Am I at the same haunted house as everyone else, because I don't understand the hype. We got there early and they were well organized and got us in on time for our 6:15pm program. The bar downstairs is ridiculously expensive at around $12 for a small glass of liquor with lots of ice, of $7 for a bottle of water. Restrooms are open to anyone and mon gendered so be mindful when you're at the urinal because women can and will be behind you at the sink washing their hands. The decorations look like something out of Hobby Lobby meets Dollar Tree. Oh with a lot of cheap flat screens everywhere. The actors reminded me of everyone in my High School acting club. Good try, lots of passion, but not scary. Especially when I've been to both Universal Studios Florida and LA. Groups are about 10 people and our group had a lot of scaredy cats. You can pay extra for these red glow necklaces that make actors choose you or try extra hard to scare you. Turns out some people in our group are scared easily even though they were posing as tough with their necklaces LOL So the theme this year 2025 is good witches against bad witches who are turning humans into rats and zombies. Ummm. .okay. I found the whole thing comical and give this place 3.5 stars. Wish they would spend more time and money on the decorations, tone down the overacting and screaming, and get a better plot line. Crystals that change color, and finding those crystals seem less than scary if you ask me. This would be a 4 star haunted house if you're like 12 years old. read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

We go every year! This years was even better than last years alien theme. A lot better plot, acting, and overall experience. I was injured a few weeks before the experience this time around, and the people guiding us through were encouraging about not going too fast to keep up with the group. Definitely suggest as a fun date night during Halloween season. Overall, I rate the experience as a 4/5 read more

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Wow I didn't know this place existed until this past Halloween season. It's a very cool experience! Honestly I wouldn't go for the VIP experience again, it's a lot more and you don't get too much for it. They have a VIP area with some "dance/show" but it was pretty dead when we went. You also get one drink and a glow in the dark necklace so they know they can touch you. Overall it's very warm inside, themes change very season, and it's very immersive/interactive. I won't give away too much but it's pretty impressive the scope of the creation. Parking is hard to find but there is a parking lot in the nearby area. Overall, great experience, I would probably go again. read more

All tease and no bite. I've seen some excellent haunts in SF over the years. This one has a decent storyline, but overall it's just okay--more theatrical than scary. I splurged on the necklace and regretted it; it didn't add much, so save your money. We also tried the in-house bar. A $20 cocktail served in a 5 oz plastic cup packed with ice is a disappointing value. The bar for me was set by the first year of Hell in the Armory over a decade ago, and this doesn't clear it. At $100 per person, I can't recommend it; at around $50, maybe. read more

Overall, it was a great experience. The storyline felt a little long and hard to follow, but the actors were good. The Old Mint is an awesome venue. Fun time! read more

This was our first time at the Terror Vault and we had a great time. If you've never been then just go without reading too many reviews as there might be spoilers. We paid the extra $5 for the glow necklaces which indicates to the actors that they can touch you or get really close and it did make the whole experience more entertaining. I liked this year's theme. The lady who was the first actor to talk to us at length legit sounded like she was from the Church of Scientology or something. There was an additional event that happened to be going on at the same time and there were individual crafters/sellers who had a bunch of goth type stuff for sale which was fun to browse afterwards. This event is a little pricey though. I don't typically like traditional Halloween scary houses/mazes so I appreciated that this had a bit of a plot. The actors seem enthusiastic and invested. I'm curious about next year's theme! read more

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I've gone for the last two years, and it gets better every year. They go all out for storyline, makeup, and decor. It's a unique experience, and you get to support the arts! I suggest paying the extra fee so it's even scarier/more interactive. We didn't do that the first year and regretted it. Well worth it this year for us. This is going to be an annual tradition for me! read more

I LOVE terror vault and go every year for halloween. You need to go into this knowing that this is theater and not just a classic haunted house with cheap scares. I performer the former. It has a mix of both. Also, it feels great to support local bay area artists. Can't way to go again next year! read more

Into the Dark has been putting on insanely fun productions at the Mint, and they have all been so fabulous. We went to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer prom experience and it was incredible! I loved the immersive experience and how great the sets and the actors were. The dance/band at the end was epic, and I cannot wait to see what this team puts on next. Worth every penny! read more

