As Halloween approaches, Southern California transforms into an epicenter of fright and theatrical terror. Whether you crave cinematic mazes, interactive theater, or genuine paranormal history, the local haunt scene offers unforgettable thrills. Here is your curated guide to the best haunted houses in Los Angeles to experience this spooky season.
Dark Harbor at the Queen Mary
Docked in Long Beach, the legendary RMS Queen Mary provides one of the most chilling backdrops in the country. Dark Harbor transforms this historic ocean liner and its harbor grounds into a sprawling maritime nightmare. Guests navigate terrifying mazes through the ship’s dark boiler rooms and cramped corridors, including Infirmary, Lullaby, and the new Shipwrecked experience. Outside, visitors can explore the eerie Voodoo bayou maze, watch fire dancers, ride carnival attractions, and discover hidden speakeasies. Because it combines authentic ghost lore with grand production value, many locals consider this one of the best haunted houses in Los Angeles.
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights
If you want big-budget Hollywood production value, Universal Studios Hollywood remains an unbeatable juggernaut. Each autumn, the theme park unveils high-caliber mazes based on major horror franchises and legendary icons. Guests can step into worlds inspired by terrifying cinema while dodging sinister creatures throughout elaborate scare zones. The iconic Terror Tram also delivers memorable encounters across the famous studio backlot. Its sheer scale and incredible movie-quality effects easily cement its status among the best haunted houses in Los Angeles.
Delusion: Den of the Mosquito
For thrill-seekers who prefer narrative storytelling over simple jump scares, Delusion delivers an extraordinary interactive horror theater experience. Staged inside the historic Beckett Mansion near Exposition Park, this production casts attendees as active characters in a dark tale. Guests work together to solve puzzles, uncover secrets, and navigate shadowed rooms alongside talented actors. This psychological adventure ranks among the best haunted houses in Los Angeles for anyone seeking an intimate and sophisticated scare.
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
Nestled in the shadowed foothills of Griffith Park, the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride has become a beloved seasonal tradition. The fictional town of Midnight Falls welcomes brave souls aboard a classic tractor ride filled with menacing ghouls. Guests can also explore multiple walk-through mazes, browse merchant booths, play spooky carnival games, and sample festive autumn treats under the night sky. The open-air wooded setting helps it stand out among the best haunted houses in Los Angeles for traditional autumn ambiance.
Urban Death: Tour of Terror
Located at Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre in North Hollywood, Urban Death offers a uniquely unsettling experience. This intimate, avant-garde production begins with a pitch-black maze that forces guests to navigate using only a tiny flashlight. Inside the performance space, actors present rapid-fire, surreal vignettes that explore raw human fears and bizarre nightmares. This daring and visceral show consistently earns widespread acclaim among the best haunted houses in Los Angeles.
Whether you prefer expansive outdoor festivals or psychological drama, Southern California offers spine-tingling adventures for every bravery level. Grab your favorite group of friends, reserve your tickets early, and explore the best haunted houses in Los Angeles before the Halloween season disappears.
Looking for an exciting Halloween experience? You’re in the right place. October is here, and Halloween is right around the corner. Whether you’re looking for haunted hayrides or zombie mazes with monster’s chasing you around, there are plenty of spooky spots in LA to suit your needs. Prepare to be scared and bring a friend or two, because some of these venues are frightening!
Knott’s Scary Farm
Location: Knott’s Berry Farm , Buena Park
Thursday October 10 2019 – Saturday November 2 2019
The fully transformed theme park located in Orange County features uniquely haunted mazes and attractions, sinister shows and more than 1,000 horrifying creatures lurking in the fog and hiding in every corner of the park. This Halloween event has all the ingredients of a truly terrifying nightmare. But unlike most dreams, Knott’s Scary Farm is a nightmare you can’t wake up from, which makes it the thing to do for Halloween.
Halloween Horror Nights
Location: Universal Studios Hollywood & Universal CityWalk , Universal City
Thursday October 10 2019 – Sunday November 3 2019
Universal Studios’ Halloween “Horror Nights” have prepared many “scary” activities from fans all-time favorite franchises! Every day after dark, from October 10th until November 3, the park changes into a horror zone. Navigate multiple mazes and scare zones—this year’s themed attractions include the return of a Stranger Things maze plus ones based on Ghostbusters, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Creepshow, House of 1000 Corpses, “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man” and “Holidayz in Hell.”
