Halloween in San Diego with Kids (2026): Events, Pumpkin Patches & Trick-or-Treating Guide

San Diego transforms during the Halloween season, blending its year-round sunshine with a playful dose of spooky fun. There are always quite a few things to do in San Diego with kids for Halloween — from world-famous theme park celebrations to local pumpkin patches and community festivals.

Many of these San Diego Halloween events also overlap with October Kids Free San Diego promotion, when children receive free admission to top attractions with a qualifying adult ticket (I’ll tell you where this applies). That means families can often combine seasonal fun with serious savings.

This 2025 guide highlights the best kid-friendly Halloween activities, with updated dates, insider details, and tips on which San Diego fall events are free for kids and which require additional admission.

Spooktacular Celebrations at San Diego’s Premier Attractions

San Diego’s top theme parks deliver some of the region’s most popular Halloween events. In 2025, most are included with regular admission, adding extra value for families. And, they all qualify for the Kids Free San Diego promotion.

SeaWorld San Diego’s Halloween Spooktacular

Dates: Saturdays & Sundays, September 6–November 2, 2025

SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular is one of the best San Diego Halloween events for families with young kids. This daytime celebration blends festive fun with ocean-themed entertainment.

What to Expect:

• Trick-or-Treat Trail (1–7 p.m.): Decorated stations, candy collection (reusable bag required and is available for purchase)
• Live Shows: Kid-friendly musical acts like O.P. Otter’s Spooktacular Surprise and, new for 2025, the Bones Brothers Quartet of animatronic pirate skeletons
• Character Meet-and-Greets: Spookley the Square Pumpkin, dancing mermaids, and more
• Interactive Extras: Optional Pumpkin Hunt map with prize, plus a Halloween-themed overlay on the Manta coaster

Parent Tip: Spooktacular is all-ages, friendly, and daytime only. I’ll talk about the nighttime scarier event, Howl-O-Scream, below that you will want to avoid with younger kids.

(I have tips for how to buy SeaWorld San Diego tickets, but the two best places are through SeaWorld and our ticket site. Be sure to choose a free kids’ ticket in October.)

LEGOLAND California’s Brick-or-Treat Monster Party

Dates: Saturdays & Sundays, September 20–November 1, 2025 starting at 3 p.m.

LEGOLAND’s Brick-or-Treat Monster Party is one of the top Halloween events in San Diego for elementary-age kids. Expect afternoons filled with a cheerful, not-so-spooky atmosphere packed with LEGO-themed fun and plenty of treats. I just attended and it’s so fun.

What to Expect:

• Trick-or-Treat Stations: Generous candy handouts throughout the park
• Live Entertainment: Fan-favorite shows like Monster Rock Off, Zombie Cheer Crew, and Once Upon a Brick return for 2025
• Character Meet-and-Greets: Monster Rocker, Spider Lady, Lord Vampyre, and more at the Monster Halloween Hub
• Halloween Themed Rides: Ghost Cruise, Halloween Driving School, and the disco-lit Dragon Coaster with an overlay for the season
• Interactive Play: Build-your-own LEGO pumpkin patch in Dino Valley and a kid costume contest at Lord Vampyre’s V.I.M. Party

Parent Tip: New this year is that no separate ticket is required! Monster Party is now included with general admission. A lot of tourists stay in the resort or nearby hotels to visit the park for a day and break for nap time. It’s otherwise a really long day for younger kids. You can buy tickets through LEGOLAND or our ticket site (choose a free kids’ ticket).

Belmont Park’s Beachside Fall Fest

Dates: Weekends, September 6–October 26, 2025
Free entry; activities are pay-as-you-go

This nostalgic beachside amusement park brings SoCal flair to Halloween in San Diego. Belmont Park’s Fall Fest is an easy option for families who prefer to skip the big theme parks and see a little beach.

What to Expect:

• Free Trick-or-Treating: Every Sunday in October at 5 p.m., no ticket required
• Trunk-or-Treat Car Show: On October 26 over 50 classic cars hand out candy
• Themed Attractions: The historic Giant Dipper becomes the Spooky Coaster while Zombie Laser Tag adds extra thrills
• Live Entertainment: Weekend Pumpkin Jams concerts and character meet-and-greets from 2–5 p.m.

Parent Tip: It’s free to enter Belmont Park so kids can trick-or-treat without families committing to a full-day ticket. But if you do plan to ride or play, get a wristband because the a la carte costs add up. The good news is that you can get one free kids wristband with everyone adult wristband during Kids Free October.

See also: Things to Do at Belmont Park and our advice for buying discounted Belmont Park tickets.

Wild Encounters and Glowing Adventures

For families seeking an experience beyond traditional rides and candy, the San Diego Zoo and Birch Aquarium offer unique Halloween events that blend entertainment with education and natural wonder.

HalGLOWeen at the San Diego Zoo

Dates: Fridays–Sundays, October 3–31, 2025 (5–9 p.m.)

HalGLOWeen turns the San Diego Zoo into a glowing nighttime celebration filled with music, light, and learning — no scares, just seasonal fun in a world-class setting.

