🎃 Scary & not-scary
SoCal Halloween events
Curated by Simir Shah
17 spots across Southern California — add your zip or city to sort by what's closest to you
Pretend City Halloween (Costume Week)
Irvine · Family / not-scary
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — toddler and preschool-friendly Halloween programming at Pretend City Children's Museum. Branding and dates shift yearly; check the events calendar.
🗓️ Late October (daytime)
💵 Included with museum admission; see site
Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch
Orange · Family / not-scary
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — a classic not-scary pumpkin patch in Irvine Regional Park: train ride, hayrides, games. (It's in the city of Orange despite the 'Irvine' name.)
🗓️ Mid-Sept–Oct 31 (daily)
💵 Ticket required + park entry fee; see site
Boo at the Zoo (Santa Ana Zoo)
Santa Ana · Boo at the zoo
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — a 'merry not scary' evening kids' event at the Santa Ana Zoo with trick-or-treating and crafts. A separate ticket, not included with day admission.
🗓️ Two weekends in late October (evening)
💵 Separate ticketed event; see site
Boo at the Bay (OC Parks)
Newport Beach · Family / not-scary
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — a gentle OC Parks family Halloween party at the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve. One of several small OC Parks Halloween events each October.
🗓️ One Saturday in late October (evening)
💵 Low-cost / registration; see site
Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party
Anaheim · Theme-park (family)
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — Disney's not-scary after-hours party at Disney California Adventure: trick-or-treating, a character cavalcade, costumes welcome. Sells out fast.
🗓️ Late Aug–Oct 31 (select nights)
💵 Separate-ticket party; see site
Knott's Scary Farm
Buena Park · Theme-park (SCARY)
SCARY — skip with little kids. SoCal's biggest haunt: mazes, scare zones, intense. The nighttime separate-ticket event (NOT the daytime Spooky Farm).
🗓️ Mid-Sept–early Nov (select nights)
💵 Separate-ticket event; see site
Knott's Spooky Farm
Buena Park · Theme-park (family)
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — the daytime kids' Halloween at Knott's Berry Farm: a trick-or-treat trail, costumes, not-scary fun. Do NOT confuse it with the nighttime Scary Farm.
🗓️ Late Sept–Oct 31 (daytime, select days)
💵 Included with admission; some add-ons extra
Queen Mary's Dark Harbor
Long Beach · Haunted house (SCARY)
SCARY — mazes aboard the haunted Queen Mary ocean liner, not for kids. Returned in 2024 under new operators; confirm it's announced each season before planning around it.
🗓️ Mid/late Sept–early Nov (select nights)
💵 Separate-ticket event; see site
LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat Monster Party
Carlsbad · Theme-park (family)
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — LEGO-themed trick-or-treating, shows and decor at LEGOLAND California; aimed at younger kids.
🗓️ Mid-Sept–Nov 1 (select dates)
💵 Included with admission; see site
Carved at Descanso Gardens
La Cañada Flintridge · Family / not-scary
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — an after-dark walk past thousands of carved, illuminated pumpkins on a garden trail. Atmospheric but not-scary; good for all ages.
🗓️ Nightly in October (evenings)
💵 Separate timed ticket; see site
Boo at the L.A. Zoo
Los Angeles · Boo at the zoo
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — daytime not-scary Halloween at the L.A. Zoo: trick-or-treat stations, crafts, costumes.
🗓️ Last two weekends of October (daytime)
💵 Included with zoo admission; see site
Halloween Horror Nights
Universal City · Theme-park (SCARY)
SCARY — not for kids. Universal Studios Hollywood; movie-themed haunted houses and scare zones, billed as SoCal's most extreme Halloween event.
🗓️ Early Sept–early Nov (select nights)
💵 Separate-ticket event; see site
Rotten Apple 907 (free home haunt)
Burbank
A free charity home haunt running since 1990 — a short walk-through that's mildly spooky but family-friendly. Expect long lines.
🗓️ Mid/late Oct weekends + Halloween night
SeaWorld Halloween Spooktacular
San Diego · Theme-park (family)
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — daytime trick-or-treating, costumes and gentle decor at SeaWorld San Diego. The kid version of Howl-O-Scream.
🗓️ Early Sept–early Nov (weekends, daytime)
💵 Included with park admission; see site
SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream
San Diego · Theme-park (SCARY)
SCARY — haunted houses and scare zones for adults/teens, not little kids (the daytime Spooktacular is the kid version).
🗓️ Mid-Sept–Nov 1 (select nights)
💵 Separate-ticket nighttime event; see site
San Diego Zoo HalGLOWeen
San Diego · Boo at the zoo
FAMILY-FRIENDLY — after-dark glowing pumpkins, lanterns and gentle Halloween fun at the San Diego Zoo.
🗓️ Fri–Sun nights in October (after dark)
💵 Included with zoo admission; see site
Six Flags Fright Fest
Valencia · Theme-park (SCARY at night)
Daytime is family-friendly; nighttime mazes and scare zones are SCARY. At Six Flags Magic Mountain.
🗓️ Mid/late Sept–early Nov (select nights)
💵 Daytime included w/ admission; mazes a paid add-on
Never miss a seasonal event near you
We'll send the best family events near you every week — including Halloween, the holidays and more. Plus this week's $50 giveaway. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dates change every yearand the big parties sell out — always confirm the current-year dates and tickets on each event's official site before planning.
Frequently asked questions
Which SoCal Halloween events are NOT scary (good for young kids)?
Disney's Oogie Boogie Bash, Knott's daytime Spooky Farm, SeaWorld's Spooktacular, LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat, Boo at the L.A. and San Diego Zoos, Carved at Descanso Gardens, the Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch and Pretend City are all family-friendly. Each listing here is clearly flagged FAMILY-FRIENDLY or SCARY so you can choose with confidence.
What are the scariest Halloween events in Southern California?
Knott's Scary Farm (Buena Park) is the biggest and most intense, alongside Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, Six Flags Fright Fest (at night), SeaWorld's Howl-O-Scream and Queen Mary's Dark Harbor. These are for teens and adults — skip them with little kids.
When do SoCal Halloween events start?
The big theme-park events open in mid-to-late September and run through Halloween (Oogie Boogie Bash starts in late August), while zoo and community events cluster in October. Tickets to the popular parties (especially Oogie Boogie Bash) sell out early, so book ahead. Dates change yearly — confirm on each event's site.
Where can I find pumpkin patches and trick-or-treating?
For pumpkin patches and corn mazes, see our dedicated pumpkin patches guide. This page focuses on Halloween events and parties; for dated community trick-or-treat and trunk-or-treat events near you, check our events calendar in October.