California’s Halloween season stands out for its variety: every major theme park runs a Halloween event, professional haunts operate from San Diego to Sacramento, and the state’s home-haunt scene is the largest in the country. The season also started early, with the first ticketed event opening August 18. This guide covers the multi-day, ticketed Halloween events operating in commercial spaces across California in 2026. Single-day events and home haunts are not listed. For home haunts, see my Southern California home haunts guide. Family and community Halloween events have their own section near the end. Most events link to my full guide, where you will find current prices, lineups, and updates.
Planning by date? See when every haunted house opens in 2026.
City guides: Los Angeles | San Diego | Bay Area
Southern California at a Glance
| Event | Location | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Oogie Boogie Bash | Disney California Adventure, Anaheim | Aug 18 – Oct 31 |
| Halloween Time at Disneyland | Disneyland Resort, Anaheim | Aug 21 – Oct 31 |
| Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood | Universal Studios Hollywood | Sept 3 – Nov 1 |
| Howl-O-Scream San Diego | SeaWorld San Diego | Sept 11 – Oct 31 |
| The Hollow Awakens | Lakewood Center, Lakewood | Sept 12 – Nov 1 |
| Knott’s Scary Farm | Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park | Sept 17 – Oct 31 |
| Delusion: Den of the Mosquito | Beckett Mansion, Los Angeles | Sept 17 – Nov 8 |
| Six Flags Fright Fest | Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor | The Queen Mary, Long Beach | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Los Angeles Haunted Hayride | Griffith Park, Los Angeles | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns | South Coast Botanic Garden, Palos Verdes | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Eulogy Collective: Shades of Hell | Eulogy Collective, Anaheim | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat | LEGOLAND California, Carlsbad | Sept 19 – Nov 1 |
| Through the Veil | Heritage Square Museum, LA + Broken Spirits, Anaheim | Sept 19, 26, 30 |
| The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park | Balboa Park, San Diego | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Reign of Terror Haunted House | Thousand Oaks, Conejo Valley | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| The 17th Door | Buena Park | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Nights of the Jack | King Gillette Ranch, Calabasas | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Carved at Descanso Gardens | Descanso Gardens, La Cañada Flintridge | Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Black Casket | Yucaipa | Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| The Haunted Car Wash | Orange County, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, San Diego | Oct 2 – Oct 31 |
| The Hollow at Live Oak Canyon | Redlands, Inland Empire | Oct 2 – Oct 31 |
| Beetle House LA pop-up | The Compound, Commerce | Oct 8 – Nov 7 |
| Heritage Square Museum Halloween | Heritage Square Museum, Los Angeles | Oct 9 – Oct 31 |
| Urban Death Tour of Terror “Ultra” | Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre, North Hollywood | Oct 9 – Nov 1 |
| Haunted Soiree | Nocturne Theatre, Glendale | Oct 10 – Oct 31 |
| Mary and Margo’s Halloween Sideshow of Madness | Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre, North Hollywood | Oct 14 – Oct 29 |
| Haunted Little Tokyo | Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles | Oct 24 – Oct 31 |
| Wicked Lit | Chance Theater, Anaheim | Oct 29 – Nov 2 |
Northern California at a Glance
| Event | Location | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Festival Fright Nights | Winchester Mystery House, San Jose | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| The Great Big BOO at Gilroy Gardens (family, not scary) | Gilroy Gardens, Gilroy | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Terror Vault | The San Francisco Mint, San Francisco | Oct 1 – Nov 1 |
| Heartstoppers Haunted House | Rancho Cordova, Sacramento area | Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Pirates of Emerson | Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton | Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Hobb’s Grove | Sanger, Fresno area | Oct 2 – 31 |
| Goblin Jamboree at the Bay Area Discovery Museum (family, for young kids) | Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito | Weekends, Oct 3 – 31 |
Southern California Haunted Houses
Oogie Boogie Bash
Oogie Boogie Bash returns to Disney California Adventure on a record 33 nights from August 18 through October 31, 2026.
