Spirits to Summon…Spells To Cast…Halloween Arrives In Los Angeles At Last

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--From terrifying theme parks and morbid museums to celebrity-filled graveyards and “Casper the Friendly Ghost” inspired attractions, Los Angeles sets the stage for an unforgettable Halloween season with a spellbinding line-up of attractions certain to fright and delight. Listed below is a sampling of all things black and orange this October. Pay a visit to www.discoverLosAngeles.com to learn more.

“Terror Tram: Invaded By The Walking Dead”

Eerie Events & Attractions

Halloween Horror Nights (Hollywood), Select Dates Sept. 21 – Oct. 31
Southern California’s most terrifying and exciting annual Halloween event, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood terrorizes, taunts, and torments guests with incomparable spine-chilling haunted attractions. A slate of five brand new unrivaled film production quality mazes will be featured, including one by legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper and another based on the popular video game and feature film franchise, “Silent Hill.” A new signature backlot attraction, “Terror Tram: Invaded By The Walking Dead,” takes daring visitors on to the historic Universal backlot where the horror film genre was born. General Admission is $66.
1-800-UNIVERSAL, www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com/hollywood.

Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor (Long Beach), Select Dates Oct. 5 – 31
Thrill seekers embark on madness and mayhem as they enter a haunted harbor and witness bloodcurdling attractions on ship and shore. Take advantage of the ship’s reputation as one of Los Angeles’ most haunted places and enjoy 15 nights of mazes, 160 monsters, and 20-foot tall flames. The annual event will fulfill the darkest cravings with potent potions, devilish good food and riveting live entertainment. General Admission is $24.
562-499-1771, www.queenmary.com.

Paranoia Haunted Attraction (Santa Monica), Select Dates Sept. 28 – Oct. 31
Branch off into an the eerie world of Halloween with an all-new bone-chilling Halloween experience on the third floor of one of the city’s most visited tourist and shopping destinations, Santa Monica Place. The event will have fear seekers screaming as the venue is transformed into a hair-raising event where the un-dead possess three uniquely terrorizing mazes. General Admission is $24.
310-899-0999, http://www.paranoiahalloween.com/.

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride at the Old Zoo at Griffith Park (Los Angeles), Select Dates Oct. 5 – 31
One of the city’s most serene and idyllic attractions by day, Griffith Park is the backdrop for one of LA’s creepiest locations on select October nights. The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride at the Old Zoo takes thrill-seekers on a night ride through abandoned cages and habitats set deep in the dark woods of Griffith Park. Also returning to the Haunted Hayride experience is the “In Between” dark maze where visitors are given a barely working lantern to find their way through a pitch black maze filled with all matter of creatures. Included in the price of admission is a sideshow area called “Purgatory” including magic and freak shows, psychics, multiple photo scenes, a house of mirrors, and more. General Admission: $34.
310-993-8299, www.losangeleshauntedhayride.com.

Old Town Haunt (Pasadena), Select Nights Oct. 5 – 31
Descend into the dark basement of the historical Union Savings Bank Building and have a devil of a good time. Sealed off for decades, this eerie edifice is reputed to be haunted by the ghosts of the victims of past atrocities. Enhanced with detailed sets from Hollywood TV shows such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “'Power Rangers,” ”Crank Yankers,” and movies such as “House of A 1,000 Corpses,” “Haunted Mansion,” and “Indiana Jones,” this spook-tacular attraction is one of the most unique and best haunts in Southern California. Tickets are $15 (Oct. 5-12) and $17 (Oct. 26-31).
626-248-7652, www.oldtownhaunt.com.

Frightful Festivals & Tours

The Haunted Hollywood Tour (Hollywood), Daily Year-Round
Encounter ghoulish ghosts of Tinsel Town’s past as part of this “all-new” two-hour daily tour (12:30 p.m.) offered by Starline. Uncover fascinating, frightful and eerily entertaining landmarks including the iconic Paramount Studios, Compadre Restaurant, the landmark Hollywood sign and Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the resting place of numerous dearly departed celebrities. Adult tickets starting at $45 and children tickets are $35.
800-959-3131, www.starlinetours.com.

