Today’s newsletter is presented by Kaiser Permanente.
Hello, Downtown!
The Haunted Trail in Balboa Park has been open all month – but crowds increase and the experience intensifies as Halloween draws nigh. You’d be wise to get your tickets squared away before you arrive to laugh and/or cry with the attraction’s talented corps of zombie freakazoids.
Now in its 27th year, the outdoor Haunted Trail is a two-part fright night. There’s the 3,500-square-foot eXperimental Maze where guests dodge mutants and cyberpunks. Next, the mile-long trail offers a stop at the Ghoul Bus, communion at the Chainsaw Cathedral and other jump scares, including closeups with clowns more terrifying than those in Congress.
To gain passage into one of CNN’s 10 best haunted attractions in the country you could show up and try the ticket booth. But if your brain hasn’t been eaten, buy tickets online. Most nights sell out.
You can reserve general admission tickets for a specific time for $34.99 per person. Know there will be lines. There’s also a Fast Pass option ($49.99) that offers some flexibility of arrival and a minimal wait in line.
New in 2026: The VIP Blood Red Carpet package ($99.99). On specific dates, you can arrive anytime between opening and 30 minutes before closing. Blood Redders get a personal greeter, front-of-line admission, group photos and a goodie bag.
The Haunted Trail opens at 6:30 p.m. for the rest of the month and closes at 10, 10:30 or 11 p.m., depending on the day. Oct. 26 is the only Monday the trail is open. You can book passage for Halloween night; the last chance to get scared out of your pants is November 1.
For more information about tickets and etiquette FAQs, go to Haunted Trail.
Ron Donoho
Downtown News newsletter host
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