Seasonal & Holidays
Illinois Haunted House Guide 2021
Here are some places to scare up some fun this Halloween.
ILLINOIS — 'Tis the season to get spooked and scared — and there's no shortage of haunted attractions in Chicagoland.
Here's a look at some of the spookiest sites to scare up a terrifying good time for Halloween 2021.
Some haunted houses are taking special precautions due to COVID-19, so please check websites for rules, restrictions and changes.
Find out what's happening in Chicagofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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Chicagoland haunted houses:
Find out what's happening in Chicagofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- 401 Woodruff Road, Joliet
- 303-355-3327
- Situated in the Old Joliet Prison, home of "The Blues Brothers" and now a site for historic tours, the haunted prison is new for 2021 from Thirteenth Floor Entertainment. The attraction is "Chicagoland's only haunted house inside a real abandoned prison." Features include "The Forsaken,"with the queen of the damned ruling over the most infamous and violent prisoners, "the ghost chamber" and more. Guests strongly urged to be fully vaccinated; unvaccinated guests should wear a face covering when entering the haunted prison. Those experiencing flu-like symptoms or exposed to COVID-19 should not enter. Event may be too intense for kids 12 and younger. Check website for hours and schedules, season runs through Nov. 6.
- Cost: General admission ranges from $24.99 to $25.99, depending on date and time. Add $10 for fast pass (roughly 1/3 the wait), add $20 for skip the line (immediate access). $99.99 platinum VIP experience, including unlimited skip the line access, one free mini escape game, one free souvenir photo, free drink at the commissary and a 10 percent discount on merch. Groups of 15 or more can fill out a form for pricing.
- 5050 River Road, Schiller Park - new location for 2021
- 708-571-3326
- One of the Top 5 most terrifying haunted houses in the U.S.A.," according to USA Today, it may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for kids under 12. Attractions include "Bad Blood," an ancient feud between vampires and werewolves, and "The Spirit of Halloween," featuring the witch of the woods, who has cast a spell to summon the spirits of the underworld. Last day is Nov. 13.
- Cost: General admission ranges from $22.99 to $32.99, depending on date and time. Add $10 for fast pass (roughly 1/3 the wait), add $20 for skip the line (immediate access) rates. Groups of 15 or more can fill out a form for pricing.
Basement of the Dead Haunted House
- 42 W. New York St., Aurora
- 630-896-2466
- Named the No. 1 haunted house in Chicago by the Chicago Tribune, best haunted house cast and crew 2016 by HauntWorld magazine and Buzzfeed's "scariest haunted house in the world," this is where you'll meet Shattered the homicidal clown and other terrifying denizens of the Basement of the Dead. Rules/FAQ for Basement of the Dead/Shattered 3-D. Capacity is limited due to COVID-19 since Basement of the Dead follows Illinois precautions. Weekends already sold out. Closes Nov. 6.
- Cost: Regular prices at ticket window: $35 general admission, $50 VIP "skip the general line" at ticket window. Other prices vary based on date and time, check website for details. Discounts for groups of 12 and up on Thursdays. Wednesday night special of $17.99 gives guests one glow stick to navigate the Basement of the Dead (no actors, but full animatronics) in total darkness.
- 1213 Butterfield Road suite D, Downers Grove
- 630-896-2466
- Under new ownership by the same owners of Basement of the Dead since 2020. See calendar for dates and hours of operation (blue dates include nights of isolation with no actors, Nov. 6 is blackout night with no lights). Rules and FAQ here.
- Cost: Regular prices at ticket window: $35 general admission, $50 VIP "skip the general line" at ticket window. Other prices vary based on date and time, check website for details. Wednesday night special of $17.99 gives guests one glow stick to navigate Distrubia (no actors, but full animatronics) in total darkness. Discounts for groups of 12 and up on Thursdays and Sundays.
- 3101 Canal St., Lockport
- 605-301-4286
- Hidden deep in the woods, HellsGate Haunted House — named the scariest haunted house in Illinois by HauntWorld — is a multi-level mansion filled with secret passages, giant slides, ghastly secrets, undead abominations, really nervous groundskeepers and a darkness that the gate can no longer contain. Travel through the zombie-infested woods and across the Lost Souls Cemetery to find HellsGate Haunted House. It's an interactive adventure, and if you find the key, your admission is free. More than 85 percent of Hellsgate cast and crew are vaccinated against COVID-19 and all will wear face coverings inside the building and be temperature screened and checked daily. Haunted house sanitized nightly; hand sanitizing stations available throughout, along with air purifiers. Makeup and Costumes will enforce a 15-point COVID Safety Plan that will include: sanitation, masks, actor time limits and capacity limits.
- Cost: $35 general admission, $50 VIP (little to no wait), $65 instant entry, $125 Hell Pass (makes you or your friend the haunt's personal target for the entire tour, plus a T-shirt and photo op), $150 All-Access Pass, $170 Friend Pass (4 VIP tickets), $360 for 12-person groups and $480 for 12-person VIP groups. Call for groups larger than 12.
