Whether you and your family love the thrill of a good scare or decide to opt for something less terrifying, from San Francisco to Los Angeles and all along the West Coast there are lots of activities that will cater to any Halloween lover.

San Francisco

The Exploratorium, San Francisco’s museum of science and art of human perception, is transforming its venue, and will be hosting the Phantasmagorium, a one-night-only event that combines eerie science developments with fearsome Halloween fun. Shield your eyes at the sight of a decomposing snake at The Energy from Death Exhibit. Or link arms while you walk through a “graveyard” of debunked scientific theories including the recently entombed “Pluto is a Planet.” For those who consider themselves the intrepid Halloween guru in the family, coffins will be on display in which you and your family can actually crawl in and “test out,’ and enact your own funeral. This “mock” exercise allows you to create your own obituary, as if lying in a coffin Dracula style isn’t morbid enough for you.

When the sight of unsightly snake guts and the musty odor of a coffin make you and your family hungry, you can take a break and partake in the Iron Science Teacher competition, where teachers will compete, using candy as the primary staple in their recipes. After you and your family indulge in just about all the candy you can stomach, the event will feature an astonishing film festival beginning at 7:30pm. They include Shelf Life by Don Bernier, a short film that reveals the importance of death in life sciences and The Ossuary by Jan Svenkmajer, a 10-minute film that exposes the skeletal remains of 40,000 victims of wars and plagues.

Hollywood

If the Phantasmagorium, just isn’t enough to satisfy your bloodcurdling Halloween needs relive the classic horror icons such as Freddy Kruger and Leatherface by running through the labyrinth type mazes in which these masked villains will be waiting for you at the legendary Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. However, due to the extreme spook factor of this park, kid’s tickets are not sold and the park doesn’t recommend anyone under 13 to attend this event because as they say it’s “very real and very graphic horror.” The general admission ranges from $34.99-$69.99 depending on the night and front-of-the-line passes are available for $79.99-$119.99, also varying based on day of entry. Visit Halloween Horror Nights for more details.

West Hollywood

Like zombies in a horror film, nearly half a million people will descend on Santa Monica Blvd. on October 31, 2009, for the 22^nd annual West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval. From the outrageous to the frightful, West Hollywood’s Halloween revelers are expected to once again comprise what their tourist office describes as "the largest Halloween celebration in the world." This is likely to be most appropriate for teens and older, but the city is behind all the fun; they close Santa Monica Blvd. between Doheny Dr. and La Cienega Blvd from 6pm on.  New this year, an array of live music acts, contortionists, aerialists, stilt-walkers, DJs and illusionists will perform on stages scattered throughout the event. Most notably, Right Said Fred will bring “I’m Too Sexy” back and perform material from their new album. Check out the tourist office website for other fun local performances.

For a campy kid-firendly tour, consider the "Dearly Departed, Hollywood’s Tragical History Tour" view of Hollywood scandal and celebrity death. The tour visits the Hollywood locations of macabre murders and sensational deaths. Hear the stories that immortalized River Phoenix, Janis Joplin, The Black Dahlia and Bella Lugosi, among many others. The three-hour tour explores more than 100 scenes of Hollywood death daily in October.

Long Beach

Another event that is catered to kids over 13, is the annual Queen Mary Shipwreck in Long Beach, for their 15^th annual Halloween Terrorfest. The Queen Mary will be featuring 15 terrifying nights of elaborate mazes both on and off the haunted liner. Dare to slither down to the Vampire Vessel, where the twists and turns and heavy fog won’t deter an encounter with one of these ancient creatures. Or walk cautiously through The Graveyard, where even if you tread lightly an unexpected creature may pop up when you least expect it. The general admission price is $29 per mortal. If you care to purchase the VIP pass, you have the coveted cut-in-line privileges. This event is open Monday through Thursday from 7:00pm to 12:00am and open later on weekends.

Pasadena

If you and your family are tired of crawling through mazes, Pasadena’s scariest haunted house is awaiting your arrival. The Old Town Haunt is located in the basement of the oldest standing structure in Pasadena. The Union Saving Bank Building is known for its mystifying incidents that have transpired throughout the building’s 107-year history. This eerie basement was shut down for decades but then later reopened for you to investigate the unexplainable tales from this shadowy crypt. If this darkened catacomb is too much for your little ones, there is a “Light’s-on” child friendly tour that’s a basic walk through of the historic building. This event is open now until November 1. Certain dates and times vary so visit The Old Town Haunts website for more information.

Whatever your Halloween endeavors may be this year, remember you only have until October 31 to feed your fix. After that, “it’s back to the grave until next year.”