18 Must-Do Halloween Things in New York (with Map)

Experiencing Halloween in New York was one of the things we enjoyed most in our travels as digital nomads. We stayed 3 weeks in the city in mid-October, and here we tell you what to do, when the parade is and where to stay, plus a map with all the must-sees.

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Halloween events in New York 2026: dates and prices

Before going into detail, here’s a summary of the dates of the main Halloween events in New York 2026, checked on the official websites. Save it, because several of them sell out weeks in advance.

When is Halloween celebrated in New York?

Halloween is always on 31 October, and in 2026 it falls on a Saturday. In the city, though, the celebrations start much earlier. From the first days of October residents decorate their houses, parks organize activities and the events are spread over the two weeks before. We arrived mid-month and everything was already decorated.

Our tip: if you can choose, plan at least four or five days and include 31 October, when the famous parade takes place. Now, here’s the list of things to do in New York at Halloween, in order of what we liked most.

1. Village Halloween Parade: the New York Halloween parade

The New York Halloween parade is, without a doubt, the star attraction. It takes place on 31 October from 19:00 and runs along Sixth Avenue (6th Avenue) from Canal Street to 15th Street, in Greenwich Village. In 2026 it reaches its 53rd edition with the theme “Body & Soul” and, as always, it’s completely FREE, both to watch and to take part.

The best part is that anyone in costume can march. You just have to show up at the line-up on Canal Street and Sixth Avenue between 18:30 and 21:00. One thing to keep in mind: without a costume you can’t join the route. If you’d rather watch, the stretch between Bleecker Street and 14th Street is the busiest.

• Date: Saturday 31 October 2026, from 19:00 to around 23:00.
• Route: Sixth Avenue, from Canal Street to 15th Street.
• Price: free. You can also watch it on Spectrum News NY1 from 20:00.
• TIP: arrive before 17:00 if you want a front-row spot. We stood near West 4th Street, which has a subway station right next to it for getting away afterwards.

You can check the official details on the Village Halloween Parade website. The energy of thousands of people in costume, with floats, giant puppets and live bands, is something you won’t experience anywhere else.

2. The decorated houses of the Upper West Side

Seeing the decorated Halloween houses in New York is one of our favorite things to do, and it costs nothing. The Upper West Side is ideal to start: West 69th Street (between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue), West 87th and West 90th (between Central Park West and Amsterdam Avenue) have giant skeletons, cobwebs, pumpkins and lights everywhere.

We went at sunset, just as the lights start to come on, and the photos turn out spectacular. West 69th Street is also closed to traffic on 31 October for a neighborhood trick-or-treat party. Keep in mind: these are private homes, so stay on the sidewalk and don’t touch the decorations.

3. West Village: Perry, Charles and Grove Street

Very close to the parade route is the West Village, one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Manhattan at any time of year, but in October it looks like a different place. Perry Street and Charles Street (between 4th Street and Bleecker) fill up with real pumpkins, corn husk arches and skeletons hanging from the windows.

Grove Street and Bedford Street have lanterns and ghosts at the entrances, and little Grove Court (at 10-12 Grove Street) is a postcard. We walked around the area a couple of times because it was on our way, and every day some new decoration appeared. We loved it!

4. “Halloween Row” on the Upper East Side

If you like decorations on a grand scale, East 78th Street (between Park and Lexington Avenue) has earned the nickname “Halloween Row”. There are skeletons several meters tall, huge cobwebs and special lighting. East 67th, East 71st and East 92nd Streets also coordinate between neighbors with gothic themes, pumpkin cascades and even fog machines.

Many travelers combine this walk with Central Park, a couple of blocks away. The best time for the lights is the “blue hour”, just after sunset, and the decorations are usually complete from 20 October.

5. Brooklyn: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope

Crossing over to Brooklyn is really worth it at Halloween. In Cobble Hill, Garden Place and Congress Street put up block-wide decorations, with synchronized lights and animated figures, ideal if you’re traveling with children. In Brooklyn Heights, Grace Court Alley and Joralemon Street have stoops full of pumpkins on brownstones that look straight out of a movie.

Park Slope (from 3rd to 8th Street, near Prospect Park West) holds its own neighborhood parade on 31 October. And if you’re up for going further, Dyker Heights (famous for its Christmas lights) also decorates heavily on 82nd and 84th Streets. We explored Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill one afternoon and had a lovely time.

6. Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade

Dogs dressed as tacos, pirates, Elvis… The Halloween dog parade is one of the most fun things to do in New York all October. In 2026 it takes place on Saturday 17 October, from 13:00 to 16:00, at the East River Park Amphitheater (FDR Drive and Grand Street), in the East Village.

