It still might be 100 degrees, but it\u2019s October \u2014 and Halloween is here. Check out some options to keep you in the spirit all month long.<\/p>\n
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\u2019-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\u2019s festivities. Around 8 p.m., the dance party and DJ set begin. descansogardens.org<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019s spell cupcakes. Also on the menu are shattered glass scones served with witch\u2019s cream and bewitched berry jam and spellbound butter cookies. Tea blends include Black Magic, D\u00eda de los Muertos, Basic Witch and Pumpkin Spice Chai. chadotea.com<\/a><\/p>\n 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 \u2014 and the October 31st tour is already sold out. pasadenawalkingtours.com<\/a><\/p>\n 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: \u201cCasper\u201d on Oct. 13, \u201cThe Addams Family (1991)\u201d on Oct. 20 and \u201cCoco\u201d on Oct. 27. On Nov. 1, come out for the beloved Howl\u2019oween Costume Contest & Pawrade, where pups in creative costumes strut for a chance to win prizes. runwayplayavista.com\/events<\/a><\/p>\n A room dotted with thousands of candles with haunting live music filling a cavernous church in Koreatown. It\u2019s 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 \u201cStranger Things\u201d (Theme), \u201cBeetlejuice\u201d (Theme), \u201cPsycho\u201d Prelude, \u201cGhostbusters\u201d (Theme) and, of course, Michael Jackson\u2019s \u201cThriller.\u201d feverup.com\/m\/369739<\/a><\/p>\n All year round you can expect top-notch music and dance performances at The Ford \u2014 but in October, it is time for Horror Nights, which is offered in the form of cinema under the stars. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, \u201cFrom Dusk Till Dawn\u201d screens on Oct. 30 in partnership with Street Food Cinema. On Oct. 31 is \u201cThe Rocky Horror Picture Show\u201d featuring Sins O\u2019 The Flesh. Sing along at this special Halloween performance dedicated to Tim Curry and produced in partnership with Street Food Cinema. theford.com<\/a><\/p>\n The Walt Disney Concert Hall is not afraid of weirdos and werewolves. In the afternoon of Oct. 31, organist Clark Wilson\u2014one of America\u2019s most prominent scorers of silent photoplays\u2014performs the haunting score for John S. Robertson\u2019s 1920 \u201cDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,\u201d starring John Barrymore. In the evening, composer and director Michael Giacchino hosts a doubleheader with Los Angeles Philharmonic. Both films \u2014 \u201dHeadless,\u201d inspired by \u201cThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow,\u201d and \u201cWerewolf by Night\u201d \u2014 are guaranteed goosebump-giving thrillers. laphil.com<\/a><\/p>\n 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 s\u00e9ance experience and themed bars serving alcoholic beverages for the first time. losangeleshauntedhayride.com<\/a><\/p>\n 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 \u201cDracula,\u201d \u201cThe Birds,\u201d \u201cCreature from the Black Lagoon\u201d and \u201cFrankenstein.\u201d culverhotel.com<\/a><\/p>\n Get ready for six haunted mazes, including the new \u201cShipWrecked: Brace for Impact,\u201d during the 13th season of The Queen Mary\u2019s Dark Harbor.<\/p>\n The historic Queen Mary and the surrounding harbor completely transform into every guest\u2019s worst nightmare. There is much to pick and choose from: carnival rides, s\u00e9ances, live entertainment, themed food and drinks and hidden speakeasies aboard the ship. darkharborhalloween.com<\/a><\/p>\n On Oct. 25, celebrate D\u00eda 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<\/a><\/p>\n The 7th annual Santa Monica Pier\u2019s D\u00eda 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<\/a><\/p>\n 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 \u2014 Blackbeard even passed through! Its forts, historic sites and museums, including Fort Montagu and Old Fort Nassau, allow travelers to explore that history firsthand.<\/p>\n