Downtown haunts and new ideas for overlooked Civic Center

The Haunted Hotel on Market Street has been out of business for years. Back when it attracted lines that snaked around the block, my then-pre-teen daughter pleaded with me to take her. When she was nearly old enough, I bought a pair of tickets.

She was beaming and excited as we stood in the long line. Then we got to the Zombie-guarded door. Ebullience toggled to abject terror. “I don’t want to go in, Daddy,” she whispered. We went in. She kept her face buried in my side as we plunged down the Hellevator, walked Chaos Hallway and passed the Morgue Autopsy Lab. 

I could feel her trembling as we exited onto Sixth Avenue. Still clinging to me, she looked up and to my great surprise asked, “Can we do it, again?”  

Some people enjoy being scared. Here are downtown spots, scary and not, to get into the Halloween spirit:

• The Haunted Trail: A Zombie-filled Halloween walk in Balboa Park. Also jump scaring guests, the eXperiment Maze. Open now through Nov. 1.
• Rooftop Cinema Club: Huddle under a blanket atop the Manchester Grand Hyatt while scary flicks like Scream, Friday the 13th and American Psycho are screened all month.
• Haunted Hangar Halloween Bash: This year’s Goonies Edition party on Oct. 25 at the Midway Museum promises family friendly fun.
• San Diego Zombie Crawl: Visit more than two dozen bars dressed as your favorite ghoul or ghost. Happening five nights: Oct. 24-25, 30-31 and Nov. 1.
• Trick or Treat on India Street: An all-ages event on Oct. 26 in Little Italy where participating businesses hand out treats, followed by a party at Piazza della Famiglia.