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Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man in Burbank, Illinois

Haunted Trails in Burbank, Illinois is a family entertainment center with a spooky twist. Operating since 1975, the property has an arcade, go-carts, batting cages, and a mini golf course, all with a G-rated monster theme. It’s a fun place to take your kids, have an afternoon with friends, or even take a date. For road trippers looking for the big and weird, you can’t miss the complex’s oversized centerpiece: a Frankenstein muffler man.

Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man in Burbank, Illinois

Authentic muffler men roadside attractions are fiberglass giants who stand anywhere from 14 to 25 feet tall. Each has a similar design and was built between 1963 and 1972 by International Fiberglass in Venice, California. With signature stances, these big men stood outside of muffler shops and other businesses to call attention from the road.

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book - Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip! By Valerie Bromann

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book

Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip!

Enjoy fun games and challenges to pass the time on your next road trip and have a keepsake to look back on for years to come with this entertaining must-have for your next vacation.

And this giant Frankenstein will certainly call your attention.

Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man in Burbank, Illinois

The muffler man at Haunted Trails has many of the tell-tale signs that you’d expect from this sort of roadside attraction: a towering figure, chunky boots, bent arms with hands placed in the familiar right hand up and left hand down position. But what makes this big guy unique is his face: a green, square-jawed profile stitched in red stitches, a bar through his neck, and other features mimicking Frankenstein’s monster.

Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man in Burbank, Illinois

Theories from Roadside America and American Giants state that this probably isn’t an original customized International Fiberglass muffler man. Instead it is more likely a later-generation mutant and possibly made from a mold or hybrid parts by FAST Corporation in Sparta, Wisconsin.

Whether it’s a true muffler man or not, the big Frankenstein statue is definitely worth seeing. And while there, visit the mini golf course for 18 rounds of fun plus more haunting fiberglass beings. At nearly every hole you’ll find Draculas, ghosts, skulls, castles, haunted houses, and even a creature from the black lagoon.

Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man in Burbank, Illinois
Ghost trash can at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Fiberglass dracula at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Fiberglass dracula at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted house at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted house at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted house at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Castle at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Ghost at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Ghost at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Creature from the black lagoon at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Creature from the black lagoon at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Creature from the black lagoon at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Creature from the black lagoon at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Creature from the black lagoon at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Creature from the black lagoon at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Ghost trash can at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Giant skull at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Giant skull at Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails mini golf in Burbank, Illinois
Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man in Burbank, Illinois

Haunted Trails Frankenstein Muffler Man

Address: 7759 S Harlem Ave, Burbank, IL 60459
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 12 PM – 9 PM; Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 12 PM – 10 PM (some attractions are seasonal)
Cost: Free to See; mini golf and arcade game costs vary

Check the official website for up-to-date hours and costs.


Pin this Illinois roadside attraction:

Haunted Trails in Burbank, Illinois is a family entertainment center with a spooky twist. With an arcade, go-carts, batting cages, and a mini golf course, all with a G-rated monster theme it's a fun place for kids, an afternoon with friends, or for a date. For road trippers can't miss the complex's oversized centerpiece: a Frankenstein muffler man. #minigolf #halloween #IllinoisRoadsideAttractions #IllinoisRoadsideAttraction #RoadsideAttractions #RoadsideAttraction #RoadTrip #IllinoisRoadTrip
Haunted Trails in Burbank, Illinois is a family entertainment center with a spooky twist. With an arcade, go-carts, batting cages, and a mini golf course, all with a G-rated monster theme it's a fun place for kids, an afternoon with friends, or for a date. For road trippers can't miss the complex's oversized centerpiece: a Frankenstein muffler man. #minigolf #halloween #IllinoisRoadsideAttractions #IllinoisRoadsideAttraction #RoadsideAttractions #RoadsideAttraction #RoadTrip #IllinoisRoadTrip

VALerie BROMANN

Founder & Head Road Tripper

Val is the founder and head road tripper at Silly America. Having grown up near Berwyn's famed car kabob, The Spindle, and a restaurant with a cow on its roof, her fascination with roadside attractions started early. Today, Val has visited hundreds roadside attractions across the United States and is constantly on the lookout for the next BIG thing!

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book - Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip! By Valerie Bromann

The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book

Everything You Need to Have and Record an Epic Road Trip!

BY Valerie Bromann

Enjoy fun games and challenges to pass the time on your next road trip and have a keepsake to look back on for years to come with this entertaining must-have for your next vacation.

The road trip you’ve been dreaming of starts here! Journal about your stops and get to know your fellow passengers with activities and exercises designed to pass the time and bring you closer together. Instead of “Are we there yet?” you’ll find yourself asking, “We’re there already?”. Complete with prompts you can turn to while driving between locations, this journal will one day be a memento of your life-changing trip.