Watching the parade is free; only the participating dogs need to register in advance. We went without a dog, obviously, and laughed a lot. It’s a perfect plan for a Saturday around midday before carrying on around the East Village.

7. Trick-or-Streets: closed streets and free activities

From 17 to 31 October, the city closes dozens of streets across the five boroughs and turns them into Halloween-themed pedestrian zones: games, music, pumpkin workshops and trick-or-treating for the little ones. One of the best known is at Essex Market, on the Lower East Side, with a parade on 31 October from midday and activities from 15:00 to 18:00.

The program changes every year, so it’s worth checking the official NYC Parks website a few days before. It’s ideal for feeling neighborhood Halloween, the one real New Yorkers live, not just the tourists.

8. Central Park in autumn (and why you won’t see the Pumpkin Flotilla)

Central Park in October is a show in itself, with the trees in orange and yellow. We walked through it several times during our three weeks and it got prettier every time. The Mall, Bow Bridge and the Harlem Meer, in the north of the park, are the best spots for autumn photos.

An important update: the famous Pumpkin Flotilla, the flotilla of illuminated pumpkins that floated on the Harlem Meer every 30 October, is not taking place in 2026. The Central Park Conservancy paused it because the event had grown more than the space allowed. So don’t go to the Harlem Meer expecting to see it; enjoy the park during the day and spend that afternoon on the decorated houses of the Upper West Side, two blocks away.

9. Chelsea Market and the decorated High Line

Chelsea Market is fully decorated for Halloween and is a perfect stop for lunch, especially if it rains. We went on a rainy day, as it happens, and it saved our afternoon. Afterwards we went up to the High Line, the elevated park built on the old railway tracks, where West 21st and West 22nd Streets also have decorated houses.

If you want the best view of the city in autumn, The Edge observation deck in Hudson Yards is nearby. We tell you all about it in our article on The Edge NYC (in Spanish), a must at any time of year.

10. The Seaport pumpkin arch (Pier 17)

At South Street Seaport, in Lower Manhattan, every October they put up a huge pumpkin arch on Pier 17 that becomes one of the most photographed spots in the city. It’s a few minutes’ walk from the Brooklyn Bridge, so you can combine it with crossing the bridge at sunset.

It’s free, and the bars and restaurants in the area join in with decorations too. We spent an afternoon there and it’s a very pleasant time by the river, with views of the bridge and Brooklyn in the background.

11. Boo at the Zoo at the Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo holds “Boo at the Zoo” every weekend between 26 September and 1 November 2026 (plus Monday 12 October): a costume parade, hay maze, carnival games, pumpkin carving, free face painting and even an “extinct species graveyard”. It’s the most recommended Halloween plan for families with young children.

The best part is that it’s included in general zoo admission, at no extra cost, although you have to book your date in advance on the official Bronx Zoo website because weekends sell out. We didn’t go, but many travelers recommend it as a full-day plan.

12. Blood Manor: Tribeca’s haunted house

If you want to get properly scared, Blood Manor is the most famous haunted house in Manhattan. It’s at 359 Broadway, in Tribeca, and covers almost 1,000 square meters of corridors, actors and special effects. It’s open throughout the Halloween season and tickets are sold online through Fever.

We’re not really into haunted houses, so we didn’t go in, but it’s one of the most popular plans for people traveling in groups. If you’re interested, buy your ticket a few days in advance: the weekends at the end of October sell out.

13. Ghost tours in Greenwich Village and the catacombs

One of the things to do in New York at Halloween that we liked most was a night walk around Greenwich Village listening to stories of ghosts, haunted houses and 19th-century crimes. The brick buildings, tree-lined streets and seasonal decorations create the perfect atmosphere.

There are also candlelit tours of the catacombs of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral and tours of Green-Wood Cemetery, in Brooklyn. On Civitatis you’ll find several tours in New York, with free cancellation.

Two more options for lovers of mystery, with very limited places:

• Candlelight Ghost Tours at the Merchant’s House Museum (29 East 4th Street, NoHo): the “most haunted house in Manhattan”, visited by candlelight on several nights in October. It costs 45 USD and sells out fast.
• Hereafter Hours at Green-Wood: on 30 and 31 October the Brooklyn cemetery opens at night with stories of its “residents” and access to the catacombs. It’s more history and atmosphere than horror.

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14. The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in Sleepy Hollow

An hour from the city lies Sleepy Hollow, the village of the legend of the Headless Horseman, and very close by, in Croton-on-Hudson, the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze takes place: more than 7,000 hand-carved, illuminated pumpkins along a route of almost a kilometer through the grounds of Van Cortlandt Manor. In 2026 it’s open from 18 September to 8 November.

