As a fan of Halloween nothing makes me prouder than to see my fellow Californians transforming their homes into creepy yard haunts during the month of October. In some neighborhoods people have been getting pretty extreme with the decorating and are putting on fully animated Halloween shows or walk-through mazes in their yards. The cities of Burbank and Woodland Hills in particular seem to be the epicenter of the most elaborately decorated Halloween yard haunts in SoCal. Last year I visited a home in Burbank that had an elaborate show with spooky decorations and mind-blowing Halloween special effects. It was so much fun that I’ve decided to return and visit more Halloween yard haunts this weekend. To help me navigate, I created an online map of the haunts that are in the area. Check it out and if your in the area, see if you can use the map to help you too.
So I know there are already some great sites out there like Hollywood Gothique and Hauntmaps that have extensive listings for Halloween activities including the haunts. However, I wanted something a little more intimate and easier to use while I’m driving from neighborhood to neighborhood. You can zoom out to see all of the haunts listed. Click on the skull and crossbones icons to get the details on a particular yard haunt.
This list of haunts is by no means complete but are highest on my “must visit” bucket list. Also these are only the FREE yard haunts and not professional haunts where you’re required to pay. That being said, I like how Hauntmaps.com has separated the attractions out by type of event (walk through haunts, yard displays, extreme, and professional). In the map above I’ve also created a couple extra points of interest represented by an orange star. The first is Halloween Town…an awesome store in Burbank that is fun to visit because of its incredible display of Halloween and monster related clothes, toys, decorations, art paintings and books. The second is the Pierce College Harvest Festival. They have a pumpkin patch, haunted corn maze, haunted houses, Halloween entertainment, and even a petting zoo. It’s a great place to meet at to either begin or end your yard haunt excursion.
If you don’t live close by, don’t worry. I’m sure you have neighbors who cherish Halloween and decorate their yards. Take a drive around your own neighborhood to find out who has the most Halloween spirit. If your out of luck then why don’t you set the example and be the cool house in the neighborhood. Most of these awesome yard haunts began with only a few minor decorations, but added on year after year. When your out there exploring the yard haunts, use it as an opportunity to get inspired and get ideas for what you can do with your own home or apartment. Believe me, kids totally appreciate it. I remember seeing one house in particular when I was around five years old. The house had great lighting effects and a scary man in the yard. The entire neighborhood looked on with awe and excitement. I never forgot that house and decided if I had a home in the future, I’d decorate for myself to enjoy but also for kids out there who would be impressed like I was when I was young. Decorating for Halloween is a wonderfully fun tradition that I enjoyed seeing as a child and would love to see continue for future generations.
