Even though Halloween has a reputation for candy and drinking, it is more than possible to make a healthy choice in Los Angeles and have a memorable holiday. Halloween in L.A. can be an opportunity to learn more about film history, Southwestern culture, and get some exercise. And of course, for those who do like to do some partying, there are plenty of street festivals and events to explore and enjoy.
Ghostly Cemetery Tour
One way to stay healthy on Halloween is to steer clear of the candy and get out to walk around. For the starstruck, Los Angeles offers the opportunity to stay true to Halloween's ghostly motif and, at the same time, learn something about film history. Hollywood Forever Cemetery Walking Tour takes visitors and native Angelenos alike on creepy cemetery tours that meander back through the early days of the silver screen, via the final resting places of the stars. On a cemetery tours you can pay your respects, learn something new and stay active.
Dia De Los Muertos
The Pueblo De Los Angeles is one of the oldest places in the city and a hotspot for L.A.'s rich historical culture. It's no surprise, then, that the historical monument hosts one of the country's more impressive Fiestas Muertos for the Mexican cultural holiday that coincides with Halloween---Dia De Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. Unlike Halloween, which is typically thought of as a dark festival, Dia De Los Muertos carries a more upbeat tone---a celebration of the lives of those departed. You can check out the music and colorful costumes at the fiesta that takes place every year at the Pueblo on Halloween. The cultural monument is located downtown, near the city's historic Olvera Street.
Halloween at Disneyland's Haunted Mansion
Almost everyone knows that Southern California's Anaheim is home to Disney's flagship theme park, Disneyland. Less famous is the transformation that takes place every year at Disneyland's Haunted Mansion for Halloween, when the ride is taken over by movie characters from Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas. The event becomes something special, taking on a new set of decorations, costumes, even a distinctive soundtrack, every year to ring in the spooky holiday. If you can't make it to the park on Halloween, don't sweat---the exhibit continues for a few months through Christmas.
L.A. Cancer Challenge
Most places, a late-October 5 or 10K might seem like a frigid prospect. But in L.A., with its Mediterranean climate, the avid runner can easily get out and get active as fall enters its last days. The Hirshberg Foundation's L.A. Cancer Challenge 5K/10K is a Halloween-themed way to stay healthy and help raise money to save lives as well. Get your Halloween off to an active start, and still be done in time to go out and do something that evening---if you've got some energy left.
West Hollywood Street Carnaval
One of the biggest Halloween events in Los Angeles is the West Hollywood Halloween Street Carnaval. The street fair is famous for its ostentatious costumes and contemporary artists. And those who attend are numbered in the hundreds of thousands---quite a spectacular showing of the costumed party-goers. Unlike other music events on Halloween, the street carnival is pretty cheap, and admission to the street events is free. The festival takes place every year on Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienga Boulevard and La Peer Drive.
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