This place is cute for kids. I like the scavenger hunt that they had, but some of the puzzles were super hard to find. Decor: 4/5 Boney Island features a lot of displays with various skeleton and spooky themed exhibits. The displays were cute but not very interactive. We were trying to find all the scavenger hunt numbers but that was not very well done because we asked multiple staff members about them, but none of them know what we were talking about. Price: 3/5 This place is $25 per ticket plus about $20 for parking. It took about like an hour or so to walk through the whole exhibit. It was cute to do once, but I don't think I would come back. Food/drink: 3/5 They have food trucks and a bar on site. We got fries and two blacken (charcoal) margaritas. The fries were $10 and the margaritas were $14 but were very small. I recommend eating before you get here. read more

Boney Island - Props - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A long overdue review for a really fun Halloween activity. Adults and kids really enjoyed it a lot. Not too scary highly recommend.

If you're up for walking 10 minutes in the dark with your children just to get to Boney Island to see random skeletons in different poses, then this event is definitely for you. However, I am very disappointed to have received an email on the day of the event informing me that I would need to park 10 minutes away from the museum. We ended up parking in the USC structure, which forced me to walk with my three boys through the dark, which was unsettling given that there were some questionable people around at 7 p.m. I left my hotel at 6 p.m. and didn't find parking until an hour later. I almost skipped the event because of the long and uncomfortable walk I had to take with my family. The only enjoyable part of the event was the water show. read more

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Celebrated Halloween 2024 with my family and the babies . It's kid friendly, especially for the youngest ones. As you can see we went with little babies so it's stroller friendly and not scary at all. I saw some people complain about parking which I thought was odd because we found a parking lot right next to the museum and it was free. I will say we did show up a little later so maybe that's why parking was free. Overall the event was cute but not with the ticket price. Realistically it should be $10-$15. Especially for a small event that you could knock out in 30mins if you walk normal, 1hr-1hr and a half if you stop and take pics. Don't expect a lot of vendors either. There were only four food trucks and the food was over priced as well- $13 for 3x tacos + $7 for an horchata that was small and they didn't even give us a lid. There also weren't a lot of places to eat at, tables were limited and not clean read more

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A great evening for you kids. At first I thought the price was a bit bit high, but you can easily spend 1-2hrs and it does limit the # of folks. Before you go, I would check to see if there are any football games or concerts. We were stuck waiting to park for about 20 mins because of a concert. The parking stated it was $60 for event parking, but if you tell them you're here for the museum they only charge $18. We got there right when it opened and there was already a large crowd. They have 2 shows: magic and water show. I think they run them pretty often so don't worry about lining up. My kid had a fun time looking at all the moving skeletons. I thought we would be done in 30 mins, but we stayed about an hour and we could have stayed longer if we wanted. They had some great picture spots and most people waited in line. There was an idiot mom who just cut in front of us and said it was OK since she only had one kid. Overall, it was a great night. read more

Great to find a new place for outdoor, evening family fun! There are so many Boneys in different scenarios! Not too scary for the younger ones while wise- cracking skeletons provide laughs for all! Many people in costume, lots of great places for selfies and group pics. Ticket price is a little more than a movie ticket, same if you add the popcorn price so it's a really good deal. A fun interactive family experience. read more

Advertised towards all ages with a 21+ bar but this is for very small children. The displays are all from Halloween stores like spirit Halloween. Pretty big rip off. They also don't have enough parking for everyone so we spent $50 to park far away. ($20 to buy parking early through them) this was a waste of money. Good for small children and families though. Also you can't go inside the museum at all unlike their other events. read more

