Halloween in San Diego 2026: what's on, from toddler-friendly to genuinely scary
Little kids: SeaWorld Spooktacular, LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat and the Zoo's HalGLOWeen, all included with admission. A real scare: Howl-O-Scream or Balboa Park's Haunted Trail. The Haunted Hotel and Scream Zone are off this year.
- Halloween
- Sat, Oct 31
- Scariest
- Howl-O-Scream
- Free pick
- Liberty Station
- Not running
- Scream Zone, Haunted Hotel
Clocks fall back Nov 1
From $45.99; not for under-13s
Sun Oct 25, noon–4
2026
The short version
- Halloween 2026 falls on a Saturday, and clocks fall back the next morning, Sunday, November 1.
- SeaWorld's Spooktacular (weekends through Nov 1), LEGOLAND's Brick-or-Treat and the Zoo's HalGLOWeen (Fri–Sun through Oct 31) are included with park admission.
- SeaWorld's Howl-O-Scream starts at $45.99 a night and isn't recommended for kids under 13; the Haunted Trail of Balboa Park is $34.99 and not recommended under 10.
- The Scream Zone at the Del Mar Fairgrounds is on hiatus for 2026, and the Gaslamp's Haunted Hotel has been closed since 2024.
- Free options: Halloween at the Station in Liberty Station (Oct 25) and Belmont Park's Fall Fest (free entry).
San Diego does Halloween at every scare level, but this year's map looks different: two of the county's best-known haunts aren't running. Here's what's actually on for 2026, sorted from stroller-friendly to sleep-with-the-lights-on, with dates and prices checked October 20, 2026.
Pick by scare level
Age guidance from each organizer. Prices are starting prices; parking is usually extra.
The events, with dates and prices
| Event | When (2026) | Price | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat, Carlsbad | Select weekends to Nov 1, plus Oct 31; from 3 p.m. | Included with admission | Aimed at 2–12 |
| Sesame Place Halloween Spooktacular, Chula Vista | Sat–Sun to Nov 1; costume contest Oct 31 | Included with admission | Little kids |
| SeaWorld Spooktacular | Fri–Sun to Nov 1; candy trail from 4 p.m. Fri, 1 p.m. weekends | Included with admission | All ages; no masks 13+ |
| San Diego Zoo HalGLOWeen | Fri–Sun to Oct 31; open to 9 p.m. | Included with admission | All ages |
| Belmont Park Beachside Fall Fest | Weekends to Oct 31 | Free entry; ride pass from $54.95 | All ages |
| USS Midway Fright Deck | Sat Oct 24, doors 6–7:30 p.m. | $16–$26 | Families; PG-13 movie |
| Halloween at the Station, Liberty Station | Sun Oct 25, noon–4 p.m. | Free | All ages |
| Seaport Village Bayside Boo | Sat Oct 31, 6:30–9:30 p.m. | Check listing | All ages |
| Haunted Trail of Balboa Park | Select nights to Nov 1, 6:30–11 p.m. | From $34.99 | Not recommended under 10 |
| Carlsbad Strawberry Co. haunted corn maze | Fri–Sat in October, 7–10 p.m. | $25 plus entry | Teens and adults |
| SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream | Select nights to Oct 31, from 7 p.m. | From $45.99 | Not recommended under 13 |
| Gaslamp Zombie Crawl | Oct 23, 24, 30, 31 from 6 p.m. | Ticketed | 21+ |
Organizer pages (SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, USS Midway, Carlsbad Strawberry Co., Gaslamp Quarter Association) plus Times of San Diego, KPBS, SD Family and La Jolla Mom listings, checked October 20, 2026.
Family
Scary
Pins from OpenStreetMap. Checked October 20, 2026.
For little kids
The theme parks do the heavy lifting, and October makes them cheaper: Kids Free San Diego runs through October 31 (SeaWorld's version through November 1), and the Zoo admits up to six kids 11 and under free with each paying adult. SeaWorld's Spooktacular candy trail runs on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. and weekends from 1 to 7 p.m. LEGOLAND's Brick-or-Treat starts at 3 p.m. on event days and bills itself as not-too-scary. At SeaWorld and Sesame Place, guests 13 and older can't wear masks.
For a real scare
SeaWorld's Howl-O-Scream is the big one: entry from 6 p.m., scares from 7, single nights from $45.99. SeaWorld says it isn't intended for children and doesn't recommend it for under-13s; teens pay the adult price and costumes aren't allowed. The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park is a mile-long outdoor walk-through plus a maze, from $34.99, and not recommended for kids under 10. For grown-ups only, the Gaslamp Quarter Association lists a Zombie Crawl and Halloween-night parties, all 21+.
Trick-or-treating instead? See the best trick-or-treat neighborhoods. Want a patch first? Pumpkin patches and corn mazes. For history with your chills: San Diego's haunted places. And the day after: Día de los Muertos.
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- PrimaryHowl-O-Scream
SeaWorld San Diego · Checked October 20, 2026
Dates, hours, prices, age advisory
- PrimaryBrick-or-Treat guide
LEGOLAND California · Checked October 20, 2026
Dates, 3 p.m. start, ages
USS Midway Museum · Checked October 20, 2026
Date and time
Carlsbad Strawberry Company · Checked October 20, 2026
Haunted maze nights and price
- PrimaryGaslamp Quarter Halloween
Gaslamp Quarter Association · Checked October 20, 2026
Zombie Crawl and 21+ events
- PrimaryThe Scream Zone
The Scream Zone · Checked October 20, 2026
2026 hiatus
- PrimaryThe Haunted Hotel
The Haunted Hotel · Checked October 20, 2026
Closed; looking for new location
Times of San Diego · September 28, 2026
Dates and hours
KPBS · Checked October 20, 2026
Dates, hours, prices
San Diego Family Magazine · Checked October 20, 2026
Midway price, Seaport Village and Liberty Station events
- BackgroundSeaWorld Spooktacular guide
La Jolla Mom · Checked October 20, 2026
Spooktacular dates, hours, mask rule