Halloween, one of the most beloved and celebrated holidays in NYC, presents an array of scary parties, hair-raising parades, haunted houses, and ghost tours to indulge in. Get ready for the city's most frightful day with the help of our guide to Halloween in New York City.
Ghost Tours
Halloween is all about the mysterious and unknown. A city like New York has a long list of legends and spooky tales. Tour companies like Boroughs of the Dead, NYC Ghosts, and Haunted Manhattan specialize in digging up the macabre and horrific history of New York. Be warned—you might have trouble going to sleep that night!
Blood Manor Haunted House
The uber scary Tribeca haunted house experience contains 5,000-square-feet of spine-chilling attractions and chambers like The Crypt, Maggot Invasion, Hannibal’s Hell, and Killer Clown Room. Blood Manor is not recommended for anyone under the age of 14.
Halloween Cruise
Hornblower has great options for those wanting to rock the boat on Halloween. Book a two-hour brunch cruise for a delicious buffet and onboard music, or party on a three-hour dinner cruise on the East and Hudson Rivers with a plated dinner and live band. Both options encourage costumes and offer stunning views of New York Harbor.
Pumpkin Flotilla in Central Park
Dress the kids up in their favorite costume and go to Central Park’s Charles A. Dana Discovery Center at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues to watch as jack-o’-lanterns float by in New York’s largest pumpkin flotilla. The annual Central Park Pumpkin Flotilla is a free festival with pumpkin carving demonstrations, storytelling, costume parade, arts and crafts, and more. Check out Central Park’s official calendar for more family-friendly events, like the trick-or-treat scavenger hunt, ghoulish craft making, and spooky entertainment. Oct. 28, 4 - 6:30 p.m.
Night of the Living Drag
Rupaul’s Drag Race sensations Violet Chachki, Gottmik, Rose, Aquaria, Jaida Essence Hall, Alyssa Edwards, Kandy Muse, Plastique and Kim Chi will put on a special performance complete with drag zombies. Catch this memorable performance at Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen. Get your tickets here. Oct. 29, 8 p.m.
Scary Movie Trivia
Gather your team and head to Caveat on the Lower East Side for a special spooky cinema trivia, co-hosted by the very creepy Billy the Puppet from the Saw franchise. Oct. 30, 7 p.m.
Giant Pumpkins at the New York Botanical Garden
Taking a trip to the New York Botanical Garden for Halloween means seeing giant pumpkins, whimsical scarecrows, and frightful puppets, learning about creepy creatures, and walking around their Spooky Pumpkin Garden at night. You’ll also have a chance to see master pumpkin carvers in action and get expert carving tips, fall recipes, and decoration ideas. Now through Oct. 31, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Village Halloween Costume Ball
Theater for the New City presents their annual Halloween ball, complete with a costume parade and contests, live bands, miracles, and monsters! Check out their full schedule of free events here. Oct. 31, 2 - 11 p.m.
The Village Halloween Parade
The free, public event runs straight up 6th Ave., from Spring to 16th Street. The Greenwich Village parade’s theme “Let’s Play!” is in honor of the children of NYC who could not celebrate last year. Oct. 31, 7 p.m.
If you just missed Halloween, there’s still plenty going on in New York City as we move into the holiday season. Take a look at our recommendations for the best fall activities in New York.
Located in the heart of Midtown, The Manhattan Club is your perfect home-base for Halloween in NYC. Now for a limited time, book our Dine on Us special offer for 15% off our best nightly rate, plus gift cards to area restaurants including the Red Eye Grill, the Brooklyn Diner, and much more.
