San Diego's best Halloween events for the rest of October

San Diego has spent the last few weeks leaning into Halloween, and the best part is still ahead. Whether you want to be genuinely rattled or just take the kids somewhere festive, the city has a spread that covers both ends of the spectrum. Here is where to point yourself for the rest of October.

For the full-scare experience, Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld San Diego is the heavy hitter. It runs through October 31 on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 7:00 p.m. to midnight, with a single-night ticket starting at $45.99. Inside you get six haunted houses — including the Nightmare Experiment Sweet DreamzZz and the 3D MAZE: Circus of the Damned — and eight scare zones, plus the live Monster Stomp show at the Nautilus Amphitheater. A few rules to know before you go: it is not recommended for children under 13, masks are not allowed in the park, flash photography is out, and bags larger than 8"x5" cannot come in.

If you would rather keep things family-friendly, the San Diego Zoo's HalGLOWeen is the easy choice. It runs Friday through Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. through the end of the month and is included with your regular admission, so the only extra cost is parking. The kids get the best deal here: children 11 and under enter free with a paying adult through October 31, up to six children per adult. The trail is packed with things like the Skeleton Band, the Enchanted HalGLOWeen Forest and the Día de los Muertos Mariachi. For younger kids, LEGOLAND California's Brick-or-Treat Monster Party runs Saturdays and Sundays through November 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a Ghost Cruise and a LEGO Halloween Tree among the attractions.

Somewhere in the middle is The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park, which runs on selected nights through November 1 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., starting at $34.99. It pairs a 3,500-square-foot eXperiment Maze with a one-mile trail and a new Dark Carnival, and it is not recommended for children under 10. For a one-night plan, the USS Midway Museum's Midway's Fright Deck takes over the flight deck on Saturday, October 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for an outdoor screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, a costume contest with cash prizes, a scavenger hunt and a live DJ.

Beyond the big ticket items, the city fills in with smaller traditions. Little Italy hosts Trick-or-Treat on India Street on October 25 from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Hillcrest puts on Nightmare on Normal Street on Halloween night, and the Japanese Friendship Garden holds its Yokai Masquerade from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. that same evening. If you prefer a corn maze, places like The Carlsbad Strawberry Company, Summers Past Farms in El Cajon and Mountain Valley Ranch in Ramona keep them going for a small fee or free. And for the truly brave, the South Park Horror House on Laurel Street is a free home haunt with a Graveyard of Nightmares theme. Between the big parks and the neighborhood events, there is plenty to choose from whether you are looking for a full night out or just a couple of hours with the kids.