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My wife and I just saw our third Into the Dark production: Sunnydale prom: A Buffy the vampire slayer parody. It was amazing. So much fun. Every into the dark production we have been to has been a blast and well worth the money. Each performance is an interactive theater experience. Most involve taking the audience in small groups through a series of high quality sets positioned throughout the SF Mint. There's a lot of audience interaction and ad lib by the performers but the general productions are always well written and well put together. The most recent one was very humorous. Highly recommended to any fans of interactive theater or haunted house style mazes especially. A perfect date night when they are putting on a production. read more

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First time at the Terror Vault and could not have had a better time! It's immersive theatre so they offer an interactive mode where you wear a red glow necklace. The necklace lets the actors know you're willing to be part of the experience. We had gone to Sleep No More in NYC the month before and had our first immersive theatre experience there, and now I'm hooked. The production value, scary objects, scenery, and art were all top tier. Definitely coming back every year read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Downstairs rooms - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love this interactive haunted horror house / story / immersive experience! It's a new story every year, the actors and set is amazing. It's scary, quirky, well done. Just go! I've been to lots of different horror houses all over California and I go back each year to this one! Follow SF Fun Cheap via website or Instagram. Sometimes they'll have codes for $5-10 off each year. Took some new friends this year and we are definitely coming back! They have a new interactive option on tickets for $5. Free coat check. Super close to Powell Bart so Bart in and save some gas. Cocktail bar downstairs (you don't have to finish, you can bring it in), hot food (pizza and popcorn). Our entry time was 8p but they were sold out on a Thursday so we didn't go in until 825p but there is a place to hang out. read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came in Halloween 2023 for the 2nd year in a row, and enjoyed our frightful time! They switch it up every year with a new theme. This time it was cult-themed plot. Lots of plot holes, but you're not there for that purpose. You're there to be freaked out, which they accomplished. I'm someone that LOVES horror movies and my fear response is giggling/laughing, and I was scared! Come a bit before your reserved ticket time to get checked in and explore the basement--tbh I wouldn't recommend getting there TOO early though, since there isn't that much to explore. An empty small dance floor where everyone's standing around awkwardly, and an overpriced bar. I do think that the tickets are overly expensive. I think we paid $70ish/ticket and imo it was more of a ~$40ish level of quality/entertainment. Not sure if it was a part of the plot/show, but it kind of reeks of urine at some points of the haunted house/in some of the rooms--just something to note! read more

There's a check in area and I thought you had to check in before proceeding more into the building. I go to check in and said I'm meeting some friends. Lady asked me what time they got. I said we all purchased the 8:15 pm slot. She says she only has 8:22 pm and that I should go downstairs and see if anyone is willing to trade with me. Then I meet up with my friends and they didn't check in yet. NOTE: You don't need to check in asap. They got the 8:30 pm band and I asked to exchange, front desk lady was pretty rude. She said I wouldn't be able to with the biggest attitude. I would have to go in alone? Workers at check in said I wouldn't need to go alone bc it's a group of 10. Yes, 10 strangers. Just make sure you wait for your friends and check in together. They oversell timeslots and need to stagger the times even though you paid for a certain time. For $70, this part could have been more organized and clearer. Other than this, the production value was great. Storyline that lasted at least an hour. I do wished there were more jump scares but I'm going to spring for the $5 glow stick necklace next yeat so the actors can interact with you. The overall set up was pretty details with their decorations. There's also a bar downstairs to hang out afterwards. They offer free coat check in check in area as well. This location is near BART and a parking garage that's $4/hr. read more

