Halloween in New York: A Tour of the City’s Spookiest Phantoms

Most New Yorkers can agree that losing a MetroCard is one of the spookiest possibilities this Halloween—or ruining one’s clothing through unidentifiable subway liquids. Either way, New York is never short of stories, grand fables where the impossible somehow becomes…possible, and Halloween is no exception. Even the city’s skeptics can’t help but feel fall-spirited as the city transforms into a bubbling cauldron: night clubs with Tim Burton-inspired doormen, Manhattan stoops lined with intricate spider webs, and spook-tacular fall-themed cocktails in local speakeasies.

If you’re brave enough to go ghost hunting in New York City this Halloween, New York Habitat is happy to be your spirit guide through all five boroughs. Visit the New York apartment search page  on our website to find the perfect place to rent near the city’s most prominent festivities, so you can ghost hunt without fearing the roof over your head.

A wholesome Halloween in Staten Island

Start your spook-tacular adventures by visiting Staten Island via ferry. Enjoy the Statue of Liberty and a day at the Mount Loretto Fall Festival, a wonderful day celebration with food vendors, rides, games, and a live DJ. Build a scarecrow with the family or get lost in the sprawling pumpkin patch. Have a babysitter? Take some time alone in the sangria and beer gardens with fall-oriented décor.

The Greenbelt Annual Pumpkin Festival is a family-friendly event where guests can meet with the horses from NYC Parks Equine unit. Find a new hobby in gardening this fall with the Staten Island Native Plant Society, an organization that educates locals on the importance of native plants and the sensitive ecosystem we’re tasked with preserving.

Brooklyn, Brooklyn…Read all about it!

Calling all Brooklynites! You’ve heard of House of Yes, right? A former ice warehouse converted into a performance venue, this Bushwick destination is locally loved for its eccentric holiday parties and its inclusive LGBTQ+ community. House of Yes is where you go when you feel like dousing yourself in glitter, watching gravity-defying aerial performances, and partying with strangers decorated in sequins and neon colors. Don’t miss out!

This furnished rental located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is just thirty minutes away from House of Yes (off the G train) and twelve minutes by cab. Explore neighborhood favorites, Juliette, known for its lush indoor garden room and nouveau offerings, and Radegast Hall & Biergarten, a contemporary beer hall offering craft brews and live music.

Williamsburg has wonderful energy, with many creative types migrating to the neighborhood for its eclectic street art, lively bars, and beautiful waterfront views.

A twenty-minute trip from your Williamsburg studio rental will put you near the House of Wax—located in the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Multiplex. This 19th-century pub with macabre décor is guaranteed to quench any Halloween cravings: An uncanny collection of wax figures (check!); an eerie ambiance à la Frankenstein’s corridors with a hint of hipster charisma (check!); and a dine-in cinema equipped with a variety of October-esque fall showings, art-house films, and mainstream blockbusters…check! NYC movie buffs will agree that Alamo Drafthouse is a must-visit during October with delicious seasonal drinks and fall-themed fare. Dare we say, you’ll have a spookalicious time.

An all-day trip to Queens

Venturing into Queens this Halloween is the perfect way to enjoy NYC’s fall festivities. Start your spine-chilling journey at the Queens Botanical Garden. You’ll find a pumpkin patch, live music, inflatables, a petting zoo, face painting, a spooky pumpkin garden, craft and food vendors, and a beer and wine garden.

If you’re courageous enough, visit the Haunted House at the Queens County Farm. There have been many ghost sightings near the hayride, where several shocked moms and dads have dropped their mulled ciders at the sight of ghoulish figures wandering the 47 acres, amidst farm-grown pumpkins and apples. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

The phantoms of the Lower East Side

Oh, Manhattan. It’s times like these that we must celebrate the borough for its cultural ingenuity. In 1973, puppeteer and mask maker, Ralph Lee, initiated the Village Halloween Parade—the only nighttime parade in NYC with over a reported 50,000 costumed participants and macabre galore. The Annual Village Parade is on Oct. 31st (based in Greenwich Village), and it’s a celebration of love and community for the Lower East Side’s counterculture and hub of artists.

