Austin Spooky Halloween Events Guide 2018

AUSTIN, TEXAS — It's not too late to make Halloween plans tonight. Here are some frighteningly good spots to hit:

AUSTIN GHOST TOURS

303 Red River St.

Places purported to be haunted — alleyways, hotels, hospitals, jailhouses and more — abound in Austin. Given such supernatural spirits, Austin Ghost Tours takes fans of the macabre to those spooky places to see for themselves. Have your camera or cell phone at the ready as you may very well photographically capture a ghost along the way. This is a pub crawl, so alcohol is involved. "Our tours will take you through areas that only Nightly Spirits would dare and rehash stories from the past," officials describe on their website. "We are going to take you into some of the best haunted bars in Austin and follow the footsteps of Austin’s own Jack the Ripper. Our Austin tour takes you down to the haunted canals, into haunted bars, outside haunted buildings, and everywhere that we can possibly sneak you in to tell you ghost stories! The Austin ghost tour stories revolve around gruesome murders, accidental deaths, and spirits that just won’t leave! We tell all of these stories while visiting some of the most historic and haunted places Austin has to offer, which serve beverages of course!" The Austin ghost tour pub crawl begins in downtown Austin at the famously haunted Buffalo Billiards on 6th St. From $25 per person.

BLUE STARLITE DRIVE-IN

2103 E M. Franklin Ave.

The idea of watching a spooky movie at the drive-in from the comfort of one's vehicle has a certain throwback appeal to it. It's also ideal for the crowd-averse who still want to get into the spirit of things. On Halloween, screenings of Hocus-Pocus, Bettlejuice, The Exoricst and more are scheduled. For more details, click here.

HAUNTED ATX

501 North IH 35

More ghost tours can be had with Haunted ATX but with an especially spooky twist: The tours are conducted from inside a hearse. Austin places said to be haunted are visited, including Clay Pit, Driskill Hotel, Littlefield house, the Tavern and more. From the Haunted ATX website: "Haunted ATX offers the ONLY mobile haunted tour in Austin. You'll climb into a classic Cadillac hearse that has been converted into a spooky limousine and visit several historic Austin landmarks that are reportedly haunted or have experienced paranormal activity, including the Tavern, Driskill Hotel, Clay Pit, Littlefield House, and more. We do get out of the hearse frequently and go inside the establishments, but walking is minimal. Haunted Hearse Limo Tours are fun, inspiring, and scary!" From $49 per person for regular tickets. For more information, click here.

HOUSE OF TORMENT

2362 Ridgepoint Dr.

Billed as Austin's Premier Halloween event, the House of Torment actually comprises several haunted houses. There are three new creepy houses added this year: Blackthorne Penitentiary, Darkest Dreams and Trick-or-Treat. Tickets start at $29.99, and can be purchased by clicking here.

PROJECT PANIC ESCAPE ROOMS

4403 Guadalupe St.

Not for the claustrophobic or those easily anxious under the rigors of hard deadlines, this place puts groups of people in rooms filled with puzzles and other challenging tests that must be completed in one hour in order to escape. This is less scary than it is anxiety-inducing, which can be fun in the right scenario. "You and a group of family, friends, or coworkers are locked in a room with 60 minutes to escape," the Project Panic website reads. "How? Use your detective skills and solve a series of puzzles found throughout the room. Our unique and challenging scenarios always provide an opportunity to solve problems and have fun."

SCREAM HOLLOW WICKED HALLOWEEN PARK

Only the truly brave at heart venture here. We're talking 20 acres of dense forest off Highway 304 in Bastrop, not far from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre site. Count them: Four (4) haunted houses — Mansion of Terror Phantoms; Zombie City: The Factory; Wicket Darkness: The Maze; and Slaughterhouse: Virgils Last Laff. There are other scary elements apart from the haunted houses to guarantee fright. Madame Tiker will be on hand to set up her Magic Emporium, where flooring salvaged from the 1890s La Grange Courthouse were trod by people taking their final steps before the gallows. To help quell the spine chills afterwards, organizers invite those of legal drinking age to enjoy an adult beverage at the nearby Rabid Bate Vampire Bar or families to enjoy a meal at the Cackling With Cafe and Bakery. Admission ranges from $5 to $29, depending on package. Buy tickets here.

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