Haunted houses are an October staple and, in 2026, there’s a wider range of immersive experiences to be had than ever before.
Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly adventure, an artistic wonderland, or a chance to genuinely scare the bejesus out of yourself, these haunted houses are a ghoulishly good time for everyone involved.
The Enchanted Fairytale
(Courtesy of Filoli)
A century ago, a witch cast a spell on the historic Filoli estate: When the sun goes down, nature takes over, spreading darkness across the gardens and freezing the mansion in time. Somewhere in the woodland, the witch watches from her hidden village—but in order to find her, you’ll have to follow a trail through the redwoods guarded by hundreds of scarecrows, giant slugs, and 1,000 pumpkins smiling their hideous grins.
Filoli’s Nightfall isn’t a haunted house in the traditional sense; it’s a delightful expression of immersive storytelling that combines the creepiness of the Halloween season with the excitement of discovery. And there’s so much to discover at the estate: dolls that come to life, witches’ brooms that fly through the trees, a ghostly conductor whose trains loop in and out of the shadows, and so much more. In the meadow, a harvest party glows with games, live music, and fire pits. Inside the mansion’s gilded ballroom, Champagne is served in a firelit lounge.
The family-friendly bewitching takes around two hours to fully unravel (plan for an additional 60 to 90 minutes if you add a private fire pit or Champagne flight to the night).
// ‘Nightfall’ runs through November 1st; ticket prices vary by date, ranging from $45-65 for adults, $40-60 for youth/students/military/teachers/seniors, $35-55 for kids ages four to 14; 86 Cañada Rd. (Woodside), get tickets at filoli.org
The Creative Universe
(Robbie Sweeny)
Halloween weekend, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is opening the door to new dimensions. Created by artist Aaron Wojack, founder of haunted house arts organization Bat Witch Ghost, The Haunt is 6,000 square feet of techno-fantasy—a labyrinth of futuristic worlds built from discarded electronics, salvaged materials, and forgotten B movies. Beyond the laser-lit installation, guests will encounter tarot readers and psychics, maker stations, and a DIY costume enhancement station. DJs curated by Lower Grand Radio will be the puppet masters on the dance floor, and the bar will keep the drinks flowing.
Open for three nights only, The Haunt is largely an adults-only affair, with an early opening on Friday, October 30th at 5pm geared toward families. Halloween will kick off with an afternoon screening of the classic 1948 flick The Red Shoes, tickets to which get you a free, themed snack and all day specials at The Grove on Mission Street.
// ‘The Haunt’ takes place Thursday, October 29th at 7pm; Friday, October 30th at 5pm and 8pm; and Saturday, October 31st at 8pm; tickets are $25 for teens and adults ($15 for YBCA members) and free for kids under 12; 701 Mission St. (SoMa), get tickets at ybca.org
The Victorian Haunting
(Courtesy of @winchestermysteryhouse)
If you’ve never been to the Winchester Mystery House at Halloween, this is the year. While the haunted house in the grand-but-eerie estate is always a scream, three all-new attractions are upping the ante. At the estate, the year is 1926—four years after the death of the deeply disturbed Sarah Winchester—and a masquerade ball has opened a gateway to the other side. In the House of Spirits, the butler works feverishly to contain the evil that spreads through the halls of the Victorian home while, in the greenhouse, The Root of All Evil rises up from the soil. The Collector wanders through The Underhouse as ghostly children seek new playmates on the upper levels in a terrifying game of Hide-And-Seek.
Festival Fright Nights at Winchester also hosts a carnival’s worth of other fun on the grounds, including a Séance Speakeasy and a multimedia show that turns the exterior of the house into a cinematic experience.
// Festival Fright Nights are Thursdays through Sundays through November 1st; tickets range from $59.99 to $92.99, depending on the date; 525 S. Winchester Blvd. (San Jose), festivalfrightnights.com
The Truly Terrifying
(Courtesy of @terrorvaultsf)
Be the main character in your own ‘80s slasher flick with this year’s Terror Vault at The Mint. The team behind the experience (including drag legend Peaches Christ) is calling this year’s the most ambitious yet, with cinematic storytelling that crosses through abandoned schools, haunted campgrounds, blood-soaked frat houses, and defunct video stores. A truly immersive nightmare (you have a choice as to whether the characters are allowed to physically pull you into the horror or not), Slashed: Return to Hellville also comes with a sinister carnival preshow for VIP ticket holders. Not enough for you? Try signing up for five minutes in The Escape Tomb, a solo fear challenge for which you may want to bring a change of underwear.
// Terror Vault is open every Saturday and Sunday through November 8th, plus some additional Thursday and Wednesday nights; tickets start at $79.95; 88 5th St. (SoMa), terrorvault.com
The Bizarrely Off-Kilter
(Courtesy of @gregangelomuseum)
SF Heritage and the creative oddballs behind the Gregangelo Museum have teamed up to create the House of Weird, a haunted experience inside the historic Haas-Lilienthal House on Franklin Street. This “spiritual awakening” is less about jump scares than about strangeness for all the senses. Stop by the Spirit Ballroom Bar before or after the 45-minute tour through the grand Victorian for a cocktail and a tarot card reading.
// ‘House of Weird’ is open Thursdays through Saturdays through October 31st; tickets are $72 (including fees); 2007 Franklin St. (Pac Heights), haas-lilienthalhouse.org
The Two-for-One Thrill
(Courtesy of @fearoverload)
One all-access ticket gives you two separate nightmares to escape in a single night at Fear Overload Scream Park. The first, Final Descent, is a haunted house totally remade for this year’s Halloween season and filled with twisted creatures and shadowy horrors. The second, Grayhaven Hospital, takes you through an abandoned hospital staffed by deranged nurses and doctors intent on delivering generous doses of fear. Up the scare ante by visiting on a “lights out night,” when all you have to illuminate your way is a single glow stick per group.
// Fear Overload Scream Park is open Wednesday through Sunday through November 1st, plus October 27th and November 6-7; tickets range from $19.99 to $33.99; 2086 Newpark Mall (Newark), fearoverload.com
