San Diego Halloween Events 2026

Overview

The hard part about Halloween in San Diego isn't finding something to do. It's working out which thing matches the people you're bringing.

Take a four-year-old to the wrong event and you'll spend the drive home explaining what a scare actor is. Take a group of adults to a toddler trick-or-treat trail and you've wasted a Saturday night. And a startling number of these land on the exact same two days, so a little planning goes a long way.

So we've grouped all twelve by who they're for: events for kids, events built to frighten you, 21+ nights, and a few that don't fit any of those. Every date, price, and address below came from the event's own 2026 information.

One warning before you read on: Saturday, October 24 and Halloween Saturday itself are both heavily double-booked. Six events run on the 24th. Pick early.

If You're Bringing Kids

Six options with no scares, or none worth worrying about. Four of them are free.

Brick or Treat at LEGOLAND California — Carlsbad

Built for ages 2 to 12, with a new monster street this year and nothing designed to startle anyone.

• When: 12 select dates — September 19, 26; October 3–4, 10–11, 17–18, 24–25, 31; and November 1, 2026. Not a continuous run — September is Saturdays only, October adds Sundays.
• Where: LEGOLAND California, One LEGOLAND Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008
• Cost: Included with any admission ticket dated for an event day. No separate ticket. Parking $40 per car.
• Scare level: None, by the park's own description.

The date list is the thing to get right — people assume it runs nightly through October and arrive on a Tuesday to an ordinary park day.

Boo! By the Bay — Liberty Station

A free daytime carnival on the grass at NTC Park, with a costume contest and prizes. The easiest family yes here.

• When: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Where: Naval Training Center Park, 2455 Cushing Road, San Diego, CA 92106
• Cost: Free general admission via Eventbrite. Food and drink extra.
• Scare level: None.

Daytime only — not an evening haunt. Park in the surrounding Liberty Station lots and walk; there's no dedicated carnival garage.

North Park Halloween Party — North Park

Small, free, and folded into North Park's monthly sustainable market. The lowest-commitment option on this list.

• When: Saturday, October 10, 2026, 12–4 p.m.
• Where: North Park Mini Park, 3812 29th Street, San Diego, CA 92104
• Cost: Free. Grab a free ticket through the listing so organizers can plan.
• Scare level: None.

Pumpkin decorating, a costume contest with prizes, and live entertainment. Street parking, so build in a few minutes.

Halloween in the Village — Carlsbad

Halloween day the old-fashioned way: trick-or-treating through a walkable downtown in daylight.

• When: Saturday, October 31, 2026, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Where: Carlsbad Village — multiple locations, centered near 2695 State Street, Carlsbad, CA 92008
• Cost: Free. No tickets required.
• Scare level: None.

If you have small kids and want them in costume on Halloween without waiting for dark, this is the North County answer.

Halloween Aglow — La Jolla

After dark at Birch Aquarium, and the best middle ground here — genuinely atmospheric, not frightening.

• When: Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, 2026, 6–8:30 p.m.
• Where: Birch Aquarium at Scripps, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037
• Cost: Children 3–12 $49.95; adults 13+ $59.95; ages 2 and under free. Members save 20%. All sales final.
• Scare level: Atmospheric, not scary.

The priciest family option here and the one that sells out. Check you're booking Aglow and not the separate 21+ Oceans at Night. All minors must be with a paid adult.

Old Town Day of the Dead — Old Town

In its 16th year at Fiesta de Reyes, and worth understanding as its own holiday rather than a Halloween add-on.

• When: Saturday, October 31, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sunday, November 1, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., 2026. Courtyard décor is up from September 1 through November 2.
• Where: Fiesta de Reyes, north corner of Old Town State Historic Park — 2754 Calhoun Street, San Diego, CA 92110
• Cost: Free. Food and crafts are on you.
• Scare level: None — it's a remembrance holiday, with face painting as part of the tradition.

Free parking throughout Old Town, with extra space in the CalTrans lot across Taylor Street.

If You Actually Want to Be Scared

Two events, both with real scare actors, and the line where this guide stops being for children.

The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park — Balboa Park

A mile of trail through the park after dark, plus an indoor maze. The county's institution.

• When: Select nights, September 25 – November 1, 2026
• Where: Corner of Balboa Drive & Juniper Street, Marston Point, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101
• Cost: General admission and VIP options — check the ticket page for current pricing
• What's included: Both haunts — the eXperiment Maze and the mile-long Haunted Trail
• Free bonus: The Dark Carnival scare zone out front is free to walk into
• Scare level: Real scares.

Presented in support of San Diego Goodwill. Info hotline runs September through October at 619-696-SCARE.

Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld — Mission Bay

The biggest Halloween event in the city, in its sixth year, with its largest lineup yet.