| Dates | 33 select nights, Aug 18 – Oct 31 |
| Location | Disney California Adventure, Anaheim |
| Tickets | $139 to $199, separate ticket (details) |
| New for 2026 | Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake street party, Yzma’s first US face-character appearance, record 33 nights |
Halloween Time at Disneyland
Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort runs August 21 through October 31, 2026, across both parks.
| Dates | Aug 21 – Oct 31 (Plaza de la Familia through Nov 2) |
| Location | Disneyland Resort, Anaheim |
| Tickets | Included with park admission (details) |
| New for 2026 | Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake street party replaces the Frightfully Fun Parade |
Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is running its 2026 Halloween Horror Nights over 42 select nights from September 3 through November 1.
| Dates | 42 select nights, Sept 3 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Universal Studios Hollywood |
| Houses | 8, including Sinners, Stranger Things 5, Hellraiser, and Evil Dead Burn |
| Tickets | On sale now (see my HHN tickets guide) |
| New for 2026 | The event’s first-ever Hellraiser house, plus Evil Dead Burn tied to the sixth Evil Dead film, and a new Fortnitemares scare zone (Freaky Fields) shared with Orlando |
Howl-O-Scream San Diego
SeaWorld San Diego’s Howl-O-Scream runs on select nights from September 11 through October 31, 2026. It is one of five Howl-O-Scream parks nationwide, with the dates, hours, and tickets for all of them in my Howl-O-Scream 2026 all-locations guide.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 11 – Oct 31 |
| Location | SeaWorld San Diego |
| Lineup | 6 haunted houses, 5 scare zones, 3 vile vignettes, 1 show, 11 bars and speakeasies |
| Tickets | From $41.99 single night (details) |
| New for 2026 | Area 64: MOTHERSHIP house with an 80-foot facade, three all-new scare zones |
Knott’s Scary Farm
Knott’s Scary Farm, running since 1973, is open on 26 select nights through Halloween. Watch my full 2026 walkthrough, and find the event map, hours, and every maze in my Knott’s Scary Farm guide.
| Dates | 26 select nights, Sept 17 – Oct 31 |
| Location | Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park |
| Lineup | 10 mazes, 5 scare zones, 3 shows |
| Tickets | $75 to $89 online from October 8 (details) |
| New for 2026 | Inked and Unearthed mazes, the shows Occultum and Voodoo: Bayou’s Edge, and a reimagined CarnEVIL scare zone |
Six Flags Fright Fest
Fright Fest presented by SNICKERS is open at Six Flags Magic Mountain for its 33rd year, Fridays through Sundays through November 1, plus Thursdays from October 8, with seven mazes and seven scare zones. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, which ran Fright Fest in prior years, is not listing it on its 2026 events calendar (see my update on the 2026 changes).
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia |
| Tickets | The seven mazes need a Haunted Attractions Pass, from $25 for one night or $69 for the season, before taxes and fees (details) |
| New for 2026 | Two new mazes, Final Destination: Death’s Playground and Wolves’ Blood, and a new show, Nytewalkerz |
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor is open on select nights through November 1 aboard the retired ocean liner in Long Beach, with six haunted mazes, carnival rides, and stage shows.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Location | The Queen Mary, Long Beach |
| Tickets | General admission from $47.99 with fees, online only (details) |
| New for 2026 | Six mazes, including the new Shipwrecked: Brace for Impact, plus two new rides and four new speakeasies |
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride is open in Griffith Park on select nights through November 1, 2026, with the hayride, three haunted houses, and a stage show.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Griffith Park’s Old Zoo, Los Angeles |
| Tickets | From $34.99 for the hayride alone, or $49.99 with the haunted houses, online only (details) |
| New for 2026 | Fallen Angel 1980s rock maze, Elvira’s Trick or Treat Mayhem returns, first-ever alcohol in Midnight Falls |
LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat
LEGOLAND California’s Brick-or-Treat returns for the 2026 Halloween season on 12 select dates from September 19 through November 1.