What to Expect:

• Live Entertainment: Skeleton Band, Día de los Muertos mariachi, and the Spooky Revue stage show
• Interactive Glow Activities: Hula-hoop dance parties and Dr. Zoolittle’s Tricks & Treats show
• Educational Animal Chats: Learn about nocturnal creatures like bats, owls, and reptiles at Wildlife Explorers Basecamp
• Themed Zones: UV-lit Enchanted HalGLOWeen Forest and meet-and-greets with the Boo Crew

Parent Tip: During Kids Free October, four kids ages 11 & under get in free with a paid adult. They do not need a ticket.

(I have an exclusive San Diego Zoo tickets promo code and a San Diego Zoo Safari Park tickets promo code for 1-Day tickets, which are also eligible for Kids Free October.)

Halloween Aglow at Birch Aquarium

Dates: Friday & Saturday, October 24–25, 2025 (6–8:30 p.m.)
Separate ticket required: $45 adults / $40 kids (50% off for members)

This limited-run evening event adds a scientific twist to Halloween fun, making it a favorite for curious kids and ocean lovers.

What to Expect:

• Glow-in-the-Dark Trick-or-Treating: Inside the Living Seas Gallery with special lighting effects
• Hands-On Science: Slimy sensory stations in the Boo & Goo Lab and touch tanks with real sea creatures
• Unique Entertainment: Live music and underwater pumpkin carving by scuba divers in the giant kelp tank
• Festive Add-Ons: Costume parade, arcade games, and pop-up demos from Scripps Oceanography researchers

Parent Tip: Members get first dibs on tickets and they do sell out. These will go on sale September 22–25. The public can buy tickets starting on September 26. Get the details.

The Great San Diego Pumpkin Patch Guide

A trip to the pumpkin patch is a cherished fall tradition, and San Diego County offers sprawling country farms to convenient city lots. Our pumpkin patches are entertainment destinations, often using free admission to attract families who then enjoy ticketed attractions and food as well as pumpkins to take home.

Bates Nut Farm (Valley Center)

Bates Nut Farm is the classic fall outing, a rural, all-day experience with charm and scale. It’s a bit of a drive to Valley Center, but it’s worth it for families who want the full pumpkin patch tradition.

• Dates: September 18–October 31, 2025
• Hours: Weekdays 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Weekends 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Cost: Free admission; free parking on weekdays, $10 per car on weekends
• Activities: Hayrides, straw maze, pony rides, petting zoo, face painting, live music, rock climbing wall (tickets $2.50 each)
• Special Events: Scarecrow Contest (Oct 11), Kids’ Costume Contest (Oct 25), Howl-o-Ween Dog Contest (Oct 26)

Carlsbad Strawberry Company (Carlsbad)

This coastal farm combines scenic photo spots with attractions for all ages, from gentle trike races to a haunted maze for teens.

• Dates: September 19–October 31, 2025
• Hours: Weekdays and Sundays 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Fridays & Saturdays until 10 p.m.
• Cost: $15 general admission (ages 3+); additional ticketed activities
• Included: Pumpkin patch, flower fields, tricycle races, yard games
• Extras: Corn maze ($10), tractor ride ($10), animal pens ($5 each)
• For Older Kids: Haunted Corn Maze on Fri/Sat nights ($25)

Mountain Valley Ranch (Ramona)

A relaxed, family-owned patch with a more traditional feel and fewer crowds.

• Dates: September 27–October 31, 2025
• Hours: Daily, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Cost: Free admission
• Activities: Corn maze, petting zoo, pony rides (Tues–Sun), hayrides (weekends only), corn cannon

Community Trick-or-Treating and Festivities

If you’re looking for neighborhood fun beyond the big-ticket attractions, San Diego’s local Halloween events deliver safe trick-or-treating, costume contests, and small-town spirit, often with walkable layouts and photogenic backdrops.

Creepy Candy Crawl (La Jolla)

Date: Friday, October 31, 2025 | 3-6 p.m.
Register: Tickets are free
We attend this community event every year. Held annually on a select date near Halloween, come down to the Village of La Jolla in the late afternoon to trick-or-treat at local businesses. The participating stores display black and orange balloons or posters to help families find the goodies.

Pick up your trick-or-treating bag at REBA. It is a lot of fun and allows parents to do some La Jolla shopping along the way.

Trick-or-Treat on India Street (Little Italy)

Date: Sunday, October 26, 2025 | Time: 3:30–7:30 p.m.
This is a favorite for families who want that urban trick-or-treating vibe in a safe, closed-street setting. Kids collect candy from participating businesses along India Street, with maps available at Piazza della Famiglia.

Tip: Don’t miss the 13-foot-tall Jack Skellington, which is a huge hit for photos.

Halloween at the Station (Liberty Station)

Date: Sunday, October 26, 2025 | Time: 12–4 p.m.
Set in Ingram Plaza, this free Halloween festival has something for everyone. Expect trick-or-treating, a costume contest (pets included), bounce houses, a DJ, craft stations, and even a Hollywood car show.

