Halloween Haunted Houses: California 2021 Guide

CALIFORNIA — Halloween's terrorizing side — with creep-out, haunted houses that we've come to love and crave — is back in California!

Trick-or-treating and cute, costumed kids are, of course, on the season's agenda. But for fear-seeking folks, those who want the wits scared out of them, 2021 will not disappoint as haunts, from amusement-park extravaganzas to pop-ups, haunted trails and small-scale, residential, spooky spots, are making a comeback.

Check out Patch's annual guide to the best and brightest (or is it the darkest?) haunted experiences throughout the Golden State. Some may be nearby, and some may be worth a drive.

Last-minute cancellations and changes are always possible, so double-check with organizers to make sure events are proceeding as planned.

Bookmark this page: As more haunts are announced, we will add them, and if we missed your town or organization's spooky-fest, email details and online links to susan.schena@patch.com.

Be brave, and Happy Halloween, from Patch!

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ALAMEDA:

OCT. 29-31: Annual Teen Haunted House. Back for its 17th year!

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APPLE VALLEY:

OCT. 1-31: Saints Lunatic Asylum' Halloween Haunt. Fun & fear await.
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BUENA PARK:

SEPT. 16-OCT. 31: Knott’s Scary Farm: Knott's Berry Farm. Confront your fears: This year offers 15 haunted attractions, five sinister scare zones & eight mesmerizing mazes.
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CARLSBAD:

OCT. 2-31: Haunted Corn Maze 'Field of Screams': Your Halloween scare awaits!

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CERRITOS:

OCT. 22-30: Huge Haunted Maze : Holy Cross Lutheran Church. "For all ages. There is even a 'NO SCARE' option available for the scaredy-cat in the bunch."

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CHINO:

SEPT. 30-OCT. 31: Dark Harvest Haunted Corn Maze. If a haunted corn maze isn't enough, there will be zombie paintball & scare zone.

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CITY OF INDUSTRY:

SEPT. 24-OCT. 30: 'Haunted Mini Golf' Halloween: Speedzone Los Angeles. FYI: More silly than spooky, but have fun!
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CORONA:

OCT. 8-31: Coffin Creek - Halloween Haunted House. Five haunted attractions in one spooky spot.
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CORONADO:

OCT.: 'Haunted Happenings Tour': Hotel Del Coronado. Be brave, take the tour & learn of Kate Morgan's mysterious death in the 1890s.
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DEL MAR:

SEPT.-OCT.: 'Scream Zone': Del Mar Fairgrounds. Not planned for 2021.

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EL CAJON:

OCT. 1-31: Scotty's Scare Trail & Haunted Amusement Park. At the old, abandoned Marshal Scotty's Playland. Doesn't get much scarier than that.

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ENCINITAS:

OCT. 15-30: Scout Troop's Haunted Hotel & Trail of Terror. The cherished, town tradition is back with new trail haunt.

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FREMONT:

OCT.: Candle Lighters Ghost House. Canceled for 2021.

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FULLERTON:

SEPT. 17-OCT. 31: The 17th Door Haunted House. Return once more to Perpetuum Penitentiary, if you dare.

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HALF MOON BAY:

SEPT. 4-OCT. 31: Pumpkins, Hayrides, Petting Zoo & Haunted House: Lemos Farm. Scary & non-scary options for the haunted house.

OCT. 1-31: Arata Pumpkin Farm, Labyrinth Hay Maze, Haunted Barn & Petting Zoo. The two-acre Minotaur’s Labyrinth hay maze is a must-see, too.

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HEMET:

Through OCT. 31: 'Tent of Terror' Haunted House. Bringing back special effects, scary lighting, fog, loud noises, crazy characters, clowns & monsters.

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HOLLISTER:

OCT. 1-31: Fall Days & Trail of Lights: Swank Farms. "Fall Days" are family friendly, but nighttime "Trail of Lights & Field of Frights" ... well, that's where things get a tad magical & spooky!

