San Diego Halloween Events
Halloween in San Diego is a month-long affair and we’ve lined up the best San Diego things to do to help you get in the scary spirit. Let your inner ghoul shine at haunted houses, costume contests, block parties and more!
HAUNTED HAPPENINGS
Haunted Hotel
Through Nov. 2 (closed M-Tu, but open nightly from Oct. 23). This year, try to survive the “Walking Dead” dungeon, come face to face with killer clowns on a subway car and get a real life experience of the “Evil Dead” cellar. This spooky maze, complete with ghosts, ghouls, goblins and other freaky frights, is not for the faint of heart. 424 Market Street, Gaslamp Quarter. 619.231.0131. hauntedhotel.com
Haunted Trail
Through Nov. 2 (closed M-Tu, but open nightly from Oct. 23). This is no average walk in Balboa Park. Enter the mile-long trail through a twisted grove of pines and gnarled oaks—but watch your back, you never know which way the terror will hit you. Visit the Carnage Carnival and “The eXperiment,” a twisted maze of incarcerated lost souls ready to pounce. Not suitable for kids under 10. Balboa Park. 619.696.SCARE. hauntedhotel.com/pages/trail
Scream Zone
Weekends through Oct.22, Oct. 23-Nov. 2 nightly. Bring your nerves of steel to this eerie foursome of attractions. The Haunted Hayride, Chamber, Zombie Paintball Safari and House of Horror will scare you from all angles, both indoors and out. Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. 858.755.1161. thescreamzone.com
Ghosts and Gravestones
Through Oct. 31. The spirits come alive this Halloween on San Diego’s most notorious tour. Take a seat on the trolley as one of the gravedigger guides transports you back in time to witness for yourself the paranormal activity, ghostly sightings and the unexplainable mysteries that surround some of San Diego’s most haunted sites. Hear stories of the ghosts that haunt the ships at the Maritime Museum. Travel back in time and learn of the spirits of the notorious characters who lived and died in the Gaslamp Quarter. Journey through Old Town, walking through El Campo Santo Cemetery and ending outside the Whaley House, both sites of many reported paranormal occurrences. Reservations required. 888.920.8687. ghostsandgravestones.com/san-diego
EVENTS
Boo’s Cruise
Oct. 31. Get onboard for a ghoulishly good time with the 91X Halloween Boo’s Cruise. Mingle with 91X’s radio personalities on this two-hour yacht cruise complete with live music from Gone Baby Gone and Surfer Blood, food and drink specials, and incredible views. Fun, flirty or frightening, come aboard in your best costume and enter the costume contest to win plenty of 91X prizes. $9.91. Board at 7:30 p.m. San Diego Grape St. Pier, 1800 N. Harbor Dr. 619.686.8715. hornblower.com
American Voodoo
Oct. 31. University Heights newest hotspot is celebrating Halloween with the magic and mystique of Voodoo. In the spirit of New Orleans’ Marie Laveau—the Queen of Voodoo and a historical voodoo leader—the restaurant is creating an altar on Halloween, offering patrons an opportunity to pay their respects to Laveau from afar. A picture of her grave will be framed on the table where diners can light a candle, leave a coin and take a shot in honor of the voodoo priestess. Voodoo, with its magic and ode to diversity, was the inspiration behind the University Heights eatery, making Halloween the perfect night to honor the practice and the woman behind its power. 5 p.m.-close. American Voodoo, 4655 Park Blvd, University Heights. 619.255.8504. american-voodoo.com
Del Mar Highlands Trick-or-Treat Bash
Oct. 31. Trick-or-treat at the Del Mar shopping center where participating businesses, including Davanti Enoteca, Mia Francesca and many more, will be handing out candy to the kids and special coupons for the adults. Meanwhile, a Halloween-themed concert will provide live music throughout the center’s lower level. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes, and will find many storefronts dressed up in festive décor to celebrate the holiday. 4-6 p.m. Del Mar Highlands Town Center, 12925 El Camino Real, San Diego. delmarhighlandstowncenter.com
Halloween Costume Party and Monster Mash
Oct. 27 & 31. On Sunday, Oct. 27, put on your witch hats and vampire fangs for Corvette Diner’s Halloween costume party. All costumed dines will automatically be entered into the contest, where prizes will be awarded for best ‘50s costume, best rock star, spookiest single, teenage terror and best family costume. Contest winners will be announced at 5:45 p.m. 4-6 p.m. On Halloween night, stop by for the Monster Mash from 3-9 p.m. for ‘50s fright night fun including a DJ, magician, tattoo artist and balloon artist. Corvette Diner, 2965 Historic Decatur Road, Liberty Station. 619.542.1476. cohnrestaurants.com
Halloween Bow Wow Brunch Cruise
