Thrills for All Ages: SoCal Halloween Haunts and Attractions for 2024!
‘Tis the most wonderful time of the year…Halloween Season! If you’re anything like us, you want to go to as many Halloween haunts and attractions as you can before the end of the season! If you live in Southern California, there are so many incredible haunts and attractions to go to, and it can be kind of overwhelming to do the research. So, here’s a list of fun things to do this Halloween season that includes haunts, attractions, home haunts, family-friendly, and outdoor horror movies! (in alphabetical order)
*Cover feature image by Toni Cuenca
Haunts and Attractions
17th Door: (Fullerton, CA) This haunted walk through has new rooms with a total of 34 minutes of terror! To enter the 17th door you must sign a waiver so enter at your own risk…they can and WILL touch you! If you’d like a taste check out this trailer! (2022 trailer)
Also, check out their trailer for Spook Show 17 Experience! A reality show about the craziest haunted house in America! Available on Tubi, Roku, iTunes, Amazon, and YouTube.
The Basement: (Los Angeles, CA) This attraction is a terrifying Escape Room with 5 experiences you can choose from. The Basement, The Elevator Shaft, The Study, The Courtyard, and The Basement PG for the faint of heart. This room has no scares or actors. Or you can choose Dead & Breakfast to play all four rooms. This is NOT a walk thru. It’s a fully interactive experience where you’ll need to solve puzzles and complete objectives. Each escape room allows from 4-10 players at a time and includes live performers. The experience runs about 45 minutes. You’ll need to sign a waiver but actors can’t touch you. *whew*
Delusion: (Pomona, CA) This year’s event is called “The Red Castle” and is an interactive horror play written and directed by Jon Braver. Their haunting venue hosts professional actors, stunt people, and practical creature effects for an original and imaginative experience. Shows run until November 3rd. Get a sneak peek here!
Universal Halloween Horror Nights: (Universal City, CA) This attraction is one of the premier events in Southern California for Halloween haunted attractions. As one of the major motion picture studios, they have the capability of doing it BIG!
This year’s mazes and attractions include: A Quiet Place, Ghostbusters Frozen Empire, Insidious – The Further, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – The Legacy of Leatherface, Universal Monsters – Eternal Bloodlines, Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America, Dead Exposure – Death Valley and last but certainly not least, Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse. They also have four frightful scare zones and two live shows! The Purge Dangerous Waters was EXCELLENT and Late Night with Chucky is campy fun. This year’s musical experience is by The Weeknd. Lots of fright for your buck! Not only that but you can partake in any of the rides and attractions in the park!
The Haunted Harvest: (Chino, CA) This terrifying corn maze includes 6 terrifying haunted houses within! Located at Frosty’s Forest Pumpkin patch there are 2-acres of terror awaiting you! This year’s maze themes are: Gordey’s, Brujeria, House of Jack, XXXmas, Maniacs, and No More Late Fees. This experience is for 18 and up and may contain nudity, gore, and violent scenes, and is rated R. This event is running now through October 27th!
House of Spirits – A Haunted Soirée: (Downtown Los Angeles, CA) This adult experience features a 90,000-square-foot haunted venue. As you freely roam the house, you’ll find tarot readings, strange roaming specters, secret games, delectable cocktails, and more! The “House of Spirits” is loosely based on real-life hauntings of Spanish folklore. Your ticket includes mini cocktails as you enjoy the night!
Knott’s Scary Farm: (Buena Park, CA) This attraction is one of the largest haunts in SoCal with more than 1,000 horrifying creatures lurking in the fog and hiding in every corner of the park! Not only that but there are so many rides and roller coasters for you to also partake in during your frightful adventure with scare zones at every turn. Knott’s Scary Farm has 8 mazes this year as well as live shows! Your night can also include frightful rides and coasters if you dare!
For the kiddos: Knott’s Spooky Farm is a fun event for the whole family. It includes a costume party and trick or treating. You can enjoy Camp Snoopy Spooktivities with games, music, spooky stories, and more for all ages! Also check out the Creepy Critters of Livery Stable that has all sorts of insects. Included with your general admission ticket to the park!
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride: (Los Angeles, CA at Griffith Park) This Halloween haunt includes 3 mostly open-air mazes: Monae Manor, Trick or Treat Ding-Dong Dead!, Hellbilly Halloween and the titular Haunted Hayride, where goblins, demons, and ghouls could pop out at any moment! Additional attractions include Madame Aurora’s Seance Theatre, Scary-Go-Round carnival ride, Zombie Splat Gellyball Experience, and mini escape games which are $5 per game. There are also scare actors lurking about and live performances from The Monte Revolta Show which is a fun and campy horror musical number.
We went recently. and enjoyed this event. The best haunt of the night was the Monae Manor maze!