| Dates | 12 select dates, Sept 19 – Nov 1 |
| Location | LEGOLAND California, Carlsbad |
| Tickets | Included with park admission on event dates (details) |
| New for 2026 | Brick or Treat Street, a walkthrough of six LEGO monster homes with a new Halloween light trail |
The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park
The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park returns to Marston Point for its 27th year on select nights from September 25 through November 1.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Marston Point, Balboa Park, San Diego |
| Lineup | Mile-long trail plus the 3,500-square-foot eXperiment Maze and the free Dark Carnival scare zone |
| Tickets | From $34.99 timed GA, $49.99 Fast Pass (details) |
| New for 2026 | The free-entry Dark Carnival returns for its second year, expanded |
Carved at Descanso Gardens
Carved, the nighttime jack-o’-lantern and light installation at Descanso Gardens, runs through November 1, nightly from 6 to 10 p.m.
| Dates | Nightly, Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Descanso Gardens, La Cañada Flintridge |
| Tickets | Non-member adults from $29 (details) |
| New for 2026 | Alexander Reichstein sculptures in his US debut, new Anytime Tickets, Halloween-night trick-or-treating |
Black Casket
Black Casket Productions, the Inland Empire haunted attraction known for changing its theme every year, enters its fourth season with Cannibal Creek.
| Dates | Oct 2 – Nov 1, Thursdays through Sundays after opening weekend |
| Location | Yucaipa |
| Tickets | $28 to $33 general admission, $48 to $53 VIP, rising toward Halloween (details) |
| New for 2026 | All-new Cannibal Creek theme, plus Lights Out sessions on Halloween (7 to 9 p.m.) and Nov. 1 (9 to 10 p.m.) |
The Haunted Car Wash
The Haunted Car Wash returns for its sixth season this October, expanding to four Southern California regions.
| Dates | Oct 2 – Oct 31 |
| Location | Orange County, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, San Diego |
| Tickets | From $28.52 per vehicle with fees (details) |
| New for 2026 | Largest footprint in its six-year history, new lower price |
The Hollow at Live Oak Canyon
Live Oak Canyon in Redlands is running its first-ever haunted maze in 45 years, open weekends through October 31, 2026. Haunt supervisor Philip-Blaine Adsit brings credentials from Knott’s Scary Farm, Sinister Pointe, and 17th Door.
| Dates | Fridays through Sundays, Oct 2 – Oct 31, plus Oct 27, 28 and 29 (Tuesday to Thursday) |
| Location | Live Oak Canyon, Redlands, CA |
| Hours | 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays and weeknights |
| Tickets | Farm admission plus a separate maze ticket, $20 on Oct 2 to 11 (later prices not posted). Gate sales only, cash or card. Parking is free on Fridays and $20 per car on weekends (details) |
| New for 2026 | First-ever haunted maze at Live Oak Canyon, recommended 16+ |
Wicked Lit
Wicked Lit returns for its first season since 2017 with 10 performances from October 29 through November 2.
| Dates | 10 performances, Oct 29 – Nov 2 |
| Location | Chance Theater, Anaheim |
| Tickets | On sale since Aug 1 (details) |
| New for 2026 | First season in eight years, two plays: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Las Lloronas |
Delusion: Den of the Mosquito
Delusion returns to the Beckett Mansion in West Adams, Los Angeles, the building where the series staged its first show in 2011 and the Neil Patrick Harris co-production in 2012. The 2026 play, Den of the Mosquito, is set in a 1920s New Orleans brothel; guests play agents of a secret organization investigating supernatural threats. Delusion is billing it as its longest and most interactive show to date at a full 50 minutes, with split paths, extremely limited availability, and the return of the Play Your Part VIP option, now named The Leech.
Tickets are on sale now. Every 2026 show is 18 and over only, running select nights from September 17 through November 8 at a flat $143 (including $13 fees). Several Saturdays, including October 10 and 17, are already sold out. Full details in my Delusion 2026 coverage.
