Even though Rhode Island is the smallest of the New England states, it doesn’t skimp on the thrills and things that go bump in the night. In fact, it’s home to some of the most thrilling and scariest attractions in New England. If you’re all about the tricks instead of treats during Halloween season, this post dives into all the very best haunted houses in Rhode Island, including suggestions for haunted attractions like hayrides, corn mazes and even haunted hotels in you can stay in. But only keep reading if you dare!
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Best Haunted Houses In Rhode Island
Sadly, some great haunted houses in Rhode Island closed as a result of the global pandemic, and as of 2022, there aren’t as many options as there have been in the past. But, fear not (pun intended)! There are still some amazing and scary haunted houses around the Ocean State that are sure to make you jump.
Haunted Houses Near Providence, Rhode Island
1. Haunted Labyrinth – Cranston, RI
Distance From Providence: 10 Minutes
Not only is this one of the scariest, it’s also the longest running of all the haunted houses in Rhode Island, as well as all of New England! A combination of a haunted house and an indoor maze, the Haunted Labyrinth takes about 15 minutes to walk through, and is scary enough to make adults jump, and also provides just the right amount of spookiness for children to attend (though, I recommended that children be aged around 8 and up).
Tickets can be purchased online in advance to avoid waiting in line upon arrival. This attraction is close to the Scary Acres Haunted Corn Maze, so these two can easily be done in the same night.
2. 13th World – Cumberland, RI
Distance From Providence: 20 Minutes
Often regarded as the scariest of all the haunted houses in Rhode Island, 13th World is sure to deliver on the goosebumps. Each year, 13th World creates a new experience, so no two haunted houses are the same from year to year. Taking about 25 minutes to walk through, this experience ushers you on a spooky journey through the woods at night, and most people agree that this is a pretty intense haunted house.
Tickets can be purchased online in advance, and this attraction is recommended for those aged 12 and up. If you’re looking to make an evening of your visit, they also have a second location in Palmer, MA, which is only an hour away from the Cumberland, RI location. Each location offers a different experience, so for those looking for maximum scares this season, this is something to consider.
3. Slater Park Haunted Tunnel – Pawtucket, RI
Distance From Providence: 15 Minutes
A great haunted house in Rhode Island to consider is the Haunted Tunnel in Pawtucket, which offers two spooky experiences in the same location. Begin your evening by walking through the concrete tunnel with 9 different scary rooms to enter if you dare, and then finish your night in the outdoor park’s cemetery and haunted corn maze.
This haunted house recommends that children be 10 years of age or older.
Best Haunted Hayrides In Rhode Island
4. Seven Cedars Farm Haunted Hayride – Smithfield, RI
One of the best haunted hayrides in Rhode island is the Seven Cedars Farm Haunted Hayride. This event typically opens the first weekend of October, and takes you through over 20 acres of twisty wooden land with lots of things that will be going bump in the night. Each year, they add new scary parts to the ride, and change a few things around, so it’s definitely worth doing again if this is one you’ve experienced before.
At the farm, food and drinks are available for purchase either before or after your ride.
Tip: For another haunted hayride option just 30 minutes away, just keep reading below!
Haunted Corn Mazes In Rhode Island
While the Slater Park Haunted Tunnel mentioned above also has a haunted corn maze as part of their attraction, another option is Scary Acres in Cranston.
5. Scary Acres – Cranston, RI
One of the best haunted corn mazes in Rhode Island is the Scary Acres corn maze. Scary Acres actually offers both a haunted hayride and a haunted corn maze for the perfect night of freights. You’ll start by taking the hayride through the haunted woods where zombies and werewolves are said to hunt for their victims. Then, you’ll grab a flashlight and make your way through the haunted corn maze with only your light to guide you.
Tickets can be purchased online in advance. This attraction is close to the Haunted Labyrinth, which is also in Cranston, so you can easily visit both in one night for the ultimate haunted experience!
Tip: This attraction can easily be combined with the Seven Cedars Haunted Hayride, and is only 30 minutes away.
Haunted Attractions In Newport, RI
6. Newport, RI Haunted Ghost Tour
While Newport doesn’t have any haunted houses, they have something that could be even scarier – a haunted ghost tour based on actual historical events and paranormal activity. This walking tour takes place at night, and you’ll be led through the most historical streets of Newport by your guide and lantern light while you learn the details of the city’s sordid past, as well as the ghost stories that continue to haunt the neighborhoods.
Click here to book your ghost tour in Newport!
Real Haunted Places In Rhode Island You Can Actually Visit
If you’ve already experienced the best haunted houses in Rhode Island and are looking to shake things up a bit, or if you’re just looking to visit as many haunted places as you can this Halloween season, I’ve got you covered! Below is a list of the best haunted places in Rhode Island you can actually visit.
7. The Conjuring House – Harrisville, RI
One of the most haunted houses in Rhode Island is the Farm on Round Top Road, but more commonly referred to as the Conjuring House. If you’re a fan of horror movies, you may have seen The Conjuring, which was a fictional representation of what happened to the family who owned this house in the 1970s. While the movie wasn’t a documentary, it was based on very real events.