Creep Los Angeles
Location: ROW DTLA , Downtown Arts District
Thursday October 10 2019 – Sunday November 3 2019
Haus of Creep is a fully immersive, multi-sensory experience in which audience members are invited to explore hidden scenes, intimate encounters and frightful stories. Across a 75-minute walk through filled with 20 characters, you’ll find out that art is alive and dangerous as a dozen nightmarish installations mix shocking scenes, in the past, these have been one-on-one scenes in which (un)lucky guests are plucked from their fellow attendees.
Urban Death
Location: Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre , North Hollywood
Friday October 11 2019 – Saturday November 2 2019
Directed by Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group hosts a chilling series of vignettes. The tickets are priced at an incredibly low $16.00, it’s an absolute must-visit for fans of haunted attractions and macabre theater alike. Armed with a shoddy flashlight to illuminate their path, guests navigate a labyrinth of terror before enduring a series of shocking scenes that will unsettle even the most stoic of horror fans.
Dark Harbor
Location: Queen Mary , Long Beach
Thursday October 10 2019 – Saturday November 2 2019
This unique Halloween experience takes place on a giant boat. You’ll find all the usual horrors here—fog, mazes and countless monsters. What sets Dark Harbor apart is its use of its surroundings. You will encounter the dark, cramped confines of the Queen Mary with spooky surprises at every turn.
“From my laboratory in the castle east, To the master bedroom where the vampires feast, The ghouls all came from their humble abodes, To get a jolt from my electrodes, They did the mash, They did the monster mash.”
Rodeo Realty Beverly Hills held their own Monster Mash for All Hallows Eve yesterday.
Donned in their most ghoulish attire all came out to a friendly office feast where agents turned witches and ghosts mingled with tennis stars and aristocrates alike.
A Rodeo Realty Halloween 2018
Their Branch Manager John Gould was nowhere to be seen but a curious Captain Hook had assumed his place. How strange that they appeared to be the same at a glance.
A Rodeo Realty Halloween 2018-Branch Manager John Gould(Capt. Hook)
Wandering the halls of the office abode, what a site to see was Phantom”James Richmond”of the Opera arising from his lair, mingling with Groovy”Barabra Stover”Gal and Red”Heather Witt”Riding Hood.
A Rodeo Realty Halloween 2018-James RichmondA Rodeo Realty Halloween 2018: Reds On Rodeo Duo from left: Martine Zoller and Heather Witt
As the middy fete came to a close Marie”Suzette Kitselman” Antonette descended upon affair. Before the revelers could return to their crypt, the pumpkin throne must be claimed.
A Rodeo Realty Halloween-from left: John Gould and Suzette Kitselman
With Captain “John Gould” Hook having the declared thrice the worthy guest, it twas Mario and Luigi at 3rd rank with the Wicked Witch of the West as a second hand. And who do you ask would assume the thrown? Well of course none other than the Royal herself. HRH Marie”Suzette Kitselman” Antonette.
I used to love Halloween. I loved the chance to dress up, be someone else for a day, trick or treat. Now, I still love it, but it comes with its own set of problems. Namely, the blatant doling out of candy filled with GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, artificial coloring – and the list only gets worse from there.
So how do we, as parents, protect our children from this garbage while still allowing them to have fun and participate in the festivities?
Well, thankfully, we are not in the 1970s, when it was almost impossible for my mom to find me decent natural candy. We live in a day where you can find the natural or organic version of any of your favorite treats, cereals and desserts! Just think of it: Fruit Loops without the artificial color!
We have a ritual in our family. We do all the Halloween fun just like anyone else – including the trick-or-treating. My kids fill up the bags with tons of what I call contraband. I mean pounds of the stuff. We have a wonderful time with all our friends, walking the neighborhood, seeing the costumes, decorations and partying. But once we’re home, those bags get dumped into a box that is being shipped straight to Operation Shoebox.
Yes folks, off to the troops.
I had a hard time reconciling sending them something so harmful until I had a conversation with a marine on leave from Afghanistan. He assured me that they really do look forward to the Halloween candy that is shipped to them from OS (as well as other items, especially personal hygiene products such as soap and wipes), and that it really makes their day.
After the candy gets boxed up, and my kids are staring at me wide-eyed, I break out the good stuff. Yes, I have the organic “Almond Joy”, the organic “Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups”, jelly beans and “M&Ms” of all colors (made with vegetable dyes), gummy candy, hard candy and even bubble gum!
