By the first week of October, something shifts in Sacramento. The days cool just enough to make you want to be outside at night, the Delta breeze carries a different feel, and the city leans hard into its scarier side. If your idea of fall means skipping the cider and going straight for actual fear, the Sacramento area delivers — and one particular attraction has become a legitimate regional destination for it.
Here is what’s running for the 2026 season, verified from each venue’s own pages.
Sacramento Scream Park: The Big One
Sacramento Scream Park at 4909 Auburn Blvd. is the city’s most serious haunted attraction, and it earns that status. Forbes named it one of the best haunted houses in the West, it has racked up more than 1,000 five-star reviews, and the setup is more elaborate than most people expect going in. You’re not walking through a single house — the park runs four separate haunted experiences under one admission ticket.
The four haunts for 2026 are:
- Gator Gulch — A cursed backwater setting built around swamp horror and things that live in the dark below.
- Silverthorn Amusement Park — An abandoned carnival with twisted games and the kind of clowns you won’t forget quickly.
- Greyhaven Hospital — A medical facility where the procedures have long since stopped going right.
- Homecoming Horror — A high school setting that leans on the particular dread of the familiar turned wrong.
Between haunts, the Frightmare Midway keeps the energy up with roaming monsters and live entertainment. Rotating food trucks run nightly — tacos, burgers, and dessert vendors cycle through the season. There’s also a horror boutique (Eerie Essentials) and an optional AI-themed mini escape room ($11 add-on) for groups that want to squeeze in something extra.
The park operates September 12 through November 7, 2026. Most peak weekend nights sell out, so buying tickets in advance is not optional — it’s necessary. The website’s calendar page (screamparkcalifornia.com/calendar) shows specific open nights; it’s not every night of the week.
Parking is free on-site, which is worth noting because it actually removes one Sacramento-area friction point entirely. The park recommends guests be 12 or older.
Ticket Options
General Admission starts at $29 and includes access to all four haunted houses plus the Frightmare Midway. Wait times at peak hours can run up to 90 minutes for GA. Three upgrades reduce that significantly: Fast Pass adds $12 and moves you roughly three times faster through lines; Immediate Entry adds $24 and puts you near the front in about five minutes (limited inventory per night); Diamond VIP starts at $72, covers the fastest lane, all-night re-entry, mini escape room access, a free digital photo, and a merchandise discount. The Respawn Pass ($10) lets you run all four haunts a second time the same night if you want to go back in.
Cemetarium: West Sacramento’s Alternative
For something smaller and closer to the urban core, the Cemetarium operates out of 3010 Burrows Ave in West Sacramento — just across the river from Midtown. It has been running for several seasons and draws a dedicated local crowd that prefers a less mega-produced experience. The attraction shows up as active for the 2026 season on major haunted house directories.
Specific hours and ticket prices for 2026 weren’t posted on their site at press time. Check back at cemetarium.com or their social channels for current details before you drive out. If you’re planning a group trip, it’s worth calling ahead.
If You Want the Scare Without the Wait
Old Sacramento is running a series of Spooky River Cruise events on the Sacramento River on October 3, 2026. The daytime version (11 AM–4 PM) is family-friendly with Halloween décor and themed beverages; the Sights & Sips cruise (2:45–7:30 PM) layers in craft cocktails and mocktails; and the Alive After Five event (6–7:30 PM) is 21+ with a DJ and drink specials. These aren’t haunted houses — no scare actors, no jump scares — but they make for a legitimately atmospheric October outing, especially with kids. Tickets through the Old Sacramento website at oldsacramento.com.
The Details
- Sacramento Scream Park: 4909 Auburn Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95841 | Sept 12–Nov 7, 2026 | GA from $29 | screamparkcalifornia.com | Free parking | Ages 12+ recommended
- Cemetarium: 3010 Burrows Ave, West Sacramento, CA 95691 | cemetarium.com | Check site for 2026 hours and prices
- Old Sacramento Spooky River Cruises: October 3, 2026 | oldsacramento.com | Family-friendly and 21+ options
Bottom Line
If you’re in Sacramento this October and want a genuine haunted house experience, Sacramento Scream Park is the answer — four distinct haunted houses, legitimate production quality, and a track record that backs up the hype. Buy tickets in advance for peak weekends (think last two weeks of October), upgrade your entry tier if you’re bringing a group and hate waiting in lines, and check the calendar for open nights before you go. The Cemetarium offers a lower-key alternative for those who want something smaller-scale in West Sacramento. And if you have young kids, the Old Sacramento river cruise events on October 3 hit the Halloween aesthetic without the nightmare fuel.
Looking for more ways to make the most of Sacramento’s fall season? Check out The Best Guide to Halloween in Sacramento 2026, browse family-friendly Halloween events in Sacramento and surrounding areas, or plan an afternoon at one of the best pumpkin patches and farms near Sacramento before heading out for your evening scare.
