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.
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