19 Fantastic Things To Do In Los Angeles This October (2024)

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Looking for all the best things to do in Los Angeles in October?

October is one of the best times of year to visit LA.

There are haunted hayrides, Halloween festivals, Oktoberfests, and more.

Here are some of our favorites that we recommend the most!

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Fantastic Things To Do In Los Angeles This October

1. Lights Out at Pomona “Fearplex”

This event takes place on Saturdays and Sundays from October 4-31.

Check out three haunted mazes – Zombie Escape, Carnival of Evil, and Toxic Terror.

Interactive activities include a wax museum, creepy graveyard, and eTerror games.

There are designated scare zones throughout the event as well as food and drink vendors.

The Zombie Escape post for haunted maze at Lights Out at Fearplex Pomona

2. Nights of the Jack at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas

Nights of the Jack has a walk-able pumpkin trail, food trucks, a Spookeasy bar, and more!

It’s a great place for families or date night.

This event runs from September 27th-November 3rd from 6 pm – 10:30 pm.

Be sure to purchase your tickets in advance because it will sell out.

3. Carved at Descanso Gardens

This night time event is hosted in La Canada Flintridge, in the area surrounding Pasadena, Glendale, and Burbank.

Though they are most known for their Christmas lights, they are also delving into Halloween lights now too.

Carved takes place this year from October 6th – 29th.

Descanso Gardens Main Lawn Pumpkin House

4. Oktoberfest at Pomona Fairplex

Friday and Saturday nights from October 4th – 26th, from 6 pm – 11 pm, adults ages 21+ can enjoy Oktoberfest at Pomona Fairplex.

Enjoy authentic German food, music, dancing, and games.

5. Magic Of The Jack O’Lanterns

Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns is located at the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte.

This event takes place on select nights from September 20th – November 2nd.

Enjoy pumpkin trails similar to events like Nights of the Jack or Pumpkin Nights.

Ticket prices currently start at $24.99 and if you buy your tickets before the opening day there are early bird specials.

Magic of the Jack O'Lanterns at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area

6. Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch in Culver City

Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch is open from October 5th – October 30th from 9 am to 9 pm.

Admission prices range anywhere from $10-$30 depending on how early you go in the season, the day of the week, and the time of day.

In addition to the pumpkin patch, there are tons of activities and entertainment options to enjoy while you’re visiting.

This pumpkin patch has been a staple since 1987.

7. Los Angeles Haunted Hayride

This event is not recommended for children under the age of 12 since the entire area is essentially a scare zone.

In addition to the haunted hayride, the town square area is also interactive with scare actors and a live show that’s performed several times throughout the night.

There are also 3 haunted mazes including Hellbilly Halloween, Midnight Mortuary, and Trick or Treat.

It runs from September 20th – November 2nd most nights and is located in the Griffith Park area.

8. Underwood Family Farms

Underwood Family Farms is located in Moorpark, which is just north of LA.

Their Fall Harvest Festival runs from September 28th – October 31st.

What’s great about this farm is that each weekend throughout the Fall season they have a different themed festival.

They always have wagon rides, a corn maze, a pumpkin patch, photo ops, live entertainment, and more.

If you’re visiting on weekends, tickets must be purchased online in advance, but on weekdays you can get your tickets at the gate.

9. Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood

Halloween Horror Nights is one of the most popular things to do in Los Angeles in October.

This annual event at Universal Studios Hollywood happens on select nights throughout the Halloween season.

It is not recommended for young children or anyone that is easily scared.

10. Escape Hotel Hollywood

Escape Hotel is an immersive experience where you can enjoy the restaurant, bar, and live entertainment before or after being escorted to your chosen escape room.

From the moment you walk into the lobby it’s like you’re inside a real Tower of Terror experience.

Escape room themes include Haunted Fair, Daycare Chapter, Resurrection, Attic, Zombie, Cursed Crypt, Slaughter, and Purgatory.

On their website, each room lists it’s escape rate to help you choose the level of difficulty that best suits your group.

You can also visit without doing the escape rooms and just enjoy the restaurant.

11. Hollywood Forever Cemetery

This tourist friendly cemetery is the final resting place of many well known celebrities throughout the years.

