REVIEW: vanoaks cemetery

November 2, 2025

REVIEW: VanOaks Cemetery

For what feels like centuries, the mystical presence of VanOaks Cemetery has taken up residence within a quiet Sherman Oaks neighborhood. Through its existence it has entertained thousands of guests and inspired countless people to create their own haunts. As a seasonal destination for us it was deeply upsetting when we found out this is their final season in Los Angeles, as they are setting sail for the East Coast and are in the process of auctioning off their props.

VanOaks is a meditative, spectral yard display that includes hand-crafted tombstones, floating lanterns, forlorn AM radio sounds, the mischievous ghost of a Victorian chambermaid who appears at a window, and other fascinating details which you will notice the longer you stare through the cemetery gates. While so many haunts favor loud sounds and gory visuals, VanOaks prefers to embrace the other end of the haunt spectrum by using beauty and subtlety to build suspense. Faint sounds of crickets, thunder, and music float through the air as tombstones shift and candles flicker. A steaming thermos of coffee sits unattended by a grave, as surrounding jack-o’-lanterns grin into the night.

It is worth noting that VanOaks’ founder, Derek Young, has a fantastic YouTube channel (VanOaks Props) that has taught people from around the world how to build their own props, such as tombstones. He has additionally started a widely used printed list and website of the SoCal Haunt List, which is the prime resource for finding haunts and Halloween activities. We would like to thank the team at VanOaks for inspiring and encouraging so many people to build haunts and also for helping people find haunts. Their impact on the LA haunt scene is deep and will resonate for years to come.

Thank you, VanOaks Cemetery, for not only bringing this wonderful attraction to us but also for inspiring many of our favorite builders - like the Ghostwood Manor - to bring to life what otherwise might have been impossible builds. We wish you the best in your new home on the East Coast. We know you will continue to haunt there - inspiring your community who will no doubt embrace you the same way your hometown of Los Angeles has.

VC

November 02, 2025

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