Posted by If you love haunted houses and horror, Los Angeles has you covered this Halloween season, offering dozens of walk-through mazes, interactive horror experiences, VR, and family-friendly thrills. Below are 31 of our favorite picks, if you’re feeling particularly brave.
IMMERSIVE & INTERACTIVE
Creep LA
Creep LA returns for a fourth season, this time putting 25 guests to bed. Only instead of a peaceful respite, they’ll have to navigate through a 60,000 square foot space that’s been transformed into an unfurling nightmare. Attendees may encounter darkness, crawling, and performers (or monsters?) that can touch them. Ticket holders may also enjoy an exclusive menu at nearby Rappahannock Oyster Bar, which will be staying open until 11 p.m. on show nights.
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Where: ROW DTLA, 777 Alameda Street, downtown L.A.
When:
Cost: $89
Delusion: The Blue Blade
Delusion is back with their sixth show, The Blue Blade. In this sci-fi tale, you and seven others must help The Safeguard Society recover a stolen artifact that allows the user to time travel before havoc is fully wreaked.
Delusion shows are typically highly interactive, so be prepared to stay sharp as you move through multiple time periods—which we’re told may involve sliding—in search of the thief.
Guests are advised to show up early to enjoy the bar and lounge area before the show. Tickets typically sell out quickly, but subscribe to Delusion’s mailing list for announcements about new batches of tickets or extensions.
Where: Secret location in Mid-Wilshire
When: Select dates Sept. 21-Dec. 16
Cost: $95
Theatre Macabre
The devious minds behind 2015’s The Tension Experience are back with a new interactive show that takes inspiration from the grisly theater of Paris’ Grand Guignol. Guests will be able to choose their own path throughout the multi-floor venue, whether that’s taking in a strange theater performance or embarking on a mission with various characters. The show runs over two hours and admission include adult beverages.
Where: Secret location in Los Angeles
When: Select dates Oct. 4-Nov. 4
Cost: $150
Disco Dining Club’s The Flowering of the Strange Orchids
‘Botanical horror’ and man-eating plants are at the center of this elevated Halloween dinner party. The lofty price tag of $300 will earn you a 5-course meal from Chef Laurent Quenioux, cocktail pairings and wine, coffee and tea service, desserts, and optional edible bug pairings via Bugible. Lavish set design from partners including The Grim Wreather (they make creepy wreaths) will be complimented by theatrical activations, puppets, live music, and dance performances throughout and after dinner.
Where: Private residence in Pico-Union
When: Oct. 26, 27, 28
Cost: $30
The Unknown
We only know two things about this haunt: they have a creepy Instagram account, and it comes via Annie Lesser, Teresa Loera, and Heidi Callaway. Previous work from Lesser would indicate an immersive production worth seeing, but this is literally all the information we’ve got. Seek them out if you dare.
Where: Somewhere in Silver Lake
When: October
Cost: TBA
Photo: The 17th Door
The 17th Door: Crybaby
The 17th Door is returning for a fourth installment, continuing the story of Paula, a young woman who has really been through the ringer. Guests to the haunt’s inaugural season were introduced to a bullied college student who, through a series of terrible events, is now in prison for the murder of her son. This haunt typically prides itself on gore and shock with a fair bit of interactivity between guests and monsters, and we’re sure this year will be no different. Explore 20 unique rooms, or, if you get too scared, call ‘Mercy!’ to be escorted to safety. New this year is an optional 15-minute VR experience that guests may choose to endure prior to entering the haunt.
Where: 1851 W. Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton
When: Select dates Sept. 21-Oct. 31
Cost: $23-28 + $13 for VR add-on
Drunken Devil: Bacchanalia
Drunken Devil throws multiple horror-themed parties throughout the year, but for Halloween, they’re taking us to ancient Rome. Bacchanalia is inspired by the scandalous legacy of Caligula, with members of the depraved emperor’s court in attendance and interacting with guests. Tickets to Bacchanalia are all-inclusive, providing access to an open bar and entertainment including DJs, burlesque, and magicians. Lavish attire encouraged, but event organizers would prefer you not wear a toga. Read more about Drunken Devil and its founder, Matt Dorado, here.
