A stroll down Hollywood Boulevard or through Venice Beach may make some visitors feel like Halloween is every day of the year in LA, but local festivals, clubs, theme parks, museums and, yes, even cemeteries will ensure that October 31 is the real deal, and a day that will make even the most optimistic souls forget for a moment about sunny Southern California. Popular LA area attractions will celebrate the scariest day of the year with a host of events to scare and delight you.

Hollywood’s ultimate backlot will be transformed into one of Southern California’s scariest places for the better part of October as Universal Studios Hollywood celebrates “Halloween Horror Nights.” Last year’s version featured a “live” interactive maze based on the Saw horror-film franchise. This year features five new mazes and an unforgiving Terror Tram. In addition, Universal Studios Hollywood and musician-director Rob Zombie will judge a short horror-film contest. Tickets will be on sale online. Children under the age of 13 not recommended.

Millions of Jaws fans can’t be wrong – there are fewer things scarier than creatures lurking in the depths of the open water, and Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific is making sure the kids get their own thrills with its annual ‘Scarium of the Pacific’. Creepy colouring contests, spooky storytelling and eerie animals will all be part of the fun. October 23-24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; special programs are free with general admission or aquarium membership.

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, transforms into themed areas and welcomes trick-or-treaters to the annual “Boo at the Zoo” Halloween event.  “Boo at the Zoo” offers pumpkin carving, treats, crafts, music and performances. Zoo animals stomp and chomp pumpkin treats at this family-friendly event, which includes performers, crafts, music and not-so-creepy crawlers. October 30-31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Celebrating its 22nd anniversary in 2010, Carnaval is the LA area’s second-largest recurring event to Pasadena’s Tournament of Roses New Year’s Day Parade, drawing more than a half-million people a year. Previous Carnavals, whose free events usually run the entire week leading up to Halloween, have included a pet costume contest, “Drag Races” featuring competitive relay races for people dressed in drag and stiletto heels, pumpkin carving contests and more. The Carnaval takes place on Halloween (October 31) from 6 – 11 pm on Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega Boulevard and Doheny Drive in West Hollywood.

Murders, scandals and anything else representing the morbid side of Hollywood is fair game for the Dearly Departed’s Tragical History Tour. Hop into the “Tomb Buggy,” visit Hollywood locations of macabre murders and sensational deaths and see how, where and when stars like River Phoenix, Janis Joplin, The Black Dahlia, Bela Lugosi and Sal Mineo met their ultimate fate. The three-hour tour explores more than 100 scenes of Hollywood death starting at 1 p.m daily.

Visit the final resting place of legends Charlie Chaplin, Johnny Ramone and Jayne Mansfield as you tour through one of the most famous cemeteries in the world. Hollywood Forever is a vast, immaculately landscaped cemetery boasting mausoleums, exhibitions, monuments and gardens. On October 31, three two-hour tours will take place  at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The 13th Annual Monster Massive Spooktacular combines grooves and ghouls to provide electronica lovers a truly funky Halloween experience at the Los Angeles Sports Arena and Exposition Park. Dozens of the world’s best DJs will be featured on multiple stages. Saturday October 23, tickets from $60 to $150.

The 1920 classic silent film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde will be shown Halloween Night at the Walt Disney Concert Hall at 7:30p.m, and will be accompanied by the Hall’s pipe organ.