HAUNTED HOUSES
Mansion — Ghosts float and scare those who are brave enough to enter the 25-room Victorian Mansion, Devils Gulch Ghost Town or the 3-D Physchotic Circus. The mansion is located at 6260 Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Woodland Hills and is open on weekends until Oct. 22 and then every night from Oct. 22 to Nov. 1 The scare begins when the sky goes dark and runs until midnight. Admission is $12.50 for one attraction and $18.50 for all three. For more information, call (818) 888-8570 or at the Web site at www.spookyhouse.com.
Haunted House — A tradition started in 1973 and that has gotten scarier ever since. The haunted house was converted into a scary show of ghosts, zombies and music after the owner’s deep desire to share his passion of the dead with the public for free. The house is located at 4343 Babcock Ave. in Studio City and is open Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 from 7 p.m. to midnight.
HAUNTED CEMETERIES
Outdoors — “Halloween is the time when Grimmstone cemtery opens its gates for the living.” It is the Grimmstone Cemetary’s 17th year of haunting and you all are invited,” as posted on the invite for the haunting. The cemetery is open between Oct. and Nov. 1 at 6706 Blewett Ave. in Van Nuys. The event is free to all.
Pet Cemetary — The Los Angeles Pet Cemetery in Calabasas is known to have a few restless animals roam the plots. The most famous animal, according to www.zerotime.com, is Rudolph Valentino’s dog. His pet, Kaber, is known to lick the people that pass in front of his grave. The cemetery is located at 5068 Old Scandin Lane.
HAUNTED AMUSEMENT PARKS
Knotts — Knotts Berry Farm turns into Knotts Scary Farm during the month of October. In addition to the rides, there are over 1,000 monsters who roam the park grounds and mazes to mix up the event. Tickets for the park are $40, if you buy them in advance at www.halloweenhaunt.com or by calling (877) 858-7234, and $45 if the tickets are purchased at the front gate. The haunted scare runs today through Sunday, Oct. 15 through Oct. 19, Oct. 22 through Oct. 26, Oct. 28 through Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. The park is located at 8039 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park.
Queen Mary — The landmark ship, located in Long Beach, transforms itself into a horrific nightmare for Halloween. The ship, which the Web site claims is haunted and has been reported paranormal activity within the bowels of the ship, has seven mazes this year, three dance parties and is open every weekend in October. For more information call (562) 435-3511 or check out the Web site at www.queenmaryshipwreck.com. Tickets are $26 to the event, which is located at 1126 Queen Highway.
Magic Mountain — The amusement park turns into a haunted thrill ride adventure as the sun goes down every weekend in October. To make the coasters extra scary, the park reversed the Colossus roller-coaster and all the other coasters are run in the dark. In addition to the coasters, Magic Mountain presents the Parade of the Dead, which runs through the park. The park is located at 26101 Magic Mountain Freeway in Valencia. Park information can be obtained at the Web site at www.sixflags.com/parks/magicmountain or by calling (661) 255-4100.
HAUNTED EVENTS
Carnival — West Hollywood Halloween Carnival is an annual event that attracts large audiences from around the world, according to the flyer for the event. The party is billed as the countries largest halloween party, as 350,000 people attended the celebration last year. The traffic is closed off on Santa Monica Boulevard and people wear costumes, listen music, eat food and enjoy the festivities until midnight.
HALLOWEEN FUN FACTS
*Halloween dates back to 700 B.C. to the Celts. The New Year for the Celts was Nov. 1 and they wanted their ancestors to come with them to the next year. They dressed in costume on the evening on New Years Eve, Oct. 31, which allowed the ancestors to join them and it drove away bad spirits.
*Halloween is the eighth largest card-sending occasion; as 28 million cards are sent out each year.
*Orange and black are Halloween’s colors due to orange and harvast and black and death.