It still might be 100 degrees, but it’s October — and Halloween is here. Check out some options to keep you in the spirit all month long.
Through Nov. 1, nature lovers can wander around a glowing trail and feast their eyes on thousands of hand-carved pumpkins and giant jack-o’-lanterns throughout Carved at Descanso Gardens. Members receive a discount, and children under 2 are free. On Halloween, guests will be treated to extra surprises. Visitors can: search the gardens for Descanso staff and volunteers disguised as spotted mushrooms and collect a prize or treat along the way; pick a tiny pumpkin to take home; and decorate a trick-or-treat bag for the evening’s festivities. Around 8 p.m., the dance party and DJ set begin. descansogardens.org
Chado Tea Room, with locations in Downtown LA and Pasadena, welcomes the spooky season with its new Witching Hour Afternoon Tea. This limited-time service features playful menu names and festive touches such as bat-shaped finger sandwiches, cream of pumpkin soup and witch’s spell cupcakes. Also on the menu are shattered glass scones served with witch’s cream and bewitched berry jam and spellbound butter cookies. Tea blends include Black Magic, Día de los Muertos, Basic Witch and Pumpkin Spice Chai. chadotea.com
This locally run haunted tour in Pasadena travels through Old Pasadena, Playhouse Village and the Civic Center, walking through eerie alleys where ghostly sightings have been reported and mortuaries with chilling stories of tragedy and scandal. Haunted Pasadena Walking Tour starts at 6:30 p.m. and lasts about two hours — and the October 31st tour is already sold out. pasadenawalkingtours.com
Runway Playa Vista is known for its festive community celebrations, and Halloween is no different. Family-friendly Spooky Movie Nights on its communal green space is happening every Tuesday in October from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Complimentary popcorn is available while supplies last, and candy and additional snacks can be purchased. The schedule is: “Casper” on Oct. 13, “The Addams Family (1991)” on Oct. 20 and “Coco” on Oct. 27. On Nov. 1, come out for the beloved Howl’oween Costume Contest & Pawrade, where pups in creative costumes strut for a chance to win prizes. runwayplayavista.com/events
A room dotted with thousands of candles with haunting live music filling a cavernous church in Koreatown. It’s the perfect setting for Halloween! Candlelight concerts treat with multi-sensory musical experiences in awe-inspiring locations. For these string quartet tribute concerts on Oct. 23 (there are two show times), the tentative program includes “Stranger Things” (Theme), “Beetlejuice” (Theme), “Psycho” Prelude, “Ghostbusters” (Theme) and, of course, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” feverup.com/m/369739
All year round you can expect top-notch music and dance performances at The Ford — but in October, it is time for Horror Nights, which is offered in the form of cinema under the stars. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, “From Dusk Till Dawn” screens on Oct. 30 in partnership with Street Food Cinema. On Oct. 31 is “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” featuring Sins O’ The Flesh. Sing along at this special Halloween performance dedicated to Tim Curry and produced in partnership with Street Food Cinema. theford.com
The Walt Disney Concert Hall is not afraid of weirdos and werewolves. In the afternoon of Oct. 31, organist Clark Wilson—one of America’s most prominent scorers of silent photoplays—performs the haunting score for John S. Robertson’s 1920 “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” starring John Barrymore. In the evening, composer and director Michael Giacchino hosts a doubleheader with Los Angeles Philharmonic. Both films — ”Headless,” inspired by “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and “Werewolf by Night” — are guaranteed goosebump-giving thrillers. laphil.com
For 18 years, the fictional town of Midnight Falls has been scaring Angelenos with its haunted hayride, terrifying mazes and roaming monsters. Los Angeles Hayride is back at Griffith Park through Nov. 1, featuring new additions: Fallen Angel maze, a séance experience and themed bars serving alcoholic beverages for the first time. losangeleshauntedhayride.com
The Culver Hotel is offering a long list of activities in October. First up, Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch will create a playful pumpkin display at the hotel entrance and host a weekends-only scavenger hunt at the pumpkin patch. On Oct. 31, for one day only, Afternoon Tea gets a makeover with Spooky Tea in the Grand Lobby and on the garden patio. Last, throughout October, classic scary movies will screen in the Grand Lobby, including “Dracula,” “The Birds,” “Creature from the Black Lagoon” and “Frankenstein.” culverhotel.com
Get ready for six haunted mazes, including the new “ShipWrecked: Brace for Impact,” during the 13th season of The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor.
The historic Queen Mary and the surrounding harbor completely transform into every guest’s worst nightmare. There is much to pick and choose from: carnival rides, séances, live entertainment, themed food and drinks and hidden speakeasies aboard the ship. darkharborhalloween.com
On Oct. 25, celebrate Día de Los Muertos at Los Angeles County Arboretum in its decorated gardens. There will be face painting, live music, arts and crafts and honoring loved ones. arboretum.org
The 7th annual Santa Monica Pier’s Día de los Muertos Celebration is a two-day public art installation taking place from Oct. 31st through Nov. 1st. The Merry Go-Round building transforms into a community-oriented space housing a community altar as well as altars made by local artist, Sylvia Sanchez. The 100-year-old carousel will be adorned with marigolds and papel picado, and on Nov. 1, enjoy live performances, including the traditional dance of Ballet Folklorico and a serenade by a Mariachi group. santamonicapier.org/diadelosmuertos
For those who are a bit more adventurous, Nassau & Paradise Island is a perfect Halloween destination with a fascinating and sometimes spooky history. Apparently, Nassau was a major center of pirate activity during the Golden Age of Piracy — Blackbeard even passed through! Its forts, historic sites and museums, including Fort Montagu and Old Fort Nassau, allow travelers to explore that history firsthand.
The island is also home to Bahamian folklore, including the story of the Old Hag, an oral tradition associated with the terrifying experience of waking up unable to move or speak. nassauparadiseisland.com