As darkness falls and the harvest moon rises, treat yourself to a spooktacular series of Halloween activities themed perfectly for a bewitching getaway to the Santa Barbara South Coast. From boo-tiful crafts and carnivals to haunted tours and tastes of the season, Santa Barbara has a full calendar of Halloween events taking place throughout October.
This season, you can stretch your stay with tempting hotel offers — book two nights and enjoy the third night free — giving you more time to explore haunted happenings, festive events and autumnal delights across the Santa Barbara South Coast. Read on for Halloween trip-planning ideas.
Make sure to keep this page handy, as more events are added on a weekly basis.
Pumpkin Patches & Corn Mazes
Big Wave Dave’s Pumpkin Patch, Sept. 28-Oct. 31 from 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Big Wave Dave’s is a great spot for picking that perfect pumpkin or festive gourd. Located at La Cumbre Plaza, this local patch offers a variety of kids activities, photo opportunities and an abundant selection of pumpkins to choose from. If you’re looking to add harvest décor to your home, pick from a variety of squash, ornamental gourds, corn stalks, hay bales and more.
Cost: Admission is free
Lane Farms Pumpkin Patch, Sept. 27-Oct. 31, Monday-Friday from 12-7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (12-5 p.m. Halloween Day)
Lane Farms has everything you need to get into the Halloween season with hayrides, farm animals, a corn maze, loads of pumpkins and the perfect backdrop for that festive, Instagrammable fall photo. This harvest season, embark on an afternoon of autumn activities that are safe and fun for the whole family.
Cost: Admission is free
Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch, End of September through Nov. 2 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Pumpkins, gourds, squash, oh my! The Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch returns for its annual autumn extravaganza with one-pound pumpkins and festivities galore, including corn stalks, hay bales, kids maze and a 10-acre corn maze.
Cost: Admission is free
Halloween Events & Activities
Spooky Tours with Santa Barbara Ghost Tours, Ongoing
Did you know that Santa Barbara is the city of friendly ghosts? For a fun, spooky scare, join Professor Julie Ann Brown as she tours you through the streets of Downtown Santa Barbara sharing the stories of the local resident ghosts. Santa Barbara Ghost Tours offers a variety of tours including the Downtown Paranormal Wine and Spirits Tour, Legends, Myths and Mayhem Tour, Dead of the Night Tour and more. For an elevated experience, the VIP Historical Dinner Tour provides exclusive access to a private, membership-only club for an elegant dinner with your guide. Storytelling begins over dinner and then continues with a historical walking tour.
Cost: Tours starting at $35 per person
Santa Ynez Scarecrow Fest, Oct. 1-31
Solvang is set to usher in the season with authentic autumn flair as it launches the 15th Annual Solvang Scarecrow Fest and Contest. Spanning the entire month and culminating on Halloween, local Solvang enterprises and groups will join the festivities, showcasing uniquely crafted scarecrows at their respective venues.
Cost: Admission is free
Halloween Pumpkin Party, Oct. 10 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Yellow Bird Music’s Halloween Pumpkin Party invites kids ages 3-8 to celebrate the season with creativity and fun. Children will hand-paint their own pumpkins, enjoy a cozy screening of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” and take part in festive music and games in a warm, welcoming environment.
Cost: $60 per child
Boo at the Zoo, Oct. 17-26 from 5-8 p.m.
Get ready for a fun and festive Halloween spell-ebration at the Santa Barbara Zoo. While visiting the animals, discover frightfully fun décor, photo ops and trick-or-treating. The ticket for this event includes a Zoo Train ride, mad science experiments, scare zone, dance party, creepy-crawly animal encounters and bounce houses. Additionally, no costume head or face masks will be permitted. Since this is a kid and family-friendly event, please keep costumes child-friendly and do not include gore or realistic weapons.
Cost: $25 per adult, $18 per child
Thriller 2025, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m.
Join World Dance for Humanity at the Santa Barbara Courthouse Sunken Gardens for a free, family-friendly thrills and chills daytime dance fest. Come in costume and watch dance groups perform their own spooky choreographies. Leading up to the event, World Dance for Humanity invites you to learn a new Halloween dance medley. World Dance for Humanity has even organized a series of flash mobs in October to show off your new moves. No need to be a trained dancer, all ages and experience levels are invited to participate.
Cost: Admission is free
Mixed Media Ghost Stories Workshop, Oct. 27 from 6-8 p.m.
Get creative this Halloween at the Mixed Media Ghost Stories Workshop with Explore Ecology Makerspace’s Andrew Baker. Craft your own illuminated ghost story using vintage materials and mixed media techniques. All tools provided; ages 13 and up.
Cost: $25 per person
BOOcara, Oct. 30 from 5-7 p.m.
