I went to the largest Halloween theme park event in Southern California and I found myself in an after-dark horror fest

Brandy Robidoux

• Knott's Scary Farm boasts being "the largest and most haunting Halloween experience in Southern California" with more than 160 acres of spooky fun.
• A year-round amusement park, Knott's Berry Farm transforms into a haunting good time once October rolls around, showcasing a series of mazes, rides, shows, and all around spooky thrills.
• I put my brave face on and trekked to the amusement park to see if the horror spectacles lived up to the hype.
• I found that the thrills were next-level, the food was incredible, and that Knott's Scary Farm's tickets were more affordable in comparison to nearby attractions like Universal's Halloween Horror Nights. 
• However, the lines can be very long, parking is expensive, and there are very limited hours in which you can enjoy the spooky shenanigans. It can also be a bit of a drive from Los Angeles since it's situated in Buena Park, California, about an hour drive outside the city.
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Knott’s Scary Farm is an after-dark experience, meaning it doesn't open shop until after 7pm.

A ticket to the park will set you back about $84 if you purchase at the gate, so be sure to grab your ticket online.

I went on a Sunday, which only cost about $49 after fees, though on peak days (Friday and Saturday) prices increase slightly. Keep in mind that parking is an additional $20 if you choose to park on-site. 

The park was a little overwhelming at first so be sure to grab a map once you're inside.

The first thing I noticed was the mass amounts of fog being pumped into the air.

There's an infinite amount of creatures lurking in the dark waiting to scare you at any given second. I was not exactly the biggest fan of this and after several werewolves and bloodied clowns ran at me full speed, I had just about had enough.

"Can we go down the street to Disney?" I asked my date, only half joking.

I decided I wasn’t quite ready to be scared out of my mind so I insisted we make a pit stop for funnel cake.

Safe inside the parameters of the eatery, I enjoyed the "fully loaded" funnel cake and watched while others screamed and sprinted away from monsters.

I am not exaggerating when I say this was the best funnel cake I've ever had. The fully loaded version comes with a heaping portion of ice cream on top and it's basically a sweet tooth's dream come true. It may or may not have been the best $14 I've ever spent.

See Also:

• 16 Halloween costume ideas inspired by music, movie, and TV show icons
• The best celebrity Halloween costumes of 2019, so far
• 14 vintage Halloween costumes that will make your skin crawl