Trick or Treat at the Museum of Flight

If you're scanning for family events los angeles has going on the first weekend of October, Pumpkins & Planes at the Western Museum of Flight is an easy one to pencil in. It's free, it's in costume, and it trades the usual mall-parking-lot trunk-or-treat setup for a hangar full of real vintage aircraft. South Bay families in particular have made this one of their go-to things to do with kids LA offers every fall, and the small-museum setting keeps it from feeling like just another crowded festival.

What's happening

The museum is turning its Sunday morning into a full Halloween takeover. Kids are encouraged to show up in costume for a lineup that includes a Game Zone run by Battle Party LA, a free photo booth, Halloween-themed arts and crafts, and a handful of "spooky activities" scattered around the grounds. Sponsors South Bay Credit Union and Battle Party LA are on board, and organizers note the museum has limited space, so it's worth planning to arrive close to the 10 a.m. start rather than drifting in late.

Beyond the Halloween programming, admission includes the museum's permanent collection: completed and in-progress aircraft restoration projects, prototype planes, target drones, piston and jet engines, World War II-era instruments, and an extensive model aircraft display. The museum's Kids Aerospace Discovery Zone is built specifically for younger visitors to touch, build, and ask questions, which makes this one of the better kids activities LA has for a rainy-day or holiday-weekend stop that isn't purely candy-focused.

Practical info and getting there

When: Sunday, October 4, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Where: Western Museum of Flight, 3315 Airport Drive, Torrance, CA 90505 Price: Free Costumes: Encouraged for kids of all ages

The museum sits near Zamperini Field in Torrance, a short drive off the 405 for most of the South Bay and Harbor Area. Free parking is available on-site, which is a real plus compared to a lot of things to do in los angeles this time of year, when Halloween events elsewhere start charging for lots blocks away from the entrance.

If you're building out a list of LA events this weekend, pairing this with a casual lunch in Old Torrance or a stop at the nearby Columbia Memorial Space Center turns a two-hour museum visit into a full South Bay outing. Local Anchor, the community calendar behind the event, recommends getting on the list early since the museum's indoor space is limited and the event has a history of filling up. Either way, it's a low-key, genuinely kid-focused way to kick off Halloween weekend without the lines or the cover charge.