Truthfully, this wasn't what I expected. Yes there were a lot of cool skeleton setups and it was all really pretty once it got dark but other than that I feel mislead. Before purchasing the tickets, I got a pop up that said that the museum would showcase "real fossils, live animal presentations, trick-or-treating" and I really saw none of that. No live animals, no fossils (except maybe one), and no candy. I even walked into the building where the "live animals" sign was and it was EMPTY. No staff and no sign that mentioned when it would start. The overall attraction was really short and there was little to see. We probably finished seeing everything within 10 minutes. The only other things that we could do was wait to watch the water show and grab some food. The water show was boring to watch, just one centered skeleton with a moving jaw and a background of singing pumpkins. The show was very short. We also only had two food truck options, which already had extremely shortened menus. Not only that, but one food truck did not sell any beverages. There were also very few chairs and tables in front of the water show. So most people had to stand, and if you were lucky to get a table, your view was blocked. Overall it was really expensive for such little you get. I mean, don't forget that boney island used to be something free to see if you went by the creators house. $25 tickets and $15-18 parking. The food was also about $25 per dish at both food trucks. I personally don't think it's worth it, it's better to take your kids around the neighborhood where they get to see more and actually get candy! read more

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Boney Island continues to exceed expectations- So family-friendly- we had a blast! Not only did my nephew have a fantastic time, but so did my older kids. We loved seeing families in costumes and the water show was so vibrant and fun. Its such a pretty setting too. The enchanted forest ismy favorite. Thank you for providing such an incredible experience for us- such a fun night! read more

This was a big disappointment. We see much better Halloween get ups when we go trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. We were expecting at least the same level that you do when people decorate their homes for Halloween, but this Boney Island near the LA Zoo is mainly plastic skeletons and not much else. It was a very small area, and there was not much to it. Our two 6-year-old children were board, and the older kids were upset because there was so little to see, and not very innovative it all. The best thing was the 10 minute magician show with Griffin who is a magician from the Magic Castle. The scariest thing or the filthy bathrooms! Other than that, it is absolutely not worth the $15 per person entrance fee. read more

Boney Island - Boney Island had little more than plastic skeletons - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This place is perfect for Halloween. It's hard to picture what these wonderful people created till you get there! Free, they charge just for the Tree House ($10). Right off Coldwater Canyon, free street parking, just drive slowly since many people walk around. Great decorations around this neighborhood, fun to stroll around. The tree house is on a repeat, a cool show of lights, music, water, cool skeletonish master of ceremony. You have to see it to believe it. There are lines, but they advance quickly, nice volunteers, well organized. Once inside, there's a lot to look at, beside the cool tree house full of carved pumpkins (what else). So many details, skeletons, cool posters, video projections, talking plants, snakes, eyes wide flowers and on and on. Yes, it can get crowded, but everyone is well behaved and cool. Kids gets really excited, I can see why. It's a family friendly attraction, so your kids will love it. And the kid in you. There's cookies, baked goods for sale if anyone gets hungry, needs a little "tide me over". Donate if you can. Cool Halloween attraction.It's wonderful when creative people think at others and offer such nice things for everyone to enjoy. Thanks, Boney Island, hopefully next year? Check their site for days and times. Loved Boney Island. It made me feel like a kid again, put me in the Halloween spirit. We all need that once in a while. Happy Halloween, everyone! read more