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Statesville Haunted Prison - FINAL YEAR
- 17250 S. Weber Rd., Lockport
- 815-741-9791
- "The prisoners have rioted, the guards have fled, a darkness has seized control of this maximum security prison, and our warden has opened the gates for visitors." 2021 is the final year for Statesville, which is bidding farewell after 25 years of scares. More than 85 percent of cast and crew are vaccinated against COVID-19 and all will wear face coverings inside the building and be temperature screened and checked daily. Haunted house sanitized nightly; hand sanitizing stations available throughout, along with air purifiers. Makeup and Costumes will enforce a 15-point COVID Safety Plan that will include: sanitation, masks, actor time limits and capacity limits.
- Cost: $30 General admission to Statesville, $45 online price for VIP skip the line admission (little to no wait) to the haunted house. $50 VIP admission if you buy tickets on site. More info on group tickets.
- 5520 W. 111th St., Oak Lawn
- 708-571-0266
- Enter the once-prosperous Black Oak Gear Factory, whose cruel owner Robert "Sledge" Dubois, has summoned a demon lord known as the "Hammer of Hell" to keep the business running. Now, his daughter seeks revenge for his cruelty. COVID-19 precautions include timed ticketing, limited capacity, contactless entry, socially distanced lines, face coverings required for staff, special cleaning procedures and online ticket sales only. Last date is Nov. 6.
- Cost: Tickets start at $18 and prices vary based on time and date.
- Santa Fe Landscaping & Nursery, 3450 W. Crete Monee Road, Monee
- 708-534-3600
- Test your courage with Zombie Paintball Safari ($26 per person) a shooting gallery ($7 for 80 rounds) and axe throwing ($5 for three throws). Combo rate $42. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 31. Tickets sales may be suspended earlier than posted times due to crowd levels and COVID-19 restrictions. Tickets sold on site only.
- 299 Montgomery Road, Montgomery
- 708-320-FEAR
- Newly renovated every year and ready to deliver the scares, The Massacre offers over 20,000+ square feet of terror. Open Thursday to Sunday through Nov. 6. Now featuring Bull & Bear axe throwing ($17.99 for 30 mins, $24.99 per hour, $34.99 for 90 minutes) and Mind Trap escape rooms ($29.99 to $34.99 depending on which one you choose). Due to COVID-19 all axe throwing ranges are now private. Haunted house precautions include drastically limiting capacity, entire facility is a one-way attraction, masks required for all customers, mandatory social distancing, 20+ touchless hand sanitizer stations, all actors given hand sanitizer, hospital-grade electrostatic sanitization of entire facility regularly, added actor scare boxes behind Plexiglass and more.
- Cost: $29.99 general admission; fast pass is $39.99 online and $39.99 on site; $59.999 skip the line access. Group discounts for 10 people or more, $24.99 per person.
- 421 Rollins Road, Round Lake Beach
- 847-973-6053
- Open in all weather conditions, Realm of Terror says it's the "craziest, most intense, extreme Halloween experience." Realm of Terror features "the best in makeup effects created and supervised by FACEOFF Season 9 star, Stevie Calabrese." Leave the kids at home for this one, and don't attend if easily offended, showrunners say. Only haunted house to feature a Haunt Bar located right before entering the line so guests can sip while they wait. Also features non-alcoholic options including hot chocolate and apple cider plus snacks. Open through Halloween.
- Cost: General admission as low as $19.99, skip the line (significantly faster access) starting at $29.99, VIP (front of line access, ticket for one drink at Haunt Bar) starting at $39.99
- 900 Grace Street, Elgin
- 630-634-CULT
- Located at the abandoned Elgin Casket Company, "this once proud building has been witness to murder, grisly discoveries, cult activities, and unexplained occurrences, and a dark legacy has emerged from its sordid history." Evil Intentions promises "a new evil unleashed." Also offering ghost tours ($50 per person for a 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. tour of the building): "Join us as we spend an evening investigating the old factory and attempt to make contact with the spirits that reside within." Please arrive no sooner than 15 minutes before your scheduled time slot.
- Cost: General admission from $35, VIP (front of the line) from $50, "Instant In" from $70.
- 600 29th St, Zion
- 847-262-3666
- The "legendary" haunt is celebrating 25 years of fear: "Experience the never-ending corridors of Mercy General Hospital, the gore and intensity of Quimby's Slaughter House, the endless maze of The Underworld, and the paranoia of The Condamned." Blackout nights (navigate the haunt with only a single glow stick) Nov. 5 and 6. Face covering required to attend.
- Cost: $30 general admission, add $5 for the "Buried Alive" attraction; fast pass (skip a portion of the line, includes "Buried Alive," must select date and time) for $45; VIP for $55 (skip the entire wait, includes "Buried Alive," must select date and time).
- 4853 US-52, Minooka
- 815-651-7288
- Avoid "The Shredder" on this haunted farm, plus moonlight hayrides at an attraction that promises, "Corn will never be the same." Not recommended for children under age 12. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Halloween.
- Cost: $18 general admission, $22 moonlight combo special (includes haunted corn maze, flashlight maze and moonlight hayride), $30 fast pass (includes the combo plus skip the line).
- Bridgeview Park District building, 8110 S. Ferdinand Ave.
- 708-577-9432
- New for 2021, Killdare Haunted City started off as a backyard haunted house and is now "an outside scream park with 20 themes of terror," including toxic waste clowns, aliens, zombies nad more. Killdare offers live music every night and says "we feed on fear." Open 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Halloween.
- Cost: $20 per person,tickets available in person and online.
More from Patch:
Did we miss any? If there's a haunted house you love that's not on the list, email shannon.antinori@patch.com.
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