Queen Mary Dark Harbor: (Long Beach, CA) After four years of closure post Covid Dark Harbor is back! One of our favorite events, the Queen Mary because already has a super haunted vibe! This year’s event features an array of attractions, including haunted mazes, hundreds of costumed monsters, immersive experiences, live entertainment, VIP options, themed bars and lounges, carnival rides, festive food and treats, and countless photo opportunities. This year’s mazes include Lullaby, Infirmary, Feast, Big Top Terror, and Breakout and on the Run! Also, check out the eerie haunted theatrical experience, “Lady Mabel Presents: The Summoning of Samuel”. A ten-minute spine-tingling seance experience. This is an a la carte upgrade to be paid for separately of admission.
Six Flags Fright Fest: (Valencia, CA) At one of the other largest theme parks in Southern California, Six Flags Fright Fest puts on quite an event! 5 haunted mazes, several scare zones, and live entertainment including “”The Rising”, “Unleashed”, and “Voodoo Nights”. “The Procession, a magic show with Aaron Radatz, Circus Street After Dark, Deadman’s Party and Lost Spirits. Don’t forget to hit up the thrilling roller coasters! There’s so much to do you’ll spend your entire night there enjoying the terror!
Reign of Terror (ROT): (Thousand Oaks, CA) Reign of Terror is the largest, indoor walk-through haunted house attraction in Southern California. They feature more than 142 custom rooms with 11 different, inter-connected haunt-themed sections. This haunt is over 32,000 square feet and is all designed to give you a thrilling and fun time! This is one of our favorite haunts. A lot of the time you go to a haunt just when it gets going it’s over but you’re in this experience for about 15-20 minutes straight. We haven’t been post covid but when we were going they only allowed small groups in which is also a benefit. They are running through November 2nd!
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre: (North Hollywood, CA) Zombie Joe’s in an explorative theater experience that will include raunchy, terrifying fare. It can be pretty graphic. They. have a few shows running this year. Urban Death: Tour of Terror, Abducted, and Friendly Ghost Jamboree. The Jamboree is a family-friendly walk-through maze and sit-down show for ages 2+. Check the website for performance dates. Urban Death Show Warning: Graphic content, trigger warnings & full nudity ages 17+.
During the Halloween Season sometimes it can be difficult to find truly family-friendly attractions that are good for the kiddos. Here’s a short list of fun events. Some of these are home haunts or free! (in alphabetical order)
- Boney Island: (Burbank, CA) This is a family-friendly walk thru and lights display. This used to be a free event that now charges admission. This used to be a neighborhood front yard event but is now located at a museum. Adults are $25. Children over three years of age are charged $15, and children two and under are free. It is a lot of fun and will hopefully be up and running again soon.
- Carved: This family-friendly Halloween event is located at the gorgeous the Descanso Gardens in Flintridge, California. The new Descanso Railroad will be specially lit for Carved, and a family of wood spirits carved from five enormous logswill add a touch of playful mischief to the event. You’ll also see luminous jack-o’-lanterns, hand-carved giant pumpkins and a “Rhizome” installation by Tom and Lien Dekyvere. Discount tickets for Descanso Gardens Members
- Frosty’s Forest Pumpkin Patch: (Chino, CA) Frosty’s includes several Halloween experiences for the whole family, including a pumpkin patch, Super Slide, Photo Opportunity, coaster, Viewing Zoo, pony rides, carnival rides, games, and more! This event at night turns into The Haunted Harvest for adults only. (See above)
- Haunted Time at Disneyland: (Anaheim, CA) It’s Disneyland! Not much to say here. Admission into the park includes not only all the amusement park has to offer but also Halloween-themed frightful fun with the Main Street Pumpkin Festival, Monsters After Dark at the Guardians of the Galaxy location, Haunted Halloween Mansion, and more! Basically, everything you could possibly imagine to enjoy at Disneyland but Halloween-themed.
- Holiday House: (Los Angeles, CA) Holiday House is a fun home haunt family-friendly lights display. Free to come and check out! Located around Mar Vista. Great to go check out if you live in the area. This event claims to be open as of September 16th, but their website is not updated. Check for updates!
- Magic of the Jack of Lanterns: (South El Monte, CA) Located at the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, this spectacular event showcases a glowing trail filled with amazing hand-carved pumpkins with all sorts of different themes from sea-scape, pirates, dinosaurs, drags, and more! A great family event and not to mention half the price of the event below, Night of the Jack.