They still get all the candy fun without the horrible side effects!
See, my problem is not with sugar. Sugar is not the enemy. It’s all that other stuff that little kids’ bodies can do without. You will enjoy the benefit of better behavior (if your children are affected by artificial colors and flavors, the way I was as a child) and less chemicals in their bodies, which can only be a good thing.
If you’re brave enough to venture out on a weeknight we’ve got you covered. We scoured the dismally long list of Halloween events happening throughout L.A. this Wednesday. So sleep well on Hallows Eve because this round-up is sure to keep you jolted till dawn.
Annual Halloween Party for DTLA Kids
DTLA Halloween Festival
Location: Grand Hope Park, DTLA
Getting to downtown for trick-or-treating may seem like the real Halloween scare but its worth it when you make it to The Annual Halloween Party for DTLA Kids! The locals know how to throw quite the shindig and the event continues to thrive as parents celebrate the spookiest night of the year with bounce houses, puppet shows and faux trick-or-treat-doors.
Menace lurks behind every shadow in a remote village filled with secrets. The LA Opera’s annual Halloween mash-up of opera and cinema returns to the spectacular Theatre at Ace Hotel with filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer’s surreal 1932 masterwork, one of the most unsettling vampire movies ever made. LA Opera and The Theatre at Ace Hotel invite you to be their guest immediately following ‘Vampyr’ for a Halloween party with music and cash bar. Entry to the party is included with ticket to the October 31 ‘Vampyr’ performance.
Perfect for all ghouls and goblins is this Halloween Extravaganza at the Happiest Place on Earth. ‘Mickey’s Halloween Party’ brings out all your favorite villains from ‘Cruella’ to ‘Lady Tremaine’. Delight at a ghostly ‘Space Mountain’ and Tim Burton-ized ‘Haunted Mansion’ as lively Jack-O-Lanterns line Main Street. Trick-or-Treat throughout the park until the evening hours end with a spectacular ‘Halloween Screams’ firework show. Be sure to arrive early if you’d like a true thrill on any of the rides up to three hours prior to the event.
Location: Santa Monica Blvd (starting at Doheny), West Hollywood
Considered the largest Halloween street party in the world, there isn’t really a better place to be for the true costume aficionado. Yes the crowds are massive and to some quite rowdy but the amazing display of themed attire and general merry-making spirit deem it as at least a worthy stop along your way. Enjoy dancing in the streets, festive beverages in the bars and a night full of spooky fun!
Spend your Halloween underground (a little closer to the dearly departed) at The Edison. The clubs’ Cabaret L’Enfer will feature DJ sets, live performers, stilt walkers, tarot card readers and an “extraordinary selection of Attractions Diaboliques”. Like most other parties at the Edison, expect an old-time but sleek subterranean shindig. Costumes are not required but recommended (come on it’s Halloween)!
Since coming back from the dead a few years ago, Hollywood and Vine’s historic playhouse ‘Avalon’ has put on a ghoulish extravaganza each All Hallows’ Eve. Break out your provocative costumes and make your way to the dance floor and four themed areas!
With all the hustle and bustle of our weekday routine we bring you a curated list of the weekends top activities happening throughout the city of stars.
The time has finally come. You’ve picked up your costumes and allotted yourself at least a handful of candy this weekend. Halloween may fall on a Wednesday but the main events are just a round the corner. So don’t stay inside and cue on the slasher films, you’ve had all month for that. It’s time to throw on your Dracula cape and paint the town red. Read below for our round up events happening this weekend!
Limited engagements taking place this Oct. 26th-28th.
friday oct. 26th
Disco Dining Club’s The Flowering of the Strange Orchids
The Flowering of Strange Orchid Presented by Disco Dining Club
Date: Oct 26, 27, & 28, 2018
Location: Private residence in Pico-Union
“Botanical horror’ and man-eating plants are at the center of this elevated Halloween dinner party. The lofty price tag of $300 will provide you with a tantalizing 5 course meal from Chef Laurent Quenioux, cocktail pairings and wine, coffee and tea service, desserts, and optional edible bug pairings by Bugible. Lavish set design by The Grim Weather will sprawl indoors and outdoors of the secret location,. This will be complimented by theatrical activations, puppets, live music and dance performances throughout the evening. Your favorite holiday…exaggerated with all the opulence, grandeur and hedonism of any Disco Dining Club soiree.
