2012 Halloween Recommendations: Orange County Haunted House Tour

Update: none of the haunts mentioned in this article remain at their old locations, so this haunt tour is no longer possible.

Can you survive the Empty Grave, Dark Realms & Sinister Pointe – all in one night?

Now that two-thirds of October is gone, Halloween fans in Los Angeles are probably running around like zombies with their heads cut off, wondering how they can get to all the great haunted house events around town in the days remaining. Especially logistically challenging are haunts outside of Los Angeles Country; however, there are some good ones worth the travel distance, so we are suggesting this recommended Orange County Haunted House Tour of The Empty Grave Halloween Attraction, Sinister Pointe Haunted Attraction, and Dark Realms: An American Haunt. We reviewed all three of these Halloween horror shows this past week, but just to tie them altogether with one big bloody bow, we offer this post, along with directions. It’s a trilogy of terror well worth the drive to Orange County.

A. Start with The Empty Grave in the Anaheim Garden Walk at 321 W. Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92803. It’s a good walk-through attraction with some nice lighting effects and more than a few surprises lurking in the dark. Allow at least an hour to wait in line, go through the maze, and hang out afterward, watching the monsters outside the haunt scaring the unsuspecting customers heading to nearby night clubs. You might always want to have a drink while you’re there, so you can get your parking ticket validated.

B. Next, head North to Dark Realms at at 537 Palm Dr., Brea, CA 92821. The eleven-mile drive takes 16 minutes. Dark Realms is a yard haunt that approaches a professional level of quality; they charge $8, which goes to a local hospital. Parking of course is free. Lines may be long, since this is the haunt’s last year, but you can probably get through in under an hour. UPDATE: Dark Realms ceased operation after Halloween 2012.

C. Finally, make your way over to Sinister Pointe at 195 Arovista Circle, Brea, CA 92821. This is a mere jaunt – a tad under two miles, which should take about 4 minutes drive time; in fact, it will probably take you longer to find parking.  This one can get crowded, so allow plenty of time here – especially because they offer an all-night pass that allows you to go through again and again. Tickets are $15 for general admission, but there are VIP options to avoid waiting in line.

The entire trip from Empty Grave to Dark Realms to Sinister Pointe is less than 13 miles, requiring about 21 minutes of drive time. You can find driving directions on mapquest.

Note: If you are making the trip on Halloween Night, you might consider a stop at the The Haunting, at 1904 S. Morgan Lane, Anaheim Ca 92802. We have never been to this amateur haunt, but it has been around several years and developed a following. It is open from 6pm to 10pm on October 31 only.