- Night of the Jack: (Calabasas, CA) Located at King Gilette Ranch, this mile-long immersive trail features all types of spooky seasonal carved pumpkins. This event also has pumpkin carving, a photo-op, a souvenir shop, and a “Spookeasy” for adults. Night of the Jack sells tickets by time slot. Tickets range from $49 – $61 and $81 for VIP. It’s a beautiful event but a little steep to go look at pumpkins…lol
- Rotten Apple: (Burbank, CA) Rotten Apple always knows how to put on an amazing haunt! Their year’s attraction is called, “The Last Stop”! The admission is free and the lines can get long quickly so get there early! Due to neighborhood ordinance, they have to end at 10 PM. So, they may cut off the line prior to that. Admission is free but they’re a non-profit that donates to the Volunteers for the Burbank Animal Shelter. So, donate y’all!
Outdoor Horror Movie Screenings
Everyone loves a good fright during Halloween, and what better way than to cuddle up with a blanket and watch a scary movie in the dark with friends? Check out this short list of great spots to get your horror movie on this October in Los Angeles, California. I’ve highlighted the horror and thrillers but the full schedules are listed on their websites listed below. Most of these ventures offer food and beverage for sale and allow you to bring your own! (in alphabetical order)
- Cinespia: (Los Angeles, CA) Located at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the Cinespia screenings already have a spooky nature to them! This month they’re playing The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (50th Anniversary!), Coraline (Sold Out), Trick ‘R Treat, and Suspiria (1977)!
- Melrose Rooftop Theater: (Hollywood CA) At the Melrose Rooftop Theatre you can expect a higher-scale experience including plush outdoor chairs (no schlepping here!) and a full-service dinner and show with a 3-course menu. Melrose Rooftop Theater is including a fun mix of family friendly and scary fun for the Halloween season. Now through November 3rd they’re screening Scary Movie, Hocus Pocus (Screening Oct 3rd and 30th), The Nightmare Before Christmas, Carrie (1976), The Witches (1990), Hotel Transylvania, The Craft, American Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, The Sixth Sense, The Ring, The Haunted Mansion, Smile, Casper, Talk to Me, M3gan, Get Out, An American Werewolf in London, Halloweentown, Practical Magic, Beetlejuice, Halloween (2018), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), IT, and Scream (1996). An October full of fun frights if you dare!
- Rooftop Cinema: (Downtown L.A.) Rooftop Cinema is downtown Los Angeles’s premiere outdoor movie-watching event! They have locations featured all over the world! The location in DTLA has two tiers of seating (no chair schelping here!), chairs or loveseats for two. Seating is first come, first serve. You can purchase concessions and beverages, but with that, NO outside food or drink is allowed. So eat dinner before! They offer a 15% off DISCOUNT for the military – use code DTLAMilitary2024 and a 10% off DISCOUNT for students – use code DTLAStudent2024. Rooftop Cinema has quite an extensive horror movie calendar this month, including Scream (1996) (Oct 10 and 18th, and featuring live music on the 29th.), Scream 2, Abigail, The Shining, The Blackening, A Quiet Place: Day One (Oct 11th, 15th, and 29th) , American Psycho, The Addams Family (1991), The Sixth Sense, The Others, The Silence of the Lambs, Twilight (Oct 14th and 23rd), Hocus Pocus (Oct 15th and 31st), Scary Movie, Ready or Not, Practical Magic (Oct 17 and 30th), Pearl, The Exorcist (1973), The Crow, Longlegs (Oct 20th and 28th), The Conjuring, Trick ‘R Treat, Death Becomes Her, Get Out, Edward Scissorhands, Friday the 13th (1980), Jennifer’s Body, Shutter Island, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Maxxxine, Beetlejuice, Blade, Halloween (1978) (Oct 19th and 31st).
- Street Food Cinema: (Locations vary) Street Food Cinema is our favorite outdoor movie-watching event! We had season passes for several years. Haunted screenings for this year include a Hitchcock Night with Psycho & The Birds double feature, Beetlejuice, The Shining, and Young Frankenstein. Season passes are accepted for these events. For 20024, they’re doing a “Boo-ze, Bites & Frights” event starting October 11th at the Heritage Square Museum. There is a costume contest with prizes, food trucks, cocktails, trick-or-treating, photo ops, and Victorian home tours. Doors open at 5:30 P.M. and each event is a double feature! For ages 21 and over only. Season passes are not valid for this event.
October 11: Paranormal Activity and The Ring
October 12: Fron Dusk ’til Dawn and The Faculty
October 18: A Nightmare on Elm Street and Freddy vs. Jason
October 19: X and Pearl
We hope that you have the BEST Halloween Season this 2024! Enjoy!
More from Married to Horror
Take a look at our Halloween content in the Seasonal section! You can also find more general Married to Horror selections in our recommendations and List Section! Also, take a peek at our Master Watch List where you can find an array of horror films sorted by title, platform, rating, and more!
Do you have a favorite video that we missed? Comment below or email us at contact@marriedtohorror.com! You can also follow our Facebook group Married to Horror and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @marriedtohorror.