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Halloween is my favorite holiday. Unfortunately, my wallet hasn't yet allowed me to join in the large festivities supplied by such theme parks as Knotts, Six Flags, Universal, or Disney Land. That sad fact makes my October 31st-loving heart cry many tears into my pillow at night. Fortunately for me (and others who share my same infliction); Boney Island comes to the rescue. Boney Island isn't a theme park. Nor is it a large haunted house with creepy characters jumping out at you. However, it IS a fun, creative, and intricate Halloween display in the yard of one of the producers of "The Simpsons". Around since 1997 (although there was a few years hiatus); Boney Island helps to bring Halloween fun to the Valley's residents with thin pockets. The display is quite amazing. Enter though the Boney Island awning and you are transported to a Tim Burton-esque world filled with skeletons who move and talk, spiders who dance, bushes and pumpkins who sing, flying contraptions, fortune-telling skeletal psychics, and other decorations which will make you forget that you didn't get to go to Disney Land. Boney Island also features a multi-level, whimsical "haunted" tree house which is definitely the coolest tree house I have seen (and made me want to move out of my apartment and into a tree house). Although a walk through the tree house requires a $10 fee, even just looking at it brings thrills. The main attraction at Boney Island is the water/light/music show which features singing pumpkins, orchestrated music, and a green water-fountain show squirting out of witch cauldrons. It implements the use of special effects and certainly demonstrates the Hollywood career background of the organizers of the event. The best part is the FREE price tag. Boney Island doesn't charge a penny (although donations are accepted and they do sell merch). Parking is also free (street parking) as it is a residential neighborhood. There is nothing better than seeing the smiles and hearing the cheers of Halloween lovers young and old-- and even the barks of 4-legged friends in costumes! Believe it or not , Boney Island is not cheesy and will provide a great Halloween experience which makes you feel like a kid again. Whether you have a wallet void of a penny or simply want to start out Halloween with an animatronic event; Boney Island is the place to be. read more

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What a fun time for the kids! Several blocks of great decorations and Trick or Treating for the kids!

This was our first time here. We brought our 3 year old daughter. It's definitely NOT worth $15 for one ticket. It's really small and there is not much to do. Don't do the train ride- it is NOT kid friendly and there should be an AGE limit. Perhaps 12 and over? The train ride was $20 per person and the wait was really long. Probably about an hour or so. Not worth it and waste of money. Don't bring your toddlers!!!!! read more

Our first year visiting the new boney island in Griffith Park, after the homeowners who used to host had to stop. Overall, not worth $15 but what the heck. I'll still pay for the tradition. Next year, I think they can use the money to make it more engaging with friendly staff to direct the mini skeleton attractions and water show. The two walk through gardens were very well done. Every detail was amazing to see up close. We appreciate the hard work and are excited to see this grow even bigger! read more

Boney Island - Candy skull flower wall - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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When I was first told about this place I thought it was like Candy Cane Lane. I pictured tons of decorated houses for Halloween. When I found out it was just one house I was kind of disappointed. My friend arrived there first and she said it was really busy. I really didn't know what to expect. I knew this place got 5 stars on yelp so I wanted to see if it was any good. This place is not scary, a maze, a haunted house, or like anything you might have experienced in Los Angeles. I guess that is what makes Boney Island special. Boney Island is big house on the corner of a street in a Sherman Oaks. It's decorated with amazing detail and is the best decorated house for Halloween I have ever seen. It has a huge treehouse, a show with a water show , tons of moving skeletons, moving flowers and animals and tons of interactive things to look at. They even had flying ghost on the roof, cut outs, places to take pictures where you look like your floating, What is really cool about this place is that it is a perfect place to bring the kids and it's free! I heard the haunted treehouse is $10 if you want to go up, however we didn't and we were there for over an hour. I also have no children so I was ok with not going up. There was a place to give donations in a box, where proceeds go to a school. They also have a Boney Island boutique where they were selling T-shirts. Overall if you have children, this place is a definite must! If your an adult, it's something to check out for fun and appreciation of creativity. I don't know how anyone could be disappointed! read more

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This Halloween experience is darling! A must for parents with kids and for all of the kids-at-heart (like me). The production value is amazing; you almost forget that you're standing in someone's yard. This has become one of my new favorite Halloween attractions. The simple joys that and island of boneys can bring is such a pleasant surprise. read more