Love it!! My family and my girlfriend had a blast! We did fatal abduction, lots of laughs, scares, and the entire set-up is amazing! Would definitely go again next year! read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've come here every Halloween season since they opened (minus the COVID year cuz they were closed), and I just can't get enough. I've even come multiple times in the same season because I like taking different people with me. They change the show/story every year, so you're always getting something new. And it's the perfect combination of theater, haunted attraction, maze, comedy, and creative immersive experience where you interact with actors... hard to believe they can pull that off so well, and definitely one of a kind in the SF bay area. The actors are so skilled and witty, and you can tell they are passionate about what they do. I don't want to spoil what's inside, but just know that it's multiple rooms, different levels, and atypical terrains and settings that includes walking through small openings, staircases, even going down a slide. The sets are also well made, not cheap-looking like some other places... great props, lighting, illusions, sounds, that are so realistic (with emergency exits throughout, which is explained in the beginning). The first two years I visited (pre COVID), I liked the storylines a little better and loved the ending in the basement where we had a mission (but this is just personal preference). This year (post COVID), there were a lot more jump scares, especially since I went halloween weekend, and new quirky touches that were mesmerizing and impressive, pitch black walk-through elements, mazes that are mind boggling, and some M Night Shyamalan/ Jordan Peele kindashit, lol... I'm talking bout unexpected twists. They also have an interactive option, which allows the actors to touch you, feed you stuff, or take you away from the group momentarily while inside the attraction (it's a cool element that they get creative with and it's like you become part of the show). A great addition this year was the Fang Bang (bar area) being open to the public, and Terror Ball after the show, to party or just have a few drinks while celebrating Halloween (Saturday before halloween day)... the open bar was totally worth it, and they had free candy (m&m's, skittles, snickers, etc), some evil clowns serving up fresh popcorn and cotton candy. They even had a caricaturist drawing up evil versions of you and the company you're with. And the costume contest presented by Peaches Christ, was awesome. I do wish there was more diverse music (I don't mind EDM, maybe more music with lyrics and not just screaming, top 40 would be great but doesn't seem like that kind of place/crowd)... I understand can't have it all :P Bathrooms are all gender shared this year, which was great (since typically women's restrooms have longer lines). Will call/ coat check was easy but kind of slow compared to previous years. They had to look up your name, give you a start time, and bracelets for entry (an extra bracelet of different color for open bar if attending Terror Ball). This is not your typical "haunted house"... its such a unique experience hard to put into words, and totally worth returning every year to support the people who put this together... I hope they'll continue doing their thing in years to come, cuz it's my favorite Halloween event in the bay area! read more

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This place is definitely a must for Halloween. They have it all! Immersive theater, drinks, nibbles, dancing, nightlife, retail, and ghouls!! read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Pop up CreepShop (gift store) Always the best merch for the event and ghoulish needs. - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

The terror vault was great Awesome acting, fun maze , good times And there's a bar to hang out afterwards. read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

They did a tremendous job with the experience. I was scared so I made my husband wear the rings!

Amazing place! The horror experience is a mix between a haunted house, horror maze and theater show. This year's theme: the initiation was so much fun! It was scary but I like that the maze didn't rely too much on jump scares and crafted a very creative narrative that wasn't afraid to be humorous at times. The staff are the stars of the show for sure. read more

My third year doing the Terror Vault. Can you tell I am a huge fan? I have been to many haunts in the SF Bay Area and am always looking for a different experience. The Terror Vault is usually my favorite because it's an immersive haunt with a storyline from the beginning till the end. Every year, it's a different story, and I'm so glad it's back this year! This year, part of the show starts off in the 'Fang Bang' bar, so go grab your drinks and hang around watching the preshow before you start. Trust me, just go...You are going to laugh, cry, run, and be scared. Isn't that what you want? read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went with a friend on a Wednesday at 7:30pm. We both really enjoyed ourselves! No line upon arrival the check in was very clear and quick. They have a coat and bag check in for free which was appreciated. The theatrics, decorations, and actors were all great. It's an "immersive haunted show" so not a lot of scares, but that's not what it's really meant for. A lot of fun for Halloween time especially if you don't like haunted scare mazes. We just did the regular tickets, and they still paid attention to us a bit (if you pay $5 you get more attention). The people that paid for more in our group did not get pulled away, which is ultimately why we didn't do the extra just in case! Afterwards (or before) you can take a pic at a photo op, they have a bar and multiple dance areas. Just a really cute, fun themed vibe! read more

Great show! I loved the performance of the actors and the details that went into the haunted house. The whole show was an hour. We bought the necklace and we did not regret it. Will definitely return next year. My boyfriend said he liked the scary people. read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Scary - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

