Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Illinois Mount Carroll Raven's Grin Inn

Raven's Grin Inn

Former hotel turned into haunted playground.

Mount Carroll, Illinois

Added By
dirtycricket
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/katz_42/36840...
  Kevinh1212
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

This Place Is a Stub

Help improve this place with additional information or photos.

Make an Edit

About

Raven's Grin Inn is a sprawling 5-story Victorian building that was originally a hotel, bought for $3000 by the current owner/mad scientist Jim Warfield back in the '80s. Ever since then, he's been rigging the place up as a full-time, Halloween-themed fun-house and guiding tours through the space. Groups of 10 or more can also just rent the whole place and play hide and seek.The tour starts out with Jim's lecture/rant on the history of the building and key events in his life, delivered in a manic, partly in-character patter calibrated to weird everyone out without actually scaring anyone. Tour participants then follow Jim through the house, outside into his haunted sculpture garden, back in through a labyrinth of secret passages and dioramas, up stairs, down slides, into the ancient wine cellar which apparently used to be a speakeasy bar, back up via yet another secret passage and finally out into the real world. Tours can last anywhere from 1-3 hours and Jim keeps up his running commentary throughout, in addition to playing pranks. 

If you remember the '70s 3-D board game "Haunted House" (a.k.a. "Which Witch"), touring the Raven's Grin Inn is very much like walking (and climbing, and occasionally crawling) through that game. It's a truly eccentric, wildly unusual experience. 

Related Tags

Hotels Eccentric Homes Homes

Know Before You Go

It's hidden behind the main square in town. Wear sensible shoes.

Community Contributors

Added By

dirtycricket

Edited By

tony wolf, keifa

  • tony wolf
  • keifa

Published

June 16, 2009

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Raven's Grin Inn
411 N. Carroll St.
Mount Carroll, Illinois, 61053
United States
42.100528, -89.980043
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad

Freeport, Illinois

miles away

Little Cubs Field

Freeport, Illinois

miles away

Charles Mound

Scales Mound, Illinois

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Illinois

Illinois

United States

Places 368
Stories 18

Nearby Places

Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad

Freeport, Illinois

miles away

Little Cubs Field

Freeport, Illinois

miles away

Charles Mound

Scales Mound, Illinois

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Illinois

Illinois

United States

Places 368
Stories 18

Related Places

  • Barbara Hutton’s Japanese palace, in the shadow of the volcano Popocatépetl.

    Jiutepec, Mexico

    Camino Real Sumiya

    The tragic heiress Barbara Woolworth Hutton built her seventh husband this Japanese-inspired palace in Mexico.

  • Indiana Jones House (Bed & Breakfast)

    Antonito, Colorado

    Indiana Jones Home

    The childhood home of Henry Jones Jr. is now an adventure-themed bed and breakfast.

  • The haunted vicarage, built in 1876, and reputed to be a haunted house.

    Ragunda, Sweden

    Borgvattnet Vicarage

    Said to be one of Sweden's most haunted places, this vicarage once even attracted a ghost-busting priest.

  • Helga’s Folly

    Kandy, Sri Lanka

    Helga's Folly

    A Bohemian "anti-hotel" offers off-kilter stays in Sri Lanka.

  • The Castle Green

    Pasadena, California

    The Castle Green

    Where the rich wintered in Pasadena.

  • Cottonwood, Idaho

    Dog Bark Park Inn

    Sweet Willy, at 30 feet tall, is the world's biggest beagle.

  • Hotel Sidi Driss

    Matmatat-Al-Qadimal, Tunisia

    Hotel Sidi Driss

    The original film set of Luke Skywalker's Tatooine home from the 'Star Wars' trilogy.

  • Alatskivi Castle

    Alatskivi, Estonia

    Alatskivi Castle

    A wealthy aristocratic family built this Disney-worthy, fairy-tale castle.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.