October transforms Los Angeles into a playground of Halloween magic, offering everything from gentle family fun to heart-pounding scares. Whether you're traveling with little ghouls or seeking serious thrills, the City of Angels delivers Halloween experiences that rival any destination. From world-famous theme parks to intimate neighborhood celebrations, Los Angeles's Halloween events cater to every comfort level and age group.
Planning your Halloween adventure becomes much easier when you know which attractions offer the best value and entertainment. Many of the city's top Halloween destinations participate in money-saving programs that let you experience multiple attractions without breaking your budget.
Boo at the LA Zoo
The Los Angeles Zoo hosts family-oriented Halloween programming that combines education with seasonal fun. Its "Boo at the Zoo" events feature trick-or-treating stations throughout the zoo, special animal presentations with Halloween themes, and costume contests for children.
Animal keepers often incorporate Halloween elements into feeding demonstrations and educational talks, showing how different animals adapt to seasonal changes. The zoo decorates pathways with age-appropriate Halloween displays that create festive photo opportunities without frightening young visitors.
Warner Bros® Studio Tour's Festival of Frights
Warner Bros® Studio Tour elevates its regular programming with special Halloween content that showcases horror movie magic. Guests explore actual movie sets used in famous horror films while learning about special effects, makeup techniques, and movie-making secrets.
The tour features behind-the-scenes looks at how studios create convincing scares, from practical effects to computer-generated imagery. You can see costumes and props from beloved horror franchises, making this experience perfect for movie enthusiasts and teens interested in filmmaking.
Trick-or-Treating and Family Events at Griffith Park
Griffith Park transforms into Halloween Central with multiple family-friendly activities spanning several weekends in October. The park hosts various community organizations that set up safe trick-or-treating environments for families seeking alternatives to neighborhood door-to-door activities.
Free costumed events and hay maze fun attract thousands of families each year. Local groups create elaborate hay mazes, pumpkin painting stations, and costume contests with prizes for different age categories. These events typically feature live entertainment, face painting, and seasonal crafts that keep children engaged for hours.
Seasonal decor and safe outdoor activities make Griffith Park a popular destination for families with young children. The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride operates here as well, offering a classic Halloween experience that transforms sections of the park into spooky settings with hayrides and various haunted attractions for those seeking mild thrills.
Spooky Attractions
Los Angeles offers several intense Halloween experiences designed for thrill-seekers and horror enthusiasts. These attractions push creative boundaries while delivering genuine scares.
Creep LA
Creep LA has earned recognition as a highly-regarded Halloween event known for its groundbreaking approach to haunted attractions. This immersive experience uses large spaces and an extensive cast of performers to create elaborate scenarios that blur the lines between theater and haunted house.
The attraction changes themes annually, ensuring repeat visitors encounter completely new experiences. Professional actors guide guests through carefully crafted storylines that often incorporate current events or social commentary alongside traditional horror elements.
Nights of the Jack
This immersive Halloween experience features elaborate pumpkin installations, stunning light displays, and festive food and beverage offerings. Nights of the Jack creates Instagram-worthy moments around every corner, making it popular with both Halloween enthusiasts and social media users.
The event combines traditional jack-o'-lantern carving with modern technology, creating synchronized light shows that dance across thousands of carved pumpkins. Food trucks and specialty cocktail stations provide opportunities to refuel between photo sessions.
Universal Studios Hollywood's Halloween Horror Nights
Universal Studios Hollywood transforms into a nightmare realm each fall with its iconic Halloween Horror Nights event. This after-dark experience features elaborately themed haunted houses inspired by blockbuster horror films, cult classics, and original stories created by the studio's scare experts. The park also comes alive with terrifying scare zones, where roaming actors in movie-quality makeup and costumes ensure that there's no safe place to hide.
Beyond the haunted mazes, guests can enjoy select rides and attractions that remain open during the event, adding an extra layer of adrenaline to the night. Live entertainment and specialty food and drink options round out the experience, making Halloween Horror Nights one of Los Angeles's most anticipated seasonal events. Designed for teens and adults, this intense celebration offers some of the most elaborate and cinematic scares you'll find anywhere in the city.
Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds Hollywood adds special Halloween programming to their regular celebrity wax figure displays. The attraction creates horror-themed exhibits featuring figures from classic and contemporary scary movies, often including interactive elements that let you become part of famous horror scenes.
Located near Universal Studios, Madame Tussauds makes an excellent addition to Halloween Horror Nights visits, allowing guests to extend their horror movie experience beyond the theme park.
Tips for Planning Halloween in LA
Successful Halloween planning in Los Angeles requires preparation and flexible scheduling. Popular attractions often sell out, especially weekend dates closer to Halloween.
The best times to visit popular spots vary by attraction type. Family-friendly events typically draw smaller crowds during weekday evenings, while major theme park Halloween events often require weekend visits for the full experience. Consider visiting highly popular attractions during their opening weekends when crowds may be lighter.
Make Halloween More Affordable With LA CityPASS® Tickets
Halloween entertainment costs can add up quickly, especially when visiting multiple Los Angeles attractions. Los Angeles CityPASS® tickets provide substantial savings while ensuring access to the city's best Halloween and year-round attractions.
Purchase your Los Angeles CityPASS® tickets today and begin saving on admission to the city's most popular attractions while ensuring you don't miss out on this year's best Halloween events in Los Angeles. Note that some Halloween events at attractions may require an additional entrance fee.