Whether you’re looking for something spooky to get you in the mood for Halloween or more extreme scares that will test your limits, there are plenty of options in central Illinois for both kids and adults.
Springfield-area activities
Aristocracy Hill Haunted History Tour is a two-and-a-half-hour walking tour of Springfield’s haunted history. You will hear factual history and ghostly tales as you walk through the historic Old Aristocracy Hill neighborhood and take in stories of ghosts, shadow men, poltergeists, hidden cemeteries, seances and more. The tour runs every Friday and Saturday night in October and begins at the Inn at 835, 835 S. Second St.
Lincoln’s Ghost Walk runs every Tuesday through Saturday night in September and continues every Friday and Saturday in October. It begins in downtown Springfield at the Old Capitol Plaza in front of the Lincoln-Herndon Law Office Historic Site. The tour consists of a 90-minute walking tour by lantern that uses the Lincoln sites as the backdrop for strange and bizarre stories that surrounded the life and death of Abraham Lincoln. It is suitable for all ages and is not a scary tour.
Knight’s Action Park will be turned into Fright’s Action Park during the last three weekends in October, Friday and Saturday nights. This is a family-friendly event that begins with something you won’t get anywhere else – a Zombie River Cruise. There are surprises around every corner, including visitors from another world.
The Carter Brothers Haunted Hayride will bring the scare back to Halloween for its 40th anniversary of terror and fright. The hayride, located between Springfield and Sherman, runs every Friday and Saturday in October, and is described as “a fun-filled haunted hayride experience that will keep entire families laughing and screaming all night long.” There is no walking involved, the scare factor is medium, and it is acceptable for all ages. Oct. 21 and 28 will feature a kids’ day in the afternoon.
Take a short drive
The 217 Terror Haunted House is located in Roodhouse and includes four haunted attractions and an escape room. This is an in-your-face (but no touching), old-school-scare haunted attraction. The event runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning Sept. 29 and running through the end of October with special days on Halloween Eve and Halloween night. The scare factor is high, suitable for ages 13 and over, but there will be a free, family-friendly Fear Festival on Sunday, Oct. 22, from 1-4 p.m.
Boo Crew Haunted House in Mechanicsburg begins Sept. 29 and is open each Friday and Saturday in October. The Trail of Lost Souls is a short outdoor walk through the woods where scary attractions and numerous “scare actors” loom along the trail. After completing the trail, visitors will head inside to the haunted building which includes old-school scares as well as creative animatronics. The scare factor is high, so it is not recommended for young children. However, there is a haunted matinee on Oct. 21 and a children’s matinee on Oct. 28, both from 3-5 p.m.
Terror on the Square in Petersburg is “a unique, professional haunted tour with Disney-style illusions set in an actual 1930s funeral home.” This haunted experience features old-school ghouls as well as creative illusions. The scare level is considered medium and is recommended for ages 10 and above. The scare dates for 2023 will include every Friday and Saturday night beginning Oct. 6 through the end of the month, with a bonus on Halloween night.
Hell’s Burrow Haunted Attraction is located in Hillsboro. It is run using mostly homemade props and costumes and promises that you will leave with some spooky and fun memories The event will run Oct. 27-31 and is a kid-friendly attraction with monster-proof flashlights available for kids and a trick-or-treat section. The theme this year is “Unearth the Fear.”
Decatur will finally have a haunted house again, opening this October. Izabella’s Curse is a new haunted house attraction that will be located in the South Shores area of Decatur in an old warehouse. It is billed as a high scare factor, suitable for ages 13 and over. The house will operate every Friday and Saturday night beginning Oct. 6 and running through the end of October with additional hours on Halloween night.
Blood Moon Manor Haunted Attraction in Forest City (home of the haunted Skinner House) will be open every Friday and Saturday in October from 7-11 p.m. This nonprofit haunted attraction includes three trails – Paranoia, BMM BioLab and The Forest of the Damned. The Reaper’s Ride is waiting to take people to that final ride to the boneyard. It is a high scare factor, suitable for ages 13 and over.
Eric Woods is a die-hard Halloween fan and published horror author. He is a tour guide for the Lincoln Ghost Walk in Springfield and will be releasing his sixth novel, This Is How He Collects Them, on Friday, Oct. 13.
Related Stories
This article appears in Fall Guide 2023.
Nothing from Alton??