San Diego is home to some of the best Halloween festivities in California. From haunted houses and amusement parks to costume parties and zombie pub crawls, there are plenty of ways for residents and visitors to get their scare this Halloween season.

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Spooky Season in America’s Finest City

The mild fall weather makes San Diego an ideal place to celebrate Halloween outdoors. Local theme parks like SeaWorld and Belmont Park get decked out in Halloween decor and offer family-friendly daytime activities. When the sun goes down, the scares ramp up at immersive haunted houses and terror-filled corn mazes. Those looking to party have their pick of raucous costume contests, themed bar crawls, ghostly harbor cruises, and more.

“Halloween is one of the most popular times to visit San Diego,” said Julie Coker, CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority. “The entire month of October brings festivals, parades, haunted attractions, and parties that appeal to all ages and interests.”

According to Coker, over 375,000 people attended Halloween events in San Diego County in 2022. This year, attendance numbers are expected to top 400,000.

Can’t-Miss Halloween Parties for Adults

For those who want to party like the undead, San Diego offers some lively Halloween bashes. Here are some of the top adult Halloween parties happening this year:

Nightmare on Normal Street

What: Hillcrest’s annual Halloween street festival and costume contest
When: Saturday, October 28 from 5pm-11pm
Where: Normal St. and University Ave. in Hillcrest
Highlights: Live music, DJs, dancing, costume contest with $2,000 in prizes

Titanic Masquerade Party

What: Halloween costume party on a yacht in San Diego Bay
When: Friday, October 27 starting at 8:30pm
Where: The Inspiration Hornblower Yacht
Highlights: Panoramic skyline views, multiple dance floors, DJs, and costume contest

Estancia’s Wicked Black and White Ball

What: Upscale costume ball at La Jolla’s Estancia Hotel
When: Saturday, October 28 starting at 8pm
Where: Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
Highlights: Themed decor and cuisine, live entertainment, costume contest

San Diego Zombie Crawl

What: Multi-venue Gaslamp Quarter zombie bar crawl
When: Friday October 27, Saturday October 28, and Tuesday October 31
Where: 20+ bars and clubs downtown
Highlights: Zombie makeup stations, free entry and welcome shots, after party at Parq Nightclub

Haunted Houses and Attractions

From desolate amusement parks to ominous corn mazes, San Diego has no shortage of haunted attractions guaranteed to induce screams. Here are some of the top haunts:

The Haunted Amusement Park

What: Terrifying walk-through exhibit on the abandoned site of Marshal Scotty’s Playland
When: Select nights through October 31
Where: El Cajon
Highlights: 1-mile long trail through creepy carnival rides and sinister sideshow acts

Balboa Park’s Haunted Trail

What: Multi-attraction haunted house experience
When: Select nights through October 31
Where: Balboa Park
Highlights: The eXperiment maze, haunted bus ride, demented doll village, and haunted hotel

Scream Zone at Del Mar Scaregrounds

What: Five extreme haunted houses including The House of Horror and Hardware
When: Select nights through October 31
Where: Del Mar Fairgrounds
Highlights: Terrifying live actors, disturbing sets, and interactive elements

Field of Screams at Carlsbad Strawberry Company

What: Haunted corn maze and hayride through the farm fields
When: Friday & Saturday nights through October 31
Where: Carslbad
Highlights: 1.5 mile corn maze, haunted hayride, creepy characters

Family-Friendly Daytime Activities

When the sun is up, San Diego offers plenty of family-friendly fall activities from pumpkin patches to haunted harbor cruises. Here are some of the top picks:

SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular

What: SeaWorld transformed with Halloween decor, trick-or-treating, and shows
When: Daytime through October 31
Where: SeaWorld San Diego
Highlights: Halloween-themed Sesame Street shows, trick-or-treating at decorated stations

Belmont Park Fall Fest

What: Fall festival at the beachfront amusement park
When: Daytime weekends through October 31
Where: Belmont Park in Mission Beach
Highlights: Pumpkin painting, trick-or-treating, rides, games, live music

Hotel Del Coronado Ghost Roast

What: Beachside s’mores and storytelling with the Hotel Del’s resident ghost
When: Select October nights
Where: Hotel del Coronado Beach
Highlights: Blazing fire pit, s’mores kits, ghost stories

Pumpkin Patches

What: Pick-your-own pumpkins at local farms
When: Daytime through October 31
Where: Farms across San Diego County
Highlights: Pumpkin picking, petting zoos, hayrides, corn mazes

Halloween Safety Tips

While Halloween is meant to be scary, safety should be the top priority. Follow these tips for a fun but cautious Halloween:

Walk in groups and stick to well-lit streets
Only visit houses with porch lights on
Check kids’ candy before they eat it
Use glow sticks and reflective tape on costumes
Drive slowly and watch for trick-or-treaters
Drink responsibly at adult parties

Celebrate a “Spooktacular” Halloween in San Diego

This Halloween season offers something for everyone in America’s Finest City. Take the kids to harvest pumpkins and enjoy daylight fall festivities before experiencing the heart-pounding scares at a haunted house or amusement park. End the night at one of the many lively adult costume parties around town. Just be sure to keep safety in mind so the holiday remains more treat than trick.

Also read: NOT TO MISS ATTRACTIONS & HALLOWEEN EVENTS IN LONG BEACH AREA

Top Halloween Parties and Events in San Diego, CA to Enjoy