San Diego's Haunted Houses and Trails
It'll Be Walking Dread at Our Top Spooky Spots
As the days grow shorter and the weather grows cooler, ghosts, ghouls and specters of all sorts arise for their annual supernatural sojourns. If you're feeling brave enough to greet them, head out to one of these haunted houses or trails throughout San Diego County.
Please note, events are subject to change and cancellation. Please confirm the event information by visiting the event website.
SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream
SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream
When: Sept. 11 - Nov. 1, 2026
Howl-O-Scream will once again arrive to transform the peaceful SeaWorld San Diego park you once knew into something sinister. When night falls and a carnival of horrifying creatures surrounds you, just try to put on a happy face.
The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park
The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park
When: Sept. 25 - Nov. 1, 2026
Experience the outdoor horror that is simply too big to house indoors! Located in San Diego's world famous Balboa Park, The Haunted Trail is a stroll through the park you will never forget. Make your way out of the eXperiment Maze before entering the mile long Trail through the grove of twisted pines and gnarled oaks. Visitors watch your back, you never know which way the scares will hit you!
Note: No pregnant women, infants, or children being carried will be allowed entry. Not recommended for children under 10.
The Haunted Amusement Park
The Haunted Amusement Park
When: Sept. 25 - Nov. 1, 2026
The Haunted Amusement Park is a HAUNTED Scare Trail set on the desolate grounds of the iconic San Diego Amusement park Marshal Scotty's Playland. The once joyful sounds of fun and laughter are now replaced with screams of terror as visitors make their way through the remnants of the carnival rides from the 1960's.
Fort Cross Haunted Harvest
Fort Cross Haunted Harvest
When: Oct. 3, 10, 17 & 24, 2026
Embark on a haunted hayride and hear a spooky ghost story as you rumble through eerie surroundings. Then, if you dare, go for a guided stroll through dark woods and experience plenty of other chills and thrills (not to mention jug-band music and a haunted hoedown) in this one-of-a-kind experience in the mountains at Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures near Julian.
Whaley House Museum
Whaley House Museum
Step into one of America's Most Haunted Houses and immediately feel a chill! See something out of the corner of your eye that you can't explain? Hear the sound of a ball bouncing off the wall but don't see it? This October, the Whaley House will be offering extended hours and the chance for you to have an actual paranormal encounter.
Ghosts and Gravestones
Ghosts and Gravestones
A "frightseeing" tour unlike any other, Ghosts and Gravestones offers regular tours that showcase all the spooky spots San Diego has to offer, from historic haunted houses to graveyards and hotbeds of paranormal activity.
Haunted Happenings Tour at the Hotel Del Coronado
Haunted Happenings Tour at the Hotel Del Coronado
The Del has its own resident ghost (as legend has it), and you can learn all about Kate Morgan's mysterious and tragic Victorian-era saga during the hotel's Haunted Houses and Trails tour. An expert guide will help you explore the places Morgan once walked, as well as uncover other ghostly tales and stories of the unexplained.
Pioneer Park
Pioneer Park
Pioneer Park in Mission Hills is a pretty and pastoral neighborhood oasis, a favorite for picnics and (in summer) free concerts. But it also has a startling history as the former Calvary Cemetery, the final resting place for hundreds of people starting in the 1870s. That legacy has led to numerous tales of ghostly spirits inhabiting the park, making it a suitably spooky place to explore during Halloween season.