Check out the 10 best Halloween events at theme parks in 2022

Photo courtesy of kali9 // Getty Images

Looking for a more friendly scare this Halloween? Theme parks across the country host ghoulish events to celebrate the season, and the whole family is invited! To find the best Halloween theme park events, we asked our readers to vote their favorites, and the results are in.

Photo courtesy of Kings Dominion

No. 10: Halloween Haunt at Kings Dominion - Doswell, Virginia

A host of haunts are on tap at this Virginia favorite, where dangers lurk in the eerie woods and the ghosts of criminally insane inmates are looking to satisfy their eternal bloodlust. Live shows, mazes and more are in store – and the mayhem spreads each year.

Photo courtesy of LEGOLAND® Florida Resort

No. 9: Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND - Multiple Locations

Build an unforgettable experience for your family at Halloween in LEGOLAND. There's something for everyone with LEGO-themed décor and characters, scavenger hunts, fall food and shopping. Where else can you build pumpkins out of LEGO bricks?

Photo courtesy of Knoebels

No. 8: Hallo-Fun at Knoebels - Elysburg, Pennsylvania

On weekends in October, Knoebels Amusement Resort in central Pennsylvania transforms into Hallo-Fun, a haunted playground for all ages. Visitors can find Halloween-themed treats, games and attractions and can buy daily passes to enjoy the rides all day.

Photo courtesy of Silver Dollar City Attractions

No. 7: Harvest Festival at Silver Dollar City - Branson, Missouri

Silver Dollar City celebrates Harvest Festival in Branson, Missouri in the fall. It has added two new acres of fun, including Mystic River Falls – one of several night rides in the park through October 31. Pumpkins in the City and Pumpkin Plaza dazzle with thousands of illuminated pumpkins, and the park's outstanding Craft Days showcase new artisans from across the country each week.

Explore: 10 best pumpkin patches of 2022, according to our readers

Photo courtesy of Dollywood

No. 6: Great Pumpkin LumiNights at Dollywood - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

The fall Harvest Festival at Dollywood includes a spectacular evening event known as Great Pumpkin LumiNights. Thousands of carved jack-o-lanterns illuminate the night in what is the largest addition to Dollywood’s fall festival in the park’s history. The family-friendly event includes giant sculptures, pumpkin-themed food options and live entertainment.

Photo courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort

No. 5: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios - Multiple Locations

Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights immerses gleeful guests in gore from end to end. Killer clowns and brain-starved zombies are among the characters you might meet as you navigate the streets, which transform each evening into a hellscape of bone-chilling screams. You’ll find little refuge in any of its horrifying haunted houses.

Photo courtesy of Busch Gardens Williamsburg

No. 4: Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens - Multiple Locations

Darkened thrill rides and even darker storylines are at the heart of Busch Gardens' Howl-O-Scream, an event that draws in Halloween enthusiasts far and wide with its nightmarish content. The event includes zombies, demons, ghosts and serial killers among other ghouls.

Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment

No. 3: Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld - Multiple Locations

Fear awaits in SeaWorld's collection of elaborate haunted houses, darkened thrill rides, immersive themed scare zones, challenging escape rooms and darkly entertaining live shows.

Photo courtesy of Six Flags Great Adventure

No. 2: Fright Fest at Six Flags - Multiple Locations

Thrills by day and frights by night is the theme at Six Flags, where the scariest great adventures come after dark. While the sun’s up, family-friendly fun abounds with spooky magic shows, eerie animal antics, a trick-or-treat trail and more. But the fun turns dark when the clock strikes six and this thrill park becomes a chill park for those brave enough to stay. 

Photo courtesy of Kings Island File Photo

No. 1: Halloween Haunt at Kings Island - Mason, Ohio

Halloween Haunt at the legendary Kings Island near Cincinnati is back with evil creatures, frightening mazes, haunted attractions and night rides on The Beast, Banshee, Diamondback, Mystic Timbers and other thrill-inducing attractions. Special lighting and fog effects turn the 364-acre complex into a spooky experience you’ll never forget.