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Not for the faint of heart: Haunted houses deliver scares in the suburbs

With the temperature chilling and the leaves dropping, children aren’t the only ones awaiting the thrills of Halloween. For those who have moved on from trick-or-treating, chances to be frightened at a haunted house are opening up in several suburbs.

Rules for each attraction can be found on their official websites. For most, guests are recommended to be 13 or older. Many require tickets to be purchased in advance, or offer higher prices at the door. Before attending, ensure each guest is able to handle the terrors and will respect all haunted house performers.

13th Floor Haunted House Chicago

5050 River Road, Schiller Park, 13thfloorchicago.com

Details: Open select days through Nov. 9. Recommended for ages 13 and older. Tickets start at $19.99.

Visitors will observe vicious fights in supernatural worlds Alien Autopsy and Lycans Curse. Interactive attractions include a zombie shooting match and five-minute escape games. Those of-age can visit a secret bar, The Krakken’s Cup.

Beware of the banshee prowling the 13th Floor Haunted House in Schiller Park. Courtesy of Katie McDowell, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group

Basement of the Dead & Shattered 3D Haunted Houses

42 W. New York St., Aurora, basementofthedead.com/

Details: Open select days through Nov. 3. Recommended for ages 13 and older. Tickets start at $19.99.

Includes a walk through an abandoned underground laboratory, followed by a 3D world where the walls come alive.

Disturbia Haunted House

1213 Butterfield Road, Suite D, Downers Grove, hauntedhousedisturbia.com/

Details: Open select days through Nov. 3. Recommended for ages 13 and older. Tickets start at $19.99.

Visitors take an adventure through several haunting scenarios that Disturbia defines as the ultimate fright house.

Ghouls await at Realm of Terror in Round Lake Beach. Courtesy of Realm of Terror

Dungeon of Doom

600 29th St., Zion, dungeonofdoom.com/

Details: Open select days through Nov. 9. Recommended for ages 12 and older. Tickets start at $34.99.

New in 2024 is Terra Nova, throwing guests into a nuclear fallout shelter. Several attractions are returning, including Dead Clown Alley and Cabin of Carnage.

Evil Intentions Haunted House

45W050 Beith Road, Maple Park, eihaunt.com/

Details: Open select days through Nov. 2. Recommended for ages 13 and older. Tickets start at $35.

Relocated to a larger home in Forsaken Hollow, attractions are now scarier than ever, according to Evil Intentions.

Dare to enter Realm of Terror in Round Lake Beach. Courtesy of Realm of Terror

HellsGate Haunted House

Visitors must park at 301 W. Second St., Lockport, and take a five-minute shuttle ride to the site, hellsgate.com/

Details: Open select days through Nov. 2. Not recommended for kids 12 and younger. Visitors younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets start at $40.

Guests travel through the horror-invested woods to explore a multistory haunted mansion filled with ghosts and secrets.

The Old Joliet Haunted Prison is open for horrors and frights. Bob Okon/Shaw Local News Network

The Old Joliet Haunted Prison

401 Woodruff Road, Joliet, hauntedprison.com/

Details: Open select days through Nov. 2. Recommended for ages 13 and older. Tickets start at $19.99.

Chicago’s only haunted house set in a former prison, guests explore Inmates Row, Cellblock 13 and Zombie Laser Tag.

Massacre Haunted House

299 Montgomery Road, Montgomery, fearthemassacre.com/

Details: Open select days through Nov. 2. Scares run from mild to intense. Tickets start at $34.99.

With 15 years of horrifying scares under its belt, Massacre offers more than 30,000 square feet and 40 rooms of terror. While there, test yourself with the Mind Trap Escape Rooms and Bull & Bear Ax Throwing.

Ghouls await at Realm of Terror in Round Lake Beach. Courtesy of Realm of Terror

Realm of Terror Haunted House

421 W. Rollins Road, Round Lake Beach, realmofterror.com/

Details: Open select days through Nov. 2. Recommended for ages 13 and older. Tickets start at $19.99.

In addition to exploring the haunted house, guests have access to food and drinks, carnival games, escape rooms and a gift shop. New in 2024 is Family Frights from 2-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 26-27, featuring a trick-or-treat walk with characters for all ages, a sensory-aware experience and a spooky-not-scary walk-through of the haunted house with limited audio and decor. Also new is No Actor Night on Sunday, Oct. 20, when actors will not be in the haunted house.

The monsters come out when the sun goes down during Six Flags Great America’s Fright Fest. Courtesy of Six Flags Great America

Six Flags Fright Fest

1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee, sixflags.com/greatamerica

Details: Open select days through Nov. 3. After 6 p.m. is recommended for ages 14 and older. All guests younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21 years old. Tickets start at $50.

Six Flags offers its usual rides and attractions along with seasonal family-friendly activities, including trick-or-treating and monster dance parties during the day. After 6 p.m. guests can explore more frightening attractions, including scare zones, “monstertainment” shows and haunted houses (additional fee required).

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