FRIDAY FIVE
Halloween as we know it today is much different from what it was in the past. The holiday originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would wear costumes to scare off ghosts because they believed it was when the dead returned to earth. Flash-forward many, many years to America’s early days, when Halloween wasn’t popular because of strict Protestant beliefs. But as more immigrants came to America, the holiday became more popular.
Nowadays, it seems like there are two ways to spend Halloween: having an actual scary night or going to a party and getting really drunk. Yes, the latter can turn into its own version of a horror film, but the former can evoke a real feeling of terror — like you’re Drew Barrymore’s character, Casey Becker, in the opening scene of Scream. If you’re looking to be totally scared shitless this Halloween, we have a few ideas for you.
1. Alcatraz tour at night
Alcatraz has a weird energy to it, and it’s even stranger at night. Many believe that despite the cells in the famous former prison being empty, some ghosts and spirits occupy them. To San Franciscans, Alcatraz is a historic landmark, but to some, it’s a haunted place. According to records, a man died in cell 14D, claiming that a creature with glowing eyes tried to kill him the night before his death. Visitors have reportedly heard unexplained clanging, screams, and crying too. Alcatraz has been listed as a go-to destination for ghost hunters, so if you’re looking for a real ghoulish time on Halloween, snagging a night-tour ticket might be your best bet. While tickets sell out way ahead in advance, you can look for them on Craigslist or Facebook. The price is $47.30 for one adult ticket.
Alcatraz Island |alcatrazcruises.com
2. San Francisco Dungeon
The San Francisco Dungeon is kitschy scary but scary nonetheless, and it will definitely raise some of your arm hairs on Halloween. If you’re unfamiliar with the San Francisco Dungeon, it’s a theatrical experience that showcases the history of San Francisco’s dark underbelly, including the Tong Wars, the Barbary Coast’s saloon culture, and Alcatraz ghost stories. It’s an immersive haunted-house experience that definitely gets spooky — especially since it requires participation from the audience. In other words, this isn’t your average haunted house. Tickets purchased online are $33 per person.
145 Jefferson Street, Suite 600 (Fisherman’s Wharf) | thedungeons.com
3. Into the Dark
If you’re looking for a twisted theatrical experience, the San Francisco Mint has been taken over by clowns, zombies and fortune tellers ready to freak, you, out. The Terror Vault is a 45-minute tour through Rob Zombie-looking horrors inspired by the history of The San Francisco Mint, while the Apocalypse is a zombie-maze escape room where you wear health detectors and search for the vaccine that will save us all. You can decompress at the Gold-Rush-era-themed bar, the pinball arcade and the fortune tellers at the cafe inside The Morbid Midway. $62 for the Terror Vault; $35 for the Apocalypse. $10 for the Morbid Midway.
The San Francisco Mint, 88 Fifth Street (Financial District)| intothedarksf.com
4. Neptune Society Columbarium
A stunning piece of neoclassical architecture, the Neptune Society Columbarium, located in the Richmond District, is worth a visit for its aesthetic, but it also holds the remains of more than 8,000 San Francisco residents. According to urban legend, people have reported seeing a ghost of a little girl dressed in old clothing walking around the area, while others have heard mysterious footsteps and laughing children. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a way to connect with those who have passed — and not in a totally spooky way — the Neptune Society Columbarium says that visitors have reported a sense of calmness in the space.
1 Loraine Court (Richmond District) | neptune-society.com
5. Fear Overload Scream Park
You’ll have to head out to San Leandro for this, but hands down, this is the scariest haunted house in the Bay Area that is actually meant to be scary. If being chased by clowns who are trying to fake-murder you sounds fun, this is the place to be. Tickets can be purchased online for $25.
5555 East 14th Street (San Leandro) | fearoverload.com
