BATON ROUGE - It's the season of frights and delights! Halloween is right around the corner, and the 13th Gate Haunted House provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate... if you can work up the courage to walk through the doors!

As the number one haunted house in the nation (ranked by HauntWorld.com), the 13th Gate brings nightmares to life with an immersive experience that is truly a work of art.

Owner, Dwayne Sanburn, has worked diligently to perfect the scenes over the last 22 years. He says, figuring out what works has been a mix of "trial and terror."

“As we’ve gone along, Halloween has become more complex. The Halloween industry has gotten bigger and bigger and we’ve adapted as we’ve gone along… We’ve got some incredible special effects. Haunted houses are very complicated now with all these giant animatronics and the special effects makeup," Sanburn said.

Behind the spooky scenes, it takes a team of 150 dedicated cast and crew members to pull off this show. In each room, you'll experience sights, sounds and even smells that will make you wonder if you've just stepped foot into a Hollywood horror movie. 

Every year, a new scene or upgrade is added to keep things fresh and exciting. This year, a tunnel system with freaky clowns is in the spotlight, along with some pop culture references. 

Outside of the gates, you'll find even more activities to keep you entertained. The 13th Gate puts a scary spin on the stereotypical "fun fair" with Carn-Evil. There you'll find food, live music, five-minute escape rooms and more. 

Year-round, the 13th Gate also hosts a handful of escape rooms that are open to the public. You can click here for more information.

The 13th Gate Haunted House is open to all ages and brave souls, but children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent. It is open every Thursday through Sunday during October, and also for flashlight fright nights during the first weekend of November. 

Click here for more information and tickets to the haunted house. 

Have any suggestions about where our next One Tank Trip should be? Email us at onetanktrips@wbrz.com .