It’s that time of the year….ghost, goblins, and things that go bump in the night!
Table of Contents
Scream time at the Haunted Cannery
The Haunted Cannery in El Dorado Kansas does a frighteningly fantastic job of bringing all your nightmares to life. You will find a colorful fluorescent light feast for the eyes, with scares around every corner.
The cannery has been in the business of scaring people for 20 years. That’s right, this is the 20th haunted season of the haunted cannery spook house making it the Oldest running spook house in Butler County. It is evident that they spend a great deal of effort ensuring a hair-raising experience.
“The Haunted Cannery is the ultimate spook house filled with horrifying music, clowns, chainsaws, zombies, spiders, vampires. werewolves, slides, and anything horrific that comes to mind. In fact, the Haunted Cannery is everything found in your worst nightmare. “ -the Haunted Cannery
The Cannery is one of the best haunted houses in Kansas! It’s won the award for “Top Overall Attraction” from Kansas Haunted Houses in 2019, 2021, and 2022! You’ll likely find yourself both screaming!
I went last year with family. We laughed so much. I may have peed a little….I may have fell a time or two. It was great fun and so I created this ultimate guide for first time visitors to the Cannery.
Where is the cannery located?
The Cannery Spook House is located in the small Kansas town of El Dorado (2020 population 12,870 -source Wikipedia) Continue just outside of town’s city lights past the dark and deserted corn fields that surround town.
Address: 10001 Northwest, US-77, El Dorado, KS 67042.
GPS coordinates: 37.97180300556461, -96.85981569999186
Distance from:
- Kansas City 160 miles (2.5 hours)
- Topeka 105 miles (1 hour 45 minutes)
- Wichita 40 miles (40 minutes)
- Salina 100 miles (1.5 hours)
- Manhattan 100 miles (1.5 hours)
When is the cannery open?
They are open Friday night and Saturday night in October, from 8-11. (Box office open 7:30 pm till 11:00 pm)
Tickets (2023)
Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the ticket booth on site, credit and debit cards accepted, discount for cash transactions.
general admission ticket: $27
RIP Ticket: $57
RIP Ticket explained
You get skip the line privileges with this ticket BUT BEWARE, the RIP fast pass doesn’t JUST get you to the front of the line….You also have the opportunity to experience the exclusive closed lid rolling casket wagon ride at the RIP FAST PASS MORTUARY. You’ll experience the horror of being buried alive while locked in a claustrophobic rolling casket as you’re carted to the cannery. (limit 2 corpses).
For Scaredy cats
Scare easily? There’s no reason why you can’t join your friends at the Cannery. For an extra $5 more you can upgrade your ticket to the Scaredy pants ticket. You’ll be issued a glow in the dark rosary that you can show to get the actors to back off when things get a little too scary for you.
Purchase tickets online
Purchase tickets online at the official website.
What is the haunted cannery like?
start the night off with a hayrack ride
General Admission tickets include a hayrack ride from the entrance of the farm across the low water bridge to the lunatic asylum and the 4 story canning elevator building. Upon arrival you’ll make your way through a spooky area as you wait your turn in line to enter the cannery.
The line is an experience all in itself!
Here are a few scenes from the line:
This is the archway, through which you will enter another section of the line.
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.
enjoy a laser light show while you wait….
I felt a little like I was attending my first rave party.
Note: The line can be very long. I don’t know if we were in line for an hour? Maybe two? If you don’t have the patience for lines, I would recommend their RIP fast pass (if you can stand being locked in a coffin…no way, not for me!) but the line can be fun too. They snake you through lots of spooky scenes on your way to the entrance where you’ll enter the trodden mental wards for the scare of your life!
inside the cannery
I wish I had more pictures to share with you, but it is hard taking pictures when you are being chased by ax murderers, diabolical clowns, and demonic nuns! (ok, she scared me the most, absolutely terrifying…I lost a shoe, and couldn’t quite make it up the ramp, someone came back to help me up. Don’t let her see the fear in your eyes because she really comes at you!)
I can’t wait to visit the Cannery again…. here’s to hoping you make it out alive! Happy Halloween!
Walter’s Pumpkin Patch
Come back to the pumpkin patch during daylight hours for fun for the entire family! Walters Farm and Pumpkin Patch has been voted one of twelve Pumpkin Patches to visit in the USA! The farm offers a 30-acre pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Also on tap: bounce houses, corn maze, 20 ft tower slide, duck races, sunflower patch, more!
For more information on Walters Pumpkin Patch and to see what events are on tap see the events schedule on the official website: The Walters Farm
Where to eat
Here are some of the top-rated restaurants in El Dorado:
- Willie’s for tasty chicken fried steak and bar food
- Dilly Deli for delicious sandwiches
- Beijing Bistro for the best Chinese in town
- Anitas Mexican Restaurant for the best Mexican in town
Where to stay
If you’ve come from a way off you may not want that long drive on those dark deer infested Kansas Highways. There are several options for overnight accommodation in El Dorado although most of the options don’t have very good guest reviews.
These are the best reviewed hotels right in town: (click the link to book on Booking.com)
- Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham El Dorado: Guest rating 8.3, prices starting at $110 per night
- Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites El Dorado, an IHG Hotel: Guest rating 7.5, prices starting at $130 per night
If you are willing to drive about 12 miles to Augusta:
- Comfort Inn & Suites Augusta: Guest rating 9.2, prices starting at $103 per night
frequently asked questions
Is the Cannery Haunted House Suitable for Children?
No, absolutely not! This is a good old fashioned haunted house and the sole purpose of the folks that run this event is to scare the pants off of patrons. Everyone has their own tolerance but to give you an idea I had a teenage family member bail before we ever got in the door.
Is the Cannery accessible for everyone?
No, you should be in good physical condition for this activity. It is dark inside and you can’t always be sure of your footing. I actually fell a couple of times because I couldn’t see where I was going. Enter at your own risk.
What should I wear/bring?
It’s fall in Kansas so the weather can be chilly. Bring lots of layers and plan to be outside for 1-2 hours.
Is the Haunted Cannery worth it?
If you are coming from a ways off you might be wondering if the Haunted Cannery in El Dorado is worth it. I say it is indeed worth the drive! For me it’s a 2-hour drive and I intend to visit again soon! The whole atmosphere is Halloween overload and a fun haunted experience!
How much time should I plan for?
I would plan for 3 hours to be on the safe side, 2 hours if you are purchasing the fast pass.
Looking for more spooky October activities?
You may be interested in the annual Fort Riley Ghost tour: Fort Riley Ghost tour: Everything you need to know about the best haunted experience in Kansas.
Fort Riley Annual Ghost Tour
Everything you need to know about the best haunted experience in Kansas! Read about the Fort Riley Annual Ghost tour here!
Want to hear more about my travels around Kansas and the rest of our amazing planet? Check out my Kansas Page and Be sure to submit your email address to my subscriber sign up at the end of the page to be the first to know when a new blog publishes!
spooky destinations around the world
check out my list of scary destinations around the world to add to your Halloween bucket list!
