Posted: Wednesday, Oct 7th, 2015
Updated: Monday, Apr 11th, 2022
Get your spook on!
13 cool and frightful things to do in the 805…and beyond!!
If you dare:
The old Maverick’s gym near Golf n Stuff transforms into a horror maze with scary scenes! The couple behind this madness go through great lengths to make sure everyone who enters gets the fright scared out of them!
$13
October 3
October 9, 10
October 16, 17
October 23, 24
October 29, 30, 31
(There is a Halloween Planet costume store there also.)
2) LEARN THE “THRILLER” DANCE
Fit Zone
4756-3 Telephone Rd
Ventura (between Winco and Burlington)
$5.00/class
Ages 6 and up
Classes-1 hr
Sun Oct. 4th 10:45am
Tues. Oct. 6th 6:30pm
Sun. Oct. 11th 10:45am
Sat. Oct. 17th 10am
Tues. Oct. 20th 6:30pm
Thurs. Oct. 22nd 6pm
3)THRILLER DAY
Dress like a zombie and do the Thriller dance with a big group! Or come out and just watch!
Saturday, Oct 24th
Ventura Harbor
3PM
4) PUMPKINLINER
Fillmore Western Railway
All weekends in October
10:30am and 2pm
$20 adults
$12 kids 4-12yrs
$10 2-3yrs
351 Santa Clara St, Fillmore
Take the vintage train to the patch to pick your pumpkins. Jolly jump, hayride, maze and other fun activities for the young’uns!
Touted as one of SoCal’s best haunted houses!
Janss Mall
Thousand Oaks
All weekends in October
$17-$25 (CASH ONLY)
5) ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW with the Letter Follies Burlesque
The one and only iconic RHPS!
Oct 9
Ventura Theater
9pm (Burlesque)
Midnight (RHPS)
$10-$20
18 & over
Boccali’s
3277 E. Ojai Ave. (Hwy 150 at Reeve’s Rd)
Ojai
Oct 9 & 10
Oct 16 & 17
Oct 23 & 24
7-9pm $10
A MUST! This event is a true Halloween treat for the entire family! Get spooked and have fun!
(NOTE: optional dinner buffet offered)
7) BOO AT THE ZOO
The area’s zoos add a little Halloween fun for the entire family!
Santa Barbara:
The Zoo transforms for three nights of safe, traffic-free trick-or-treating for monster-ous thrills and chills including a Trick-or-Treat Trail, Boo-Choo-Choo train rides, Creepy Crawly encounters, Spooky Storytelling, Goblin Games, and more.
$15
$10 (ages 2-12)
Friday, Oct 23 5:30-8:30pm
Saturday, Oct 24 4:30-8:30pm
Sunday, Oct 25 4:30-7:30pm
Santa Barbara
Oct 31-Nov 1
Halloween activities
Moorpark College
This midsize zoo is a gem. Every day in October has oodles of activities for Halloween fun.
Griffith Park, Los Angeles
8) HORROR MOVIES AT THE THEATER
“Transylvania 2” now in theaters
OCT 16 release
“Crimson Peak”
“Goosebumps”
“The Diabolical”
OCT 23 release
“Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension”
“Extraordinary Tales”
OCT 30 release
“Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse”
ROCK CITY STUDIOS presents its Annual Halloween show
Live music all day!
October 24
12pm-12am
$12 presale, $15 at the door
2258 Pickwick
Camarillo
9) HOWL-O-WEEN DOG COSTUME CONTEST
Bring your pooch dressed in a costume!
Ventura Harbor
At the Carousel Stage
Saturday Oct 24
10) FULL MOON
Get your howl on!
Oct 27
11) DIAS DE LOS MUERTOS
Carpinteria
Oct 30-Nov 1
A colorful weekend of culture and history celebrating the “Day of the Dead”
12) SPOOKY FLICKS
Watch these seasonal favorites on DVD or NetFlix:
FUN
“Tim Burton’s Nightmare before Christmas”
“Beetlejuice”
“Edward Scissorhands”
“Rocky Horror Picture Show”
HORROR
“Halloween”
“Sleepy Hollow”
“Sweeney Todd the Barber of Fleet Street”
“Night of the Living Dead”
“Nightmare on Elm Street”
“World War Z”
“Psycho”
“Poltergeist”
“Scream”
“Chucky”
“When a Stranger Calls”
“American Horror Story” (TV series)
FAMILY
“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”
“Transylvania”
“Coraline”
“Frankenweenie”
(P. S. Tim Burton rocks!)
13) BOO!
Not enough fright on this list? Visit a cemetery at night. Don’t forget your flashlight!
OUT OF TOWN
The ultimate fright fest. The entire park turns in a haunted frenzy. No costumes. Walking Dead zombies to haunted tram.
Every Thursday to Sunday in October.
$55 presale online (it does sellout!)
$85 at the gate
MAGIC MOUNTAIN FRIGHT FEST
At dark (on dates listed below), Magic Mountain turns into a Fright Fest.
September 26, 27
October 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, 30, 31
November 1
The Happiest Place on Earth gets a tad spooky for Halloween. There’s the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a haunted attraction based on “The Twilight Zone” TV series; carved pumpkins on Main Street; The Haunted Mansion gets a spookier makeover with the Nightmare before Christmas additions.
Through Oct. 31.
In Anaheim
As night falls, the “farm” goes from berry to scary! Knott’s Scary Farm, complete with five scream-inducing mazes and scary shows like “Carny Trash,” “Blood Drums”.
In Buena Park
***HOT TICKET***
DANNY ELFMAN at Hollywood Bowl
October 31
Musical genius from Oingo Boingo turned into a soundtrack phenomenon for the likes of Tim Burton films, The Simpson’s, etc. Tickets got snapped up quick last Friday when they went on sale. Ticket resale companies are listing tickets in the $94 and up range. Expect to pay $150 for a decent seat. He’s also performing on Nov. 1 at the Nokia in Los Angeles and on Nov. 2 in Anaheim. However, the show to see is at The Bowl with Tim Burton films costume contests and full blown set decorations. And…being that it’s held on Halloween night, well…that’s a big bonus!
Follow us on Facebook at ROAM and ROAM805 for happenings, activities and inspiration to making the most of living in our awesome county! www.roamtraveler.com
Discover More
Get to know Ventura, and discover the best things to do around the city.
Articles
8 Ways to Celebrate Halloween in Ventura
Articles
Five Fun Things To Do In Ventura This Weekend (and sooner)
Articles
Ventura Autumn Bucket List
Articles
What’s Happening in Ventura this Halloween? Lots.
Articles
The Ultimate Guide to Halloween in Ventura, CA
Articles
8 Ways to Celebrate Halloween in Ventura
Get Inspired 
Inspiration Guide
View the current Ventura Inspiration Guide online. And prepare to be INSPIRED.
Be in the know
Visit VenturaMonthly Newsletter
Sign up for everything you need to know; from new hikes, to new restaurants, to upcoming festivals, music, and entertainment.
Ventura Partners With
