Guide to Chicago Haunted Houses

From award-winning haunted houses to terrifying haunted trails, from a horror play in the city to a haunted mansion in the suburbs, the Chicago area abounds with ghostly haunted attractions this Halloween season.

Haunted Sanitarium
2401 North Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60614

The Chicago Park District and Walgreens team up to sponsor the Haunted Sanitarium for the fourth year. The Haunted Sanitarium plays off the history of its haunting location at Theater on the Lake which was an actual sanitarium in the 1920's and 1930's. Creepy themes this Halloween season include a crazy dentist's office, the circus, a morgue and a cemetery. Scary movies and concessions will be available in the waiting area. The Haunted Sanitarium is not recommended for children younger than 13. Life Source and the Chicago Park District host a blood drive from 2 to 5pm on Saturday October 27, 2007.

Date: October 12, 13, 14, 19 through 31, 2007
Hours: 6pm to 11pm Saturdays and Sundays; 7pm to 11pm Mondays through Fridays
Admission: $10. A $2 discount is available with a student identification card.

Trails of Terror
5801 North Pulaski Road
Chicago, Illinois 60646

Peterson Park's popular haunted trail is part of the Chicago Park District's 'Halloween in the Parks' events each October. The scary theme at Trails of Terror this year will be the demented characters left at a deserted carnival. Other Halloween in the Parks activities include pumpkin patches, pony rides, petting zoos, and more family friendly fall fun.

Date: Friday, October 26, 2007
Hours: 6:30 to 9pm
Admission: $6 for ages 8 to 14; $8 for ages 15 and older

Halloween Haunted Scenes
Chicago Police 16th District Station
5151 North Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60630

The 16th District Chicago Police presents their haunted house at the police station for the sixth year running the last weekend of October. Halloween Haunted Scenes and produced by the volunteered time and money of the police officers and proceeds benefit the Chicago Police Memorial Fund. Halloween treats are given to children ages 12 and younger.

Dates: October 27, 28, 29, 30, 2007
Hours: 5pm to 8:30pm
Admission: Donations requested at the door. Call (312)742-4521 for more information.

Dream Reapers Haunted House
1945 Cornell Avenue
Melrose Park, Illinois 60160

Dream Reapers Haunted House has garnered national acclaim and the prestige of being the number one haunted house in Illinois the past few years. In 22 rooms and over 14,000 square feet of space this Chicago haunted houses merges both old and new technology, from horror actors to animatronics to unique haunting scents. Dream Reapers Haunted House is wheelchair accessible and concessions and restrooms are available. The haunted house will be open on Halloween from 7pm to 10pm.

Dates: October 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25 through 31, 2007
Hours: 7 to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays; 7 to 10pm Sundays through Thursdays
Admission: $15 for any age and $25 for a VIP pass to skip the lines.
Tickets can be purchased online.

Anna in the Darkness
The Side Project
1520 West Jarvis
Chicago, Illinois 60626

Chicago's horror play Anna in the Darkness follows a scary story of a town stalking a young teacher trapped in her house. The Chicago Tribune calls the horror play chilling and says "you feel like you're stuck in that dang living room with her, exposed and susceptible to the lurking danger outside."

Dates: October 18, 19, 20, 21, 25 through 31, 2007
Hours: Two shows each night at 8pm and 9:30pm
Admission: $10 Tickets can be purchased online or by calling (773) 552-8616

Haunted Mansion at Dikta's Sports Dome
730 North Bolingbrook Drive
Bolingbrook, Illinois 60440

Three different haunted attractions are featured in 15,000 square feet of space Dikta's Sports Dome in Bolingbrook, a Chicago suburb near Naperville. Cage Maze, the Haunted Mansion, and Evil Intensions are the haunted attractions featured this third Halloween season when the sports dome transforms into a haunted house. Given this is a massive indoor facility, inclement fall weather is never a factor and all waiting for the Haunted Mansion and the other creepy haunted attractions, is indoors.

Dates: October 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25 through 31, 2007
Hours: 6 to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays; 6 to 10pm Sundays through Thursdays
Admission: $15 and parking is free.
Tickets can be purchased online.

Nightmares Basement of the Dead
42 West New York Street
Aurora, Illinois 60506

One of the scariest Chicagoland haunted houses is located 35 miles west of Chicago near Hollywood Casino in downtown Aurora, Illinois. The terrifying dark themes such as mutilation and the graphic, gory images make this intense haunted house not suitable for children under the age of 13.

Dates: October 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26 through 31, 2007
Hours: 7 to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays; 7 to 10pm Sundays through Thursdays
Admission: $12 for a ticket and $2 printable coupon is available online for the first weekend in October.

Brookfield Jaycees Haunted House
Jaycee Elhert Park
4315 Park Avenue
Brookfield, Illinois 60513

The Brookfield Jaycees offer their award winning terrifying haunted house for the 31^st year this 2007 Halloween season. Past haunted awards include "Best Make-up and Costumes in the State for 2005" and "Best Jaycee Haunted House Overall for 2006." A children's matinee with the lights on is offered on Sunday October 28 from 2pm to 4pm for $3 per child and parents admitted for free.

Dates: October 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, and 31, 2007
Hours: 7 to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays; 7 to 10pm Sundays through Thursdays
Admission: $8 for adults; $6 for children age 12 and younger and senior citizens age 65 and older.
A $1 off printable coupon is available online.