Old Joliet Prison
Old Joliet Prison
4
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
Opened in 1858, just six years after the incorporation of the City of Joliet, the Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet, now known simply as the “Old Joliet Prison,” has – for better or worse been – synonymous with the City of Joliet for nearly its entire history. The Prison is probably best known today for its most popular, albeit fictional inmate – “Joliet Jake” Blues from the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers.” Since then, the Prison has made a number of appearances in films in television, including as the character of “Fox River State Penitentiary” in the critically acclaimed Fox series “Prison Break,” and in smaller scenes in Derailed, Let’s Go to Prison, and recently, Empire.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
136 reviews
Excellent
48
Very good
47
Average
30
Poor
7
Terrible
4
homewood_traveler41
Chattanooga, TN384 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
Very neat piece of history to check out. The only downside is because of vandals the majority of the prison interior is off limits. Still worth checking out, they have informative billboards placed all around so you know what you are looking at.
Written 30 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MNice
Bloomington, MN5,183 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
We came through on a cool spring day and the prison is actually located in a small “yesterday’s news” community. A really interesting town with lots of industrial buildings abandoned in the distance. Chicago and it’s surrounding communities of course were the place that rail lines came together and Joliet is no different. You will cross a large bridge going from the Old Joliet Prison into Joliet which goes over these historic and well worn tracks. The town of Joliet itself has a distinct Hispanic flavor. The Prison itself does not cover a lot of real estate, but it’s height and sandstone blocks present a foreboding aura which can only be experienced in person. We were unable to actually take a tour of the hotel in the late afternoon on a Saturday, but honestly, just seeing was interesting enough. The State of Illinois has done a poor job of maintaining it although that is part of the allure. The entrance/gift shop is interesting and the staff was very pleasant and informative. Historic Route 66 is close by in Joliet and there are several of the original historic buildings still there and operational. A great learning place for kids and an interesting place for adults. We loved it, but didn’t rate it as high as we would have liked due to the lack of upkeep and absence of a true interpretive center to explain the lives of thousands of prisoners and guards who came through here.
Written 10 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne P
42 contributions
Aug 2021
Chose the guided history tour of the prison - very impressed with the amount of access we were given. You're allowed inside a majority of the buildings - the cellblock, cafeteria, school, chapel, and hospital. The only buildings off limits are those that are unsafe to enter. Guide was knowledgeable and peppered the descriptions with anecdotes of the former inmates. There is a lot of walking and some uneven areas so just watch your step.
Written 24 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cubsfan2016_79
Des Moines, IA30 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
Very sobering, yet interesting place to visit. Our guide did a great job of telling the history of the old prison. We were able to go inside many of the old cells. It’s a 90 minute walk around when doing the guided tour but well worth it. You can also do a self guided tour but I think the guided tour is worth it.
Written 15 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travderose
55 contributions
Oct 2021
For us the top thing to do in Joliet is the Old Joliet Prison. It's worth the ticket price of $20 for a self-guided tour/roam around the entire prison.
You can pretty much go in and explore all of the old buildings and jail cells. And they have some interesting signs posted with the history and information so you know what you're looking at.
This prison held inmates from 1858 to 2002.
It was also the filming location for the prison where Jake was released at the beginning of the The Blues Brothers!
You can pretty much go in and explore all of the old buildings and jail cells. And they have some interesting signs posted with the history and information so you know what you're looking at.
This prison held inmates from 1858 to 2002.
It was also the filming location for the prison where Jake was released at the beginning of the The Blues Brothers!
Written 24 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bobx77
Florida2,398 contributions
Aug 2022
I did the guided prison tour.
As I’m a big fan of the Blues Brothers, it was an absolute must to visit the Joliet prison!
As this facility hasn’t been taken care of for more than 15 years, vandalism and arson have taken over.
It’s a real shame!!!
But for me it was a milestone, walking through the same gate, than John Belushi did in the opening scene of the iconic movie The Blues Brothers.
The guided tour was very good and so I learned, that the prison was active, when the movie was shot and that it had been a prison ever since it had been built in the 1800reds.
For usual folks it might be a ruin; for a Blues Brothers fan it is a gem!
As I’m a big fan of the Blues Brothers, it was an absolute must to visit the Joliet prison!
As this facility hasn’t been taken care of for more than 15 years, vandalism and arson have taken over.