Where: Secret location in Los Angeles
When: October 13
Cost: $85
THEATRE
Wicked Lit
Unbound Productions’ site-specific Wicked Lit returns to the Mountain View Mausoleum, offering the perfect setting for all new tales of horror. This year, guests will enjoy two theatrical adaptations: Charles Dickens’ The Chimes: A Goblin Story, and Ernest Rhys’ Teig O’Kane and the Corpse. The Chimes follows an elderly man’s encounter with goblins, while Teig is the story of an immature Irishman who must learn to accept responsibility when a corpse attaches itself to his back. Guests will walk the through the mausoleum as they follow both chilling tales. The total run time for both shows is approximately 75 minutes.
Where: 2300 Marengo Ave., Altadena
When: Select dates Oct. 4-Nov. 10
Cost: $30-40
Dr. Zomba’s Ghost Show of Terror
Taking inspiration from the “ghost shows” of the 1950s, Dr. Zomba is a campy theater piece in which guests are attendants at a seance. Doctor Zomba and his assistants, Sirina and Ear-Gore, will perform a variety of magic tricks before attempting to summon the dead. This was a popular Fringe piece for fans of B-movie horror humor, making it a perfect remount for Halloween.
Where: The Complex Hollywood, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood
When: Oct. 20, 26, 27 & Nov. 3
Cost: $20
Urban Death: Tour of Terror
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre in North Hollywood presents their annual Halloween iteration of Urban Death. Guests will wind through a short maze set up in the theater’s lobby area before entering a darkened theater where series of disturbing vignettes will be presented one after another. Guests will have to wind through the maze again to get back out. Note: Urban Death can be funny, creepy, and very gross, so you should be prepared for vulgar humor and total nudity (theirs, not yours). Read more about the history of Zombie Joe’s and Urban Death here.
Where: 4850 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood
When: Select dates Oct.5-31, plus Nov. 3
Cost: $15-20
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Force of Nature Productions
Burbank theater company Force of Nature presents a tribute to one of the greatest horror authors of all time. Edgar Allen Poe stars Duffy Hudson as the eponymous writer, who will “recollect some of the chilling truths and secrets behind the work he left behind.”
Where: 1001 W Olive Ave., Burbank
When: Oct. 19, 20, & 21 at 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $20
The Witching Hour
Black Rabbit Rose, Hollywood’s magic-themed cocktail bar, will run a new show titled “The Witching Hour” in their theater this fall.
This particular venue—which also houses fellow Houston Brothers’ bars Dirty Laundry and Madame Siam—was once an apartment building founded in 1917 to cater specifically to actors. The building was home to Clara Bow and Mae Busch, and Rudolph Valentino allegedly ran a speakeasy out of the basement.
“The Witching Hour” draws on these legends and other rumors of occult practices and secret societies in the form of a séance. Performers include Liberty Larsen, Asia Ray, and Fitzgerald.
Where: 1719 N. Hudson Ave., Los Angeles
When: Oct. 11-Nov. 4
Cost: $40
AMUSEMENT PARKS
Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights
This year’s attraction is going into the Upside Down with an all-new Stranger Things haunt for anyone who’s wondered what it’s like to be relentlessly pursued by a Demogorgon. Other new mazes include Trick ‘r Treat (inspired by the Michael Dougherty film); The First Purge; Poltergeist; Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers; the Horrors of Blumhouse, which will recreate moments from Truth or Dare and Unfriended, and “Universal Monsters”—a tribute to the classic villains of horror cinema with a score courtesy of Slash. Guests may also stop by the park’s permanent Walking Dead attraction and take the Terror Tram on a tour of the studio’s clown-filled backlot. For a break from all the screaming, check out hip-hop dance troupe Jabbawockeez’s stage show. Of course, getting to and from the theater may require you to walk through the park’s multiple scare zones.
