BY KAREN YOUNG
You don’t have to wait until October 31 to celebrate Halloween. Check out this list of big haunts, pumpkin patches and carnivals running through October in the 818 to get your blood pumping. Later this week, we’ll find all the neighborhood haunts!
Scary and not-so-scary Halloween fun for all ages.
Come travel the Haunted Maze and explore the Day of The Dead. This is the haunt where all ages can experience a creative display of skeletons, aliens, and museum style scenes that capture the eerie spirit of Halloween without people in costumes jumping out to scare you. Pumpkin patch, petting zoo, magic shows and a Halloween art display. Daytime tours are in full light and ideal for children who are scared of the dark yet still enjoy a spooky experience. The night display is a bit more creepy and mysterious. Both daytime and nighttime are kid friendly. Through October 31 10a.m.-9 p.m. 10601 Riverside Dr., North Hollywood/Toluca Lake (corner with Cahuenga).
TAPIA BROS PUMPKIN PATCH ENCINO
This family run urban farm is covered with pumpkins this October and is perfect for the smallest of tykes. Explore a big pumpkin, climb around a wagon, or if you are up to it, check out the spooky trailer. This is a great place to pick up corn for the season as well. 5251 Hayvenhurst Ave. Encino, CA. Open Daily, 9- 6 p.m., (818) 905.6155
Known as Pasadena’s biggest and scariest haunt, it takes place in the basement of the 107 year old Union Savings Bank Building. Step down into this walk through maze with an underground setting in the darkness of the catacombs. Through October 31. 20 N. Raymond, Pasadena. Check website for times and prices.
The 2012 Reign of Terror is three attractions in one located at the Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks with a 8500 square foot facility the Haunted House, Asylum and Blood Manor — and a new maze called the “Miner’s Revenge.” The Reign of Terror itself is a full on walk through a foggy haunted house with coffins, ghosts, skeletons and more. If you can imagine it, it will be there! opens Admission $13, Front of line $20 . Through October 31. Check website for special events.
HALLOWEEN HARVEST FESTIVAL AND FRIGHT FAIR THEME PARK WOODLAND HILLS
The Halloween Harvest Festival at Pierce College is mild by day and scary by night. Come see “Spookley,” the square pumpkin and his friend, Jack the Scarecrow at the Holiday Hill Farms stage show inside the “pick your own pumpkin patch.” This themed activity offers a chance to see Spookley the Square Pumpkin LIVE in his very own stage show and actually harvesting your very own pumpkin. Venture through the Adventure Corn Maze, go on a hayride or maybe take a spooky journey into Haunted House or Haunted Trail. For those looking for something more extreme, the Halloween Harvest Festival takes on a more sinister persona after dark as FrightFair Scream Park comes to life, featuring: both the “Factory of Nightmares” Haunted House, and ”Creatures of the Corn” Haunted Trail. (818) 999-6300 or email atinfo@halloweenharvestFestival.com for more information. Check website for details.
HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
It’s a haunted theme park attraction after hours at Universal Studios. There are more mazes than ever this year. Check out Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses in 3D Zombie Vision, Alice Cooper’s Welcome to My Nightmare, The Wolfman’s Curse of Talbot Hall and more. Take a ride on the all new terror tram sMake your way through scare zones terrorized by killer Klownz, flesh-eating Freakz, asylum Lunaticz and, for the first time, La Llorona (The Weeping Woman) who, after drowning her children and herself, returns to the living, wailing for her lost children and searching for new souls to replace them.Terror Tram, Skull Island, Jurassic Park in the Dark, the Revenge of the Mummy coaster, The Simpsons Ride, and back by popular demand, see the newest installment of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure show. This is a separate event that takes place every evening, after the Universal Studios theme park closes for regular business. Haunted Theme Park Attraction.Universal Studios, Hollywood 100 Universal City Plaza, Univeral City. 1-800-UNIVERSAL. Check website for exact dates and times.
LOS ANGELES HAUNTED HAYRIDE GRIFFITH PARK
The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride is a hayride, a haunted carnival and a haunted hay maze. The Haunted Hayride will take you on a bumpy night ride through the abandoned cages and habitats of the Old Zoo in the woods at Griffith Park, populated with all kinds of scare creatures. There is also a hay maze and carnival rides. The Hayride is not recommended for children under 8, pregnant women, or people with seizures, heart, back or anxiety issues.Griffith Park (Old Zoo), 4730 Crystal Springs Ave, Los Angeles. Check website for dates and times.
HALLOWEEN GHOST STEAM TRAIN GRIFFITH PARK
The Los Angeles Live Steamers Ghost Train steams back into Griffith Park for another Halloween of family-friendly fun. The train ride is decorated with over 30 scenes of spooks and ghouls – it’s perfect for kids and adults ages. Admission is $7.00 per person, suggested donation. Riders must be at least 34 inches tall and not weigh over 350 pounds. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Free parking on Zoo Drive and in the gravel parking lot at the LALS public entrance. Griffith Park, 5202 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles. Check website for details.
Karen Young is the Founder/Editor of My Daily Find. Email karen@mydailyfind.com
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