Dearly Departed, Hollywood’s Tragical History Tour (Hollywood), Daily Year-Round
Wander through Los Angeles’s famous neighborhoods via the Tomb Buggy throughout October and get an up close look at the morbid side of Hollywood and the bizarre murder and scandalous death sites of the rich and famous. Witness the last breath locations of Michael Jackson, Bela Lugosi and River Phoenix, see the famous murder sites of Jose and Kitty Menendez and Bugsy Siegel and visit the hotels where John Belushi and Janis Joplin checked out. The escorted 2.5 hour journey gives onlookers a light hearted look at the dark side of Hollywood at 100 sites every day starting at 1 p.m. Tickets are $45.
800-979-3370, www.dearlydepartedtours.com.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Of The Stars Tour (Hollywood), Select Dates Sept. 22 – Nov. 17
Summon the dead and let them sleep walk again as part of this spooky tour led by Kari Bible who takes mortals behind the gates and to the resting places of Hollywood’s most famous. Tip toe through the crypts, mausoleums and monuments and learn about the history, scandals and mysteries that are uniquely Hollywood. Legends like Cecil B. DeMille, Johnny Ramone and Jayne Mansfield are among those buried at Hollywood Forever. Admission is $12.
818-517-5988, www.cemeterytour.com.

The West Hollywood Halloween Carnival (West Hollywood), Oct. 31
Mingle with the mortals at one of Los Angeles’ famed Halloween street party celebrations, drawing more than a half-million people who canvass the streets of Santa Monica Boulevard and revel in a pet costume contest, “Drag Racing,” featuring competitive relay races for people dressed in drag, and pumpkin carving contests. The free Carnival takes place Oct. 31 from 6 to 11 p.m. on Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega Boulevard and Doheny Drive. Admission is free.
323-848-6400, www.weho.org/halloween.

Glow In The Dark Nightlife

Drama After Dark: A Night of the Macabre with Poe and Gorey at the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens (San Marino), Oct. 20
Tap into titillating tales as part of the landmark’s annual readings of Edgar Allan Poe and Edward Gorey on October 20 at 6:30 p.m., and partake in an evening of chilling drama presented by the actors of the Guild of St. George. Haunting works will be reenacted throughout the moonlit grounds, including "The Pit and the Pendulum," "The Tell Tale Heart," and more. Admission is $40 for ages 10 and up.
800-838-3006, www.huntington.org

EEK! At The Greek (Los Angeles), Oct. 28
A magical spell will be cast Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. when Maestro Arthur B. Rubinstein and a 60-piece orchestra present “Symphony In The Glen,” and other frightful favorites as part of this Halloween extravaganza. Admission starts at $20.
323-665-5857, www.greektheatrela.com.

Fourth Annual King Tut’s Tomb at the Egyptian Theater (Hollywood), Oct. 27
Party with Egyptian queens and pharaohs in the classic courtyard illuminated with red and amber lighting at this red carpet moonlit masquerade party on Oct. 27 beginning at 9 p.m. Dubbed the biggest Halloween party in Hollywood, party-goers can boggie in classic Hollywood style to the tunes of three DJs, including Prophet of 93.5 FM K-Day radio. The event will showcase a dazzling laser and lightshow, dance floors, including the Haunted Pyramid Dance Room, sexy Go-Go dancers, and a Halloween costume contest. Admission is $75 for ages 21 and up.
323-604-6030, www.californianightlife.com.

Halloween Silent Film “Cat & The Canary” at Walt Disney Concert Hall (Downtown Los Angeles), Oct. 31
Sonic thrills and visual chills are in the making when on Oct. 31 film buffs get a chance to view this silent film about wealthy Cyrus West whose will is read to his relatives who spend the night in his mansion and are stalked by “The Cat,” a mysterious escapee from the local asylum, who claws his victims like canaries. Directed by German Expressionist filmmaker Paul Leni, this 1927 classic silent film is accompanied by Clark Wilson on Walt Disney Concert Hall’s organ. Admission starts at $37.
323-850-2000, www.laphil.com.

About Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is a private, nonprofit business association whose primary mission is to market and promote Los Angeles as the premier site for leisure travel, meetings and conventions. Though not part of City government, LA Tourism is recognized as the City’s official tourism marketing organization. For more information, visit the official visitor information website of Los Angeles at www.discoverLosAngeles.com, facebook.com/LosAngelesFan or go to Twitter @discover_LA.