Definitely an experience! Not your average haunted house experience! It's like you're in a movie! The actors are super in characters ! It's full of surprises and you'll do a lot of interaction! If you want something fun with the group definitely go here. Not as scary as pirates of Emerson but it's definitely super fun !!!! A different type of haunted house experience. read more

These people who run this event have no respect for US Vets and disabled Americans. Every year I've communicated to them via through their email communication box they offer to hear from us. I asked every year if they honor disabled people and US Vet with a discounted prices for tickets, and how does a disabled US Vet access them. Every year the emails go unanswered. Sad they don't respect the military efforts in keeping all of us safe. Even sadder they don't respect senior citizens and the disabled, cause that's in all of our futures, but especially now with inflation. Disloyal, disrespectful and dishonest, thank you Peaches Christ. Oh yah, baby get customer service, so that you would't be getting called out in public around for being exclusive to the poor, sick and US Vets. read more

Great horror walk through. Much like a play in that there was a storyline and the actors interact with you.

What a weird experience... and not in a good way. The decorations are... well if it was done by teenagers at a high school I very proud of them but after paying $75 bucks a pop for a bad haunted house with actors who still are learning their lines... well we were underwhelmed. The effects were super cheap for what was quite an expensive ticket. Also oddly enough when you sign up to have the interactive necklace you are (I later learned) authorizing any and all staff members to touch you without warning or verbal consent and it's... grimy. As a younger female it felt very rough when some of the guys handled you, even the gay guys lol it was intense the touchiness. Also I truly want to give this place more stars for the actors themselves but a lot of them are still learning their lines with what is a very cheap backdrop and it just feels so wrong for pay $150 for two tickets. read more

It was very very fun! I laughed a lot! Tbh, it's not that scary if you are already a horror movie fan. But the acting and the production were amazing. A little bit of jump scares and obstacles for people who love some actions. I did no touchy and the experience was good enough for me. Though 1 person in each group that has a necklace will get an extra mission and scene. read more

More than just a haunted house; it's an immersive, interactive theatrical show. SO much fun and it's so clear the blood sweat and tears that went into this production. I'm a bit confused about the reviewers who said the sets were extremely cheap-looking. Have you never been to a haunted house before, sets that are built for only a single season? I thought they did a stellar job and some of the sets included moving pieces and surprise mechanics. read more

friends and I have gone every year they've done it. each year, there's no way it can get any better and each year tops the previous by miles. the cast are committed and amazing at what they're doing. the tales they tell are so believable that you'll Google it later to find out if it's really true. you cannot explain the experience to people who have never been... it's theater, performance art, audience participation, haunted house, and so much more. do it. there's none better! my group is already planning for 10/22/2022... read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Photo Op after the tour - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Two years ago this place was awesome and I was scared, laughed, joked with and had the best night,this year I felt it was not even close to the previous one in 2019. This was had a long story that felt drawn out and no real scares. There were a couple of moments where you were like "OHH " but never the WOW FACTOR. I felt they didn't have as many actors and the girl in the beginning I couldn't understand with the accent The guy yelling to get the jewels didn't need to be yelling and I felt over the top I felt it was a big disappointment. No one to explain the photo op prop. No one in the pole dancing room. Ask someone a question and a few responses was "I don't know" read more

Summary: The City by The Bay, San Francisco, is once again haunted by the creative minds of Into The Dark's Terror Vault. Located in the historical landmark, former U.S. Department of Treasury building The Old Mint, Terror Vault offers a new storyline, titled The Immortal Reckoning. Due to COVID-19, Terror Vault could not open last year to the general public. Upon their previous two seasons, Terror Vault told a story of how the Old Mint was once a secret prison up until the opening of Alcatraz Penitentiary, and hence, the inmates were transferred. This year, Terror Vault tells of what happened to the Old Mint after its stint as a prison. As the story goes, a prominent rich family known as the Blackwells took over the Mint and used it to house their rare artifacts related to the occult. We follow the Blackwells as their artifacts open a door to another dimension where darkness and evil lurk. Fair warning, this is not the local Jaycees haunted house that your parents took you to when you were an adolescent. This haunt is for guests 21 years and older. There is strong language, nudity, satanic imagery, as well as scenes of violence and jump scares. We can definitely say that Prim and Proper Middle America is not ready for this type of show. Terror Vault is out to shock you. Yet Terror Vault also entertains and scares its audience. Debbie and I were really impressed with The Immortal Reckoning. There are two prices for admission, $60.00 for the "opt-in", where actors may touch you or pull you aside, and $55.00 for the passive view of the show. Terror Vault is a collaborative effort between event producer and drag queen Peaches Christ, theater producer David Flower, and venue management firm Non-Plus Ultra. To read the full review, please visit: https://www.thescarefactor.com/into-the-dark-terror-vault-review-2021/ read more

