It is officially October and my favorite time of year! It's the season of chilly weather, scary movies, and of course haunted houses. For anyone in the area looking for something fun to do this Halloween, here's a list of haunted attractions in and around the Johnstown area.

1. Houston's Haunted Hollow

This may be the most talked about haunted house in the area. Located in Rockwood, PA (about one hour away from Johnstown), is celebrating their "21st year of fear" this year. Houston's has five different attractions, a concession stand, bonfires, and they sometimes even schedule live bands or DJ's. Adult tickets are $20 to purchase online.

2. The Haunted Hayloft

This one may not be quite as popular as Houston's Haunted Hollow, but it is still one of my favorites and I make sure to visit every year. At the Hayloft, you get to fight your way through the haunted barn and if you make it out, and then make it through the corn maze, you get to end your night with a hayride. And after 9:00 all of the lights go out and you are left to find your way through in the dark with just one glow stick per group (new this year). The Hayloft is also located in Rockwood, PA and has an open concession stand every Friday and Saturday night in October. Tickets are listed online at $17 per person, but they do tend to have discounted ones for sale depending on the day. They always have discounted tickets on Groupon too!

3. The Haunted Acres

I'll be honest, this is not one of my favorites compared to the other haunted houses on this list...but it's a good option if you don't want to drive farther to one of the other ones or if you even just want a cheaper option. The Haunted Acres is located in Sidman (only about 15 minutes from Johnstown), and tickets are only $10 per person. What I like about this attraction is that it is completely different every year because they change their theme every year.

4. Scarehouse

Next to Houston's Haunted Hollow, this is probably the other most talked about haunted house in the area. It is a bit of a farther drive though. It takes about an hour and a half to get there from Johnstown. Out of all of the haunted attractions on this list, this one is probably the scariest. The Scarehouse itself is open to anyone over the age of 13. There is also a separate part of the Scarehouse known as "The Basement." The basement is only for adults 18 and older and you are required to sign a waiver before entering. Only one or two guests are allowed to enter at a time. According to their website, by entering the basement you are exposing yourself to "high voltage effects, sexual content, very low lighting, tight spaces, strong scents, profanity, moments of complete darkness, water, exposure to electricity, violent situations and high impact scares." Obviously, it is not for the faint of heart! Tickets for the Scarehouse are around $17 and tickets for the basement are around $50 for two people to enter. Make sure to buy them online because they are always cheaper online than they are at the gate!

5. Demon House

I just attended this one for the first time last year and although it is also a farther drive and doesn't take as long to walk through as some of the other haunted houses, the effects they use here are incredible. You get a free hot drink with your ticket and they also have a big screen projecting horror movies all night for you to sit and watch for as long as you want. It's a great way to pass the time as you are waiting for them to call your group to walk through the house. The Demon House is located an hour and a half from Johnstown, near the Pittsburgh area. I was unable to find ticket prices on their website, but if you use Groupon you can purchase them at 2 for $29.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!