I don’t usually associate California with fear, haunted houses, or Halloween.
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I associate the Golden State with stunning natural parks, cultural hubs, and green living.
That being said, California defies easy summary. And if you’ve ever spent time further inland in the state, in places like Modesto or Sacramento, you know that those three little monikers I listed don’t define the entire state.
California has a little secret—and that’s how utterly terrifying some of its Halloween experiences are.
Not only are they some of the most spooky places to visit in October in the country, but some of its more panic-inducing experiences might actually rank globally. (Looking at you, Sacramento Scream Park and Preston Castle!)
Ready to get the bejesus scared out of you in California? Here’s what you can find its most haunting locations.
7 spooky places to visit in October in California for Halloween fun & frights
Knott’s Scary Farm (Buena Park)
This 160-acre theme park makes Knott’s Scary Farm one of the most expansive spooky places to visit in October. Only 20 miles from downtown LA, it takes you into a world where ‘the nightmares never end’.
You can purchase tickets that get you into the haunted house, along with tickets that include a bundled meal and other extras. There’s even a fast lane ticket for those who want to haunt the rides until the sun comes up and a family pass for those who are interested in multi-generational terror.
Preston Castle (Ione)
Built in 1894 as a reform school for boys and young men with criminal and behavioral problems, Preston Castle is—unsurprisingly—renowned as one of California’s most haunted locations. Today, the site is operated by the Preston Castle Foundation, which seeks to preserve the grounds and engage with the public for educational purposes.
It also transforms into one of the most spooky places to visit in October, as the grounds host flashlight tours across the most haunted locations on the property. There are other tours available, too, including their Paranormal 101 tour.
Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Halloween Festival (Long Beach)
The Queen Mary is a retired British ocean liner that stopped operations in 1967. Rumors have swirled for decades surrounding apparent hauntings on the ship, which has played host to hotels and museums throughout the years. One ghost might have drowned in an onboard pool, while another could be an engineer who died tragically aboard.
From September 19-November 2, you can head to the Dark Harbor Halloween Festival. It includes haunted mazes, monsters galore, terrifying attractions, live entertainment, and more. There are carnival rides, photo ops, and even food vendors.
Sacramento Scream Park (Sacramento)
Are you looking for spooky places to visit in October that might actually cause you to panic? Head to the Sacramento Scream Park, known as one of the country’s most terrifying haunted houses. It’s got four unique interiors that guests must survive if they want to leave the park, including a sanitarium, amusement park, swamp, and gory prep school.
A single ticket includes access to all four haunted experiences, which are designed to be completed in a single go. But that’s not all. Sacramento Scream Park also has food trucks, horror-related vendors, and even unique photo ops.
Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights (Anaheim)
Who doesn’t like a little fanfare with their Halloween adventures? If you’re into major horror franchises, from Fallout to Five Nights at Freddy’s, you can book a Halloween Horror Nights ticket at Universal Studios.
It includes haunted house experiences and even haunted rides, giving you a terror-inducing experience from every angle. It isn’t suitable for children under the age of 13. Costumes are encouraged.
*If you’ll be in Orlando, Florida, you can enjoy a similar experience at Universal Studios Florida. The image above was taken at Universal Studios in Orlando, which offers the same themed Halloween horror shows.
Winchester Mystery House (San Jose)
If you’ve never heard of the Winchester Mystery House, let me summarize: a wealthy woman named Sarah Winchester decided to build a mansion in San Jose, but after disagreements with architects, she decided to take on the planning herself. She made towers, then tore them down, then rebuilt them. She created new exteriors, expanding the mansion willy-nilly.
When the mansion was completed, it was a bit of a mess, to say the least. Rooms are labyrinthine, and some lead nowhere. This has led many to speculate that the home is haunted, and has been since its construction.
I’ll leave it up to you to decide on the Winchester Mystery House’s Festival Fright Nights. There’s a spooky masquerade ball that includes three unique acts, making this a haunted house that includes plenty of real-world factoids and murder mystery-style narrative.
