As Halloween creeps around the corner, it’s time to get into the spirit of the season. There is more to do than just trick-or-treating and parties. You can get hyped for this spooky holiday by going to haunted houses, trails, pumpkin patches, or Halloween-converted theme parks. 

  During the Halloween season, many pop-up events take place around San Diego. Down in Del Mar, people flock to The Scream Zone, located at the Del Mar Horse Track. This attraction has multiple haunted houses, including a Haunted Hayride, which takes you through the horse stables to many iconic horror settings. The Scream Zone, San Diego’s largest haunted attraction, opens at 7 p.m. and closes at midnight; but beware, it is not recommended for children under ten to attend. Don’t forget your current high school or college ID to get $10 off the triple haunt; you can also get a $5 coupon at a local Goodwill store.

   Another haunted attraction in San Diego is the Haunted Trail, a mile-long walkway that winds through Balboa Park. The trail is full of different horror antagonists as well as scenes from popular horror movies like IT, The Purge, Chucky, Halloween, and Friday the 13th.

    “I thought the trail was scary; for me personally, it wasn’t extremely scary, but it was still fun,” Hailey Noce (9) said. 

   The Haunted Trail is open from 7:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. on weekends from now until Nov. 2. (Children under ten are not allowed.) The trail just added a special feature: the eXperiment Maze, which is full of strobe lights and jumpscares at almost every corner. This is a great experience if you like haunted houses and other Halloween events. 

   Pumpkin patches may not have the jumpscares at The Scream Zone or The Haunted Trail, but they boast rows of pumpkins. Pumpkin carving is a fun Halloween tradition for most families, and pumpkin patches are the perfect place to pick a pumpkin to take home and decorate. While most people go just to get pumpkins, companies include blow-up slides, petting zoos, obstacle courses, and bungee jumping.

   “My favorite part about going to the pumpkin patch was seeing the small and cute animals,” Alana Winn (9) said.

    You can find many patches all over San Diego County, and there is even one in San Marcos: Tom’s Adventures Pumpkin Patch & Christmas Trees. People of all ages are allowed to attend the patches. Going to a pumpkin patch is more of getting into the fall season, instead of paying  to go get scared. Even though it’s not a scary attraction its still a very fun thing to do. 

   “You should go to the pumpkin patch because it’s really cute and gets you into the fall spirit,” Lola Simmons (9) said.

   Halloween is a fun time of year, and getting into the spirit of the holiday can be even more thrilling. Getting scared is a common and exciting Halloween tradition, especially when it comes to outdoor haunted houses, scare zones, and pumpkin patches.