This house was built in 1736 and has a long-documented history of deaths, many of which were mysterious or tragic. When the Perron family moved into the house in 1970, they began to experience strange and unexplained noises, felt cold and horribly smelling presences, and even experienced beds levitating from the ground and apparition sightings. The house is so haunted, in fact, it was investigated by famed paranormal experts Ed & Lorraine Warren.
But what does all this have to do with you visiting? Well, if you’ve ever wanted to connect with the spirit world, this is the house you want to go to, and the current owners offer tours and overnight paranormal investigative stays. Click here for more information, and just keep in mind, the Conjuring House is not for the faint of heart.
8. Chestnut Hill Cemetery – Exeter, RI
Chestnut Hill Cemetery is known as one of the most haunted places in Rhode Island you can visit because of one particular woman who’s buried here – Mercy Lena Brown. Many thought Mercy to be an actual vampire when she was alive in the 1800s during a time in history called the New England Vampire Panic, and she died at the age of 19 from tuberculosis.
Now, many have claimed to see her spirit haunting the cemetery, often standing close to her own tombstone. If you’re hoping to see Mercy for yourself, you’ll need the courage to visit her grave at Chestnut Hill Cemetery at night.
9. The Graduate Hotel – Providence, RI
The Graduate Hotel in Providence is said to be one of the most haunted hotels in New England. Built in 1922, and also on the National Register of Historic Places, this hotel has a pretty scary past. Originally financed and owned by a known Satanist, many animal sacrifices, violent rituals and murders have allegedly taken place inside the building.
Over the years, many guests and staff members have claimed to have heard loud footsteps and clinking glasses in empty rooms, which likely has ties to the hotel having been a speakeasy during the prohibition era. Others have claimed to see the ghost of one of the hotel’s most famous suicide victims falling outside their window, only for no body to see seen on the ground moments later.
The Graduate Hotel is currently open for overnight guests, and if you’re hoping to connect with the spirit world, you may want to consider making a reservation. Please note: It’s important to not disrupt the hotel’s day-to-day operations during your visit, and to be respectful of other guests and hotel staff while you look for any haunted happenings.
Click here to book your stay at the Graduate Hotel in Providence!
10. The Harborside Inn – Block Island
Block Island is one of my favorite New England summer destinations, but it also comes with a very spooky past. Between shipwrecks and villainous, real-life pirates, many locals have claimed to see ghosts all over the island, including ghost ship sightings right off the shoreline.
But if you’re looking to visit one of the most haunted locations, you’ll want to book a stay at the Harborside Inn, and specifically, room 302. Visitors that have stayed in this room have claimed to see a woman dressed in black entering and existing. Staff members at the hotel have also claimed to feel hands grabbing their waists when no one else was around.
Click here to read my guide on the best Haunted Hotels in New Hampshire!
Click here to read my guide on the best haunted houses in Massachusetts!
11. Fort Wetherill – Jamestown, RI
Fort Wetherill provides beautiful views of Narragansett Bay, but it’s also one of the most haunted places in Rhode Island that you can visit. The very first ghost legends stemmed from reported sightings of a ghost dog with red eyes and fangs during World War I. Since then, many have claimed to hear loud barking and growling noises when no other dogs have been present. Some have even claimed to have seen it walking through the walls of the tunnels inside the fort.
Claims of paranormal activity at Fort Wetherill were further fueled in 1985 when the bodies of 4 young women were found nearby, and since their murder is still unsolved, many claim that they either made eye contact with the ghost dog, or that other unexplained paranormal activity is responsible for their death.
If you decide to visit Fort Wetherill for yourself, be prepared for lots of chills and goosebumps.
12. Belcourt Castle – Newport, RI
Many of the famous Newport mansions have stories of haunted happenings, but one of the most haunted is the Belcourt Castle. Open to the public during the day for tours, many visitors and staff members have reported not being able to sit in two specific chairs (and being tossed out of them if they tried!), as well as a suit of armor that moves its head and arms when no one else is around.
Many others have reported seeing apparitions of women in ball gowns, as well as a monk dressed in a brown robe that strolls through the entire property.
13. White Horse Tavern – Newport, RI
The oldest tavern in the U.S. is also, unsurprisingly, the most haunted. While you’re sure to have a wonderful dining experience at this beautiful setting, you may also experience some unexplained happenings. Visitors and staff members have claimed over the years to feel taps on their shoulders when no one else could have done it, footsteps in empty rooms, and apparition sightings of old sailors and men dressed in traditional Colonial clothing.
You may also enjoy reading:
- Best Things To Do In New England In The Fall
- Spookiest Haunted Houses In Maine + Haunted Places You Can Actually Visit!
- Newport, RI Day Trip Travel Guide
- Things To Do In Newport, RI In The Winter
That’s A Wrap On The Best Haunted Houses In Rhode Island
And there you have it! All the best haunted houses in Rhode Island, as well as some bonus suggestions for haunted hayrides and corn mazes. Hopefully you now feel ready to plan your spookiest Halloween season yet in the Ocean State!