Tickets cost between 24 and 57 USD depending on the night, are sold only online on the official Blaze website and sell out weeks in advance for weekends. To get there, take the Metro-North train (Hudson line) from Grand Central to Croton-Harmon, an hour’s ride, and then a ten-minute walk. We didn’t make it, but it’s the Halloween day trip most recommended by every traveler we met.

15. Halloween at Luna Park, Coney Island

To round off the list, the Coney Island amusement park holds its Halloween Harvest Festival on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until 2 November 2026, with decorated rides, costume contests and trick-or-treating for children. Entry to the park is free; the rides are paid separately.

It’s a good way to see Coney Island before it closes for the winter. Many travelers make the most of the walk along the beach and the famous Nathan’s hot dogs. We left it for a future visit, as we preferred to spend those days exploring neighborhoods.

16. Pumpkin Point on Governors Island

On 31 October itself, from 10:00 to 17:00, Governors Island sets up Pumpkin Point in Nolan Park: a pumpkin patch facing the Manhattan skyline where each family takes one home in exchange for a donation. There are games, music and lots of green space for kids to run around.

The ferry leaves from the Battery Maritime Building, in Lower Manhattan, takes 8 minutes and is free on weekend mornings. Many travelers combine it with the Seaport pumpkin arch, a ten-minute walk from the pier, before heading back for the parade.

17. Corn maze and pumpkins at Queens Farm

Did you know there’s a real farm inside New York? The Queens County Farm Museum has the city’s only corn maze (the “Amazing Maize Maze”, more than a hectare), a pumpkin patch to pick your own and, on 31 October, the free “Halloween on the Farm” festival with hayrides, games and animals.

It’s at the far eastern end of Queens, so it’s a half-day plan. We didn’t make it, but people traveling with children rank it among the best of autumn in New York.

18. Día de Muertos at the New York Botanical Garden

It isn’t Halloween, but the dates overlap and it’s worth mentioning. The New York Botanical Garden, in the Bronx, celebrates Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) from 3 October to 2 November 2026, with ofrendas, marigolds and, on 1 November, a celebration with a parade, dance and giant figures.

If your trip runs into early November, it’s the perfect end to the season. Many travelers combine it with Boo at the Zoo, as the zoo and the botanical garden are right next to each other.

Halloween in New York Summary

Where to buy costumes and decorations in New York

If you want to march in the parade, you need a costume, and getting one in New York is part of the fun. We put ours together at one of the Spirit Halloween pop-up stores, which appear all over the city in October with prices from 20 or 30 USD. For something more elaborate or to rent, the go-to place is Abracadabra NYC, on 21st Street in Chelsea, with makeup and accessories all year round.

For decorations and pumpkins, Michaels and Target have everything and are very cheap. And a TIP: buy your costume in the first days of your trip, because in the last week of October the most common sizes disappear.

Halloween in New York with kids

New York at Halloween is very family-friendly, but it pays to choose well. The plans that work best with little ones are the Dog Parade, Trick-or-Streets, the decorated houses of Cobble Hill (with lights and animated figures), Boo at the Zoo, Pumpkin Point and the Queens farm. All during the day and almost all free.

We only recommend the Village Halloween Parade with older children: there are lots of people, noise, hours on your feet, and getting out of the area takes time. Blood Manor is simply not for minors.

What to do if you’re not in New York on 31 October

We were there for three weeks and can confirm the atmosphere starts much earlier. From mid-October you already have the Blaze, the neighborhood decorations, the Dog Parade, the ghost tours, Boo at the Zoo and Trick-or-Streets. And if you arrive in the first days of November, there’s still the Blaze (until the 8th) and the botanical garden’s Día de Muertos (until the 2nd), although the private decorations disappear quickly.

Where to stay in New York at Halloween

We stayed three weeks in Manhattan and, if you’re only there for a few days, we recommend staying near Greenwich Village, Chelsea or the Lower East Side: you’ll have the parade, the West Village and the ghost tours within walking distance. If you’re looking for a better price, Long Island City (Queens) and Williamsburg (Brooklyn) are just a few subway stops away.

Another option many travelers use to save money is staying in New Jersey: Jersey City and Hoboken are 10 or 15 minutes from Manhattan on the PATH train, which runs 24 hours. Keep in mind: the last week of October is high season. Book several weeks in advance, because prices go up quite a bit and the best places sell out.

See places to stay in New York

What to book first

Our order: first flight and accommodation (together, because accommodation prices go up fast!), then the dated events with limited places if you’re interested (Blaze, Blood Manor, Boo at the Zoo, Merchant’s House) and finally the tours and transfers. The parade and the decorated houses don’t need booking.

