Click here to read the full article.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.
In a city built on movie magic, Halloween is practically a year-round business.
But come October, Los Angeles takes its horror bona fides to another level, transforming the city’s theaters and historic into settings screen-worthy scares.
For film buffs and true crime aficionados, several walking tours offer a closer look at the darker side of Hollywood history. The Sunset Boulevard True Crime and Ghost Stories tour traces some of the Strip’s most notorious figures and scandals, from mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel to Charles Manson and the infamous Wonderland murders. Meanwhile, the Haunted Hollywood Walking Tour explores the ghost stories and tragedies surrounding landmarks such as the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the Magic Castle and the TCL Chinese Theatre.
The Ghosts of Hollywood Night-Time Walking Tour also takes visitors through Tinseltown’s supposedly haunted past, with stops at the historic El Capitan Theatre and Musso & Frank Grill, the latter a longtime haunt of Hollywood royalty.
Whether you’re looking to step into a horror film or simply celebrate spooky season with a distinctly Hollywood twist, here are some of the best Halloween experiences to book in and around Los Angeles this October.
Ghosts of Hollywood: Nighttime Walking Tour
Hollywood’s haunted past takes center stage in this 90-minute walking tour through some of the entertainment capital’s most famous landmarks. Stops include the TCL Chinese Theatre, El Capitan Theatre and Musso & Frank Grill, where guides recount ghost stories, unexplained encounters and the darker histories behind some of Tinseltown’s most recognizable addresses.
Haunted Hollywood Walking Tour
From the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to the Magic Castle and TCL Chinese Theatre, this guided walking tour explores the ghost stories surrounding some of L.A.’s most iconic landmarks. Along the way, visitors hear about the celebrities, scandals and supposed supernatural encounters that have helped cement Hollywood’s reputation as one of the country’s most haunted entertainment districts.
Sunset Boulevard True Crime and Ghost Stories
The darker side of the Sunset Strip gets its own spotlight in this two-hour tour combining Hollywood history, true crime and supernatural lore. Guides retrace stories involving notorious figures including mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, Charles Manson and the Wonderland Gang, exploring the murders, scandals and allegedly haunted locations that have become part of the boulevard’s mythology.
Los Angeles Tour for Adults Only: The Fame Kills
Fame and misfortune go hand in hand on this adults-only tour exploring the darker legacies of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Over 90 minutes, guests visit famous landmarks including the TCL Chinese Theatre, Pantages Theatre and Hollywood Knickerbocker Apartments, learning about the tragedies, scandals and supposed hauntings associated with the entertainment industry’s storied past.
SEASONAL
The Obscure: Distillery & Cocktail Experience
For those who prefer their Halloween thrills with a cocktail in hand, The Obscure in L.A.’s Arts District offers a two-hour tasting experience blending mythology, theatrical storytelling and mixology. Guests sample six drinks — three house spirits and three original cocktails — in an atmospheric, candlelit setting. On select Fridays and Saturdays during Halloween season, the venue also hosts “Devil’s Quarter,” a darker spin on its signature experience.
BloodManor Season 2026
One of New York City’s most notorious haunted houses returns for another season of elaborate scares. Celebrating more than two decades of terror, BloodManor transforms 10,000 square feet into a maze of themed rooms, ominous passageways and costumed performers designed to keep visitors on edge. The attraction also offers special “Lights Out” nights for an even more disorienting experience.
Night of Poe
Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic tales get a theatrical makeover in “Night of Poe,” an immersive show at L.A.’s Hudson Theatres. Combining live performances of the author’s macabre stories with four themed cocktails, the 90-minute experience also features music by Danny Elfman, the composer behind “Beetlejuice” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Universal Studios: Halloween Horror Night
Universal Studios Hollywood’s annual Halloween Horror Nights returns with its signature lineup of haunted houses, scare zones and live entertainment. The after-dark event transforms the theme park into a sprawling horror playground, complete with eight haunted houses and the infamous Terror Tram. For fans who have always wanted to step inside a horror movie, this is about as close as it gets.
Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch
A longtime Los Angeles fall tradition, Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch brings a more family-friendly Halloween experience to Culver City. The seasonal destination features a pumpkin village, petting zoo, photo opportunities and local food trucks, alongside weekend entertainment. It’s an ideal option for those looking to celebrate the season without the jump scares.
Femme Freak Fatale: A Halloween Live Band Burlesque Show
Halloween meets rock music and burlesque at The Cat’s Crawl, where “Femme Freak Fatale” combines a live performance by TemperMental with pole dancing and theatrical routines from Rock N Pole Burlesque. The adults-only show features a soundtrack of Halloween favorites, emo hits and original songs, with costumes encouraged.
LA Medieval Torture Museum
For a different kind of horror experience, the Medieval Torture Museum takes visitors through 7,000 square feet of interactive exhibits exploring the gruesome history of medieval punishment. An audio guide provides historical context, while an accompanying ghost-hunting experience lets guests use an app to search for paranormal activity throughout the attraction.
Sistaaahs! The Hocus Pocus Parody Experience
The Sanderson Sisters are back — sort of. This adults-only musical parody of Disney’s Halloween favorite “Hocus Pocus” brings the mischievous witches to North Hollywood’s Wisteria Theater for an hour of comedy, original parody songs and audience interaction. After the show, guests can join the cast for a Halloween party featuring themed cocktails, photo opportunities and dancing.
Candlelight Hollywood: Halloween Classics
Some of horror’s most recognizable soundtracks get a classical makeover at this candlelit concert inside Hollywood’s historic Chinese Theatre. The hourlong performance features orchestral interpretations of spooky favorites, including music from “The Exorcist,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” offering a more atmospheric alternative to the usual Halloween festivities.
Freaks & Horrors A Halloween Cabaret & Cocktail Experience
Burlesque, theater and supernatural mischief collide in this adults-only cabaret at The Cat’s Crawl. The original production follows three witches who accidentally unleash demons from Hell, setting off an evening of pole dancing, theatrical performances and darkly comic storytelling. Halloween-themed cocktails and a costume-friendly atmosphere round out the experience.
Drunk Dracula
The creators of “Drunk Shakespeare” put a boozy spin on Bram Stoker’s classic vampire tale in “Drunk Dracula,” a 90-minute theatrical comedy at Hollywood’s Hotel Cafe. The premise is straightforward: One actor downs five shots of whiskey before joining a chaotic retelling of the Transylvanian count’s story. Guests can order cocktails directly to their seats as the increasingly unpredictable performance unfolds.
Poe-Etique: An Immersive Experience
Edgar Allan Poe’s literary universe becomes a full-scale theatrical playground in “Poe-Etique,” an immersive experience that transports guests into Raven’s Manor, a mysterious sanctuary isolated from a plague-ravaged world. Visitors move through a series of rooms and encounter cursed lovers, deranged scientists and characters inspired by Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death,” becoming active participants in a macabre story of obsession, madness and survival.
YEAR-ROUND
Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center
Hollywood’s famous wax museum offers a few extra scares alongside its celebrity lookalikes. The entertainment center’s all-access pass includes four attractions, among them “Outbreak – Dread the Undead,” a zombie-themed experience set against a disastrous fountain-of-youth experiment, and Hannah’s Maze of Mirrors. Visitors can also explore interactive movie-inspired sets and take on the Chaos 5D Adventure.