Tip: It’s a one-stop Halloween outing, especially if you pair it with a visit to the Goff Family Pumpkin Patch onsite.

HauntFest on Main (El Cajon)

Date: Friday, October 17, 2025 | Time: 4–9 p.m.
This East County favorite turns downtown El Cajon into a lively street fair with carnival rides, multiple stages of live music, a pumpkin patch, a haunted car show, trick-or-treating zones, and costume contests.

Santee Lakes Spooktacular (Santee)

Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025 | Time: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Held lakeside at the Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve, this daytime event features a giant trunk-or-treat, food trucks, games, bounce houses, face painting, and visits from costumed characters (2025 theme: The Wizard of Oz). Free to attend, with a $10 parking fee per vehicle.

Unique Halloween Experiences for Adventurous Families

If you’re looking for something a little different this October, these San Diego Halloween experiences go beyond the usual pumpkins and carnival rides.

Pumpkin Express at the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum (Campo)

A nostalgic Halloween adventure for train-loving kids and parents who want something quieter and more off the beaten path.

• Dates: Saturdays & Sundays, October 4–26, 2025
• Departure Times: 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.
• What to Expect: A scenic ride through the Campo countryside aboard decorated vintage railcars, followed by pumpkin decorating (one pumpkin per child ticket), museum time, and walk-throughs of two “haunted” train cars
• Good to Know: Tickets vary by Coach or First Class and often sell out. Advance booking is highly recommended.

Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures (Santa Ysabel, near Julian)

Located just outside Julian, Fort Cross offers two very different fall events: one family-friendly, the other meant for older kids and teens.This is a fun spooky option if you have kids who don’t scare easily.

• Autumn Jubilee (Daytime): A wholesome farm-style festival with hayrides, a hoedown, cider pressing, candle dipping, and animal encounters. Best for families with younger children.
• Haunted Harvest (Evening): Held Saturday nights (Oct 4, 11, 18 & 25), this spooky experience includes ghost stories and a haunted hayride. Not recommended for young kids.

A Haunting In Venice Cruise

A spooky spin on a classic San Diego experience, this after-dark gondola ride takes you through the quiet canals of the Coronado Cays with a ghostly twist.

• Dates: Last week of October
• Duration: 50 minutes
• Tickets: Grab them online
• What to Expect: A blanket-covered night cruise led by a ghost-like gondolier. It’s more eerie than terrifying — perfect for families with older kids who want something atmospheric but not too intense.

Thrills and Chills: San Diego’s Scariest Haunts for Teens and Adults

While San Diego is full of kid-friendly Halloween fun, it’s also home to some more terrifying attractions for older teens and adults. These haunted experiences are intense, scream-inducing, and not recommended for young children.

The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park

San Diego’s only fully outdoor haunted attraction has earned national recognition—and for good reason. It returns for 2025 with two separate experiences.

• Dates: September 26–November 1, 2025
• Not recommended for kids under 10 (seriously, local kids say it’s scary)
• The eXperiment Maze: A disorienting 3,500-square-foot indoor maze filled with warped illusions and viral nightmares
• The Haunted Trail: A one-mile walk through the dark woods of Balboa Park, where you’ll come face to face with horror icons like Freddy Krueger and chainsaw-wielding nuns
• Haunted Trail ticket tips: Buy tickets online to skip the ticket queue.

SeaWorld’s Howl-O-Scream

Once the sun sets, SeaWorld San Diego transforms into a scream-filled nightmare with scare zones, haunted houses, and live entertainment.

• Dates: Select nights, September 12–November 1, 2025
• Separate ticket required
• Haunted Houses: Five terrifying themes, including a 3D demented circus and a cursed bayou
• Scare Zones: Eight immersive areas filled with roaming monsters
• After-Dark Thrills: Roller coasters running in pitch black, plus sinister live shows

Old Town Trolley Ghost and Gravestone Tours

See the spookier side of San Diego and ride the “Trolley of the Doomed” through haunted historic sites and eerie legends.

• Dates: Nightly tours are available throughout October (check availability).
• Haunted Sites: Stops include El Campo Santo cemetery and the Whaley House in Old Town San Diego.
• Local Legends: Learn about famous San Diego spirits, true crime stories, and unsettling historical events.
• Atmosphere: This is more theatrical than terrifying, ideal for teens (13+) and adults who prefer storytelling to jump scares.

Haunted Hotel Fun

Yes, we have haunted hotels in San Diego that get into the mix!

Hotel del Coronado

You don’t need to stay overnight at Hotel del Coronado to book one of their roasts, a fun seasonal activity I highly recommend for families. In addition to beach s’mores roasted on a private fire pit set up for your group, with spooky ghost stories read aloud by staff and a supernatural flair. They also offer pumpkin carving, movies on the beach, and more. Book ahead!

 What is your favorite thing to do in San Diego with kids during the Halloween season?

*Top photo is courtesy of LEGOLAND California Resort