How to get to New York

From Europe there are direct flights to New York from many cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga and Valencia in Spain, taking about 8 hours. The city has three airports: JFK and LaGuardia in Queens, and Newark in New Jersey. Remember to apply for your ESTA in good time if you’re traveling on a passport from a Visa Waiver Program country.

• From JFK: AirTrain + subway (E or A line), around 1 hour and about 12 USD. There’s also the LIRR train to Penn Station.
• From Newark: AirTrain + NJ Transit train to Penn Station, about 40 minutes.
• From LaGuardia: the free Q70 bus to the subway at Jackson Heights.
• Private transfer: if you arrive at night or with lots of luggage, you can book an airport transfer at a fixed price.

Getting around on parade night

31 October isn’t a public holiday: everything runs as normal, but Sixth Avenue is closed and some nearby subway entrances are shut. Our advice is to arrive on the A/C/E or B/D/F/M line at West 4th Street before 17:00 and, when it’s over, walk a few blocks east or west to catch the subway at a less crowded station. Forget about taxis or Uber in the area that night.

To get around the city, the subway runs 24 hours and you pay by tapping your bank card or phone at the turnstile (the OMNY system). And to have data from the moment you land, we use the Holafly eSIM, with a 5% discount using the code RECALCULANDOVIAJES.

Travel insurance for New York

This is the most important part of the whole guide. In the United States healthcare is private and extremely expensive: a visit to the emergency room can cost thousands of dollars. We always travel with IATI insurance, with high medical coverage and no need to pay upfront.

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Day trips from New York in October

Besides Sleepy Hollow and the Blaze, October is the best month to see the “foliage”, the autumn colors. Many travelers take a day trip to the Hudson Valley, the Hamptons or even Washington or Philadelphia. If you’re staying several days like we did, it’s worth leaving the city at least once.

And if your trip stretches to the end of the year, don’t miss our guide to New York at Christmas, another magical time in the city.

Map of the Halloween spots in New York

So you don’t miss anything, here’s the map with the 18 Halloween things to do in New York from this guide. You can save it to your Google Maps and plan your own route by neighborhood.

Frequently asked questions about Halloween in New York

What day is Halloween in New York?

Halloween is celebrated on 31 October. In 2026 it falls on a Saturday, and the Village Halloween Parade takes place that same day from 19:00 along Sixth Avenue.

When is the New York Halloween parade in 2026?

The parade is on Saturday 31 October 2026 at 19:00. It runs along Sixth Avenue from Canal Street to 15th Street and ends around 23:00.

Do you have to pay to watch the Halloween parade?

No. Watching the parade is free, and so is taking part, as long as you’re in costume. You just have to show up at Canal Street and Sixth Avenue between 18:30 and 21:00.

Where can you see decorated Halloween houses in New York?

The best areas are the Upper West Side (West 69th, 87th and 90th), the West Village (Perry, Charles and Grove Street), East 78th on the Upper East Side and the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights.

What is the weather like in New York at Halloween?

At the end of October temperatures range from 8 to 17 degrees Celsius, with cool days and cold nights. Bring a warm coat, especially for the parade, which means several hours on your feet.

Is it worth traveling to New York for Halloween?

Yes, absolutely. The whole city is transformed, most things to do are free and it also coincides with autumn, the prettiest time to explore Central Park and the Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Which Halloween things to do in New York are free?

The Village parade, the decorated houses, the Dog Parade, Trick-or-Streets, Pumpkin Point on Governors Island, the Seaport pumpkin arch and the Queens Farm festival are free. Only the Blaze, Blood Manor, the ghost tours and admission to the zoo or the botanical garden are paid.

Can you combine Halloween in New York with Sleepy Hollow?

Yes. Sleepy Hollow is an hour by Metro-North train from Grand Central and the Blaze is open until 8 November. Ideally go one weekday afternoon or evening and keep 31 October for the parade in Manhattan.

Is the Central Park Pumpkin Flotilla happening in 2026?

No. The Central Park Conservancy canceled the Harlem Meer Pumpkin Flotilla in 2026 because the event had grown too big for the available space. No replacement event has been announced.

Our opinion on Halloween in New York

After three weeks in the city, we can say that Halloween in New York is one of those experiences that stay with you forever. The parade is unique in the world, the decorated houses turn every walk into an adventure and almost everything is free. If you also combine it with autumn in Central Park and a trip to Sleepy Hollow, you’ve got the perfect trip.

We hope this guide with 18 things to do helps you plan your trip. And if you have any questions, leave us a comment: we love helping people plan!

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