Skip to main content

Haunted House, Schmaunted House: Try a Haunted Cave Instead

haunted cave
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Looking for something scarier than the standard haunted house this year? Look no further than Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri. The resort is transforming its Top of the Rock attraction — a high bluff  complete with a museum, hiking trails, a views of the Ozarks — into a “haunted cave experience”called Haunted Lost Caverns.

To create a premise for the haunt, the property set up a mock archeological dig that alludes to the heritage of the region. Guests ride through a four-story cave complete with more than 100 animatronic displays and plenty of other promised “spooky sights and frights.” There’s even a cocktail bar at the end so you can properly cool down after you’ve been scared.

Haunted Lost Caverns at Top of the Rock

The adventure, which lasts 45 minutes, has proven to be one of the more popular attractions at the property; Haunted Lost Caverns is entering its third year.

The critically acclaimed Big Cedar Lodge has a very real and very storied past. In the 1920s, two prominent Missourians were building lavish homes on the Long Creek arm of the White River near the modern-day resort. Shortly after, the two businessmen acquired 300 acres of forest nearby. As the area began to prosper post-Depression and post-WWII, the White River was dammed to form Table Rock Lake, which set aside land for the Lodge. The compiled history of the property adds to the overall mystique and appeal of the Haunted Caves Experience.

Once you’re done being scared silly, you can head 10 miles north to Branson to experience a record-breaking roller coaster (and do some old-fashioned gambling, of course). It’s a great opportunity to experience the beauty and splendor of the Ozarks in two distinctively different ways. Talk about a new twist on late-season travel.

Tickets for the Haunted Lost Caverns are on sale now and you can reserve your tour here.

Geoff Nudelman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff is a former contributor to The Manual. He's a native Oregonian who’s always up for a good challenge and a great hike…
Hit the open road with one of these top 5 motorcycle road trips
Capture the last of summer and first of fall with these moto road trips
motorcycle road trip routes in the sunset

As summer begins to fade into the fall, we start to settle in for the cooler months. We start to make preparations to wear cashmere sweaters and start layering for the cold and wet weather. Our summer clothes get packed away, and we start to make room in the closet for the next few months. But don't relinquish your summer too soon; you still have time to break out the motorcycle for one of the more beloved road trips in the United States.

All of the best road trips have a combination of open spaces, great views, and tourist stops that will keep you entertained the entire time you are gone. Once you ensure you have the right bike for your height and weight, you should pack tools for every eventuality on the road and clothes for every environment, from sun-baked deserts to snowy mountain tops. Also, you should absolutely pack for frequent snack breaks.

Read more
The best breweries in America: The ultimate bucket list if you love craft beer
Want to combine craft beer and travel? These breweries have great ales and more — worth booking a vacation for
Prairie Artisan Ales Brewery

If you didn’t know it, there are currently more than 9,000 (yes, you read that right) breweries operating in the U.S. That’s a lot of IPAs, pilsners, and barrel-aged stouts. Honestly, it’s way more beer than you or I could ever hope to drink. This also means there are a ton of breweries that, to put it a bit bluntly, aren’t worth your time. There are also a lot of great outfits, brewing award-winning beers. There are also a few that stand above the rest both in terms of quality and atmosphere. These are the bucket list breweries that every beer fan should visit at least once.

The best part? These gems can be found all over the country. There are Chicago breweries, Asheville breweries, and outstanding, can’t-miss breweries from Petaluma to St. Pete. We’re talking names like Tree House Brewery, Russian River Brewing, Brewery Ommegang, and Portland, Maine’s stalwart Allagash Brewing to name a few.

Read more
Turn your trip to Puerto Vallarta into a wellness retreat at this stellar resort
Here’s a closer look inside the Westin Resort & Spa, Puerto Vallarta, and their abundance of wellness offerings. 
A view from Banderas Bay of The Westin Resort & Spa, Puerto Vallarta, in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.

Can you really enjoy a relaxing “spa weekend” in Puerto Vallarta? Can you really enjoy a chill wellness-centric trip at a hotel that caters very much to families with children? Can you really stay at a resort with a private beach that’s minutes away from the airport and downtown? If you’re staying at the Westin Resort & Spa, Puerto Vallarta, all your wellness travel dreams may really come true.

Today, we’re taking you inside the Westin and all-around Puerto Vallarta to show how you can enjoy your own perfectly chill wellness retreat under the hot Jalisco sun, even when you’re so close to the best action in town.

Read more