Through the Veil
Through the Veil is an immersive theatrical séance from Stage Fright Theater Co. that seats about eight guests at a candlelit table for a 30-to-45-minute sitting led by the host character Ambrose T. Attaway. The audience’s choices steer a story built on historic true crimes, so no two séances play out the same way. It ran at Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles on September 19 and 26, and at Broken Spirits in Anaheim on September 30, with sittings at 7, 8, and 9 p.m. Tickets are through Stage Fright Theater Co. See my full Through the Veil coverage.
Heritage Square Museum’s Halloween Events
Heritage Square Museum has four Halloween events in October. For adults, Street Food Cinema’s 21-and-over Boo-ze, Bites & Frights runs October 16, 17, 23 and 24 with haunted pathways, adult trick-or-treating, three bars, and horror double features, from $45. Magic Market’s Bewitched witch market runs October 10 and 11 for $15. The October 9 After Dark paranormal investigation and the October 31 Hallowe’en Faire were already sold out on September 28. My Heritage Square Halloween guide has every film, time, and ticket detail.
Haunted Soiree
Haunted Soiree is a two-hour Halloween party with drinks and immersive theatre from Meyer2Meyer Entertainment at the Nocturne Theatre in Glendale. The 2026 story is built on Pennsylvania’s 1928 Hex Hollow Murder: a secretive society’s Oktoberfest-style festival turns out to be a ritual, and each room reveals another chapter. It runs select nights October 10 through 31. Tickets start at $59 with fees on the cheapest night, most nights run $69 or $77, and most performances are 21+. See my full Haunted Soiree coverage.
Nights of the Jack
Nights of the Jack is a one-mile, self-guided walking trail of carved and illuminated jack-o’-lanterns at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas, with food trucks, a kids’ carnival, and a bar called the Spookeasy. It is not a scary event and all ages are welcome, per the operator. It runs select nights from September 25 through November 1, with timed entry from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are priced by date and time slot, from $24.99 to $74.99 before fees, and are sold in advance only, through the event’s site.
Not a haunted house: Davis also throws the free, all-ages Zombie Bike Parade Halloweekend Festival on Halloween, October 31, at Community Park, just west of Sacramento. It is a community Halloween festival with a costumed bike parade, a BMX stunt show, and a skydiving-zombie finale, and it benefits NorCal Trykers.
Reign of Terror Haunted House
Reign of Terror in Thousand Oaks opened its 2026 season on September 25, adding two new sections, Backwoods and The Blue Bayou Hotel, plus a reimagined Funhouse. The indoor walk-through covers 145 rooms across 35,000 square feet and runs 18 nights through early November.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 25 to Nov 1, 2026 |
| Location | 285 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks (Janss Marketplace) |
| Tickets | General admission from $39.99; Immediate Access (skip the line) $64.99 to $74.99 |
| New for 2026 | Two new sections, Backwoods and The Blue Bayou Hotel, plus a rebuilt Funhouse |
| Ages | Recommended for ages 13 and up |
The 17th Door
The 17th Door in Buena Park is open for its 12th season, and my 17th Door guide has every night’s price and hours. Every guest signs a waiver, and you can shout the safe word, “Mercy,” to make an actor back off, skip a room, or leave the haunt entirely. Three rooms can’t be skipped once you enter. The 2026 story is Perpetuum Penitentiary, a prison with a Prison Barber, a death row, a Butcher’s meat locker, and a Warden who decides your fate. Groups of six to eight go through in about 35 minutes. The Barber’s haircut is optional: say “Mercy” in his room and don’t sit in his chair.
| Dates | 25 nights, Sept 25 to Nov 1, 2026 |
| Location | 8420 On the Mall, Buena Park |
| Tickets | $38 to $47 depending on the night, fees included. VIP line passes cost more, and VIP entry with a backstage tour runs $78 to $88. No refunds, but tickets can be exchanged for a future date. |
| Ages | Recommended for ages 16 and up. Minors need a parent or guardian to sign their waiver on site. |
| Buy | the17thdoor.com |
Eulogy Collective: Shades of Hell
Eulogy Collective in Anaheim bills itself as “SoCal’s ONLY Year-Round Haunted House,” with live actors, practical effects, and a theme that changes with the seasons. Its fall show is Shades of Hell, a walk-through built on the idea that “Hell isn’t the same for everyone.” It runs Fridays through Sundays through November 1. Eulogy Collective also runs a horror and Halloween shop at the same address.