Oct. 20. Meet Chopper the Biker Dog and dig into the full brunch buffet complete with a make-your-own Benedict station, seafood, salads, breakfast meats, a carving board, and lush dessert buffet. Doggie bags will be provided for canine guests. Dressed up dogs can enter to win prizes. One dog per person. Board at 11:30 a.m. $70/pp. 1800 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego. 619.686.8715. hornblower.com
Seaport Village’s Halloween Bash on the Bay
Oct. 26. This third annual celebration invites little monsters, pirates, witches and superheroes out to the village for an afternoon of fall festivities, including photos with a living scarecrow, a costume contest for kids and pets, live music and games. The costume contest will award prizes for the best superhero, scariest, prettiest, family and pet costumes. West Harbor Drive at Pacific Highway. 619.235.4014. seaportvillage.com
BOOmont Park Fall Festival and Haunt
Weekends through Oct. 27. Belmont Park becomes BOOmont Park this Halloween season. The festive month includes trick-or-treating for candy at the park’s various shops and retailers; BOOmont Manor, a kid-friendly haunted maze from the creators of the Haunted Hotel; and a zombie twist on Belmont’s classic laser tag arcade. Also pick the perfect jack-o-lantern worthy pumpkin at the pumpkin patch. 5 p.m. Belmont Park, 3146 Mission Blvd., Mission Bay. 858.228.9283. belmontpark.com/boomontpark
Balboa Park Halloween Family Day
Oct. 26. Bring the family to San Diego’s urban cultural center for a spooktacular array of hands-on activities, crafts, costume parades, tours and storytelling. Among the highlights of this year’s park-wide Halloween Family Day is a doggie costume parade and contest in the Spanish Village Art Center, spooky storytelling and mask-making at the Timken Museum of Art, a host of activities centered on the Model Railroad Museum’s Haunted Train Town, a creepy nocturnal “Critter Cave” at the Natural History Museum, and a variety of free activity and prize-drawing booths on the Prado. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. balboapark.org/halloweenfamilyday
Brick-or-Treat Trail
Weekends through Oct. 31. Kids can safely trick-or-treat on Legoland California’s Brick-or-Treat trail. Little ones can stop at seven Lego-themed treat stations to collect candy, healthy snacks and a few surprises along the way. With the expanded Brick-or-Treat Trail, new Ghost Cruise, costume contests, dancing, entertainment and fireworks, it’s Halloween, Legoland-style. There’s spooky, kooky excitement 5-9 p.m. every Saturday. Legoland California, 1 Legoland Drive, Carlsbad. 760.918.LEGO. legoland.com/VisitorSavings
PARTIES
Official Maxim Halloween 2013
Oct. 31. The Dos Equis Masquerade at Andaz San Diego is one of a limited number of official, nationwide Maxim Magazine Halloween bashes. This red carpet party will transform Andaz San Diego into a thrilling tri-level, masquerade-themed experience complete with costumes, cocktails and devilishly hot Maxim models making appearances throughout the night. DJs Este, Rags, Huy Believe, Brady Spear, Angle and Engage will rock the turntables. $25/pp. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Andaz San Diego, 600 F Street, San Diego. 619.814.2055. rooftop600.com
Hard Rock the Dead
Oct. 26. Three floors, four venues, 15 DJs. Quintino headlines this monster bash at the Hard Rock Hotel. 9 p.m. 21+. Hard Rock Hotel, 207 Fifth Ave., San Diego. ournightlife.com
GI Joes & Lady Jayes Halloween
Oct. 31. Military inspired costumes are preferred, but not required at W San Diego’s GI Joes & Lady Jayes Halloween bash. Get your groove on to the best house beats from two renown DJs, party with free glow toys on the newly renovated patio and take advantage of spooktacular bottle service packages. Email your military ID to receive a military discount of 25 percent on up to four tickets. W San Diego, 421 West B Street, San Diego. 323.604.6030. ournightlife.com
Ra’s Boo Bash
Oct. 31. Have a freakishly fun time partying the night away with spooktacular food and drink specials, a costume contest and a guest DJ. During Boo Bash, chow down on a variety of “Boo Bites” like there’s going to be a zombie apocalypse and no tomorrow, and cast a spell with one of Ra Sushi’s “Potent Potions”—try the Grape Ghoulade with Three Olives Grape Vodka, blue curacao, cranberry and fresh lemon. Those dressed to kill will could win a $100, $50 or $25 gift certificate to Ra Sushi. 7 p.m. Ra Sushi, 474 Broadway San Diego. RaSushiSanDiego
Monster Bash
Oct. 26. This frightful block party will take over eight city blocks and fill them with live music at three sinful mega-clubs, local bars and thousands of partygoers dressed in their best costumes. In true Monster Bash fashion, the best Halloween party in San Diego will end with a parade of the bizarre, peculiar, scantily clad, comedic and creative as the world famous costume contest offers up a grand prize of $5,000. Entrance at Market and 6th Avenue. 6 p.m.-midnight. sandiegomonsterbash.com
