Best Halloween homes of Yuba-Sutter for 2023

Oct. 27—Halloween is fast approaching and the Yuba-Sutter region has dressed appropriately in its spookiest attire. From the classy El Margarita Estates of Yuba City to the corners of Olivehurst and the far-off lands of Plumas Lake, trick or treaters will have their buckets full trying to decide which neighborhoods to visit. But for those looking to tour the region's best haunted decor, the following list may come in handy.

Arachnid Amphitheater: 4458 Martel Dr. Olivhurst

Hats go off to the "Hurst" for having one of the most abundant and well-mapped Halloween displays of the season. Kim and Dale Nichols left no detail untouched in their concert-themed decor, "Arachnid Amphitheater," and the dead must surely be grateful.

Kim Nichols might be considered the region's "Halloween queen," sharing both her creativity and unused pieces with neighbors and other spooky season enthusiasts. She and her husband have been decorating for well over a decade now and always try to choose a new theme. This year's inspiration came to Kim Nichols in a dream and while she usually tends to shy away from animatronics, she made a special exception for her Arachnid Stage. On Halloween night, these ghostly beings will operate to a full light and music show with trick or treaters being given ample amounts of candy and full-sized sodas.

Raven's Inn: 4460 Martel Dr. Olivehurst

Right next door to the Nichols' lives Sam and Darbie Housten. The Houstens tend to revolve their set around the same theme each year, adding and replacing items as necessary. Their yard is referred to as the "Raven's Inn" and features a host of creepy vintage dolls and spooky characters derived from the 19th century.

Darbie Housten started her obsession, in part with the help of Kim Nichols, as a way to pass the time while her husband was away hunting. Now that he's retired from the hobby, she's not sure how long she'll continue but guests will have a chance to tour her haunt this year on Halloween night. While the outside is creepy enough, her garage and washroom have also been converted into a full-fledged haunted house open for free to trick or treaters.

Pirates Cove: 2084 Roy Ranch Way, Plumas Lake

Roy Ranch Way in Plumas Lake may be one of the hottest spots for trick or treaters this year. Residents reported around 1,200 kids parading through the street last year drawn by the many decorated houses. Much of this could be attributed to Chrissie Dexter and her husband who inherited a resident's collection of "Caribbean Pirates" a few years back.

"When he moved he told me that he felt like the pirates should stay," said Dexter.

This year, Dexter's husband obliged her request to build a pirate ship out front using recycled pallets. The structure is sound enough for people to come aboard and the pathway includes a moving "bridge."

The display has also incorporated salvaged decor from Nichols' western-themed exhibit last year. In turn, the Dexters have used some of their decorative overflow to fill the neighbors yard with witches and a fiery cauldron.

Proceed with caution: 754 Bridge St. Yuba City

This home is centered along one of Yuba City's busiest byways, Bridge Street. Equally spooky by day as it is at night, this home's decor comes courtesy of its resident handyman, Robert.

Robert recycles hot water heaters and uses the insulation foam to create a variety of creepy sculptures. Decorating his home for Halloween has become an artistic outlet, one which he enjoys alongside his fluffy sidekick Pichu, a tortoiseshell cat.

On Halloween night, guests can also expect movies to be projected onto a movie screen on his garage door.

Happy Halloween: 1639 Alicia Dr. Yuba City

This home was featured in last year's "best dressed" Christmas light feature and is making a return for the Halloween season. The Hamlins have been decorating their home as a family tradition for about 12 years now. As with most large displays, the planning and preparation begins months in advance with new items being added or tweaked each time.

"It's delightful to see the smile on every kid's face and their parents when they look at our yard decoration," said Richie Hamlin. "It makes us happy, and you cannot put a price on that."

Eerie Evans Estate: 1751 Sessler Pl. Yuba City

Shenise Evans has inherited her family's decorative legacy, "Eerie Evans Estate," on a corner lot in south Yuba City. She admittedly got a bit of a late start this year but her yard is still filled with giant slaying skeleton knights and a few unique medieval features such as a dragon and dark angel.

Evans took over the tradition around 10 years ago as a way to help promote her party light business. She has since retired from this career but not her love for Halloween decor.

"It's a lot of work, but we feel like it's worth it," said Evans. "And I really encourage everyone to join our Facebook group 'Yuba Sutter Halloween Haunts' to help grow our spooky community."

Halloween Manor: 429 S. Walton Ave. Yuba City

This house boasts one of the largest collections of blow-ups and skeletons within Sutter County. The owner has slowly built up his reputation as "that one house of South Walton" over the years with decor to go with every holiday. Halloween and Christmas warrant the largest displays and the owner said he cuts down on his costs by stockpiling on new items the day after each holliday ends.

Widowmaker Lane Halloween Drive-thru: 2487 Feather River Blvd. Plumas Lake

This free haunted drive-thru will be open from 7-9:30 p.m. this weekend and again on halloween night. Lanette and Keith Richardson started decorating their home for Halloween about four years ago and felt a drive-thru event would be a great way for people to enjoy the holiday during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, they have continued adding to their collection and try to switch things up each year.

"This year the theme is a little loose," said the Richardsons. "Skeletons are busy buying flowers and decorating their gravestones. Flower skeleton fairies show up and next thing you know there's a bunch of them surrounding the giant skeleton. When you pass them, you have to get through the spider section to finish the detour."

Bonus homes

Employing FM transmitters to create synchronized light shows with music continues to gain popularity among home decorators, particularly over the Christmas season. However, these displays are starting to pop up on Halloween too, complete with classic spooky tunes. There was at least one house off Jacoby Creek Court in Plumas Lake that was set up this way and another at 2298 Birmington Dr. in Yuba City. All viewers have to do is pull up, tune into the advertised station, sit back and enjoy.

Lastly, a home at 3031 Roosevelt Rd. in Yuba City was prominently featured in last year's "best dressed" roundup, set apart for its walk-thru haunted feature in the front yard. There were currently no signs of such a set up this year, however guests can still enjoy an equally gruesome and unique display.

Pro tips

Most homes display their lights and animatronics between 6-9 p.m. Those interested in delving into the hobby may want to keep an eye out for "code orange" drop dates with sales starting as early as July. Alternatively, some save by purchasing new items and surplus stock between November and January.

Making friends with other local decorators is a great way to enhance creativity, learn new tips, and leverage potential trades or borrowing deals. Likewise, becoming a regular customer at local halloween stores encourages employees to reserve niche items and give first preference to special deals. It's not uncommon for decorators to be out working on or enjoying their displays in the evening, a polite introduction or compliment can go a long way.