| Dates | Fridays to Sundays, Sept 18 to Nov 1, 2026 |
| Hours | 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays, 6 to 11 p.m. Saturdays, 6 to 10 p.m. Sundays |
| Location | 400 W. Disney Way, Suite 168, Anaheim |
| Tickets | $27 general admission, $38 Front of the Line, or $51 for a two-pack, plus a $5 to $6 fee. Tickets work on any open night. A $150 behind-the-scenes tour includes six admissions and parking validation, by appointment. |
| Ages | Listed as all ages |
| Buy | eulogycollective.com |
Zombie Joe’s: Urban Death and Mary and Margo’s Sideshow
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group in North Hollywood has two Halloween shows this year. Urban Death Tour of Terror “Ultra” takes the weekends: a maze, a live show of wordless horror vignettes, and a second maze, in about 45 minutes, for ages 17 and up. It runs select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from October 9 through November 1, for $24 in advance or $28 at the door. Mary and Margo’s Halloween Sideshow of Madness takes the weeknights, Wednesdays and Thursdays from October 14 through 29, with shows at 7:30 and 9 p.m. Tickets are $22.50 with fees. In the story, two performers who died in a theater accident return from the Void to put on what they believe will be their greatest show. See my full Urban Death coverage.
Northern California Haunted Houses
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 | From $59.99 with fees on Thursdays, online only (details) |
| New for 2026 | Open festival format, new House of Spirits haunt, 1926 estate-wide mystery |
Terror Vault
Terror Vault returns to The San Francisco Mint in 2026 with a new production titled Slashed: Return to Hellville.
| Dates | 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 |
Heartstoppers Haunted House
Sacramento’s Heartstoppers Haunts is entering its 18th season with a new exclusive VIP experience and a new stage show.
| Dates | 13 select nights, Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Rancho Cordova, Sacramento area |
| Lineup | 4 haunted houses plus the new hourly Redemption! stage show |
| Tickets | On sale since Sept 5 (details) |
| New for 2026 | Frightfully Fancy Club VIP experience, new stage show, new scenes in all four haunts |
Pirates of Emerson
Pirates of Emerson is back at the Alameda County Fairgrounds on select nights 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 |
Hobb’s Grove
Hobb’s Grove, an HAA-certified Top Haunt in Sanger, runs Thursdays through Sundays from October 2 through October 31.
| Dates | Thursdays–Sundays, Oct 2 – 31 |
| Location | Sanger, Fresno area |
| Tickets | hobbsgrove.com |
The Great Big BOO at Gilroy Gardens
The Great Big BOO returns to Gilroy Gardens in the South Bay on select nights from September 25 through November 1, 2026. This one is a family event rather than a haunt: BOO Trail trick-or-treating, a sing-and-dance-along musical, rides lit up after dark, and a new interactive Pumpkin Wand puzzle where kids “save Halloween” from Wendella the Witch. Fridays 5 to 10 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 1 to 9 p.m. (closed October 10).
Family and Community Halloween Events
Beetle House LA Retro Halloween Party
Beetle House LA, the year-round Halloween bar and restaurant that closed its Hollywood Boulevard home in 2025, returns as a pop-up at The Compound in Commerce, Oct 8 to Nov 7. Timed 90-minute sessions run Thursdays through Sundays at 5, 7, and 9 p.m. for $30, sold only in advance on Eventbrite, with street food, cocktails, a DJ, sideshow acts, and trick-or-treating. Eventbrite lists it as all ages. See my Beetle House LA guide for dates and details.
