DIVERSIONSHaunted housesget into the spiritoutside Chicago

As Halloween quickly approaches, Illinois offers some sure scares in the haunted-house category that will entertain for many moons. Chicago itself doesn’t have a lot in this category, unfortunately, other than a few haunted bus tours and Navy Pier’s Zombie Containment for tourists.

Horror fans have to travel outside the city limits to stir up some real fears. Some of these places are off the beaten path so break out the GPS to find them.

The Statesville Haunted Prison in Crest Hill, 17250 S. Weber Rd., is a bit of a trek but well worth it. Being in a far-off location has its advantages with a massive space leaving attendees to feel secluded and committed to the evening. The ghouls will even follow some to their cars so run for your life from these prisoners! For prices and hours, visit www.statesvillehauntedprison.com.

Why is the 13th floor missing from so many buildings? This story is never quite explained in the 13th Floor haunted house in Melrose Park, 1940 George St. Another mystery is why “no wait” tickets still caused many to wait in long lines on opening night? The best moment inside the house was when a cleverly built floor is angled for trespassers to feel true vertigo walking through the room. Check www.13thfloorchicago.com to purchase entrance tickets instead of waiting at the box office upon arrival.

The twisted rocker Rob Zombie brings his Great American Nightmare to Villa Park (Odeum Expo Center) this year. The attraction pays homage to the 10-year anniversary of the movie House of 1,000 Corpses and is not for the squeamish or kids under 12 years old. The harsh language among the clowns is reason alone to leave the children at home. There are three sections all linked together, with some waiting in between them. Go early for easier $5 parking spaces and have patience at the photo booth. The staff adds to the experience and seem to be having fun doing their jobs. There’s a blackout maze that plays on spectators’ minds, some light fun in a 3D maze with perverted clowns, and a finale with inspirations from real serial killers. Follow greatamericannightmare.com for the schedule on running times.

For pure execution, Fear City in Morton Grove, 8240 N. Austin Ave., has them all beat with a ticket numbering system that allows guests to enjoy cocktails, food and live bands to kill time instead of just standing around. Donating a portion directly to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago during the LGBT night on Oct. 18 speaks directly to our readers, so let’s support them.

Was that a drag queen preaching in the first room? Using 100 actors to bring the place to life paid off well, as some groups were followed almost the entire time. The maze follows a shaky CTA train ride complete with hanging dead bodies, Day of the Dead styled dancers and a Louisiana-style voodoo room. A second scream lies outside with an offering of a nun-infested school for girls titled Lady of the Cursed that is actually a fun piece of theater full of creeps. This really played near and dear to my sacred heart! Run over to fearcitychicago.com for more details about how to get on the gay bus this weekend.

The long lines only get longer as time gets closer to Halloween so book your tickets today or it may be too late, boo!