Where: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City
When: Select dates Sept. 14-Nov. 3
Cost: $67 and up
Six Flags Fright Fest
Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia has transformed into Fright Fest, offering six mazes, multiple scare zones, and the chance to ride some of your favorite coasters—including Twisted Colossus and Full Throttle—in the dark. Get trapped in the world’s worst open house in “Condemned,” grossed out in “Sewer of Souls,” and attend Hell Fest in a maze inspired by the upcoming horror flick. Or, walk through the DC area of the park to encounter roaming clowns—no doubt escaped from Arkham—in scare zone “City Under Siege.” Performances include the High Sierra Hypnotist and Voodoo Nights, featuring DJs, dancers, and more.
Where: 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia
When: Select dates Sept. 15-Oct. 28
Cost: $53.99 and up
Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
Queen Mary flirts with its ghost stories and alleged hauntings all year long, but they really go all out for Halloween. Dark Harbor features six mazes, nightly entertainment consisting of circus performers and DJs, two secret themed bars, and even a ‘haunted hookah lounge.’ All mazes are returning classics with new paths and secrets, and include “Feast,” “B340,” “Deadrise,” and “Circus.”
Where: 1126 Queens Hwy, Long Beach
When: Select dates Sept. 27-Nov. 2
Cost: $20 and up
Knott’s Scary Farm
Knott’s Berry Farm has become the sinister Scary Farm every Halloween since 1973. Guests to this year’s event will get the chance to explore nine mazes including two brand new offerings: “Dark Entities,” which takes place aboard a forsaken space station, and “The Depths,” which takes guests deep into the caves of a seaside town. That sounds nice, but we’re pretty sure there are going to be tentacled sea monsters. Returning mazes include “Pumpkin Eater,” “The Red Barn,” “Trick or Treat,” “Paranormal Inc.,” “Dark Ride,” and zombie laser tag maze “Special Ops Infected.” Other Scary Farm attractions include a spookier version of the Timber Mountain Log Ride, a zombie VR experience, and live magic and comedy performances.
Where: 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park
When: Select dates Sept. 20-Oct. 31
Cost: $42 and up
VIRTUAL REALITY
The VOID
The VOID’s unique brand of “hyper-reality” gets two spooky experiences for Halloween. You can choose to sign on as a rookie Ghostbuster and, armed with a proton pack, explore a haunted apartment building in Ghostbusters: Dimension. Or, you can explore the site of a mysterious disappearance during the Chicago World’s Fair in Nicodemus: Demon of Evanishment. Solve puzzles faster than Nicodemus can stalk you and you may escape with your life.
These VR experiences are tangible, meaning you will actually be able to feel and smell the virtual world you see in your headset. Read more about The VOID’s Star Wars experience here, or about Ghostbusters and Nicodemus here. The full experience lasts about a half hour, including a short video, gearing up, and the VR portion.
Where: Glendale Galleria, 100 W Broadway, Glendale
When: See website for details
Cost: $29.95
Wax House: The Legend of Jack the Ripper
In this VR escape room experience, teams of up to four attempt to finally solve the identity of Jack the Ripper, the infamous serial killer who evaded Scotland Yard over a century ago. Players will first walk through a spooky hallway that explains the case before suiting up and entering a VR labyrinth. Each player will carry a controller that allows them to pick up virtual objects and a prop that will guide their path. Find secrets and solve puzzles, lest you become the Ripper’s victims yourselves.
The experience takes place in a 3,000 square foot room in which players can roam untethered. Though not as tactile as The VOID, there is some haptic feedback built into the floor, which makes for some pretty cool effects. The entire experience lasts over a half hour and is located in the Mountasia Family Fun Center, where guests may also enjoy a variety of arcade games and other activities.
Where: Mountasia Family Fun Center, 21516 Golden Triangle Rd., Santa Clarita
When: Select dates through Oct. 31
Cost: $29.95
MULTI-MAZE ATTRACTIONS
HorrorWorld
HorrorWorld is a collection of three separate haunts in one location presented by horror FX company Bone Yard Effects. Mazes include Into the Black, The Psycho Sanitarium, and The Fleshyard.
