
Finally, I found my way to the last haunt.
288 Scare Factory
The entrance to this attraction was guarded by what I can only assume was an escaped mental patient. He tried to bite me. Jerk. Anyways, the true beginning of this attraction has you in what appears to be an elevator. Here you can see some TV screens that give insight into what may have happened here. Rabid test subjects have overrun a research facility. Walking through this facility is quite distressing. The sets include narrow walkways with moving floors which will give frights to those who are claustrophobic. the highlight of this one for me was when an actor behind me placed his hands on my shoulders and yelled, “GIVE ME A RIDE!” Of course, I had to give him a piggyback ride. This was probably the weakest of the three for me but still really enjoyed the experience.
The overall experience
Overall, I really enjoyed my trip out to Creepy Hollow. While not every attraction seemed to be up and running just yet, the thrills and scares come aplenty. Also, the staff was very friendly and helpful with any questions I had.
Scotty’s Scare Scale
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Scotty is a director on the KPRC 2 team who’s not afraid to take on scary spots. Where do you recommend he go next? Let us know in the comments below.