The official route of the parade starts on Sixth Avenue. Parade veterans have been known to voice their lackluster enthusiasm for those too cool for costumed fun, so be sure to wear your most riveting Halloween attire.

Immerse yourself in the fun and festivities in downtown Manhattan when you rent a unique furnished apartment for the fall season in NYC like this 1 bedroom furnished rental in Manhattan’s East Village that can sleep four. Head the West Village where you’ll find some of the trendiest bars, cafes, and live jazz venues like Blue Note to continue the party well into the morning.

Not in the mood to march in a parade or party with apparitions on the dance floor? We completely understand. Twenty minutes by foot on Delancey Street will put you near the cutest Halloween excursion you’ve ever seen and provide a splendid stroll along the East River Park. Enjoy a more laidback celebration at the Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade. This East Village event is free and open to the public. The competition is fierce…or so we’ve been told by our local dog owners.

Among our other furnished rentals in the East Village, this 3-bedroom apartment stands out for its cozy albeit spooky decorative chandelier, exposed brick, and a full-service kitchenette. Located on East 12th St. (between Second Ave. and Third Ave.), this beautiful brownstone is nestled between Bowery and the East Village and is a fifteen-minute walk from Washington Square Park. This apartment will put you in walking distance to the start of the Village Parade and other popular attraction in downtown Manhattan.

Along the parade route is the Ghosts of Greenwich Village Tour, which will guide you through the ghoulish pathways of St. Mark’s Church-In-The-Bowery, Washington Square Park, and Mark Twain’s “House of Horror.” We recommend you wear comfortable shoes…in case you have to make a run for it.

During the fall season, a simple stroll around the neighborhood along the parade route is a feast for the eyes. Explore the quaint neighborhoods of the West Village and East Village through the eclectic stoop and storefront displays that pop up. Ghost hunters will revel in the creativity of New York natives.

As you head into midtown Manhattan (closer to 42nd St.) there are a variety of bars, clubs, and tourist attractions worth checking out for a splendid Halloween night:

• Beetle House: A doorman dressed in spooky garb à la Beetlejuice will greet you. Enjoy seasonal cocktails in a Tim Burton-themed restaurant and bar with instagrammable holiday treats.
• Empire State Building: The global icon on 34th St. will synchronize an LED light Show to classic Halloween hits courtesy of iHeartMedia’s powerhouse radio.
• Blood Manor: Blood, gore, blood, and more blood—this horror house is one you’ll never forget.
• Pub Crawl New York: Experience a night of booze, costumes, and NYC-spirited debauchery through the city’s beloved bars and speakeasies.
• Madame X: Known for its furnishings in red velvet and strong cocktails, this bar will seduce the most stubborn of skeptics.
• The Headless Horseman: The name speaks for itself. Enjoy craft beer at this old-fashioned tavern with upscale appetizers.

For a proper scare, don’t forget to check out our list of the best haunted destinations in the city.

A Bronx Tale

And lastly, give some love to the Bronx by visiting the Bartow-Pell Mansion and Estate. The story goes that under the infamous tree—now known as the Treaty Oak—Thomas Pell signed a treaty with the Lenape people, acquiring 50,000 acres of land and what is now known as Pelham, New Rochelle, and parts of the Bronx County. Tragedy struck in 1906 when the tree caught fire—the culprits, a group of boys playing with cigars in the early morning—burning the eighty-foot-high Pell Oak to the ground. Intrepid tourists are welcomed on the mansion grounds, but beware. Spectators say that spirits still roam the mansion grounds in present-day near the trunk of the Treaty Oak. The mansion is known for its double parlors, sitting room, conservatory, and mid-19th-century décor.

Keep things light and kid-friendly with a day excursion to the Bronx Zoo for Boo at the Zoo—a fitting name, if we do say so ourselves. This annual tradition features seasonal fare, acoustic band performances, a corn maze, an animal graveyard, a costume parade, pumpkin carvings, magic shows, and a spooky night tour with ravens, owls and more. Short and sweet, the Bronx Zoo is the perfect way to feel like a kid again.

On behalf of New York Habitat, enjoy your Halloween celebration in New York City!