The Best Family-Friendly Halloween Events in LA

Bob Baker Marionette Theater presents the Hallowe’en Spooktacular, 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, Hallowe’en Spooktacular beckons you to the place where imagination … lurks!

This year, the Spooktacular now includes a Día de los Muertos sequence with a celebratory scene to pay tribute to the holiday and honor our community.

Bob Baker is offering a sensory-friendly version of the Hallowe’en Spooktacular at 10:30am on Saturday, October 11 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 from September 6 through November 9. 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 Tricks and Treats (formerly Kids Boo Fest), an all-new fall festival featuring family-friendly activities, Trick-or-Treat Trail, live performances and, of course, world-class rides. Tricks and Treats ends when the sun sets and the grown-ups take over Fright Fest.

The family-friendly Night 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 and enjoy seasonal drinks at the "Spookeasy" Bars.

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.

Every October, Descanso Gardens invites the whole family to enjoy Carved, featuring hundreds of carved pumpkins lining the Camellia Forest and Oak Grove. The Descanso Railroad will be specially lit for Carved, and new ghosts will join the family of wood spirits carved from five enormous logs by Chainsaw Jenna. Be amazed by luminous jack-o’-lanterns, hand-carved giant pumpkins and “Rhizome” installation by Tom and Lien Dekyvere.

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

Quentin Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema is showing Halloween movies throughout October, including these kid-friendly weekend matinees: Hold That Ghost (Oct. 5), Cartoon Club Halloween Edition (Oct. 11), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (Oct. 11-12), Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (Oct. 18-19) and Beetlejuice (Oct. 25-26).

Bob Baker Marionette Theater and Screen Novelties are collaborating for Spook-A-Nanny, a Halloween event that the whole family can enjoy! Taking place at Heritage Square Museum on Sunday, October 19, Spook-A-Nanny features spooky clips culled from VHS, DVDs and 16mm film; plus Bob Baker’s beloved puppets will perform a whimsical outdoor show. Be sure to bring a picnic blanket or folding chairs.

On Friday, October 17, the Aquarium of the Pacific presents Scarium Family Night, featuring spooky Halloween activities for the whole family. Explore the aquarium with a self-guided scavenger hunt, touch animals like sharks and jellies, and even go trick-or-treating with provided goodie bags. Dance to DJ tunes and discover more fun at the kids’ activity and photo booths. There will also be a costume contest and a vampire magician!

On Saturday, October 18, Cinespia presents an outdoor screening of ParaNorman at the landmark Hollywood Forever. From the creators of Coraline, ParaNorman is a spooky stop-motion gem with heart, humor, and hair that defies gravity. Norman sees dead people (and sometimes chats with them), but saving the town from a 300-year-old curse? No big deal. It’s a monster movie for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider. Gates at 5:30pm, event at 7:15pm with free photo booth, DJs and bar & grill.

"Meet Me at 3rd and Fairfax" for the annual Fall Festival, taking place at The Original Farmers Market on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19. The weekend festivities include a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, fall-themed games, live music, kids crafts, photo ops and more.

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. Boo at the L.A. Zoo is free with paid Zoo admission or GLAZA membership.

With construction at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium underway, staff have unearthed a mysterious relic from the past. Curious minds want to decipher the runes inscribed on the artifact, but others warn of an ancient curse that may be released with too much meddling. The siren’s song will draw you into unraveling the mystery by finding clues hidden throughout the aquarium, including the dark corners of Skull Alley, the Mad Scientist's Lab and Haunted House. Other challenges include winning prizes in the carnival game area and creating your own goodies at the arts and crafts tables. Be sure to visit the Trunk or Treat zone and don’t forget to dress your best and participate in the costume contest!

Guests with a family membership will receive 4 FREE tickets and get early entry into the event starting at 6pm. A family-friendly night of thrills, chills and gills is guaranteed!

"What's this? What's this?" It's Tim Burton's beloved holiday film, The Nightmare Before Christmas, screening in 4D at the El Capitan Theatre on Friday, October 24! See props from The Nightmare Before Christmas and enjoy a live drawing demo with George McClements before the movie. The $78 Fan Event includes a reserved seat, Jack Skellington Popcorn Bucket, popcorn, fountain drink and event credential and lanyard.

The landmark Union Station presents the 6th annual Boonion Station, a family-friendly Halloween haunt taking place on Saturday, October 25! The newly-restored South Patio will transform into a frightfully fun Halloween village filled with balloon artists, face painting, “scaricature” drawings, trick-or-treating, dancing, a costume contest, crafts, candy and more. Come dressed to impress as prizes will be awarded for the Most Original, Funniest, Spookiest and Best Group/Family costumes. This one-day-only celebration is FREE, open to the public and welcomes ghouls and goblins of all ages. Tickets are not required.

Screening every Saturday at 11am, the Academy Museum's Family Matinees feature movies that are rated G or PG, unless otherwise noted. On the last Saturday of every month, the Family Matinee is an accessible screening with open captioning; the theater is dimly lit, and the volume is lowered for neurodivergent viewers. The October 25 accessible screening is Bride of Frankenstein, presented in 4K.

Join KCRW and Smorgasburg LA for the most delicious monster mash! Young and young-at-heart alike are invited to enjoy all the ghoulishly sweet delights of KCRW Family Day at Spookysburg. Come dressed up for a costume contest and parade, join storytime with KCRW’s All Things Considered host Steve Chiotakis, groove to seasonal tunes with KCRW DJs Novena Carmel and Rocio "Wyldeflower" Contreras, and get creative with hands-on art activities. Plus, go trick-or-treating through Smorgasburg’s shopping aisle, participate in the prize BOOnanza, and, of course, enjoy food from 60+ curated food and beverage vendors.

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.

Designed to engage children through joyful experiences, the Kidspace Children's Museum is hosting a month-long Halloween Bash.

Your little pumpkin will love to create their own silly or scary monster in the Adopt-a-Monster Imagination Workshop. Mix up a magical potion in the Witch’s Kitchen with dragon scales and unicorn tears – don’t forget to say the magic word! Go boo-ling for strikes at Pumpkin Bowling – this game is right up your alley.

The whole family is invited to march, dance, and strut the catwalk in the fanciful Halloween parade - costumes encouraged! You can join the parade daily at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.