Family-friendly Halloween events
By Michelle Rae Uy
Treat-or-treating at Knott’s Scary Farm (Courtesy Knott’s Berry Farm)
It’s perhaps everyone’s favorite night of the whole year. No wonder everyone wants to show up to celebrate in fantastic costumes, especially our youngsters. Even if you stay home for the celebration, you can find something to make them happy with, like these cuteHalloween cow pajamas. Moreover, even small and fun household stuff like thisCute Halloween Dracula Garlic Crusher can be a perfect addition to your kitchen supplies.
(MORE: Spooktacular Halloween Fun at Theme Parks)
Mickey’s Halloween Party and Halloween Time, Disneyland California
Jack Skellington and Sally at Disneyland’s Halloween Time (Courtesy Disneyland)
In addition to the traditional trick-or-treating fun, kid-friendly locations across the city participate in the festivities by providing revelers with additional alternatives, such as boos at zoos, haunted homes, pumpkin farms, and more.
Suppose you have young children in the family who are not yet prepared for zombie and frightful monster encounters. In that case, Disneyland’s Halloween Time is the kid-friendliest of them all.
Disneyland Halloween Time
This year, Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort runs from September 6 through October 31. In addition to special decorations and attractions throughout the parks, guests can enjoy Halloween-themed foods and drinks, Mickey’s Halloween Party, and more.
Halloween At Disneyland: What To See
Halloween At Disneyland (Courtesy disneyland.disney.go.com)
The Haunted Mansion Holiday is one of the greatest attractions inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton. It’s a perfect attraction for those who want to get into the holiday spirit while also getting a few scares. If your kids want to feel the Haunted Mansion’s vibes to a full extent, here are some costumes we found most suitable:Sally’s сostume andJack Skellington сostume.
Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy is another fan favorite, as it’s one of the only times you can experience this classic attraction in complete darkness. Here are some costumes for your kids to enjoy in this location: thisFriendly gost andHaunted Beauty costume.
For something more family-friendly, guests can enjoy the Halloween Screams fireworks show or the new World of Color – Season of Light. If you’re not going to get to Disneyland, here is some minimal replacement for the fireworks: ghost projectors like thisHalloween laser lights with remote.
No matter what you and your family end up doing this Halloween, we hope you have a spooktacular time at Disneyland!
San Diego’s Halloween Spooktacular SeaWorld®
San Diego’s Halloween Spooktacular SeaWorld (Courtesy SeaWorld San Diego)
If you’re not able to make it to Disneyland this year, don’t worry. There are plenty of other locations like San Diego’s SeaWorld® throwing a Halloween Spooktacular of their own. This event is included with the price of admission and takes place on select days from September 14 through October 27.
Guests can enjoy a Halloween-themed show, Sesame Street’s Count Down to Halloween, trick-or-treating, and more. SeaWorld also has a variety of Halloween-themed food and drinks available for purchase.
Some of the on-site restaurants include:
- Trick-or-Treat Trail – Petco Park in The Landing
- SeaWorld’s Halloween Harvest – Nautilus Amphitheater
- SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration – Ocean Explorer Aquarium
If you are wondering what fun accessories to take to any of these locations, here are the adorable Party squid hats for your family. For your kids, you can try out thisAquaman costume or this cuteShark outfit for toddlers.
(MORE: Boo Zoos Go Wild for Halloween)
Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest
Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest, which is open for 17 spooky nights from September 26 to November 1 and offers the largest scare zone on this side of the Pacific.
Six Flags Magic Mountain: What To See
Fright Fest at Six Flags Magic Mountain (Courtesy Six Flags)
For older children who enjoy thrill rides, Six Flags offers monster coasters that combine thrilling excitement with a Halloween-themed twist, in addition to seven fright zones, scare actors, and seven mazes.
You can also get some fun at DC-inspired Sinister Circuit and the TERRORtory Twisted, where mechanical animals chase down guests. The famous maze The Aftermath, the abandoned research facility Vault 666, and Red’s Revenge, which is themed after fairy tales, are all returning this year.
If you want to make sure your family enjoys a good scare, then make sure to bring them over to Six Flags Magic Mountain this Halloween season! Starting at 7 p.m., monster creatures night starts crowding the scare zones and roaming around the park, so be prepared for some scares.
What’s great about this event is that it’s included with the price of admission, so you don’t have to worry about spending extra money. Just remember to bring your Halloween costume! To be on the scary side, you can try on this Scary Bodysuit by Morphsuits and easily stun everyone!
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights
The scare zones and live shows of this event are so popular that it has been featured in various TV shows, movies, and news articles. It is one of the largest Halloween events in the country, so it’s no wonder that people come from all over to experience it.
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights: What To See
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights (Courtesy Albert Lam/LUMINOGRAPHY MEDIA)Some of the iconic attractions include The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare, The Walking Dead: Dead Inside, Michael Myers Halloween, Killer Klowns From Outer Space and other scary locations. If you’re looking for something that will make you jump, then this is the place for you. If you want your kids to fit in the spirit perfectly, here is the Red Evil Jester costume by Spooktacular Creations.
There are also a variety of food and drinks available for purchase, so you can refuel after a long night of scares. And if you want to take home a souvenir, Universal Studios has a variety of merchandise available.