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JULIAN:

OCT. 2-30: Haunted Harvest Hayrides: Fort Cross. Are you ready to conquer your fears of dark, scary forests? If so, book soon.
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LAGUNA NIGUEL:

OCT. 22-24: Haunted Trails: Crown Valley Park. Tickets likely will go fast, so don't delay.

OCT. 28-31: Wraith House - Halloween Haunt. An annual community endeavor! Traverse the zombie-encrusted front grounds on way to back entrance.

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LAKE ARROWHEAD:

OCT. 15-16: Bracken Fern Manor Lockdown. Keep us posted on how that turns out.

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LAKE ELSINORE:

OCT.: Field Of Screams - Haunted Stadium. Canceled for 2021.

OCT. 1-31: Hallows Eve Haunted Penitentiary: Launch Pointe. "Whatever you fear the most about a prison sentence will come to life with Hallows Eve Inc. at Deadwater."

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LAKESIDE:

OCT. 22-23 & 29-30: Annual 'Trail Of Terror': River Park Trail. Not your run-of-the-mill scare with clowns & zombies. Meet swamp people.

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LOS ANGELES:

SEPT. 9-OCT. 31: Halloween Horror Nights: Universal Studios Hollywood. Mazes upon mazes of nightmarish terror awaits.

SEPT. 24-OCT. 31: LA’s Haunted Hayride: Griffith Park. The terror we've come to know and love is back - with mazes, trick-or-treating, plus the hayride.

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MENTONE:

OCT. 13-31: Haunted Hayride - Halloween: Greenspot Farms. "Let the terror on the farm begin!"
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MISSION VIEJO:

OCT. 1-31: Prism Haunted House. "High-tech horror at its finest!" Plus one afternoon with lights on for the younger set.

SEPT. 30-OCT. 31: 'Haunt Of Halloween' Haunted Maze: Kaleidoscope Mall. "Where adrenaline and fear for survival becomes a reality. "

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NAPA:

OCT. 22-31: 'Evil Vines Cemetery' Halloween Haunt. With trick-or-treats on Oct. 31.

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NORTH HOLLYWOOD:

OCT. 1-NOV. 1: Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre 'Urban Death Tour.' With "inexplicable horrors, unfathomable monstrosities & disturbed spirits that walk among us!"

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ORANGE:

OCT. 16-31: Pirate's Cave Haunt. This "labor of love headed up by the father and son" is back with family-friendly scares.

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ORANGE COUNTY:

OCT. 7-31: Tunnel Of Terror: Haunted OC Car Wash. Check in for info on this one, as location not yet announced.

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PALM DESERT:

SEPT. 24-OCT. 31: Miss Hazel's Haunted House: Westfield Palm Desert. "Coachella Valley's most frightening haunted house."

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PLEASANTON:

SEPT. 24-OCT. 31: 'Pirates Of Emerson' Halloween Haunt: Fairgrounds. Walk-thru format & a Bay Area tradition!

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POMONA:

SEPT. 16-OCT.: DELUSION: Halloween Haunt: Phillips Mansion. "There are some dead that won’t let go. ... Pretty red shoes. A shotgun. A loved one left behind."

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RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA:

OCT. 30: 1313 El Potro Cemetery, Graveyard Tour & Organ Concert. With ghost stories & perfect for families, too.

OCT. 31: Halloween Night at 1313 El Potro Cemetery. A mix of music & mayhem, that won 2020 SAMLARC First Place Winner for best Halloween Decorations.

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RIVERSIDE:

OCT. 1-31: 'Castle Dark' Halloween Haunt: Castle Park. What happens when a family-friendly amusement park & mini-golf course takes a very dark turn ...

OCT. 1-31: 'Mortuary13' Haunted House. The sun goes down & the nightmare begins. But there are dates and times for a less-scary version for the younger set.

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SAN CLEMENTE:

OCT. 29-31: Family-Run Haunted House & Charity Drive. Canned goods are your entry donation for this home haunt.

