Top Tier Halloween Haunts in Wisconsin and Illinois for Halloween 2024

Oct 16, 2024

Today we’re ramping up the spooky seasonal fun by bringing you a fantastic list of local area haunts and attractions to boost your Halloween spirits. Choose from alien encounters, haunted carnivals, clown-filled circus tents, classic haunted houses, and multi-attraction escape-room style experiences. (Don’t worry! We didn’t forget the jumpscare-averse, there’s plenty of milder entries on the list along with the more frightening ones.

Buffalo Bill’s Haunted Trail in Franklin WI – Experience 65 Acres of spine-tingling thrills and chills as you wander along their Scary Haunted Trail. Stroll through the cornfields and the woods as you encounter frightening actors along the way popping in and out for more than a few surprises.

Soul Reapers Haunted House in Wilmot, WI – The perfect entry point for younger enthusiasts! Take a tour through multiple haunted themed rooms with plenty of jump scares and spooky thrills as the ghouls and goblins trail behind you. This is one of the milder haunts on the list per attendee feedback and reviews.

Basement of the Dead, Aurora IL – If you’re looking for fully immersive haunts and scares, this is the place for you! Entirely indoors, this intense 2-for-1 haunted house is reaching #1 rankings with multiple outlets including Time Out Chicago, Cosmopolitan, and Buzzfeed! Start off with the Basement of the Dead in an underground laboratory. If you make it out in one piece, it’ll be time to head into the Shattered 3D Haunted House; don your 3D glasses where even the walls and floors will be part of the scares!

Disturbia Haunted House Downers Grove, IL – Another fully immersive haunt experience and one of the top ranked in the whole state! For heart-stopping, adrenaline-pumping, spine-tingling terror, you’ve come to the right place, because these frightening foes are truly no joke! The actors have top-tier costuming, realistic makeup and prosthetics, and a true commitment to the bit with some of the most alarming, show stopping scares you’ll ever find.

Hayride of Horror & Curse of the Bayou in Lockport and Dellwood Park – The Haunted Hayride drives you through the heart of Dellwood Park, but the fun begins even in line as you enjoy a 20ft movie screen and bonfire. Head over to the Bayou after, but beware the Voodoo PRiestess and her many minions offering up magic and mayhem. This is considered another milder entry on the list with Kid Friendly options.

Massacre Haunted House in Montgomery, IL – Another contender for one of the scariest haunted house on the list and fast approaching the top rank! Visitors report some of the best costumes and immersive themed areas they’ve ever experienced, and thoroughly worth what you’re paying for with its longer walkthrough times. There’s also a live DJ playing music and a light show while you’re awaiting your entry. Definitely worthwhile for folks who are very nervy, as you’ll get your dollars worth of jump scares for sure!

Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn – Now celebrating 10 years of thrills, chills, laughs, and gasps, this long-standing local favorite is here to prove they’re worthy of the accolades. Choose from the Black Oak Grove:Mark of Willow, Fear Factory of Malum, or Chainsaw Alley to experience multiple styles of haunts and scares each with their own subgenre horror theme. Plus on October 26th there’s a family friendly “Lights On Trick or Treat” event for all ages and the whole family!

13th Floor Haunted House in Schiller Park – Offering multiple attractions this year including Vector Research: Alien Autopsy and The Lycans Curse you can select your brand of terror: sci-fi horror, or straight up monster-movie style classics! Ranked by USA Today in the Top 5 Most Terrifying Haunted Houses in the US, but don’t take their word for it – go and see for yourselves!

Clinton Haunted House and the Friendly Ghost Tour in Clinton IL – Reanimating every year for the last 30+ years, this regional favorite is back and better than ever. Experience nervewracking thrills and chills, terrifying monster encounters, and more! Be sure to swing by Frankie’s Escape Room for a halloween and movie monster themed experience. The Friendly Ghost Tour is recommended for children, but visitors be warned that even for the smallest guests it might still be a little intense.