Phobia Haunted Houses: Beltway

Phobia Haunted Houses are back at Beltway 8 (BW-8) this season, with the complex open at 5250 S Sam Houston Pkwy E in Houston. It's a big one: eight themed haunted houses all in one spot, so you can do as many as you've got in you rather than driving all over town.

The lineup covers a lot of ground. You've got Dawn of the Machine, Mind Control, Genetic Nightmare, Clown Mania, Darke Institute, Darke World, Contagion, and Savage Ground. The themes run from industrial machinery to clowns, so there's a good mix of the mechanical and the manic. If you're not in the mood to pick and choose, there's the Exile package, which bundles three linked haunts into a single experience.

BooMap gives the site a 5 out of 5 on its scare scale, and they point out that it's full-contact and intense, so go in knowing it's not a walk in the park. Each attraction takes about 15 minutes to get through. The lines are covered, so rain won't wash out your night, and the site is handicap-friendly. Parking is free, and buses are welcome, which makes it a decent spot to bring a group.

As for the dates, it's a long run: Saturday, Sept 26, then Friday through Sunday from Oct 2 to Nov 1, plus Thursday, Oct 22, Wednesday and Thursday, Oct 28-29, Saturday, Nov 7, and Friday, Nov 13. Hours are 8 PM to midnight early in the season, moving to 7:30 PM from Oct 17, with Sundays and weeknights closing at 10 PM. The ticket booth closes 10 to 15 minutes before the listed closing times, and there are no refunds.

Tickets are tiered by how many houses you want to do: 3 houses for $40 per person, 4 for $45, and 5 for $50, with a 3-house minimum. The Exile package is $30 per person. If you're bringing a crowd, group pricing for 20 or more people is $35 per person for the BW-8 houses and $27 per person for Exile, provided it's a single transaction.