Boney Island - A fun water/music show for all ages! - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Went tonight to the new location at Griffith park. It's right across from the Ghost train in Griffith park. So parking is street and a lot, if you come early before or at 6 theres plenty but after that it's crazy. Tickts are $15 each or a season pass for $40 each. There are 2 lines for the ticket booth, one for tickets and the other for will call. The organization of the lines can improve. If you buy your tickets online, you still have to join the will call line to get them scanned then you move into the entrance line if you there right at 6. Everyone was confused to do the mixing of the lines and the need to be in line if you already bought online. Theres not much to do. Was done walking the whole thing in 10 mins. But I stayed 20 mins longer in order to see the water show at 6:45. I can appreciate the hard work put into the decorations, lights, projections etc. But it was lackluster. I can see this being fun for families with young children, as mine is 11 and was ready to leave. Theres 2 small walk thru's and the water show that are the big attractons. The remaining attractions werent interactive, you just looked at for a bit and moved on to the next There are 4 portable toilets, theres kettle corn for sale(cash only) and some souvenirs. The place has good photo ops. read more

Boney Island - People starting to gather for water show - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My family and I have been visiting Boney Island faithfully for the last 16 years. While there has been a certain amount of predictably, ( part of the charm ) each year something new was added to our delight and amazement. When we heard that it was going to occupy a place in Griffith Park we knew that we were in for " Spectacular" surprises . It's fun, interactive, campy and cute, It's the happiest scare you'll ever have. Don't Miss It!! read more

The fact that this exists in a private, suburban, residential neighborhood is a testament to the good that is present in humanity if you look hard enough. Thank you to the kind people that coordinate Boney Island, as kids & adults from all over L.A. come to enjoy the light/water show, the high-quality decor, the optical illusions and the wonderful sound system. Also a special thank you to the neighbors that permit such an orderly - albeit ostentatious - display and afford their parking (and patience) to the lookieloos. Great treat for anybody, worth a destination from anywhere in the Valley and over the hill. read more

Boney Island - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Such a wonderful family friendly attraction! I love Halloween but I'm also a scaredy cat so this is perfect for me! As someone who's worked at haunted attractions commercially and at home, I can tell you there's a lot of effort and thought put into everything. I've been going for many years and to see it blossom into this full-blown thing is amazing! I mean it was amazing when it was in front of the owner's lawn so it's amazing now at this full scale! The price is steep yes, but for the amount of effort and wonder put into this, it's worth it. People can be so greedy and not see what they're actually paying for. They don't realize the hours upon hours- days upon days- weeks upon weeks ect- of work that's been put into it. I mean it's truly wonderful and cute and funny and spoopy! Not to mention the owners are such great people. read more

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Canceled becasue of the "city's new requirements, costs could reach up to $100,000. Sounds LIKE EXTORTION TO ME. Good clean fun and one can count the city and state to screw that up for you. Unbelieveable!!!! SAD!! read more

A very cool suburban trip into Halloween! I've never witnessed a front yard transformation into seasonal theme park before.... I assumed that it wouldn't be permitted by the city, but very cool for everyone (maybe other than neighbors). Loved the displays and attention to detail. It's free also!!!! read more

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It was so small my 4 year old son was board after 10 Min It is only good for taking pictures. Admission is 15.00 for basically nothing!! Ripe off read more

We stopped by unintentionally as my family and I wanted to go on the ghost train ride, however the line was too long so Boney Island was conveniently in the same location. They have two little mazes, a water show, and a magic show. Appreciated that it's very kid friendly. It's a good spot if you're looking for a Halloween activity to do with your little ones. It's fairly small (probably spent a good 15 min inside) felt the tickets were too pricey ($15) considering that your only there for a short while and not much to do, so keep that in mind. I'd probably go again and recommend it if your near by or want something to do after the train ride next door. read more

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Boney Island is amazing. We just got back. Well worth the cost. If you have kids and they're not old enough for the scary stuff at Halloween yet, DO NOT HESITATE. Bring them here and they'll never forget it. I'm a 50 year old that loves haunted houses and horror movies, but I still love BI. It will capture a kid's imagination and they will love it. Everything was great, bathrooms clean, well lit and busy but not overly-crowded. The nearby Ghost Train we did last year and that's a blast too! read more

This is a fun event for all ages. Creative, imaginative and immersive. We spent about an hour looking at everything and taking photos. A lot of time and effort obviously went into this and my expectations were exceeded. The staff was friendly and helpful. A must-visit for those who love Halloween. read more

Boney Island - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Thank you for making a family-friendly place where everyone can enjoy the fun of Halloween. Thank you so much for sharing your creativity and hard work with everyone. We had an amazing time. I can't wait for next year. read more

Boney Island - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Awesome. These guys really have an awesome tribute for Halloween that is family friendly. A real labor of love!