Returning for another year, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara transforms into a festive playground with property-wide trick-or-treating, hands-on art projects, carnival games and a haunted house filled with friendly frights. Families can wander through a haunted graveyard, decorate mini coffins in the vampire lair, craft spooky snakes in an Egyptian tomb, brew potions in a witches’ coven, and catch a seasonal film, while parents enjoy a “drink-or-treat” adventure with curated holiday cocktails.
Cost: $65 per adult, $35 per child (ages 5 and older)
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics, Oct. 30 from 8:15-9:15 p.m.
Set aglow by candlelight, this Halloween-inspired Candlelight Concert features the Vapour String Quartet performing haunting classics and eerie favorites — from Thriller to The Nightmare Before Christmas — for an unforgettable, multisensory evening at Music Academy of the West.
Cost: $45-$59 per person
Howls & Owls, Oct. 31 from 5:30-8 p.m.
Bring the whole family to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History for a night of spooky fun and discovery! Follow clues to uncover a Halloween-themed natural history mystery, explore exhibits filled with bats and spiders, and join the costume parade at 7:30 p.m. Enjoy treats, burritos and beverages available for purchase.
Cost: $16 per adult, $11 per child
An Educating Conversation: Murder at the Old Mission, Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m.
Step inside one of Santa Barbara’s most mysterious true stories this Halloween. The Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library presents An Educating Conversation: Murder at the Old Mission – The Story of Friar Ferdinand Bergmeyer, revisiting the 1896 shooting that took place inside the Mission itself. Join Friar Jack Clark Robinson and Friar Joe Schwab for an evening of historical storytelling and insight into Franciscan life on the California frontier.
Cost: $50 per person
All Hallow’s Eve: A Dance Between Worlds, Oct. 31 from 7-10 p.m.
For those craving something beyond the ordinary, this immersive Halloween experience invites you to dance, create and explore the space between worlds. Move to deep beats from two DJs under glowing black light, sip mystical elixirs, pull tarot cards and get painted in UV hues. The night winds down with live acoustic music and an open jam session for a soulful finish.
Cost: $35 per person (when purchased in advance) or $45 at the door
Heads All Happy Halloween Ball with No Simple Spoonful & Jax Plays Dead, Oct. 31 at 8:30 p.m.
Celebrate Halloween at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club with live performances by No Simple Spoonful and Jax Plays Dead. Enjoy a night of great music, costumes and festive vibes — complete with drinks, dancing and Halloween fun all night long.
Cost: $15 per person
Haunted Ball at Sunstone Winery, Nov. 1 from 6-10 p.m.
Enter a night of mystery and allure at Sunstone Winery’s Haunted Ball: Angels & Demons, where masks, music and mischief meet under the harvest moon. Enjoy wood-fired bites, flowing Sunstone wines and sparkling cocktails in a setting of celestial intrigue.
Cost: $25 per person
21+ Halloween Events & Activities
Harvest Season Wine Tours, September-Oct. 31 from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Let Santa Barbara Wine Country Tours whisk you away during one of the most enchanting times of year in the Santa Ynez Valley: harvest season. Enjoy wine tastings at three local wineries, lunch in the Santa Ynez Valley, door-to-door shuttle service and a knowledgeable guide for the day. At each stop, the winery staff will share information about different blends and what makes each varietal unique.
Cost: $195 per person
From Dusk Till Dawn: Halloween Drink Specials, Now through Nov. 2
From Dusk till Dawn returns for its annual Halloween pop-up inside Dusk at Drift Santa Barbara, serving eerie ambiance, spooky film screenings and cocktails with a chilling twist.
Cost: Varies by menu item
Fields of Funk, Oct. 25 from 12-10 p.m.
Moon-walk your way over to Elings Park and get your groove on with La Lom, LP Giobbi, 54 Ultra, The Buttertones and more. Fields of Funk is a Halloween music festival, and what better than to don your favorite costume, lay out some lawn chairs and picnic blankets and dance the evening away? Don’t miss the silent disco, roller skating, art installations, food trucks and full bar.
Cost: Tickets start at $60 per person
Rave to the Grave, Oct. 31 from 7-10 p.m.
Head to the Kimpton Canary Hotel for Santa Barbara’s spookiest rooftop rave! Featuring legendary DJ Thee-o, this Halloween bash unleashes haunted house beats, neon lights and nonstop energy under the stars. Sip cocktails, show off your rave-inspired costume and enjoy 20% off dinner at Finch & Fork before the party when you arrive in costume.
Cost: $20 per person (when tickets are purchased in advanced) or $30 at the door
Halloween Zombie Bar Crawl, Oct. 31 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Kick off Halloween at Santa Barbara’s Halloween Pub Crawl. Start at EOS Lounge in costume, then explore over 10 bars and nightclubs with an all-access pass. Your kit includes free shots, drink discounts and nightclub entry. Begin the night with a pre-party, then roam State Street for an unforgettable Halloween celebration.
Cost: $15-$35 per person
