I don’t know about you guys, but I love me a good, old fashioned hayride. Growing up in New Jersey, haunted hayrides were a tradition; not just at the local pumpkin patches but also at our local theme park (Six Flags’ Fright Fest for me looked very different than it does out here these days). Quite honestly, the hokey days of yore are something I miss sometimes…not that I don’t love the Halloween offerings that SoCal has a bounty of, but the more simple times were fun, too. So, with Haunted Hayride throwing it back to the year of 1985 this season, I knew I would be in for a treat.

Now, even though I have been in the area for seven years, this was my first time visiting the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride. I haven’t heard kind things in the past, but with Plague Productions taking over the creative aspect this year, I knew it wasn’t something I could miss. And as it turns out, I was absolutely right!

Upon making my way to the old, abandoned zoo section of Griffith Park, it’s clear that we were stepping into a time warp. A radio station nearby blasts that the town of Midnight Falls is celebrating their 13th annual Halloween celebration, with plenty of new things to see and do in the year of 1985. Walking under the festive archway sets the tone, as the town’s celebration is in full swing.

A drive-in theater screen, townsfolk wandering around, a radio tower and even the floor completely covered in hay are all here to really make us feel like we are in small town America. I loved the atmosphere so much, and could have gladly wandered around for hours soaking it all in. I felt like a kid again, honestly!

But that wasn’t all…there was a ton more to do, with three mazes and the hayride itself to explore.

MIDNIGHT MORTUARY

Our first maze of the night was Midnight Mortuary. As you’d expect, we walked through the town’s mortuary only to find it overrun with all sorts of satanic beasts and their disciples. Goat-headed monsters were at every turn, as well as townsfolk who had fallen victim to their curse.

We were literally the first people through this maze. A lot of places, it takes a bit of time for the talent to warm up, but not here; they were on fire! From the second we walked into the first room, they were coming at us with all cylinders pumping. The set design was fantastic was well, on-par with some of our favorite Knott’s Scary Farm mazes. There were a few multiple-path options here as well (I got to climb through a cold locker where they store bodies!), giving folks a chance to see different things. All in all, this was a great way to kick off the night.

TRICK OR TREAT

Who doesn’t love ringing doorbells to receive some treats…or in this case, plenty of tricks? Trick or Treat had has wander through the town of Midnight Falls, checking out its eccentric volley of homes, to meet its residents. Those brave enough to ring their doorbells were treated to some fantastic scares, as the townsfolks had a few of their own tricks up their sleeves. This maze was a blast, and seeing each unique resident was great.

Plenty of traditional scares along with hilarious interactions, this maze was a real winner for us, and perhaps our favorite of the evening. This definitely throws it back to when we were kids, and only made me sad that we didn’t leave with candy!

ROADKILL RANCH

The concept of a cannibalistic barn clan may seem familiar, but trust me when I say that Roadkill Ranch was a lot of fun. Winding your way through a literal maze of pallets and hay bales, Roadkill had plenty of scares, even in wide-open spaces. Lots of pig monsters and crazed ranchers, we really enjoyed the simplicity of this maze. Long pig is on the menu here, and it is delicious.

HAUNTED HAYRIDE

And thus, we come to the cornerstone of the evening, the Haunted Hayride itself. Despite a brief delay in boarding, we set off into the woods to explore more of the town. What we found were a series of delightful and terrifying vignettes that made the hayride shine. From an opening attack by the monsters, to visiting with the Pumpkin King, to a run-in with werewolves, and much, much more, the Hayride was a fantastic ride through terror.

And yes, we did get scared a few times. Despite the open spaces, there were plenty of unique effects and scenes that were able to startle us, making this one of the best damn hayrides I had even been on. A roughly 15 minute journey, we were treated to lots of fun scenes and environments, and it was well-worth the wait.

My only gripe here is that our driver had some dialogue at times. However, the tractor was so loud, it was near impossible to hear him, despite being so close. I missed some story points because of this, but it didn’t make the ride any less enjoyable.

If you did hayrides as a kid, this is a great way to remember them; hokey, with a bit of scares thrown in for good measure.

OFFERINGS

In addition to the mazes and the hayride, there are also countless other things to do. Entertainment is provided by a ghastly singer, Monte Revolta, whose crooning was hilarious and interactive. There are also a handful of mini-escape games to try your hand at (we only did one, but had a good time).

If you’re hungry, there are plenty of food options as well. We found the prices for them quite reasonable, especially compared to other Halloween events. But of course, being as it takes place in LA, there are plenty of other places to eat before or after as well.

GENERAL INFO

All that said, the LA Haunted Hayride was an absolutely blast for us. We spent a good two hours there and managed to hit everything. It got a bit more crowded as the night went on, so it’s recommended you show up for opening to make the most of it. Parking there is free, but limited, so arriving early would be your best bet.

Tickets are reasonably priced as well, with the hayride itself $35, and admission to all four attractions being $45. However, at $55 for front of the line access to everything, we feel that’s a steal and well worth it.

The LA Haunted Hayride was a fantastic night of fun, and we very much enjoyed spending the evening in Midnight Falls. Jon Cooke, Ted Dougherty, and the entire Plague Productions team did an amazing job of revamping this Los Angeles staple, and we highly recommend a visit this season.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit them online at: https://losangeleshauntedhayride.com/