We had such a great time. They had plenty to do With the kids and was really well taken care off. There's security on sight to keep the attraction safe. Also everyone on the staff was really nice and they had lots to do for the kids. Hope you guys have this every year. read more

Boney Island is finally back! Halloween was not the same without it. My family and I have been coming for years and we were all blown away with how much bigger it is and all the amazing additions! My favorite part is definitely the magicians straight from The Magic Castle!!! They are absolutely incredible and it's basically a private show. Bring your whole family and be ready to be blown away by the incredible level of hard work these people put into spreading the Halloween spirit! Giant water show with music every ~5 mins, games, magic shows, and enchanted skeletons galore! read more

Boney Island - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Boney Island was incredible back in 2016 when it was still in operation. Sadly, it has been shut down permanently due to costs and complaints. Below was my 2016 review of Boney Island. "Absolutely fabulous! Boney Island is nestled in a neighborhood that's pro-Halloween and residences didn't stop short in letting you know that. This was my first visit to Boney Island and I was amazed at the huge turnout of children and adults all decked out in their Halloween's best. It's like Halloween Central in the Valley. Boney Island is created by folks who dedicated their house to make Halloween extra special. The décor was pretty amazing and didn't stop short of spectacular. There's no admission fee except for the $10 charge if you want to visit the Tree House. Other than that, there was much to see including interactive activities and a Halloween show. Since Boney Island is so popular, expect crowds, long lines, and parking in the next zip code. It's all fun!" read more

I look forward to visiting Boney Island every year during Halloween. We live very close and usually walk on over with a small group of friends. It is really a well though out event, all the way from the time we see them starting to set up for the holidays to the day they open it up to the public. There is a lot of planning that goes into this event. It is great for all ages, nothing too spooky but still dark enough to entertain the older kids. I love the water show and the various magic tricks...but my favorite would be the talking hedges over by the exit. I also thought the photo booth set up this year was really awesome, my friends got a really cool picture with a funky optical illusion. Can't wait for next year! read more

Who's ready for Halloween!??! Me, me, meeee!!! This is place is an annual tradition in our family. I have been bringing my boys here ever year since my oldest was born. It's very family friendly and great for all ages. I've never seen anything like it anywhere, and I've lived all over the place. It's decked out with things to do, things to see, plenty of photo ops, and a very well done pumpkin/water show -- that's the best part, make sure you don't miss it! Everything is free, except the tree house, but they do accept donations and sell shirts/souvenirs. Chip in and keep this fun family event going! Can't wait to go back soon!! read more

So the Boney Island was great fun. We took our eight year old daughter and met up with friends with two kids about the same age. But we have a small beef with the $10 per per person "donation" to go into the haunted tree tour. First, the website says Boney Island is free. No where does it mention that there is a cost associated with any part of it. They have the tree tour entrance technically outside the Boney Island entrance so maybe this is how they justify that. The sign says $10 donation. But paying is not optional - you must pay to go in. AND- it's per person which is not noted on the sign. Technically, that's admission. So call it what it is and indicate that the proceeds will be donated. The woman at the desk was rather surprised when we questioned the charge. Her response was "well, it's for a school." We have no issue with charging then stating that the money will be donated, but be up front about it, be honest about it and be clear about it. No parent wants to get to the front of the line and be caught short when their kid has his or her heart set on seeing an attraction. We heard many people grumbling about this. Not cool. read more