If the office is open during your visit, they sell a map for $5 or $6 showing you all the noteworthy spots to go to.

Some of the more popular grave sites are of Judy Garland, the dog who played Toto, Mel Blanc, Johnny Ramone, Mickey Rooney, Hattie McDaniel, Burt Reynolds, and more.

During the Fall, they have movie screenings in the evenings and a Dia de los Muertos Festival.

Johnny Ramone grave site at Hollywood Forever Cemetery

12. Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Cemetery

This tiny, hidden cemetery is home to many stars.

Amongst the famous celebrities include Marilyn Monroe, Hugh Hefner, Don Knotts, Eva Gabor, Dean Martin, Natalie Wood, Mel Torme, and Rodney Dangerfield.

Don Knotts grave site at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Cemetery

13. Forest Lawn Cemetery – Glendale

This cemetery is massive and it’s a little harder to find individual grave sites, but there are many iconic people buried here.

The main reason we visited this cemetery was to see Walt Disney’s grave site.

He’s buried with several of his family members in a great location up on a hill amongst a garden.

A little ways away from him is Clark Gable.

14. The Haunt Ghost Tours

The Haunt Ghost Tours can be taken in LA, Temecula, and in Solvang.

These are paranormal investigation walking tours that take place in the evenings.

The LA tour takes place in Chinatown and when we took the tour our EMF readers picked up a ton of activity all throughout the night.

All locations tend to sell out in advance, so you’ll want to make sure to get your tickets early!

The Haunt Ghost Tours - EMF Readers in LA Chinatown

15. Halloween Movie Screenings at Rooftop Cinema Club

They show films seven nights a week at their venues in San Diego, the LA Arts District, Downtown LA, and El Segundo.

Popular movies include: Hocus Pocus, Friday The 13th (1980), Coraline, Halloweentown, Practical Magic, Edward Scissorhands, Scream (1996), Halloween (1978), The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Addams Family (1991), Rocky Horror Picture Show, American Psycho, and A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984).

Rooftop Cinema Club in San Diego — Image Courtesy of Rooftop Cinema Club

16. The Haunted Car Wash Tunnel Of Terror

There are two locations for the haunted car wash this year!

If you’re in LA, visit Carwood Car Wash at 2729 E. Carson St, Lakewood, CA, 90712.

If you’re in Orange County, visit Big Wave Car Wash at 2219 Lincoln Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92801.

On select nights from October 3rd – October 30th, the haunted carwashes will be running for $30 per vehicle.

17. Natural History Museum’s Boney Island

The Natural History Museum in LA transforms its Nature Gardens into a haunted but whimsical interactive light-up experience called Boney Island during the Halloween season.

The light up experience includes special effects like skeletons performing rope tricks, levitating through hoops, shadow puppetry and more.

Additionally, there are artistic performances, real fossils, live animal presentations, trick-or-treating, and other installations.

This event runs on select dates October 3rd – October 31st.

18. Sony Pictures Studios Halloween Twilight Tour

On Thursday nights, the Twilight Tour at Sony Pictures Studios becomes the Halloween Twilight Tour.

It’s a fun and different way to tour a movie studio if you’re a local and have been to all the lots before.

The tour goes from 6 pm – 8 pm and is $55 per person.

19. Craftoberfest At The Rose Bowl

Saturday, October 5th, 2024 is the return of Craftoberfest at the Rose Bowl.

You can enjoy enjoy traditional German foods, as well as unlimited craft beer!

This event takes place from 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm.

Craftoberfest at the Rose Bowl - brats and beer — Image Courtesy of VisitPasadena

More Fun Things To Do In Southern California In The Fall

Outside of the fun things to do in Los Angeles in October, if you’re looking for more places to explore throughout the Halloween season, there is plenty to do in Southern California!

These are our favorite Fall events that we like to go to year after year.

🎃 Roger’s Gardens Halloween Boutique

This plant nursery in Corona Del Mar, near Newport Beach, has been transforming it’s Halloween boutique for several years now.

In the boutique you’ll find tons of Halloween decor and props.

Each year it gets a new theme and the theme for 2023 is The Witching Hour.

Some previous themes include The Nightmare Before Christmas, Cabinet of Curiosities, A Pirates Life For Me, and my personal favorite, Malice In Wonderland.