Haunted Hotels and Attractions In and Around Chicago - Updated 2024

1. Hotels

2. 1. Congress Plaza Hotel (from USD 179)

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Located directly across the iconic Millennium Park, and sitting on Chicago’s illustrious Michigan Avenue, the Congress Plaza Hotel is covered in elegance, luxury and history. You’ll be right in the heart of downtown Chicago and near all the local museums and shopping spots. The hotel boasts high ceilings, luxurious marble bathrooms and stunning lake views. The on-site restaurant, Raphael’s, cooks up amazing American classics and guests can even take their morning breakfast outside. Al Capone once had a suite here on the eighth floor and it is said that his ghost haunts the grounds. The hotel’s Gold Room is a banquet hall dating back to the 1920’s, and it is still operational today. It is said to have “the hand of mystery” belonging to a worker trapped behind the walls.

3. 2. The Drake Hotel (from USD 338)

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So this one might not be directly located in Chicago, but just across the border in Toronto. Stay in the heart of the artsy district in downtown Toronto where your room will have a flat-screen TV, iPod docks, and handcrafted furniture pieces designed by local artists. Relax with a Marguerita on the rooftop bar or enjoy a work out in the complimentary gym. The Drake Hotel also boasts an underground entertainment venue with a beautiful copper-topped bar.

4. 3. Hotel Baker

For a really luxurious experience, why not stay in Hotel Baker? The hotel sits next to the scenic side of the river where you can look out onto the beautiful views of the water. Each room comes with luxurious Egyptian cotton and elegant bathrooms with whirlpool tubs. Many of the pieces found in the rooms are authentic furnishings from the 1920’s, giving each room a bit of the jazz-age flair. Hotel Baker has an iconic ballroom where many performers have played and danced, including Louis Armstrong. Legend has it that a chambermaid who worked here drowned herself in the Fox River and now her ghost roams the 6th floor where her room was. Many guests have reported sightings and weird noises on the floor.

Hotel Baker

Address: 100 W Main St, St. Charles, IL 60174, USA

Price: from 169 USD

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5. 4. DeSoto House

Get a taste of glamour at DeSoto house! Each of the Victorian-style suites features a sitting room and a fireplace. Each room is elegantly designed and comes with a gorgeous bathroom, WiFi, high ceilings, and complimentary coffee and tea. DeSoto House is one of the oldest hotels in Illinois and was a hub of social and political activity. Abraham Lincoln once delivered a speech from a balcony here, and Ulysses S Grant held a ball here then later used rooms 209 and 211 as his political headquarters. Many paranormal claims on the third floor have been reported, from floating orbs to phantom cigar smoke.

DeSoto House

Address: 230 S. Main Street Galena, IL 61036

Price: from 370 USD

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6. Attractions

7. 5. Eastland Disaster Historic Society

Though not haunted in the traditional sense, the Eastland Disaster is certainly a macabre moment in Chicago’s history. The Eastland was a passenger ship and on the day of the disaster, the boat was scheduled to take employees of Western Electric to an event in Indiana. By 7:10 am there were over 2,000 people on board, many of whom were on the top-side of the ship. The boat started to destabilize and, by that point, many people had gone inside the boat unaware that it was in danger of capsizing. The boat suddenly rolled over and those trapped inside drowned or were crushed by heavy furniture, including pianos and bookcases. There were 844 deaths in the aftermath. Today the Eastland Disaster Historic Society maintains their memory.

Eastland Disaster Historical Society

Address: Chicago Riverwalk, Chicago, IL 60601, USA

Website: Eastland Disaster Historical Society

8. 6. Glessner House

Designed by well-known architect, Henry Hobson Richardson, Glassner House is a piece of iconic Chicago. The home is considered a masterpiece because Richardson diverted from the Victorian style of the time and created something new and modern. Richardson, however, died after completing the blueprints for the home, and it is said that his ghost roams the property as the man himself was never able to realize his genius in person. Various people who lived here over the years reported seeing a distinct figure that could have been none other than Henry Hobson Richardson.

Glessner House

Address: 1800 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60616

Website: Glessner House

9. 7. The Red Lion Pub

Grab a pint and find some ghosts at the Red Lion Pub! It can be said that Chicago grew around the pub, as the building was built in 1882. Located on what was the “rough side of town” the pub is found across the street from where John Dillinger was gunned down, and Al Capone and his cronies hung out in the neighborhood as well. At least seven manifestations call the Red Lion home, including the owner’s grandfather who has a memorial inside the pub. Many patrons report dizziness when walking past it.

The Red Lion Pub

Address: 2446 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614, USA

Website: The Red Lion Pub

10. 8. The Country House Restaurant

This restaurant won the “Best Burger Award” of 2016, so even if you don’t find a ghost, you’ll still get a tasty meal. In the 1950’s a blonde woman was having an affair with the bartender of the restaurant. After having an argument with the man, she took her daughter, got in a car with her, and deliberately crashed into a tree. Today, people report having seen the woman walking through the dining room and calling out to male patrons. People also report banging of pots and pans in the kitchen and the jukebox turning on by itself.

The Country House Restaurant

Address: 241 W. 55th St. in Clarendon Hills, Illinois.

Website: The Country House Restaurant

11. 9. Museum of Science and Industry

What might seem like a normal museum is actually a great place for a haunting. The Museum is located on what was once the Fine Arts Museum, built for Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, and currently housing a model of Apollo 8, a full-size replica coal mine and a German U-Boat captured during WWII. The captain of the U-Boat killed himself in front of his crew and now people report ghostly sightings in front of it.

Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

Address: 5700 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637

Website: Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

12. 10. John Hancock Center

Featuring a 360-degree view of Chicago and boasting America’s highest swimming pool, the odd trapezoidal structure has been linked to many deaths in the past. One of which was Lorraine Kowalksi who fell from a 90th-story window, despite the fact that the windows are meant to withstand 200 pounds of pressure and 150-mile-an-hour winds. Two other men have also fallen from the 97th and 91st floors as well. Moreover, Heather O'Rourke, star of Poltergeist, suffered health issues which eventually led to her death after staying here.

John Hancock Center

Address: 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA

Website: John Hancock Center

13. Haunted Chicago

The Cubs, deep dish pizza and the movies of John Hughes are all things we associate with Chicago, but maybe we should add ghosts to that list as well. Chicago is a fascinating city with a fascinating past and there’s no shortage of spooky happenings here.