LEGOLAND California Brick-or-Treat
This event is perfect for younger children who still want to enjoy Halloween but might be too scared for some of the other events on this list. It’s also a great option if you’re looking for something that is more family-friendly.
LEGOLAND California Brick-or-Treat: What To See
LEGOLAND California (Courtesy legoland.com)
During this event, guests can enjoy a variety of Halloween-themed activities, including trick-or-treating, LEGO building activities, and more. And of course, there are also a variety of food and drinks available for purchase. All the fun is going on from Saturdays in October after 3 p.m. and 2 p.m. up to 8 p.m. on Sunday, October 30.
This year’s addition to Lego-themed fun is the Monster Party Crew Show, where guests can enjoy live music and dancing. If you want to take home a souvenir, LEGOLAND California has a variety of Halloween-themed merchandise available.
Other great attractions are character meet-and-greets and roaming performers, so your little ones are sure to have a blast. And if you’re looking for the perfect costume for your child, look no further than this Cute Lego Movie 2 Emmet costume.
So if you’re looking for a Halloween event that is perfect for the whole family, then make sure to check out LEGOLAND California Brick-or-Treat. And don’t forget to wear your Halloween costume!
BOO at the L.A. Zoo
This event is perfect for families with young children who want to enjoy Halloween but might be too scared, and for those who really love watching animals and taking part in animal-themed activities.
The L.A. Zoo BOO: What To See
The L.A. Zoo BOO (Courtesy lazoo.org)
Some fun activities include Spooky Stroll – a guided tour through the zoo at night. Also, you can visit Wild, Weird, and Wonderful Tour – a family-friendly exploration of some of the animals that call the zoo home.
This year’s event will also feature a variety of food and drinks available for purchase, so you can refuel after a long night of scares. And if you want to see the scary snakes and other creepy fauna, The Lair of Lost Souls is the place to go.
So if you’re looking for a Halloween event that is perfect for an animal-loving family, then make sure to check out BOO at the L.A. Zoo. And don’t forget to wear your Halloween costume! If you have very young kids in your family, this toddler’s turtle suit will be a great pick. And this Cobra Ninja costume is a great option to combine ninjas and snakes! Yay!
Knott’s Spooky Farm and Knott’s Scary Farm
Knott’s Spooky Farm is a daytime Halloween event in Southern California that is meant for families with young children. It features a variety of Halloween-themed activities, shows, and more.
Knott’s Scary Farm is a nighttime event for older kids and adults who are looking for more thrill and scares. It features haunted houses, mazes, rides, and more. Both events take place on select dates in October.
Knott’s Spooky Farm: What To See
Knott’s Spooky Farm (Courtesy knotts.com)
The trick-or-treating in Ghost Town is a can’t-miss activity, as well as the Peanuts Gang Show. Families can also enjoy a variety of Halloween-themed rides, including the Calico Mine Ride and Timber Mountain Log Ride. And of course, the Monsters are Coming show is a must-see.
Another fun activity to take part in is the costume contest, where guests can show off their Halloween costumes. Our pick for the Farm? This child pumpkin costume fits the spirit perfectly!
Knott’s Scary Farm: What To See
Knott’s Scary Farm (Courtesy knotts.com)
If you’re looking for a Halloween event with more of a scary feel, then make sure to check out Knott’s Scary Farm. This event features a variety of haunted houses, mazes, and rides. And if you’re looking for a truly terrifying experience, then make sure to check out the Scare Visitors From Out of the Shadows attraction. These locations are most enjoyed by children from 13 years old.
The truly exciting live shows and creepy haunted mazes make this theme park perfect for those who are looking for a good scare. And if you want to take home a souvenir, Knott’s Scary Farm has a variety of Halloween-themed merchandise available.
So if you’re looking for a Halloween event that is perfect for thrill-seekers, then make sure to check out Knott’s Scary Farm. Your kid wants a truly scary costume to fit in perfectly? This Zombie costume by Spooktacular Creations is a great choice!
So if you’re looking for a Halloween event that is perfect for families with young children, then make sure to check out Knott’s Spooky Farm. And if you’re looking for something that is more geared towards older kids and adults, then make sure to check out Knott’s Scary Farm.
Southern California’s Best Theme Parks: Our Conclusions
Pumpkin Twins (Courtesy David Menidrey/Unsplash)
The theme parks in Southern California offer a wide variety of Halloween events to choose from. And whether you’re looking for something that is family-friendly or more geared toward older kids and adults, there is sure to be an event that is perfect for you.
If your family enjoys sea fauna, San Diego’s SeaWorld is a perfect place to visit.
If you’re looking for more traditional Halloween activities, then make sure to check out Knott’s Spooky Farm or Knott’s Scary Farm. Scary Farm is for the older kids, remember!
If your family enjoys LEGO-connected activities, the LEGOLAND California Brick-or-Treat is also a great option.
Disneyland Halloween Time is something not to miss if you want to feel a true Tim Burton spirit and give your kids a real joy.
And of course, don’t forget about BOO at the Zoo for fun animal activities!
So make sure to check out all of the different Halloween events at these theme parks and have a spooktacular time! No matter what your family is looking for in a Halloween event, there is sure to be something perfect for you in Southern California.
What are some of your favorite Halloween activities? Let us know in the comments below!
Michelle Rae Uy contributed this to MiniTime. She is a travel writer based in Los Angeles and MiniTime’s Head of Content, who spends her free time on adventures and film photography.
