The Best Family-Friendly Halloween Events in LA

Dim the chandeliers, the frightfully fun Hallowe’en Spooktacular reawakens at Bob Baker Marionette Theater on Saturday, September 7! The Hallowe’en Spooktacular is an hour-long, family-friendly boo-sical revue featuring more than one hundred spirited puppets rallying to regale you with silly things on strings. With new thrills and curious creations, from Frankenstein’s monster’s toe-tapping inception to an out-of-this-world Venutian dreamscape to a bone-rattling soirée of glow-in-the-dark skeletons in a hidden cabaret, Hallowe’en Spooktacular beckons you to the place where imagination … lurks!

Bob Baker is offering a sensory-friendly version of the Hallowe’en Spooktacular at 10:30am on Sunday, September 22 for guests who would prefer a show environment with modifications for reduced sensory aspects and additional accommodations.

Tickets are now on sale for the show’s run through November 10. Costumes are strongly encouraged - costume parades will be held at every Spooktacular performance beginning in October. You might even be asked to join the show!

The "Thrill Capital of the World," Six Flags Magic Mountain is hosting the daytime Kids Boo Fest on select dates through November 3, featuring the park's family-favorite coasters and rides, a classic trick-or-treat trail in Bugs Bunny World, and scary-good treats. The Kids Boo Fest ends before the grown-ups take over Fright Fest Extreme.

NOTE: only children ages 12 and under are allowed to wear costumes to Six Flags Magic Mountain. No masks, make-up or scary/gory costumes allowed.

The family-friendly Nights of the Jack returns to King Gillette Ranch with a mile-long walking trail featuring 30+ immersive environments, pumpkin carvings, photo moments, face painting, a pirate jewelry workshop, and digital carnival games. Kids will enjoy pumpkin versions of their favorite characters, while adults will admire the artistry.

The Natural History Museum presents Boney Island, an interactive light-up experience that transforms the Nature Gardens into an illuminated wonderland of fun and frights.

The bone-chilling highlights include: a walk on the weird side in the Skeleton Stroll; festively fiendish animals in the Deadwood Forest; skeletal symphonies in the Hauntington Gardens; prehistoric creatures in the Primeval Pass; your fave "skelebrities" in the Walk of Fame; Maestro Maxilla’s Water Show; and live performances and NHM Living Collections showcases on the Boney Island Theater Stage.

Costumes are encouraged with some basic guidelines. Boney Island is an all-ages / family-friendly event and costumes must be respectful of all guests.

For three weeks in October, hundreds of carved pumpkins will line the Camellia Forest and Oak Grove at Descanso Gardens. A family-friendly event for all ages, this year's edition of Carved will feature a new mile-long trail along with the ever-popular Pumpkin House, hay maze, and themed food and beverages. Guests can also enjoy UV "black light" experiences, artists sculpting pumpkins, and a special Día de los Muertos installation at the Amphitheater.

Timed entry tickets to Carved are on sale at the Descanso Gardens website.

Located at Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks, Tina's Pumpkin Patch features a free straw maze, along with a pony ride ($8) and numerous activities for $4 each: petting zoo, train ride, bouncer, slide and obstacle course.

Tina's Pumpkin Patch is located in the parking lot off Woodman Avenue and the 101 Freeway. Admission and parking are free. Hours are 10am to 8pm on Sunday-Thursday, and 10am to 9pm on Friday-Saturday.

Now an annual Santa Monica Playhouse tradition, Absolutely Halloween! is the heartwarming musical tale of Candy, a "sweet" young girl who learns some surprising lessons about life, love, laughter and sugar, from a delightful array of colorful characters who take her on a magical adventure to save Halloween. As the witching hour approaches, youngsters (and parents, too) aid the denizens of Halloween World in completing magical spells, happily helping to save All Hallows’ Eve… until next year.

Performances are Saturdays at 2pm and Sundays at 12:30pm. Tickets are on sale at the SMP website.

"What's this? What's this?" It's Tim Burton's beloved holiday film, The Nightmare Before Christmas, screening in 4D through Halloween Night at the El Capitan Theatre! Have a "Scream-tacular" time with the Everybody Scream Pack ($78) which Includes 2 reserved seats, 2 fountain drinks, 2 popcorn and 2 Skittles Shriekers.

The October calendar for Los Feliz esoteric knowledge institution The Philosophical Research Society is packed with screenings, lectures and events leaning into horror, magic and tradition.

On Friday, October 25, Matt Schnittker presents "The (Somewhat) Sinister, (Mostly) Supernatural and (Completely) Pre-Cinema Halloween Magic Lantern Show," featuring a vintage projector, hand-painted slides and live piano accompaniment by Matt's son Benjamin. This is an all-ages, family-friendly event. Tickets at Eventbrite.

The Los Angeles Zoo hosts the annual Boo at the L.A. Zoo - two weekends of sweet and spooky fun for the whole family!

Boo-tiful activities include Trick-or-Treat Stations with wildlife-friendly candies donated by Mars; the Extinct Animal Graveyard, Spooky Storytime, Spooky Science from Space with NASA/JPL, Education Stations, Creature Treats (animal feedings) and Fang-tastic Photo Spots with M&Ms characters.

Calling all ghosts and ghouls for a monstrously good time! On Saturday, October 26, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will host the Monster Mash, a fun-filled day of screenings, special effects makeup demonstrations, ghostly tours, special monster appearances and activities. Films include an Accessible Screening of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein; the Spanish language version of Drácula in 4K; and the 70th anniversary of Creature from the Black Lagoon in 3D.

Quentin Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema is getting into the Halloween spirit with kid-friendly matinees of the Universal classic, Bride of Frankenstein. The weekend matinees will screen at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27.