13 spooky things to do in SLO County this Halloween

Anna Armstrong
·8 min read

With Halloween just around the corner, it is time to boo-gie!

From haunted house tours to scary movies and trick-or-treating, you can find plenty of frighteningly fun events in San Luis Obispo County.

Here are 13 ways to celebrate Halloween. All events are free unless otherwise noted.

See scarecrows

Hundreds of scarecrows are on display in Cambria and San Simeon through the month of October as part of the 15th annual Cambria Scarecrow Festival. Creations on display this year include sculptures inspired by “Encanto,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and woodland animals.

There’s also a Salute to Scarecrows featuring live music and food and wine on Oct. 28 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Cambria Nursery & Florist, 2801 Eton Road in Cambria. Tickets for the event are $65; visiting the scarecrows is free. 805-395-6766 or cambriascarecrows.com

This year’s theme at The Haunt in Atascadero is “Vampyres: TransylMania!”
This year’s theme at The Haunt in Atascadero is “Vampyres: TransylMania!”

Visit a haunted house

Named “America’s Most Frightening Haunted House” by BBC World News, The Haunt in Atascadero is located at 5805 El Camino Real. This year’s show — “Vampyres: TransylMania!“ — has “19 terrifying rooms featuring vampires, their minions and other horrifying creatures of the night.” There’s a lights-on tour for kids as well as an “extra-terrifying” Night Terrors tour for folks with a higher scare tolerance. The Haunt is open 6:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with more shows available through October. Tickets are $16. 805-457-5845 or thehauntinatascadero.com.

Enjoy 6,000 square feet of “spine thrilling scares” at Nightmare from Main Street, 828 14th St. in downtown Paso Robles. Tours are available Friday and Saturday and Oct. 27, 28, 30 and 31 from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $20. 805-423-0674 or nightmareonmain.com.

A haunted house, candy and carnival games are in store at Lost Souls Lodge, hosted by San Luis Obispo Elks Lodge No. 322. The event runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 27 and 28 at 222 Elks Lane in San Luis Obispo. 805-543-0322 or bpoeslo322.com

The San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the family-friendly Boo Bash, complete with food, games, activities and a haunted house. The event runs 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27 at Meadow Park, 2251 Meadow St. in San Luis Obispo. 805-781-7100 or slocity.org

Picking a pumpkin for Halloween at Brookshire Farms in San Luis Obispo is Cora Carter, 2, with her parents Alex and Veronica Carter (not pictured) all from Atascadero.
Picking a pumpkin for Halloween at Brookshire Farms in San Luis Obispo is Cora Carter, 2, with her parents Alex and Veronica Carter (not pictured) all from Atascadero.

Go pumpkin picking

For those seeking to carve up some seasonal fun, San Luis Obispo County is home to many pumpkin patches that offer gorgeous gourds as well as hay rides, corn mazes and other attractions. They include Avila Valley Barn, Brookshire Farms, The Pumpkin Patch, SLO Creek Farms and Sunny Acres Farm in San Luis Obispo, as well as Nipomo Pumpkin Patch, Jack Creek Farms in Templeton and River K Pumpkin Patch and Cornmaze in Paso Robles.

People dressed as witches and warlocks participate in the ninth annual Morro Bay Witches Paddle on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022.
People dressed as witches and warlocks participate in the ninth annual Morro Bay Witches Paddle on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022.

Hit the water with witches

Morro Bay is hosting its popular Witches and Warlocks Paddle from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 29. Participants are encouraged to dress in costume and meet at Coleman Park before paddle boarding in the bay along the Embarcadero. 805-225-7411 or morrobay.org



Escape a zombie invasion

Can you outrun a zombie? Find out at The Zombie Invasion SLO, Oct. 28 at Camp San Luis Obispo off Highway 1.

At this 5-kilometer walk or run, participants are pursued by brain-chomping zombies. Participate as a survivor or join the undead horde. There is a family-friendly run at 10 a.m. and a 5k Survival Race at 11 a.m. Also in store are vendor booths, a bounce house and food and drinks.

