Earthbound spirits still care about the planet, which is why haunted houses feature lights that suddenly go out and showers that shut off after three minutes. Feel the phantom power with today's Groupon: for $25, you get two VIP tickets to the City of the Dead Haunted House by Haunted Concepts in Commerce City, approximately 20 minutes from downtown Denver (a $50 value).

Minutes from downtown Denver, City of the Dead Haunted House immerses tour-goers in a spooky story that takes place across a zombie city comprising 30 scare rooms. Bloodied interiors and half-devoured corpses hand crafted by Haunted Concepts artists speckle the undead city, where visitors gaze upon Dolly’s Donut café, Gory Rory's gas station, the dentist shop, and the asylum while dodging the advances of ghoulish creatures and awkward waiters. Judge Graves rules the city of the dead with a firm hand, seeking the most frightened visitors to keep the city fed. VIP ticket holders get to skip the line, leading to wait times that run approximately 80% shorter than the general admission line.

Before or after the 20-minute tour, chilled spines can peruse the Halloween-themed merchandise, sizing up scary City of the Dead wares, illuminating the dark with light-up toys and jewelry, and testing out temporary tattoos of their own faces on their chests. On Friday and Saturday nights, guests can take in such live entertainment acts as local radio DJ remotes, magic shows, stilt walkers, the Denver Hearse Association car show, and the Scarevision display showing frightened patrons in real time. Icy Coors Light and salty snacks are available for purchase to distract escaping zombies from the people in line.

Though City of the Dead Haunted House sometimes features a discounted price online, this Groupon still offers the best deal available.