The Hollow Awakens at Imaginarium Lakewood: A Spooktacular Halloween Adventure for Families!

I am super excited! My little diva, Joy, is now officially a teenager! Seriously, where has the time gone? It feels like just yesterday she was my little girl, and now we’re celebrating another amazing milestone. One of the coolest things about having an October baby who absolutely loves horror, spooky adventures, and everything scary is that we get to spend quality family time exploring exciting Halloween attractions together.

This year, we were invited by Imaginarium to celebrate Joy’s birthday at The Hollow Awakens, their Halloween experience at Lakewood Center in Lakewood, California. We are beyond excited to see what this adventure has in store for us! With haunted worlds, mysterious creatures, interactive games, and live entertainment, this sounds like the perfect way to celebrate our little diva becoming a teenager.

And if you’re looking for something exciting to do with your family this Halloween season, you’ll want to keep reading!

What Is The Hollow Awakens at Imaginarium Lakewood?

The Hollow Awakens is an immersive Halloween attraction in Southern California, featuring more than 100,000 square feet of spooky entertainment, interactive experiences, and family-friendly adventures.

Unlike traditional haunted houses, where visitors simply walk through scary scenes, this experience encourages guests to become part of the adventure.

Visitors can explore 10 uniquely themed haunted worlds filled with mysterious creatures, spooky surprises, and exciting challenges. The goal? Help put the creatures of The Hollow back to sleep!

With different scare levels available, families can decide how adventurous they want their Halloween experience to be.

Explore 10 Haunted Worlds Filled With Halloween Surprises

One of the things we’re most excited about is exploring the 10 haunted worlds!

Each world features its own mysterious setting, imaginative creatures, and unexpected surprises. Guests encounter spooky environments while following a mission map and completing different activities along the way.

For families with older kids and teenagers who enjoy a good scare, this sounds like a fantastic opportunity to make lasting memories.

And knowing Joy, I have a feeling she’ll be looking for every spooky surprise she can find!

Interactive Halloween Games and Challenges

What makes The Hollow Awakens especially interesting is that it’s more than just a Halloween walkthrough.

Guests can participate in interactive adventures, including a character treasure hunt, collecting tokens for prizes, and following clues through an online game.

The mission-based activities encourage visitors to explore, solve challenges, and become part of the Halloween storyline.

I love attractions that give families something to do together instead of simply watching from the sidelines. It’s another opportunity to laugh, have fun, and enjoy a little friendly competition.

Live Circus Entertainment and Spooky Characters

Another exciting feature is the live entertainment included with admission.

Families can enjoy circus performances, roaming entertainers, spooky characters, and unexpected surprises throughout the evening.

The outdoor entertainment area is designed to offer Halloween-themed fun without the intense scares, making it a great option for families with younger children.

And yes, there are wandering circus clowns! Something tells me we’re going to have some interesting reactions to those!

Haunted Mazes and Jump Scares for Brave Visitors

If you’re visiting with older kids or teenagers who love scary movies and haunted attractions, The Hollow Awakens has something extra exciting.

Two optional haunted maze areas feature jump-scare performers, creepy sounds, and unexpected encounters.

What I appreciate about this setup is that families can choose their level of fright.

You don’t have to enter the scarier sections to enjoy the Halloween experience. Instead, everyone can decide what they’re comfortable with.

For families bringing younger children, that’s an important detail to know before visiting.

Halloween Photo Opportunities, Mirror Rooms, and More

Of course, no family adventure would be complete without taking lots of pictures!

The Hollow Awakens features themed photo boxes, spooky props, and eerie mirror rooms designed to create unusual visual effects.

Visitors can step into Halloween-inspired scenes, explore reflections and lights, and capture fun photos throughout the experience.

The attraction also includes an illuminated pumpkin patch, trick-or-treating, a ball pit, an inflatable obstacle course, and glow-in-the-dark creative activities.

With so many different experiences available, this sounds like an evening filled with activities for a variety of ages.

And as a mom who loves capturing family memories, I already know my camera is going to be busy!

When Is The Hollow Awakens Open in Lakewood, California?

The Hollow Awakens runs from September 12 through November 1, 2026, at Lakewood Center.

Hours of operation:

• Wednesday and Thursday: 6:00 PM–10:00 PM
• Friday and Saturday: 5:00 PM–11:00 PM
• Sunday: 5:00 PM–10:00 PM
• Monday and Tuesday: Closed

Location: Lakewood Center, 326 Lakewood Center Mall, Lakewood, CA 90712.

Most families should plan approximately 90 minutes to two hours for their visit. Parking is free.

Be sure to check the official website before heading out, as schedules may change.

How Much Are Tickets to The Hollow Awakens?

According to the official website, general admission ticket prices start at:

• Adults ages 13 and older: $21
• Children ages 3–12: $17
• Seniors ages 62 and older: $17
• Military admission with valid ID: $17

The event website also lists free admission for children ages 2 and younger.

Admission includes the Halloween attractions, interactive activities, live entertainment, and trick-or-treating.

Tickets can be purchased at the entrance, but advance online purchases are encouraged because dates may sell out.

Purchase your tickets to The Hollow Awakens at Imaginarium Lakewood

For additional information, visit the official Imaginarium Lakewood website.

Is The Hollow Awakens Family-Friendly?

Yes! The Hollow Awakens is designed for families, although some sections are scarier than others.

The outdoor Halloween area offers activities that are not intended to be frightening, while most indoor areas are generally recommended for children ages 8 and older.

Families should be aware that some indoor attractions use darkness, fog, flashing or strobe lights, loud noises, spooky music, and animatronics.

The two scarier haunted maze sections are optional, allowing parents to decide which experiences are appropriate for their children.

Creating Special Birthday Memories With My Little Diva

As a mom, I truly believe some of the best gifts we can give our children are experiences that turn into lifelong memories.

Watching Joy grow into a teenager has been both exciting and emotional. Every birthday reminds me just how quickly time passes and how important it is to enjoy these moments together.

I’m especially excited that this year’s celebration will include something she genuinely loves: Halloween adventures, scary attractions, and quality family time.

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, planning a weekend outing, or simply looking for a unique Southern California Halloween activity, The Hollow Awakens at Imaginarium Lakewood is worth checking out.

Stay Tuned for Our Family’s Experience!

We’re getting ready for a spooky birthday adventure, and I can’t wait to share it with you! After our visit, we’ll be sharing a second post with our family’s experience at The Hollow Awakens, including photos, our favorite attractions, Joy’s reactions, and what we thought of the overall experience.

Will our little diva make it through all the haunted worlds? Will Mom survive the jump scares?

You’ll have to come back and find out!

In the meantime, visit Imaginarium Lakewood to learn more and plan your own Halloween adventure.

Disclosure: Our family was invited by Imaginarium to experience The Hollow Awakens in celebration of Joy’s birthday. All opinions shared in our upcoming review will be our own.