Whether you’re looking to experience a spooky ride in the dark woods, family-friendly nights with crazy fun-loving spirits or to be truly frightened, there are a trio of frights opening in Los Angeles on Sept. 18 that’ll bring just the right amount of terror you can handle.
“This season brings new stories, new characters and a lot of surprises across our Southern California events,” said Chris Stafford, CEO and Founding Partner of Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group , in a statement to the Southern California News Group.
The Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, which produces and operates immersive experiences, is launching three well-known Halloween events on Sept. 18.
“Whether you want to be terrified, completely immersed in a story or just have a great Halloween night with your family, we’ve built a lineup that gives people a reason to come back throughout the entire season,” the statement continued.
The lineup includes the Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns; a milelong walking trail, the much scarier Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, where people walk through mazes and ride into the dark woods, and Dark Harbor, one of the area’s most popular haunts that takes place on and off the allegedly haunted Queen Mary ship in Long Beach. It will be returning for its 13th season this year, yes, 13.
All attractions run on select nights through Nov. 18. Here’s a taste of the fear you can expect at each event.
For the kids
Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns
Where: South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes Estates
Information: Tickets start at $29.99 for adults at $24.99 (including fees) for kids on select nights. To purchase go to magicofthejackolanterns.com
Get ready to take a lot of pics of the little ones as they walk through a mile-long illuminated Halloween wonderland. This year expect to see trails adorned with whimsical circus scenes, a colorful Día de los Muertos tribute and a journey under the sea. And of course there will be thousands of hand-carved pumpkins along the trail.
A Spooky ride
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
Where: Griffith Park, 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles
Information: Tickets start at $38.99. To purchase go to losangeleshauntedhayride.com
Set in the dark woods deep inside Griffith Park, this annual event sets the right tone for Halloween with its creepy walk-through haunts that include a new maze addition this year dubbed “Fallen Angel.” The haunt takes people to the condemned Halo Theatre on the Sunset Strip where the heavy metal band Fallen Angel died after a pyro mishap on Halloween. Forty-one years later, their devoted fans have broken into the venue to enact a ritual to make sure the show goes on, but the ritual works too well. Returning this year of course is the actual hayride, which takes people on a hay-filled wagon through dark trails in the woods where they realize they are not alone.
A wave of nightmares
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
Where: The Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach
Information: Tickets start at $50.99. To purchase tickets go to darkharborhalloween.com
This is the scare of a lifetime for horror fans, since the ship has long been rumored to be haunted and the ghosts and creatures who allegedly still inhabit the legendary vessel have inspired its walk-through mazes. Taking place on and off the ship, the six mazes include “Lullaby: Teddy’s Revenge,” where the sinisterly playful ghost of Scary Mary rises to accost passengers in the ship’s pool area. There’s also “Infirmary: The Siren Song.” This is where sadistic surgeon Dr. Edwin Masters and his accomplice Graceful Gale torment the living. And for a little terror fun there’s “Big Top Terror: Carnival of Chaos,” which takes a Halloween carnival and turns it into a deadly night of clown mayhem. New this year is “Shipwrecked: Brace for Impact,” a maze that takes place during a blackout voyage that led to the ship’s most chilling collision as drowned sailors who have now returned from the depths to haunt the vessel. Besides mazes, Dark Harbor includes carnival rides, games and hidden speakeasies for those looking for different kinds of spirits.