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SAN DIEGO:

SEPT. 17-OCT. 31: SeaWorld's Howl-O-Scream. When your family-friendly park lands in Simon’s Slaughterhouse. Very scary.

SEPT. 24 - OCT. 31: Haunted Trail Of Balboa Park. Wear your running shoes. Maze & haunted trail? You will need them!

OCT. 1-31: 'Haunted Hotel Disturbance': Mission Valley. Three haunts, one location — so you'll get your money's worth of fear!

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SAN FRANCISCO:

SEPT. 23-OCT. 31: 'Immortal Reckoning' Halloween Haunt: San Francisco Mint. "During the tour, something horribly goes wrong, and the gates of hell unlock." Yikes!

OCT. 1-31: SF Ghost Hunt Walking Tour. "A cherished favorite of visitors and locals alike for over two decades!"

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SAN JOSE:

SEPT. 10- OCT. 31: Winchester Mystery House All Hallows' Eve Tours. With a "paranormal investigative adventure"-type of spookiness!

OCT. 15-31: Grimm's Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow-themed & the Wicked Woods is not recommended for youngsters. (UPDATE: CANCELED)

OCT. 16-31: Dead Time Dreams Haunt. Stroll through ultimate scare zone & we'll wait in the car.

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SAN LEANDRO:

SEPT. 25-NOV. 6: Fear Overload Scream Park. Two attractions, one location. A "real-life horror movie."

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SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO:

SEPT.-OCT.: San Juan Capistrano Ghost Walk. "Tales of headless spirits, bandits and even a pirate attack will be shared."

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SANTA ANA:

SEPT. 18: Fairhaven Cemetery After-Dark Lamplight Tour. Note: This is not a ghost tour. It's led by historian guide.
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SANTA CLARA:

SEPT. 24-OCT. 31: Halloween Haunt: California’s Great America. "Killer Clown Town, Tooth Fairy and Backwoods return in all their horrifying glory."

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SANTA ROSA:

OCT. 8-31: Blind Scream Haunted House. This year features the Witch House!

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SANTA YSABEL:

OCT. 2-30: Haunted Harvest Hayrides: Fort Cross. Are you ready to conquer your fears of dark, scary forests? If so, book soon.
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SCOTTS VALLEY:

OCT. 22-23 & 28-30: SV Annual Haunted House. Be brave & wear your running shoes!
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TEMECULA:

OCT. 1-31: 'Temecula Terror' Haunted Mazes. New attraction with three mazes, plus family-friendly hours, too.

OCT. 1-31: The Mansion Of Lost Souls. Tormented souls, trapped within the walls, will be screaming at this annual Promenade haunt.

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THOUSAND OAKS:

SEPT. 24-NOV. 6: Reign Of Terror Haunted House. An award-winning, walk-through haunt, ranked among best in SoCal.

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UNIVERSAL CITY:

SEPT. 9-OCT. 31: Halloween Horror Nights: Universal Studios Hollywood. Mazes upon mazes of nightmarish terror awaits.

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VALENCIA:

SEPT. 11- OCT. 31: 'Fright Fest': Six Flags Magic Mountain. Tickets to terror-ville are on sale.

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VALLEJO:

SEPT. 25-OCT. 31: 'Fright Fest': Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Family-friendly fun by day, sheer terror at night.

OCT. 22-31: 'V-Town ShakesFEAR In The DARK' Haunted House. With early timeframe for little ones, then ... "after 6pm, the lights go out and our Zombies get hungry."

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WALNUT CREEK:

SEPT. 11-OCT. 31: Virtual Reality Halloween Haunted House. "The house is virtual, the fear is real!"
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YUCAIPA:

SEPT. 24-OCT. 31: County Line Fright. With a serial killer, maze & escape room ... so good luck!

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FOR MORE FALL FUN: Oktoberfest 2021: Guide To The Best In California

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If we missed your town or organization's haunted house, email details and an online link to susan.schena@patch.com