There are many great haunted houses, spooky trails, haunted hayrides, and more in the state of California. But which ones should you focus on visiting this season? There are so many, so we’ve created a creepy list of Halloween haunted house attractions that we’ve reviewed, visited ourselves, filmed, or are popular amongst many haunt visitors! Remember, this is not a “best of” list – this is a top list of haunts we feel that you need to add to your visit list this season for various reasons. Now… let’s get to this list of spooky shenanigans!
#10. Halloween Horror Nights – Los Angeles, CA
Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood is bringing Blumhouse back on the Backlot with Vengeance for the 2025 season! This year, experience icons like M3GAN and The Grabber on the Terror Tram. In addition, they will also feature 8 mind-warping haunted houses this season, including Five Nights at Freddy’s, Terrifier, Fallout, Jason Universe, The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks, Poltergeist, Screwcrow: Music by Slash, and Monstruos 3: The Ghosts of Latin America. The screaming begins September 4th!
#9. Knott’s Scary Farm – Buena Park, California
Knott’s Scary Farm is “where nightmares never end!” Beginning on select nights starting September 18th, 2025, guests will face their fears in the longest-running theme park event in Southern California! You can “experience the fully transformed theme park, with uniquely haunted mazes and attractions, sinister shows, and more than 1,000 horrifying creatures lurking in the fog and hiding across every inch of the park.”
#8. Preston Castle Halloween Haunt – Ione, California
One of California’s most haunted places, The Preston Castle, will be opening its doors this Halloween season for their annual haunted house. This is a historic school that has been turned into a terrifying trek! Opening October 10th.
#7. Into the Dark Terror Vault – San Francisco, California
“Three witches, spread across the globe, each from a different cultural and mystical tradition, converge to form a coven so powerful it threatens to unravel the very fabric of humanity. As this Coven of Three performs their dark rituals, the rising number of missing children alarms a group of witch experts called The Believers. These experts seek to recruit unlikely heroes from our show’s guests to help them stop the coven before the world falls into eternal darkness. Are you brave enough to join them?” Tickets to the Dark Terror Vault are on sale now, with the event beginning on October 2nd!
#6. Delusion – Los Angeles, California
While Delusion is more of an interactive horror theater play, we wanted to include it on this list, as you will still get scared as you play your part in this horror story! This attraction is so unique and immersive that it earns its spot on this must-see list!
#5. Festival Fright Nights at Winchester Mystery House – San Jose, California
From the creators: “This event will activate the entire property like never before, giving Halloween fans a completely new experience from the moment they step onto the legendary grounds.
It’s Halloween night, 1924. Two years have passed since the death of the enigmatic Sarah Winchester. Her labyrinthine estate, Llanada Villa, has sat silent, its secrets buried beneath layers of dust. But now, under new ownership, the mansion’s doors are set to reopen. The mysterious host, a charming out-of-towner with a flair for the theatrical, invites the public to a grand 1920s Halloween Masquerade Ball, promising a night of costumes, glamour, music, and revelations… He claims to have opened a spiritual portal, a window into the past that will finally reveal why Sarah Winchester built her endless house of secrets. But the house remembers. Has he uncovered a truth long buried, or invited something unspeakable into our world?
This event will debut three main haunted attractions, theatrical experiences, themed food and beverage offerings, and more. New paths and access to never-before-used spaces will create an unforgettable evening of immersive entertainment.”
#4. The 17th Door Haunt Experience
If you’re looking for the most intense & insane haunted house in California (if not the United States)… well, you’ve found it! The 17th Door takes haunted houses to a whole other level that you’ve never seen before. You may experience tight spaces, live bugs, electrical shock, moving rooms, being buried alive, and more!
#3. The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor – Long Beach, California
Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor returns with a new theme for 2025: “Summoned By The Seas – where the ocean’s darkest secrets rise to claim the night. Prepare to face what the tide brings in…” The summoning begins September 19th!
#2. Reign of Terror – Thousand Oaks, California
Reign of Terror returns in 2025 for its biggest season yet! This year, guests will experience brand-new scares, custom-built animatronics, special events, and massive expansions! The “ultimate haunted house” opens its doors beginning September 26th.
#1. Hobb’s Grove – Sanger, California
Hobb’s Grove is “California’s coolest haunt,” featuring a haunted house, forest, and a classic hayride. They also feature a midway with spooky music, concessions, photos, a curiosity chop, a merch booth, tarot reading, and more! Acres of fun await you!
There are many other must-see haunts! To see a full list of all 132 California haunted houses that we have listed, please click HERE.
As Halloween 2025 approaches, TheScareFactor.com wants to make sure you know before you go when it comes to haunted houses! Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can be notified of all new haunt walkthrough videos, behind-the-scenes takes, and more!