The best haunts to attend this Halloween season

Jason Voorhees prepares for his next victim at Heritage Hill 2017. (Heritage Hill)

Looking for a good spook? Fear not, for some of the most exquisite haunts reside right here in Southern California. Whether they be local and family-friendly or intense for older adults, this list is sure to accommodate everyone’s demented desires.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios

Select nights from now until 11/3, price ranging from $64 to $97

If you’re looking for an intense haunt that brings your favorite stories to life, Universal Studios’s long-running haunt is your best choice. Face the rabid demogorgons of the Upside Down in the Stranger Things maze, or help some washed-up ex-professors fight green, gooey goblins in the Ghostbusters maze. The experience includes a total of 10 mazes based on both classic and new tales, so everyone is sure to face their darkest fears. The event is be pricey, but it’s well worth the professional-grade sets and costumes that are guaranteed to scare the hell out of you.

Knott’s Scary Farm

Select nights from now until 11/2, price ranging from $43 to $60

Still willing to drive a little ways but not willing to spend as much money? Knott’s Berry Farm transforms their entire theme park to suit the Halloween season, so enjoy riding your favorite attractions or attending the temporary maze installations. Get used to the hundreds of monsters that lurk the park, because there’s nowhere to hide here. While this isn’t the most extreme haunt, it certainly provides a good spook, and certainly isn’t for the faint at heart.

Laguna Hills Haunted Trails

Oct. 13-17, price is $13

Looking to stay local? Laguna Hills Haunted Trails is a community-oriented, all ages event hosted locally. If you’re a tad more squeamish than most, this attraction is a safe choice, a perfect balance between creepy and fun. The price is also significantly cheaper than other haunted attractions if you’re looking for a haunt on a budget. Beware though, for this attraction runs only three days!

The 17th Door

Select dates from now until 11/2, price ranging from $25 to $40

Quite possibly the most terrifying haunt on this list, The 17th Door is an insanely intense, interactive haunt (you must sign a waiver to attend). The event continues a long-running narrative, where the main character Paula attempts to survive her time in a prison. Try to survive the challenges that prison life presents, or descend into insanity. This event is not for the faint at heart, but it is for those who crave a terrifyingly twisted time.

Haunt at Heritage Hill

Oct 11 and 12, price is $10

This is another local option for those who prefer a more subtle scare. Every Halloween season, the city of Lake Forest transforms the historic Heritage Hill park into a fun and spooky environment for fear-seekers of all ages. Partake in carnival games, have your fortune told, or attend one of the two spook-tacular mazes.

Queen Mary Dark Harbor

Select nights from now until 11/2, price ranging from $34 to $44

Climb aboard the historically haunted ship of Queen Mary, where fear is truly said to live. Attend mazes based on real characters who once sailed the ship long ago. Roam the ship’s quarters and face the spirits that lurk in the shadows. The Queen Mary’s history in combination with its terrifying mazes are sure to give any attendee a good scare.

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