Haunted Little Tokyo
Haunted Little Tokyo is a Halloween season put on by the Little Tokyo neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles, with ghost tours led by the Little Tokyo Historical Society, a free family scavenger hunt, and a 21+ block party at a secret location shared with guests who RSVP. In 2026 the block party is on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, and the free RSVP is open until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30.
| Dates | Oct 24 to Oct 31, 2026 (block party Oct 31, 4 p.m. to midnight) |
| Location | Little Tokyo, downtown Los Angeles (block party at a secret location) |
| Cost | Scavenger hunt free, ghost tours $25, block party free with RSVP |
| Ages | Block party 21+, scavenger hunt all ages |
Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns
Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns returns to the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes on select nights from September 18 through November 1, 2026. This one is family-friendly and not a scare event: a mile-long illuminated trail lined with more than 10,000 hand-carved pumpkins, with larger-than-life displays, s’mores stations, and a kids’ fun zone. New scenes this year include a whimsical circus, a Dia de los Muertos tribute, and an undersea section. Tickets start at $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for kids at magicofthejackolanterns.com. The event is run by Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group.
Goblin Jamboree at the Bay Area Discovery Museum
Goblin Jamboree turns the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito into a Halloween festival for young children and their grown-ups on October weekends. Families dash beneath a larger-than-life spider at the entrance, meet the Beetlelady and her live bugs, dig for bugs in glowing play dirt, mix fizzing brews in Goblin Village, and collage a creepy creature at Build a Beast. Harvest Hall is a toddler play space for kids 42 inches and under. Costumes are encouraged, and it runs rain or shine.
| Dates | Saturdays and Sundays, Oct 3 to Oct 31, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Location | Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito (free parking) |
| Cost | $30 per person. Babies free. Members $5. SNAP and WIC $10, in person |
| Also | An after-hours Sunset Spooktacular fundraiser on Friday, Oct 16, 4 to 7 p.m. |
| Tickets | Bay Area Discovery Museum |
The Hollow Awakens
The Hollow Awakens is a new indoor-outdoor Halloween event from Imaginarium at Lakewood Center. It covers more than 100,000 square feet with ten themed “haunted worlds,” most of them family-friendly. The operator suggests ages 8 and up for the dark indoor areas, and two optional mazes add jump-scare actors. You can walk through or play a mission game to put the monsters back to sleep. Outside there’s an illuminated pumpkin patch, mirror rooms, a ball pit, trick-or-treating, and a free circus. Plan on 90 minutes to two hours.
| Dates | Wednesdays to Sundays, Sept 12 to Nov 1, 2026 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) |
| Hours | 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 10 p.m. Sundays |
| Location | Lakewood Center, 326 Lakewood Center Mall, Lakewood. Free parking. |
| Tickets | Adults $21 on weekdays and $25 on weekends. Children 3 to 12 and seniors 62 and up $17 and $19. Plus a $2 fee. Under 3 free. |
| Buy | thehollowawakens.com |
California Haunted House FAQ
When do haunted houses open in California in 2026?
The earliest events started in mid-August: Oogie Boogie Bash on August 18 and Halloween Time at Disneyland on August 21. Most major haunts opened between September 11 and September 25, and nearly everything runs through November 1.
Which California haunted houses are family-friendly?
Carved at Descanso Gardens has no scare actors at all, Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND is built for young kids, Halloween Time at Disneyland is all-ages during the day, and The Haunted Car Wash scares the whole family from inside the car. In the South Bay, Gilroy Gardens’ The Great Big BOO is a not-scary, all-ages event with trick-or-treating and a sing-along musical. In Sausalito, the Bay Area Discovery Museum’s Goblin Jamboree is built for young children on October weekends.
What is new to California for 2026?
Hellraiser debuts at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood, Knott’s Scary Farm adds the Inked and Unearthed mazes, Wicked Lit returns after eight years, SeaWorld adds the Area 64: MOTHERSHIP house, and the Haunted Car Wash grows to its largest footprint in six seasons.
Updated October 5, 2026. Want to work at one of these haunts? See how to become a scare actor.