• When: Select nights, September 11 – October 31, 2026 — primarily Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus added Thursdays in October. Check the official calendar for your date.
• Hours: Event begins 7 p.m.; event-ticket holders can enter from 6 p.m.
• Where: SeaWorld San Diego, 500 Sea World Dr, San Diego, CA 92109
• Cost: From $33.99 during the Sinister Sale. Single-night and unlimited-night tickets; parking and fees separate.
• Important: Separately ticketed — not included with daytime admission, Annual Passes, or Fun Cards.
• Scare level: The highest here. Six haunted houses, scare zones, themed bars and hidden speakeasies.

That ticketing note catches people out every year. A Fun Card will not get you in.

If You'd Rather Have a Drink in Your Hand

Two 21+ crawls, both costumed, neither scary. They overlap heavily on dates — and they're in different neighborhoods, so don't mix up which one you bought.

San Diego Zombie Crawl — Gaslamp Quarter

The bigger of the two, across more than 25 Gaslamp venues.

• When: Four nights, each 6 p.m.–2 a.m. — Friday October 23, Saturday October 24, Friday October 30, and Saturday October 31
• Pass pick-up: 6:00–8:30 p.m. nightly at the kickoff venue
• Where: American Junkie SD, 628 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
• Cost: $33–$39 depending on the night, plus fees. Tier 1 has already sold out on all four nights.
• Ages: 21+. Valid ID required.
• Parking: $12 at ACE Parking, 707 Broadway, with a free overnight option.

Book early — it's the only event here already out of its cheapest tier.

Trick or Drink — Pacific Beach

The beach version, and dramatically cheaper. A short walking cluster rather than a sprawling downtown crawl.

• When: Saturday, October 24, 4 p.m.–2 a.m. · Friday, October 30, 6 p.m.–2 a.m. · Saturday, October 31, 4 p.m.–2 a.m.
• Registration: 4–10 p.m. on Saturdays, 6–11 p.m. on the Friday
• Where: Check-in at Flamingo Deck, 4110 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109
• Bars on the route: Baja Beach Cafe, The Beverly Beach Garden, The Duck Dive, Moonshine Beach, and Truckstop
• Cost: From $10 per person with the 4-pack (minimum four people) for one night; $15 general admission
• Ages: 21+ with ID. No refunds.

At $10 a head in a group, this is the best-value night of the season by a wide margin.

If You Want Something a Little Different

Two that don't fit anywhere else.

Barktoberfest — Oceanside

The one for the dog. Craft beer, music, contests, and pet adoptions on a golf course.

• When: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 1–4 p.m.
• Where: Arrowood Golf Course, 5201 Village Drive, Oceanside, CA 92057
• Ages: All ages, dogs welcome
• Dogs: Must stay leashed at all times
• Scare level: None, unless your dog has opinions about costumes.

Halloween Trick or Trot — Spanish Landing

A Halloween-morning run on the harbor, with distances from a one-mile family lap up to a half marathon.

• When: Saturday, October 31, 2026
• Where: Spanish Landing Park (West), 4200 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
• Distances: 5K, 10K, 13.1 half marathon, 1-mile family fun run, and a virtual option
• Cost: $32.80–$54.00 depending on distance
• Costumes: Candy at the finish, but no costume rule or contest is advertised — dress up if you want to, but don't expect a prize.

The one-mile family run makes this workable with kids, and it clears the morning so you can still do something else on Halloween night.

What to Know Before You Go

• October 24 is the bottleneck. Boo! By the Bay (11–5), Barktoberfest (1–4), Halloween Aglow (6–8:30), the Zombie Crawl and Trick or Drink (both into the early hours) and a Brick or Treat date all land that Saturday. You can stack two — Boo! By the Bay then Halloween Aglow works geographically — but not six.
• Halloween Saturday is almost as crowded. Trick or Trot in the morning, Halloween in the Village and Old Town Day of the Dead through the afternoon, then both crawls, Howl-O-Scream, the Haunted Trail and a Brick or Treat date at night.
• Check the date list, not just the month. Brick or Treat, Howl-O-Scream and the Haunted Trail all run select nights. The most common Halloween mistake in San Diego is driving to a venue that isn't holding the event that evening.
• Separately ticketed means separately ticketed. Howl-O-Scream is not included with SeaWorld admission, a Fun Card or an Annual Pass.
• Five of these cost nothing. North Park, Boo! By the Bay, Halloween in the Village and Old Town Day of the Dead are all free, and the Dark Carnival scare zone at the Haunted Trail is free to walk into without buying a ticket.
• Know your scare line. Everything in the kids section is safe for young children. Everything in the haunted section is not. There's no middle option between them except Halloween Aglow.
• The two crawls are different events in different neighborhoods. Zombie Crawl is Gaslamp; Trick or Drink is Pacific Beach. They share dates and both sell on Eventbrite, so read carefully before you buy.

Looking for more of the season? Our San Diego pumpkin patches guide has six verified patches with 2026 dates and prices, and the full event calendar covers what else is on this month.