13th Hour Haunted House in Wharton seeks top ten spot on USA Today’s best list

With summer winding down, we are creeping closer and closer to spooky season.

I’ve been a long time fan of horror movies but I’m an admitted coward when it comes to the idea of haunted attractions.

I’m fully jealous of anyone who can go through one whether they are confident about it or not.

Haunted hayrides, abandoned institutions, haunted houses, whatever the haunt is, they sound like so much fun.

Tommaso Boddi, Getty Images

One of New Jersey’s haunted attractions is up for the best in the nation according to USA Today.

13th Hour Haunted House in Wharton

13th Hour features three Haunted House attractions complete with special effects and movie quality sets.

There are also 10 award winning Escape Rooms and a Haunted Hatchets attraction.

As USA Today describes it:

Your ticket includes a visit to three haunts — the two-floor House of Nightmares, The Attic, and The Darkside of the Hayden House, their newest haunt that includes animatronics and live actors and must be navigated in the pitch-black darkness.

a woman dressed as a ghost holding a cell phone

Impressed? Then you can help 13th Hour win a spot on the publication’s 10Best list of haunted house or attractions for 2026.

Their panel of experts put together their list of the 19 best in the nation, now it’s up to the public to decide who is spooky enough to make it to the final 10.

As of writing this, it sits at number 16 on the list. You can help give them a bump by voting for them here.

Voting is allowed once per day until Monday Sept. 21, the final list will be announced on Sept. 30, 2026.

13th Hour Haunted House is located at 105 W Dewey Ave Suit 5 Wharton, NJ.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

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