I'm just glad to finally visit after years of meaning to. Hats off to the good folks who've been putting this on, out of pocket, this whole time. Much thanks to Emmy-winning producer Rick Polizzi for creating all of this. Every 15 minutes there's a fountain and light show, coordinated to classical music and familiar Halloween songs, hosted by the animatronic skeleton Maestro Maxilla the Great. It's quite spectacular for something rigged up in someone's front yard. The rest of the attraction has different sideshow/magic acts of sorts and there are SO MANY little details just tucked all over the place. Every which way you look something's trying to get your attention, moving around, playing music, or talk to you. Boney Island was designed to be family-friendly. No one's jumping out at you here, trying to scare you or your little ones. Sure, the place gets crowded (particularly around the cauldrons shooting neon green sprays of water to "The Monster Mash"), but with how many little things there are to see, just walk around 'til you find something that catches your eye that no one's looking at and repeat as needed. There are skeletons doing tricks, bushes that sing, glowing skeletal humming birds, photo-op areas, optical illusions, and they've even got T-shirts for sale. For a free event, it's got high production value, it's lots of fun, and again the people putting it all together deserve all the appreciation they can get. Just a warning, though: there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood in which this is held, and cars do frequently drive through. Watch for pedestrians, and if you're on foot, try to keep out of the center of the road as much as possible. Be safe, everyone. read more

This is an extraordinarily well done outdoor home Halloween display. It is really evident that the person, or group, that put this display together is really skilled at what they do and is also extremely enthusiastic about the Halloween season. They have really gone through a lot of effort to make a special display for everyone, especially young kids, to enjoy. It's also great that any money that gets collected goes to a good cause. The only thing that costs money is the optional tree house ($10 per person donation) and some bake sale snacks ($1-2 dollars). With that said, if you live further than 30 minutes away than it's probably not worth the trip. It may be an impressive Halloween display but, keep in mind, you're still basically driving to a residential neighborhood to view a Halloween display located on someone's front lawn. read more

We went last night, and it was incredible. I see it every year because I have a friend who lives on the other side of Sarah, but this is the first year I've actually stopped by. The gf and I decided to stop by after dinner, because she loves Halloween, and this is her birthweek. We spent a very enjoyable half hour wandering the yard, meeting Carneck who hit on the gf, watching the magic cauldrons, and listening to the singing bushes. We didn't do the treehouse, not because of the cost, but because the owner had just taken a larger group up and it was going to take awhile before we would be allowed up. **A quick note about the 3 star review below. First, they put that review up 5 days ago, but Boney Island didn't open till last night for the year. I'm sure they went last year, but their complaint has been remedied, because the gf tools me to make sure I had cash for the treehouse and she had never even heard of it, much less experienced it. And she saw that on the website. These people put together a massive effort, for free, and donate all the money they take in to a local charter school. It is absolutely ridiculous to complain about the fact that they require a donation for one much more intricate part. If you don't want to pay don't go in. Just take advantage of the still incredible show that is the rest of their front yard. read more

While most Halloween events attempt to inflict terror into their guests, Boney Island welcomes visitors to enjoy the magical kid-friendly side of Halloween. Boney Island is an elaborate display featured on the front yard of a neighborhood home. Magicians are afoot causing silly mayhem throughout the yard. Enchanted cauldrons, man-eating plants, singing shrubs, whining spiders, and by far the coolest haunted tree house I have ever seen are just a few of the surprises that await you at Boney Island. The details and effort put into this yard haunt matches that of Disneyland and the event is completely free. Perfect place to take kids or kids at heart for Halloween festivities. read more

Boney Island is a Los Angeles institution and is an absolute must for anyone who is a fan of Halloween. It's a staple of our Halloween activities every year. As a matter of fact, for the few years they took off, we still drove by the house to see if by some chance they had setup for the season. Now that they've returned with a whole new gang of "performers" you MUST visit Boney Island and take it all of it's Halloween goodness! read more