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In Into the Black, participants will enter one at a time to investigate the mysterious Black House. Legend has it that this home was built over a century ago by an occult-loving family. Those who can find the forsaken mansion will find it’s delightfully full of demons. Psycho Sanitarium is set within a “dark and destitute” sanitarium, while The Fleshyard tells the tale of a murdered family seeking vengeance at the site of their once prosperous farm.
Guests may also peruse a variety of morbid vendors in between haunts.
Where: 1600 S. Azusa Ave., Rowland Heights
When: Select dates Sept. 28-Oct. 31
Cost: $15-20 per haunt or $45 for all three
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
Haunted Hayride hits 10 years this Halloween! This year, they’ll be offering a clown-filled hayride, the skeletal Scary-Go-Round, dark maze House of Shadows, and an interactive Trick-or-Treat experience. Roam the fairgrounds in between for food, vendors, theater, and roaming monsters.
Where: 4730 Crystal Springs Ave., Los Angeles
When: Select dates Sept. 29-Oct. 31
Cost: $30.99 and up
Warner Bros’ Horror Made Here: A Festival of Frights
Warner Bros. Studio Tour gets creepy with Horror Made Here: A Festival of Frights. Guests to the backlot tour will have the opportunity to brave a maze inspired by The Conjuring franchise; tours through Freddy vs. Jason‘s Camp Crystal Lake and Batman‘s Arkham Asylum; the Lost Boys arcade, horror makeup demos; ephemera from Tim Burton films, and a special 4D screening of select scenes from The Exorcist (1973). There’s also one amusement park ride, Devil’s Drop Tower, and carnival games. Those who feel parched may visit Fangtasia which is, yes, the vampire bar from True Blood. And for those who missed the IT haunted house that popped up in Hollywood last August, the tour will have that, too.
Where: 6510 Forrest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles
When: Select dates Oct. 5-27
Cost: $59 and up
Reign of Terror
Technically, Reign of Terror is just one continuous haunt, but it’s also one of the largest haunted houses in Southern California, containing a total of eight unique themes spread among 105 separate rooms. New this year is a “White-Out Experience” and a Lights Out event on Nov. 3 where participants must navigate the haunt with just one glow stick per person. There are also two Lights On tours on October 20 and 27, which allow attendees to walk through a well-lit, monster-free haunt for $5.
Where: 275 N. Moorpark Rd., Thousand Oaks (inside Janss Marketplace)
When: Selet dates Sept. 29-Oct.31, plus Nov. 3
Cost: $15-35
Sinister Pointe’s Scary Place
Sinister Pointe is offering a host of Halloween attractions in one location. There are three haunts: “Phobias,” an interactive haunt exploring common fears; “Evil on 2,” which takes place on the possessed second floor of a quaint hotel; and the train-themed “Boogeyman Express.” In between haunts, check out live music, magicians, sideshow acts, vendors, and food and beverage options. Of course, getting to and from all these elements will require passing through Sinister Pointe’s scare zones.
Where: 24100 Laguna Hills Mall, Laguna Hills
When: Sept. 28-Oct. 31
Cost: $62 and up
SINGLE-MAZE HAUNTS
Donnie Darko Experience
Opechee Haunt is the love and labor of Sam Kellman, a teenage haunt enthusiast. This year’s attraction is themed after the 2001 cult hit, Donnie Darko. Guests enter alone (no exceptions), encountering scenes and characters from the film. This is a free home haunt, so guests are advised to show up early to secure a spot in line.
Where: 1307 Opechee Way, Glendale
When: Oct. 20, 21, 26, 27 & 28, 6:30-10 p.m.
Cost: Free (donations accepted for future haunts)
Anneliese: the Experience
Twisted Minds Productions’ hosts “Anneliese: the Experience,” an interactive haunt following the story of a young girl who is possessed by evil.
The haunt takes its inspiration from a true and tragic story. Anneliese Michel was a young German woman who ultimately died after her family and two Catholic priests, believing her to be possessed by a demon, subjected her to dozens of exorcisms.
