# visiting califorina



## gidget (May 23, 2009)

we will be in california in october. travelling from Australia. we will be in san fransico on the 26th october hiring at car and heading down the west cooat for LA we fly out of LA on the 4th november. where should we stop to enjoy halloween? i dont want to be in big cities as i dont like big crowds. want to be in a small town, wandering around local streets watching the kids dressed up and houses decoarated. also want to see as many houses decorated as possible on our trip. what are the best towns for this. our whole trip starts in vegas on the 16th october for 8 nights, then grand canyon for 2 nights, san fransico maybe 3 or 4 nights, then travel down the west coast spending the last 2 or 3 nights in LA before we fly home on the 4th november.


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## Dminor (Jul 21, 2006)

Some of favorites for the Los Angeles (and outlying areas)

House at Haunted Hill
Boney Island
Reign of Terror
Rotten Apple 907
VanOaks Cemetery (my yard display)
Mourning Rose Manor

If you visit my website (www.betterhauntsandgardens.com), I have a lot of listings for the Los Angeles area (since that's where I'm from). So check out the haunt finder and that'll help put you on the right path while you're in the LA area!

Not sure how many you'll be able to see in LA, since it seems like you'll be here after Halloween night and most of the haunts/attractions will be closed.


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## CaliforniaMelanie (Sep 8, 2008)

Pasadena!  Decorated homes and very old-neighborhood-ish.


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## CaliforniaMelanie (Sep 8, 2008)

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/guide/a-guide-to-socals-best-trick-or-treating-neighborhoods/

http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/caeventcalendars/a/halloween-california.htm

Enjoy your stay, we are a friendly bunch here.


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

Gidget here are a few halloween-y things that come to mind in the southern San Francisco Bay area. BTW are you traveling with kids and if so what age range? 

if you are passing thru San Jose, down 101, there's the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose that does regular tours normally, but around Halloween starts special ones. This vintage looking house was owned by Mr and Mrs Winchester. Sarah Winchester's husband owned the Winchester rifle company and she came to believe that they were cursed because the rifles his company made were involved in the deaths of so many people. She was sure her house was haunted by the dead spirits. She consulted a physic who told her that she needed to keep building the house that she and her husband were constructing (I think at his death and maybe to give the spirits a place to rest...it's been a long time since our last visit). She built and built and built and there are all kinds of weird things about the house. Quite an interesting house and tour regardless when you go. I even think on halloween night there might be a lights out with flashlight event. I remember posting about it under Haunts last year when they were hiring actors. Maybe you guys might like stopping there at some point in your trip south. It's apparently too early for info on this year's Fright Night Tours but here's a link to last years.

Also on your way down 101 from San Jose is the famous Swank Farms Corn Maze located in Hollister. Not sure if you are into that but it's a regular halloween event for bay area families. Hollister is a small town and you will pass many small towns heading south from 101. 

BTW south of San Francisco and before you get to San Jose is Half Moon Bay on the coast. The linked website notes that the info posted was from the 2012 event so not sure if the dates for the 2013 events are before you even arrive or not. Half Moon Bay is a small town and are well known for their pumpkin weighing and carving events. Lots of people make their way to the coast for this and I will warn that the traffic can be bad since there aren't a lot of ways to get there from the SF peninsula. Town gets packed, so unfortunately big crowds, but thought I would mention it anyway. It's otherwise a nice trip over the Coastal Range to the ocean and a beautiful beachside community.

There was a haunter who posted on HF, I believe, who lives near San Luis Obisbo down 101 who did this fantastic yard haunt every year that I always wanted to go visit. He decided to hang it up after years of doing it; i think he may have given his haunt props away to some family who trucked it up north somewhere, otherwise I would have sent you there too on your way southward. We missed his haunt by One (1) year and I always regretted it. Had my husband drive by his house just to see where it was anyway. Nice small town area too, you would have loved it. He was/is an art teacher or involved in graphics as I recall. If anyone knows who I mean and he has resumed his haunting after taking a break, please let us know. I'd plan another trip down there just to see his haunt.

I live in a small town with a cute downtown area. They do a Halloween night ToT for the kids on the main street at the local business and kids flow over to the neighborhoods afterwards. Unfortunately can't say that a lot of houses or neighborhoods go all out decorating though and would be worth your time if you specifically wanted to ToT at decked out neighborhoods.


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

Dminor is Boney Island the one done by some LA special effects guy?


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## celipops (Jul 23, 2011)

I will be in Calif 10/23-10/29.
I caught the available video of the house at Haunted Hill, but the website seems down . 'Forbidden' error.


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## kingcoop80 (Jul 21, 2011)

I would def recomend going to "SON OF MONSTER PALOOZA" october 11-13th @ the Burbank Marriot convention center 

http://www.monsterpalooza.com/sonofmonsterpalooza/index.html


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## Dminor (Jul 21, 2006)

Al46icia said:


> Dminor is Boney Island the one done by some LA special effects guy?


Sorry, for some reason I didn't get notified of the comments on this thread.

To answer your question, no, Boney Island is done by one of the producers of the Simpsons. You may be thinking of House at Haunted Hill.


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## gidget (May 23, 2009)

thanks for all your help. will def. look into all these. no we will not be travelling with kids, but i am one big 50 year old kid!!!!


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