Tickets are $15 to $25, with proceeds benefiting the Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center. sloautism.org/zombie-invasion-slo or invasion@sloautism.orgm.org

Families gathered for a special trick-or-treat atthe Thursday night Farmers Market on Higuera Street in downtown San Luis Obispo. Amy Marie Hernandez, 18 months, and brother Duvan, 4, hit the streets.
Families gathered for a special trick-or-treat atthe Thursday night Farmers Market on Higuera Street in downtown San Luis Obispo. Amy Marie Hernandez, 18 months, and brother Duvan, 4, hit the streets.

Go trick-or-treating

The city of Arroyo Grande is hosting a Marathon Monster Mash at Elm Street Park at 1221 Ash St. This family-friendly event feature trick-or-treating, food trucks, music, a costume contest and a raffle. The event will take place on 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27, noon to 8 p.m. Oct. 28 and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. arroyogrande.org/rec.

Grover Beach will host its annual Trunk or Treat event at Ramona Garden Park from 5 p.m. until dark on Oct. 27. Families can enjoy trick-or-treating and a pumpkin carving competition. 805-473-4550.

At Trick or Treat in Downtown Atascadero, 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31, children and their families are encouraged to dress up and trick or treat down Entrada Avenue. The event will also have a pet costume contest and games. 805-466-2044 or visitatascadero.com

Joe Larwood, 4, of Atascadero and his buddy Quincey were in downtown Paso Robles to trick-or-treat on Halloween in 2005.
Joe Larwood, 4, of Atascadero and his buddy Quincey were in downtown Paso Robles to trick-or-treat on Halloween in 2005.

The city of Morro Bay will host its annual Trick or Treat event along Morro Bay Boulevard on Oct. 28 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. and will feature face painting, a photo booth, trick or treating and a bounce house.

Trick or treat at businesses along Main Street in Paso Robles at the Safe & Fun Halloween Downtown from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31. You can even snap selfies with witches. pasoroblesdowntown.org

Trick or Treat on Main Street in Templeton, 3:30 to 6 p.m. Oct. 31, features trick or treating along Main Street from Gibson Street to Eight Street in Templeton. Participating local businesses will put pumpkins in their windows. 805-434-1785 or business.pasorobleschamber.com.

Get scary in downtown SLO

Kick off the Halloween holiday weekend at the Downtown SLO Farmers Market, 5 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 26 in downtown San Luis Obispo. This family-friendly event features a costume contest, karaoke contest, festive photo opportunities and a Trick-or-Treat Trail with downtown SLO businesses.

Vincent Avila, 4, and Nathan Calkins, 10, look at a meerkat at the Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero during Zoo Boo. The event returns to the zoo on Saturday.
Vincent Avila, 4, and Nathan Calkins, 10, look at a meerkat at the Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero during Zoo Boo. The event returns to the zoo on Saturday.

Go ‘boo’ at the zoo

The Charles Paddock Zoo, 6907 El Camino Real in Atascadero, is hosting its annual Zoo Boo event on Oct. 28 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. complete with carnival games, a costume contest, trick or treating and a haunted house. The zoo is home to more than 200 different animals including a Malaysian tiger and red pandas. Tickets are $16. 805-470-3360 or charlespaddockzoo.org

Tim Tarrant and Kailea, 9, of Guadalupe show off their costumes at Pismo Beach’s 33rd annual Pumpkins in the Park (formerly Pumpkins on the Pier) Halloween celebration, on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, at Dinosaur Caves Park.
Tim Tarrant and Kailea, 9, of Guadalupe show off their costumes at Pismo Beach’s 33rd annual Pumpkins in the Park (formerly Pumpkins on the Pier) Halloween celebration, on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, at Dinosaur Caves Park.

Party in the park

Pismo Beach is hosting its annual Pumpkins in the Park on Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Dinosaur Caves Park off Price Street. The event, designed for children ages 12 and under, features a costume contest, pumpkin decorating, games and arts and crafts plus a bounce house and food and drinks. 805-556-7397 or experiencepismobeach.com.