Guests will be led by two ghost hunters through a ‘paranormal research tour’ in search of demonic activity.
Where: 6150 Piedmont Ave., Highland Park
When: October 26, 27 & 31
Cost: $3
Rotten Apple
Diane and Preston Meyer started this beloved home haunt over 25 years ago as a birthday party for a child, but it’s since gone on to take over the front lawn of their Burbank home every October. This year’s theme is Killpetto’s Toy Shop, so expect a sinister take on Pinocchio—which, when you think about it, was already a pretty horrifying tale. Why exactly was some guy rounding up little kids to turn them into donkeys anyhow? This haunt is free and first come, first served, but also very popular. So, to avoid long lines and ensure you get in, it’s wise to show up on the earlier side. Due to city permits, the haunt must close at 10 p.m. nightly no matter who’s left in line.
Where: 907 N. California St., Burbank
When: October 20, 21, 27, 28, & 31, 7 to 10 p.m.
Cost: Free, but donations are accepted to support Volunteers of Burbank Animal Shelter
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The Backwoods Maze
Since 2003, the Backwoods Maze has been a standout home haunt that is often just as scary as the big-budget haunts. Early teasers indicate part of this year’s theme may include an area titled “Sewage Falls.” Sounds toxically delightful.
Where: 1912 N Pepper St., Burbank
When: Select dates Oct.12-31
Cost: Free
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Pageant of the Monsters
Pageant of the Masters involves actors who make paintings come to life, as anyone who’s been or seen that particular episode of Arrested Development knows. But once every five years, Pageant of the Monsters awakens from its slumber, re-enacting ghoulish tableaus. This year’s theme is “Raiders of the Lost Art,” and includes a haunted house, Halloween arts and craft, and activities for children. The haunted house is not gory, and is recommended for children 5 and older. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.
Where: 650 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach
When: October 26, 27, 28, 31
Cost: $15 in advance/$20 at the door/$10 for children 12 and under.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s0b7yTSmjA
Ghost Train
The Los Angeles Live Streamers Railroad Museum’s Ghost Train is a family-friendly, gore-free ride through light-hearted, spooky scenes. It runs about 23 minutes in length, and proceeds go to benefit the museum’s 13-acre park facility.
Guests may make a night of it with Boney Island, a long-running Valley home haunt hosted for the first time at LALSRM. The attraction is full of animated skeletons, singing bushes, and other all-ages magic. You’ll find it in between Ghost Train and Travel Town, but the two attractions are separate. If you want to see both in one night, be sure to schedule your visit appropriately and buy tickets for both.
Where: 5202 Zoo Drive
When: Ghost Train runs select dates Oct. 13-31; Boney Island Oct. 11-31
Cost: $25-30 for Ghost Train; $15 for Boney Island
Rosehill Haunt: The Final Celebration
Rosehill Haunt is a family-friendly home haunt featuring talking skeletons and pumpkins and other fun surprises. As a guest, you’ll be recruited to help Rosehill Cemetery break the curse that plagues its grounds. Creators say this year’s haunt is “by far our most immersive, darkest, and elaborate theme yet.”
Where: 11560 Acama St., Studio City
When: Oct. 26, 27, 28, & 31
Cost: Free, donations accepted
Night of the Jack
This is the perfect event for someone who wants a little Halloween atmosphere without any of the scares. At Night of the Jack, guests of all ages can meander through Calabasas’ King Gillette Ranch, where thousands of pumpkins will be arranged in elaborate displays. Pumpkins may be assembled in the form of dinosaurs, sea creatures, fairy tale scenes, and celebrities. Guests may also check out live carving demonstrations, a gift shop, and the Fear Garden Bar for food and drinks. Tickets are sold for timed entries, but guests are free to explore at their own pace. It takes about one hour to complete the entire trail.
Where: 26800 Mulholland Hwy, Calabasas
When: Oct. 11-Nov. 4
Cost: $25 adults/$20 children ages 4-12
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