It’s a real shame!!!
But for me it was a milestone, walking through the same gate, than John Belushi did in the opening scene of the iconic movie The Blues Brothers.
The guided tour was very good and so I learned, that the prison was active, when the movie was shot and that it had been a prison ever since it had been built in the 1800reds.
For usual folks it might be a ruin; for a Blues Brothers fan it is a gem!
Written 8 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheryl M
Naperville, IL54 contributions
Apr 2022 • Friends
I went on a historical haunted tour of the prison. The tour guide led a very interesting tour. We went inside a variety of prison quarters. Many interesting stories were told. I highly recommend this tour if you want an opportunity to view a historical gem.
Written 17 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travelin' USA
Springfield, IL12 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Our family has been learning about Route 66 and exploring Illinois' route history. We decided to stop by the Old Joliet Prison and glad we did. To be honest, we weren't exactly sure what to expect and it ended up being quite different than we imagined. The condition of the prison is quite bad. I guess I had assumed they had worked to keep it up. This certainly isn't an insult but instead my ignorance. In fairness it would be a huge place to maintain.
Although I did see some guided tours available (maybe only certain dates and times?) we opted for the self-guided experience. In hindsight, I wish we would have chosen differently. I think it would have made for a richer tour. I also wish the staff would have engaged more by offering to share information (stories & facts) instead of simply asking if we had questions. We were overwhelmed and didn't know what to ask.
All in all, this is a unique adventure and a great one to experience. To see the abandoned cell blocks, offices, etc creates an iery feeling.
Although I did see some guided tours available (maybe only certain dates and times?) we opted for the self-guided experience. In hindsight, I wish we would have chosen differently. I think it would have made for a richer tour. I also wish the staff would have engaged more by offering to share information (stories & facts) instead of simply asking if we had questions. We were overwhelmed and didn't know what to ask.
All in all, this is a unique adventure and a great one to experience. To see the abandoned cell blocks, offices, etc creates an iery feeling.
Written 15 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa P
Woodridge, IL644 contributions
Oct 2020 • Friends
Awesome Halloween!!!! We just finished the haunted tour at the old Joliet Prison! It was great. Captured some amazing photographs. They are doing an amazing job trying to restore the old jail! Take a tour to support them, it was so well worth it!!! We heard the guards tour and actual ghost tour are also awesome!!!
Written 1 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brendan P
1 contribution
May 2024 • Solo
Used to be cool. Now an awful experience. The guard tour was so interesting and fun. Now they just have some lame self guided tour. The new staff are rude and awful. Management is there is a joke. They fired all the good people.
Written 16 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can I get in trouble for visiting the prison?
Written 28 March 2019
You can't visit the prison. You can see it from outside. There is a sign "No Trespassing, Property of the state of Illinois" hangs on the hash and a sherrif in his car who's "ready" to catch you :)
Written 29 March 2019
Hi,
How did you find out about the tours? Can I contact someone to find out times etc?
Written 24 September 2018
Like their or monitor Face Book page, “Old Joliet Prison“ or monitor the website under “Old Joliet Prison”. Within, they post private tours and volunteer work.
Written 24 September 2018
Hi! Does anyone know the best way to reach it from Chicago if you don't own a car? Thank you!
Written 21 May 2018
1 h 9 min (35.2 mi) Take bus 124 from Madison & LaSalle at 5:05pmGet Directions »
1 h 15 min (35.3 mi) Take bus 28 from Adams & Clark at 5:04pm
1 h 12 min (35 mi) Take bus 151 from Adams & Clark at 5:07pm
Check these out for buses to Joliet
Written 21 May 2018
At this time there are no tours, There are talks that in the future after a lot of required clean up and safety maintenance that a small bus type vehicle may take visitors on a tour in side the walls.
As of now Evil Intentions a company that runs a haunted house attraction in Elgin is going to be using the old women's prison which is across the street for a haunted house in the fall of 2018. One would be able to see inside at least part of the complex.
Written 3 February 2018
Can you tour the prison? If so what are the hours?
Written 22 September 2016
Is there a listing of the inmates that were housed at this prison?
Written 28 September 2015
The prison is closed and deserted but there are large signs around the parking lot that tell the history of the prison. On the signs there are stories of various inmates, but I I don't remember seeing any listing of the inmates. You could most likely find that information somewhere on line.
Written 29 September 2015
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