Movie-goers pile in the back of their vehicles and trucks at Sunset Drive-in. Missi Allison-Bullock, top, right, snuggles in the back of her truck with, from left, Landen Allison-Bullock, 14, Macey Wilkerson, 14, and Sutner Allison-Bullock, 9, all of San Luis Obispo. (Photo taken June 28, 2019)
Movie-goers pile in the back of their vehicles and trucks at Sunset Drive-in. Missi Allison-Bullock, top, right, snuggles in the back of her truck with, from left, Landen Allison-Bullock, 14, Macey Wilkerson, 14, and Sutner Allison-Bullock, 9, all of San Luis Obispo. (Photo taken June 28, 2019)

Watch a spooky movie

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival is hosting a “Ghosts Galore” Halloween movie night at the Sunset Drive-In, 255 Elks Lane in San Luis Obispo. There will be back-to-back showings of “Casper” and “Poltergeist.” Gates open at 6 p.m. Wednesday, and the movies begin at 7:15 p.m. Guests are encouraged to dress up and visit the snack bar for treats. Tickets are $15. 805-546-3456 or slofilmfest.org

Downtown Centre Cinemas, 888 Marsh St. in San Luis Obispo, is showing several horror movies on the big screen. Offerings include “Friday the 13th,” “Halloween” and “The Exorcist: Believe.” Tickets are $10.50 to $14.50. 805-546-8667 or themovieexperience.com

The Palm Theatre, 817 Palm St. in San Luis Obispo, has a calendar full of spooky season favorites in October. Selections include “An American Werewolf in Paris,” “Jennifer’s Body” and “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.” Tickets are $12. 805-541-5161 or thepalmtheatre.com

Tooth & Nail Winery in Paso Robles.
Tooth & Nail Winery in Paso Robles.

Celebrate with some boo-ze

For grown-ups looking to have some Halloween fun, SLO County offers several boo-zy events.

The Wineries of the 46 West are hosting a Hollowine Block Party event on Oct. 28 at Barton Family Estate, 2174 West Highway 46 in Paso Robles. The event, which takes place 6 to 9 p.m., features live DJ spinning, wine, desserts and a costume contest. Tickets are $56 or $35 for non-drinking designated drivers. my805tix.com.

Tooth & Nail Winery, 3090 Anderson Road in Paso Robles, is hosting a Haunted House of Wine costume ball on Oct. 28 from 7 to 10 p.m.. Expect music, dancing and food and wine. Tickets are $65 for wine club members and $70 for non-members. 805-369-6100 or eventbrite.com.

Enjoy live music by Brass Mash Band and spooky drinks at Monster Mash Halloween, 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 28 at Bang the Drum Brewery, 1150 Laurel Lane in San Luis Obispo. Eventgoers are encouraged to dress up. Tickets are $15. 805-242-8372 or bangthedrumbrewery.com.

sloKaraoke and Chablis Cruises are hosting a Halloween Karaoke Cruise in Morro Bay complete with a taco bar, singing and spirits. The cruise takes off at 7 p.m. on Oct. 31 and returns by 10 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to dress up. Tickets are $38. morrobay.org or events@sloKaraoke.com.

ArtSocial 805’s new Creative Campus in Paso Robles will offer various different lessons and events to Central Coast residents.
ArtSocial 805’s new Creative Campus in Paso Robles will offer various different lessons and events to Central Coast residents.

Paint under black lights

ArtSocial 805 will host a Glow in the Dark Paint Night from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m at its new Creative Campus, 3340 Ramada Drive in Paso Robles. Participants will use premium glow-in-the-dark paints under ultraviolet and black lights to “create a hauntingly good painting,” and receive free drinks upon entry. Tickets are $45. 805-400-9107 or artsocial805.com.

Take a spirited tour

Are you a true crime junkie looking for a thrill? Take a Ghost and True Crime Tour through downtown San Luis Obispo hosted by Mystery Loves Company and hear “haunting tales from the city’s dark past.” Tours take place Wednesday through Saturday at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 to $25. mysterylovescompanytours.com