Patrons of Pageant of the Master’s will know this live performance as artwork coming to life. Pageant of the Monsters is the ghoulish re-enactment of notable tableaus that awakens from their slumber every 5 years. This year’s theme is “Raiders of the Lost Art”. The fest includes a haunted house, Halloween arts and craft, and activities for children. The haunted house is suitable for even the tiniest of terrors, sans gore and recommended for children 5 and older. Food and non-alcoholic berates will be available for purchase.
While this isn’t quite the traditional masquerade, one can expect all the treats and tricks customary with an extravagant night on the town At the KCRW annual Masquerade Ball patrons will be priledged to enjoy the soiree at a new location in DTLA. From themed rooms to various DJ sets and costumes galore, what more can you ask for in the spirit of Hallows Eve.
If you haven’t gotten your fill at the masked ball above, there are plenty of parties to go around in DTLA. The Fanged Fete at The Ace Hotel’s lavish theatre warrants you arrive in your best fangs and vampiric couture(or just vampire-ish clothes). This swanky event will feature Restless Nites DJs, drinks and “dark arts”. Be advised to wake from your crypt early if you’d like to catch the screening of the 1932 surrealist horror film Vampyr alongside a reimagined live score courtesy of the LA opera before the festivities commence.
Spend your ghoulish activities on the westside at the Viceroy Santa Monica’s annual soiree. Over 1,000 guests descend upon the “haunted” hotel(Three Rule has been hired to deck out the entire property from the lobby to the drinks). Wander between to realms..sorry dance floors and lay your stake at a chance to win one of the amazing prizes being served out to the best costumes around(well at the party that is). That being said, costumes are required so you can’t just go as “a mouse..Duh” open to all 21 and over.
The Valley needs its go-to Halloween bash to which is what you’ll find at the Federal this year with a promise of performances on its main stage every half hour. Patrons can expect costume contest, eerie cocktails and an evening of ghastly fun. Bonus: This years theme is Pirates of The Caribbean. Perfect chance for you to bust out that Johnny Depp impression you’ve been “working on”.
If your less for the partying and more for the ghoulish tales, then don’t miss this frightening telling of the famed poets held at the Huntington Library. Thrill to the tales of Edgar Allan Poe and Edward Gorey in an evening of chilling drama presented by the actors of the Guild of St. George. Haunting works will be enacted throughout the moonlit grounds, including “The Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Gashlycrumb Tinies,” and more. Ages 10 to adult. (May be too intense for younger children.)
Billed at the largest Day of the Dead celebration in California, Hollywood Forever Cemetery’s event is a Halloween must. The grounds of the cemetery are covered with art exhibitions, dance rituals, musical performances, and children’s arts and crafts spread throughout. While you enjoy the bounty of food vendors, peruse through the altars created for the departed by community artists. Patrons can also take part in the calico(skeleton) costume contest if they so please. This years theme, Coatlicue “Mother of Gods”, honors the Aztec goddess mother of the moon, sun and stars. For more information click here.
Pumpkin Festival
Pasadena Pumpkin Patch
Location: Pasadena
Bring the whole family and explore the Pasadena Pumpkin Patch and Costume Parade. This fun event includes a petting zoo, pony rides, bounce castles, carnival games and seasonal crafts with all proceeds benefitting the Kidspace Children’s Museum. Kidspace Children’s Museum Kidpspace works to provide free and discounted admission to all programs for those in undeserved communities. Click here for more information.
Halloween & Mourning Tours
Heritage Square Museum
Location: Heritage Square Museum, NE DTLA
You probably spent the majority of the weekend getting glitter spray out of your hair. If thats the case spend Sunday with educational frights instead of fruit cocktails at Heritage Square Museum’s annual Halloween celebration. This Victorian era event takes you through a true horror. Life before iPhones. Enjoy period games, 19th century harvest crafts and spooky stories that even the kid swill enjoy.
The Nightmare before Christmas at the Hollywood Bowl
Nightmare Before Christmas
Location: The Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood
“This is Halloween, this is Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! “
Don’t miss the 25th Anniversary concert special of The Nightmare Before Christmas at The Hollywood Bowl. Danny Elfman along with Catherine O’Hara and Ken Page will be leading the evening soiree. Arrive early for a fun themed costume contest and enjoy the spectacular light projections while singing along to this Halloween Classic. Friday and Sunday tickets are still available.
Location: Knott’s Berry Farm , Buena Park
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