The 16 best haunted houses near Chicago

Regularly ranked as one of the top haunted houses in Illinois by Halloween connoisseurs, Basement of the Dead has been providing seasonal scares since 2000. Explore the dark, sinister confines to encounter demented doctors and nurses, creepy dolls and a cult. Admission also includes entry to Shattered 3D, a circus-themed space lit by blacklights and filled with mesmerizing art and creepy clowns. If you want to avoid jump scares, visit during the Night of Isolation on Wednesdays between October 9-23, when you can explore the scenes without the actors, using only the illumination from a glowstick.

Sept 13–Nov 3

Dungeon of Doom immerses visitors with special effects and light shows starting in the waiting area. The 45,000-square-foot space features areas like Dead Clown Alley, Cabin of Carnage and Terra Nova—a new attraction this year set inside a malfunctioning nuclear fallout shelter. The haunt is manned by a “killer crew” working hard to provide you with nightmare fuel. For an extra $5, you can also add on the claustrophobic “Buried Alive” experience. Come between November 8-9 for the blackout nights, when you’ll navigate the attraction with just a single glowstick.

Oct 4–Dec 7

The latest haunt from the creator of Basement of the Dead, Disturbia Haunted House is packed with scary scenes, including a haunted pumpkin patch, medieval crypt and ancient graveyard populated by terrifying characters such as demons, pig monsters and an extremely creepy Raggedy Ann doll. It’s a grotesquely gorgeous attraction. And like Basement of the Dead, Disturbia also offers blackout dates and visits without the actors, so choose the level of scare that’s right for you.

Sept 13–Nov 9

Featured in The Blues Brothers, the Old Joliet Prison was a real state penitentiary that closed in 2002. Now it’s become the Old Joliet Haunted Prison, where visitors will find themselves navigating through a prison riot prowling with chainsaw wielding-inmates. You can also step into a video game by playing zombie laser tag. Extend your visit with mini escape games, food trucks and drinks at the Commissary or Neon Cowboy Secret Bar.

Sept 13–Nov 2

Navigate haunted trails and a zombie-infested cemetery to reach HellsGate, a mansion filled with secret passages and a slide that takes you to the basement. Statesville Haunted Prison may have closed, but its prisoners have escaped to HellsGate, where they’re lurking in the woods and the mansion’s halls. Want to surprise your horror-loving friend? Get them a special Hell Pass and the haunt’s staff will single them out for some special scares during the tour.

Sept 27–Nov 3

This South Side haunted house combines old-school startle tactics provided by a cast of costumed actors with animatronics, special effects and spooky sets. Creepy characters—from demonic workers to ghost cult leaders to cannibalistic butchers—hide around nearly every corner, waiting to terrify anyone who steps inside the 26,000-square-foot experience. Travel through the Black Oak Gear Factory, where the workers, and nearby townsfolk, were transformed into twisted creatures by the owner's daughter. Navigate a nightmare realm and face your phobias to escape the twisted space. The lights go out for Black Out on Nov 3 and clowns take over the attraction during its last two days.

Sept 27–Nov 9

Filmmakers, set designers, sound designers, engineers and makeup artists collaborated to build an immersive haunted house meant to scare you even if you close your eyes. Before you step into the monster-infested, maze-like structure, where a Halloween party turns into a horrifying ritual, you’ll be greeted by skeletons in the parking lot and have the ability to compete for prizes in a carnival. If you need a drink to work up the courage to go in or to steady your nerves after, Realm of Terror also has a bar serving themed cocktails. You can also find booze-free seasonal treats like apple cider.

Oct 4-Nov 2

The team behind Santa Baby, Charm’d and other holiday pop-ups gets spooky by turning Bamboo Club into a fully interactive haunted house spread across the second floor, rooftop and patio. VIP tickets include express check-in, two Halloween-themed cocktails, a jello shot and more.

Sept 20–Nov 3

13th Floor Haunted House operates two haunted attractions in a 40,000-square-foot space. Face dangerous mutants in the extraterrestrial world of Alien Autopsy or fight for survival against werewolves in Lycans Curse. For an extra fee, you can test your wits with a five-minute mini-escape game where players have to solve riddles and find hidden clues. Enjoy some treats from food trucks and cocktails from Kraken's Cup Secret Bar.

Sept 19–Nov 9

Test your luck at this interactive haunt at the Arboretum of South Barrington, where The Dealer will determine your fate. In each room of the 15,000-square-foot space, you’ll have different encounters with characters including a terrifying former circus clown, a back-alley butcher who serves only the freshest cuts, and a snake handler pushing you to face your fears. You’ll need to actively participate to survive and you might find yourself set on a different path or even held back from your group.

Sept 29-Oct 31

Ride through Dellwood Park encountering forgotten spirits and mysterious forces, then journey underground to explore the Curse of the Bayou attraction. Navigate a maze with uneven trails and low ceilings as you explore a swamp that a voodoo priestess has filled with monsters from the realm of the dead. Watch creepy movies playing on a 20-foot screen while waiting in line and banish your chills by warming up around a bonfire. Kids are welcome for a Not So Scary Hayride on October 13 and 14, featuring games, face painting and s’mores.

Oct 4–Oct 27

Everything at Massacre Haunted House is indoors, including the lines to get in, so don’t let bad weather scare you away. You’ll encounter nearly 100 actors in 40 rooms across more than 30,000 square feet decorated to resemble horror movie sets. Attractions include a clown-themed freak show and an underground basement experience.

Sept 27–Nov 2

Located inside the abandoned Elgin Casket Company, Evil Intentions Haunted House plays up the "unexplained occurrences" that have been reported within the building throughout the years. The multi-level, 55,000-square-foot attraction offers an experience at the Forsaken Hallow, during which you'll encounter some of the decayed residents and frightening spirits that haunt the space.

Oct 4–Nov 2

For the second year in a row, Schaumburg's Wintrust Field is transforming into an immersive haunted house and carnival. What originally started as a backyard haunt has turned into a full-scale attraction, with a bar and lounge to help steel your nerves before entering. If the experience is too much for little ones, there are designated kids hours from 2pm-5pm on select dates, when the scares are less intense.

Rough House Theater unites Chicago puppet theater artists for an immersive haunt where they get to unleash their creativity with themed rooms based on different superstitions, including “Step on a Crack” and “A White Bird in the House is an Omen of Death.” Small groups walk through the dark halls of Steppenwolf's Merle Reskin Garage Theatre looking through keyholes, cracks and hidden doors to see horrors like sea lamprey and an intestine man chandelier brought to life with physical performances and soundscapes.

Oct 10–Nov 2