Four haunts to visit this Halloween

With Halloween looming, let's put aside talk of costumes and candy to dive into primo haunted places to visit this holiday weekend.

Resurrection Mary: Probably the best ghost story in Chicago history. Mary is a ghost inhabiting Resurrection Cemetery in Justice, Illinois. Killed by a hit-and-run driver on Archer Avenue and buried at Resurrection, she now haunts the area as a young hitchhiker. There are several stories of people picking her up and, once they get close to the cemetery, she disappears into it.

• Sounds implausible, sure. But ghost hunters and historians give life to this story with several substantiated claims.

Horror Hotels: The Congress and The Drake: Who doesn't love haunted hotels? Chicago has a few, including the lobby at the Congress, haunted by the ghosts of mob victims. And in Room 441, a phantom kicks the bed to awaken guests. No need for a wake-up call.

• The Drake Hotel reportedly hosts "The Lady in Red," a ghost who died at a New Year's Eve party over 100 years ago and haunts guests to this day.

Metro and Smart Bar: After reading about ghost sightings at this iconic club, Monica asked owner Joe Shanahan about them a few years ago for Curious City.

• His answer: "Well I'm not here to say it's true or not true … But I think this building has spirit, and that spirit is not something I take lightly. I want to be sure to honor it."

Plus: There are several more great haunted Chicago stories. We recommend taking a tour this weekend, either by bus or on foot.