Our picks for 15 haunted houses around the Chicago area for 2024. Also see the Tribune’s full Halloween guide, published Oct. 2.
HellsGate Haunted House: Off the beaten path in a mansion in the woods, put on by Zombie Army Productions. You take a shuttle bus into the Hellsgate grounds from the free parking lot in Lockport. Inside, expect multiple floors and a giant slide. Also for 2024, follow Hellsgate on Instagram, find that night’s “key master” and you’ll win a key for free admission. For a $160 Hell Pass, says Hellsgate, “we will mark your friend or family member as our personal target for the entire tour.” Open through Nov. 3 at 301 W. 2nd Street, Lockport; tickets from $40 and more information at 605-301-4283 and hellsgate.com
Dungeon of Doom: This sprawling haunted house in Zion boasts 45,000 square feet and has been running for decades, with an upgraded entrance and waiting area this year. Blackout Nights are Nov. 8-9 and Sub-Thermal Nightmare is coming in December. Open through Nov. 9 at 600 29th St., Zion; tickets from $34.99 and more information at 847-262-3666 and dungeonofdoom.com
La Casa de Satanas: This underground haunted house, this year in Bridgeport and called “Creature,” is strictly ages 18+ and billed as an extreme experience. A warning on its website reads, in part: “This is not a safe space. You may be touched, bound, blindfolded or handled. You will get some dirt on you. You must sign a waiver, there is a safe word.” The Pilsen-based artists of La Casa de Satanas describe it as “a highly interactive, performance art-based haunted house” including violence, nudity, sexual content and gore. If you use the safe word to exit, your ticket cannot be refunded. A limited number of less-intense “voyeur” tickets are available some nights. Open Oct. 24 to Nov. 2 at 3219 S. Morgan St., Chicago; tickets $22-$48.25 (18+) at lacasadesatanas.wixsite.com
Basement of the Dead: This popular haunted house near the Hollywood Casino in Aurora is open for plenty of weeknights as well. Select Wednesdays in October have Nights of Isolation from 7-10 p.m., with just the haunt, no actors. Open through Nov. 3 at 42 W. New York St., Aurora; tickets from $19.99 and more information at basementofthedead.com
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13th Floor Haunted House: This is the 11th season in the Chicago area for the big-budget haunt put on by the Denver-based Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. Attractions for 2024 include Alien Autopsy, Lycan’s Curse, a zombie shoot and mini escape games. Plus theme cocktails in the Krakken’s Cup bar (ages 21+) and available afternoon Behind the Screams tours, with the scoop on how the haunt gets put together. Open through Nov. 9, including most weekdays from Oct. 9, at 5050 River Road, Schiller Park; tickets $19.99-$89.99 and more information at 13thfloorchicago.com
Disturbia Haunted House: Disturbia is back for 2024 in Downer’s Grove, a warehouse-like companion haunt to Basement of the Dead. Select Wednesdays in October have Nights of Isolation from 7-10 p.m., with just the haunt, no actors. Open through Nov. 3 at 1213 Butterfield Road, Downers Grove; tickets from $19.99, and more information at 630-896-2466 and hauntedhousedisturbia.com
Midnight Terror Haunted House: This haunt is in a warehouse space just across from Chapel Hill Garden South Cemetery, with scare zones Black Oak Grove, Factory of Malum and Chainsaw Alley. Lights-on family trick-or-treating from noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 26, Blackout night from 7-10 p.m. Nov. 3, Clown Takeover from 7-10 p.m. Nov. 8-9. Plus escape rooms and axe throwing. Open through Nov. 9 at 5520 W. 111th St., Oak Lawn; tickets $30-$75 (limited $20 tickets for Midnight Terror’s 10-year anniversary) and more information at 708-571-0266 and midnightterrorhauntedhouse.com
The Massacre: This longtime west suburban haunt has some 30,000 square feet of space, all indoors, plus Mind Trap Escape Rooms and Bull & Bear Axe Throwing. Open through Nov. 2 at 299 Montgomery Road, Montgomery; tickets $19.99-$64.99 and more information at 708-320-3327 and fearthemassacre.com
Nightmare on Clark Street: Back for its third Halloween season inside the Bamboo Club in Wrigleyville, Nightmare on Clark Street is spread out over three floors. Plus a year-round bar and restaurant. Open through Nov. 3 at 3505 N. Clark St., Chicago; tickets from $15 (ages 16+, anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by a paid adult), and more information at nightmareonclarkst.com
Realm of Terror: A longtime haunt, running for more than 20 years. You can walk through without scare staff on Oct. 20; Family Frights are 2-5 p.m. Oct. 26-27. Plus carnival games and mini escape rooms. Open through Nov. 2 at 421 W. Rollins Road, Round Lake Beach; tickets from $19.99 and more information at 847-270-8061 and realmofterror.com
Old Joliet Haunted Prison: Created inside the gothic towers and high stone walls of the former Joliet Correctional Center, built some 160 years ago. Old Joliet Haunted Prison is put on by Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. There are two different haunts this year — Inmates Row and Carnage in Cell Block 13 — plus mini escape games, Zombie Laser Tag and the Neon Cowboy Secret Bar (ages 21+). Open through Nov. 2, adding weekdays beginning Oct. 10, at 401 Woodruff Road, Joliet; tickets $19.99 to $89.99 and more information at hauntedprison.com
Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America: Come for the scares, stay for the rides. The park is family-friendly until 6 p.m., then the monsters come out. In addition to the Scare Zones, rides and Monstertainment live shows, there are five haunted houses this year, including a new one based on the Netflix series “Stranger Things.” Customers ages 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. Open through Nov. 3 at 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee; tickets including a Haunt Pass start at $90, plus more information at sixflags.com
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Park After Dark: Just announced for 2024, a haunted house to benefit the After-School Teen Program. Open Oct. 18-27 in Chase Park, 4701 N. Ashland Ave. (use Ashland entrance), Chicago; tickets $13-$15 online only at www.chaseparkafterdark.com
Evil Intentions: Evil Intentions has a new location out in the wilds west of St. Charles, dubbed Forsaken Hollow. Plus Monster Purge is a paintball zombie hunt from a jacked-up monster truck bus (more at monsterpurge.com). Open through Nov. 2 at 45W050 Beith Road, Maple Park; tickets from $35 and more information at eihaunt.com
“House of the Exquisite Corpse”: Back for its fourth October and part haunt, part theater, this horror experience with puppets and illusion by Rough House Theater has six different environments, each themed around a superstition this year. Audiences enter in small groups via timed entries. “Once inside,” according to Rough House, “they brave its dark halls for about an hour, stopping at each room to spy through keyholes, cracks, and hidden doors to see the horrors happening within.” Through Nov. 2 in Steppenwolf’s Merle Reskin Garage space, 1624 N. Halsted St., Chicago; tickets $21-$46 at roughhousetheater.com