I liked it. Didn't love it. But I'll tell you why I liked it! I enjoyed the acting and immersive environment. I chose to wear the "red necklace" signaling that the actors could pull you aside and away from your group to torture you a bit more and have the ability to touch you. There were some eek! moments, but not enough for my love and level of being scared. Like, I want an adrenaline rush. This was more a historical tour of the Mint (which is fascinating) and using stories of creepy San Franciscans from days passed into the tour of the rooms/scenes. My favorite part is the end, the actual Terror Vault. Now, if it was 45 minutes of THAT level scary, I'd be back. That's when my adrenaline started to rush and sadly it was only 7 minutes long (3 spent with a creepy clown who drew on my face and made me laugh hysterically!). read more

We went tonight and it was so fun! I was a little worried because I don't like horror movies but this was more like interactive theater with some jump scares. The actors were incredible, as were the set and effects. I recommend the extra $5 for the interactive engagement with the actors (just know you will be touched). While not cheap, given all the actors and how elaborate the set was, I thought it was very worth it. We will definitely go again next year. read more

An amazingly fun night. This is certainly not your mamas haunted house. I didn't know what to expect and I'm glad I went in with no expectations. It's scary and entertaining. Loved the pre show as well, get there an hour before your show to hang out. The haunt is almost an hour long but so fun along the way. My favorite part was the last scene! 10/10 would go back. read more

This was the first time I attended the Terror Vault after heqring so much about it. Well if you get a thrill from black curtains, black plywood walls, and the remains of a 70s Stat Trek themed party garage sale, then this place might be your cup ot tea. You are probably wondering about the "terror" in terror vault." Dont worry, the terror was there. It was having to witness an hour of poor acting and bad writing. I also want to point out that there are serious SAFETY CONCERNS with this location. My friend had a heat stroke upon us leaving the event. Several times throughout the show, we addressed the overwhelming heat that was making people in our group sick. This was addressed to the staff and actors during the show. We had made several requests to leave. None lf the staff acknowledged this. Ultimately, our evening ended in the emergency room that evening. I HAVE SENT AN EMAIL TO THE EVENT STAFF, ITS ALMOST A WEEK AND NO RESPONSE. NOT EVEN AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT. They have not addressed nor even attempted to resolve an issue that will potentially harm future guests. Their lack of response to this issue is alarming. The amount that is being left charged to enter the Terrir Vault is absurd, especially taking into account the lack of safety, consideration for the health of attendees,and low production value. . read more

Hands-down, no contest the best haunted house I have ever been to. I've been here 3 years in a row, and the changes they make every year truly justify coming again and again. The performers all put so much work into their various crafts, you're always treated with respect, and you really can tell how invested everyone here is in ensuring you have an amazing time. You can opt for a glow necklace that tells performers they're allowed to touch you - they may grab you or jostle you gently, smell you, even spank you or paint your skin! You can of course opt out and they'll always be respectful of that too. Tickets could cost twice as much as they do and I'd still jump to buy them every year. read more

What a fun experience! It was interactive and full of surprises- a San Francisco must see. The SF Mint is the perfect venue for a scary good time, we'll be back next year for sure. (Not G rated) read more

Into The Dark Terror Vault - Haunted Houses Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Definitely delivers on the acting, set, and pop out scares. Great engagement with the cast and surprises at every turn. Love the basement lobby area - includes a bar and dancing room + fun lighting. read more