The Bay Area’s 2026 Halloween season spans immersive theater in a historic San Francisco mint, the narrative event at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, and the East Bay’s biggest professional haunt in Pleasanton. This guide covers the multi-day, ticketed events across the San Francisco Bay Area, sorted by opening date. Single-day events and home haunts are not listed. For the full statewide list, see our Haunted Houses in California guide.
Bay Area Haunts at a Glance
| Event | Location | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Festival Fright Nights | Winchester Mystery House, San Jose | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Six Flags Fright Fest | Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo | 2026 dates TBA |
| Terror Vault | The San Francisco Mint, San Francisco | Oct 1 – Nov 1 |
| Pirates of Emerson | Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton | Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
Festival Fright Nights
Festival Fright Nights returns to the Winchester Mystery House on select nights from September 18 through November 1, and it is dropping last year’s linear haunt for an open festival format, adding a new haunted house, The House of Spirits, and a 1926 estate-wide mystery.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Winchester Mystery House, San Jose |
| Tickets | Discount presale open (details) |
| New for 2026 | Open festival format, new House of Spirits haunt, 1926 estate-wide mystery |
Six Flags Fright Fest at Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo runs Fright Fest alongside the chain’s other parks, with 2026 dates not yet posted.
| Dates | 2026 dates TBA |
| Location | Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo |
| Tickets | TBA (see our all-locations Fright Fest guide) |
| New for 2026 | Awaiting the park’s 2026 announcement |
Terror Vault
Terror Vault returns to The San Francisco Mint in 2026 with a new production titled Slashed: Return to Hellville.
| Dates | Select nights, Oct 1 – Nov 1 |
| Location | The San Francisco Mint, San Francisco |
| Tickets | GA $64.42–$90.30 (details) |
| New for 2026 | All-new 1980s-slasher theme |
Pirates of Emerson
Pirates of Emerson returns to the Alameda County Fairgrounds on select nights from October 2 through November 1 for its 36th season.
| Dates | Select nights, Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton |
| Lineup | 4 walk-through haunted houses on six acres, plus Frightmares & Oddities and live bands |
| Tickets | From $38 (details) |
| New for 2026 | Midway games now included with every ticket tier |
Beyond the Bay: Sacramento
Heartstoppers Haunted House in Rancho Cordova, about 90 minutes northeast, runs October 2 through November 1 with four haunts, a new VIP club experience, and a new hourly stage show.
Bay Area Haunt FAQ
What is the biggest haunted house in the Bay Area?
Pirates of Emerson in Pleasanton is the region’s largest professional haunt, running four walk-through houses on six acres of the Alameda County Fairgrounds.
Is there a haunted house in San Francisco itself?
Terror Vault at The San Francisco Mint is the city’s marquee Halloween event, an immersive theatrical horror experience inside the 1874 building. Want to work at one of these haunts? See how to become a scare actor.
