Looking for Halloween fun in SLO County? 7 things to do this spooky season
Autumn has officially arrived in San Luis Obispo County.
With Halloween just around the corner, fall activities are in full swing for local families and friends.
From eerie haunted houses and massive corn mazes to scary movie screenings, here are just a few of the frighteningly fun things to do in SLO County this spooky season.
Visit a haunted house in SLO County
Now in its 11th year, The Haunt is so frightening that organizers keeps sweatpants on hand for visitors who lose control of their bladders.
The haunted house at 5805 El Camino Real in Atascadero finds new ways to terrify guests each year. This Halloween, the theme is “Frankenstein’s Monsters Re-stitched.”
You can visit The Haunt on weekends through Saturday, Nov. 1. Tickets are $20. Visit thehauntinatascadero.com for more information.
Another spooky haunt is the Nightmare from Main Street in Paso Robles. This house of horrors, which is celebrating “15 years of scares” in 2025, features more than 6,000 square feet of “spine-thrilling scares,” its website said.
The spooky attraction is open at 828 14th St. in Paso Robles on weekends and select Thursdays through Saturday, Nov. 1. Tickets cost $20. Go to nightmareonmain.com to learn more.
See a scary movie at Palm Theatre
The Palm Theatre, 817 Palm St. in San Luis Obispo, is offering an entire month of spooky film screenings. The movie theater is showcasing horror films featuring alien invasions, zombies and more.
Tickets cost $12, or $10 for seniors and children. Visit thepalmtheatre.com to find out more.
Get lost in a corn maze
Brookshire Farms, 4747 Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo, features pumpkins, hayrides, a playground an a massive corn maze.
This year, the farm has created a “Sesame Street”-themed labyrinth featuring the faces of Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster.
Admission to the adventure area, which includes the 4.5-acre corn maze, costs $16 on Tuesday through Friday and $23 on weekends. People 65 or older can enter for $11, while children 2 and under get in free.
The corn maze and other activities are open 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Visit brookshirefarms.com for more information.
Want to wander through another local maze? The Pumpkin Patch has a 4-acre maze made from 10-foot-tall corn stalks. Visitors can also pick their own pumpkins or fall-colored flowers.
The patch is open daily at 2315 Biddle Ranch Road in San Luis Obispo from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go to facebook.com/thepumpkinpatchslo to find out more.
Pick out pumpkins in SLO, Templeton
SLO County has several spots where you can pick put your own pumpkins for pies and jack-o’-lanterns. .
Avila Valley Barn, 560 Avila Beach Drive in San Luis Obispo, has more than 45 varieties of gourds and pumpkins, plus u-pick apples. The farm is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
You can choose from 120-plus varieties of pumpkins, gourds and winter squash at Jack Creek Farms at 5000 West Highway 46 in Templeton.
The farm also offers kid-friendly activities including a garden maze, a tractor tire garden and a farm animal puppet theater. Entrance to the family activity area costs $15 per person.
Jack Creek Farms is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
Celebrate Dia de los Muertos
Paso Robles is celebrating Dia de los Muertos at Downtown City Park from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Educational activities, a kids zone, food, dancers, live music, vendors and a special ofendre are in store at the park at Spring Street and 12th Street in Paso Robles, according to the event flyer.
In San Luis Obispo, the Latino Outreach Council is hosting Festival Dia de los Muertos in Mission Plaza at 989 Chorro St. from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1.
The celebration of life will feature a mariachi band, face painting, folkloric dancers, ofrends and arts and crafts, its website said.
Check out Zoo Boo in Atascadero
Families can head to the Central Coast Zoo for Zoo Boo, a “spooktacular” celebration running from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 25.
The zoo at 9100 Morro Road in Atascadero has about 100 different animal species on display.
The zoo will be decked out in Halloween decorations for Zoo Boo. There will be carnival games, a costume contest, a haunted maze and several children’s activities, according to the zoo’s website.
Tickets are $16 per person. Kids ages 2 and under get in for free.
Go trick-or-treating in Pismo Beach, Paso Robles
Several cities throughout San Luis Obispo County are holding trick-or-treating events for local families.
Grover Beach will host a truck-or-treat event at 16th Street Park from 5 p.m. until dark on Friday, Oct. 24.
Families are encouraged to dress up and visit decorated car trunks full of candy. The first 300 kids will get free goodie bags, according to the city’s website.
Pismo Beach will hold its annual Pumpkins in the Park event at Dinosaur Caves Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25.
There will be pumpkin decorating, a costume contest, games and bounce houses, as well as food and drink vendors.
Trick-or-treating will take place in downtown Pismo Beach from noon to 2 p.m., according to the event’s Facebook page.
San Luis Obispo is kicking off Halloween weekend with a trick-or-treat trail at dozens of local businesses at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30.
Besides candy, the family-friendly event will feature a costume contest at Mission Plaza, a karoke competition and spooky photo opportunities.
Downtown Paso Robles is hosting a “safe and fun” Halloween event at City Park from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Kids can trick-or-treat from downtown merchants and take photos with witches.
Costumes are required, but admission is free, according to the event flyer.
