It’s that time of year when pumpkin-spiced season gives way to carved-pumpkin season and ghosts and witches become de rigueur. In other words, it’s Halloween – a favorite time of year for all ages when they can express their creative side and show off their costume selection skills. From ghoulish goblins to revved-up robots, it’s a time to celebrate. So while you may want to act stay in your luxury condo, it might be time to come back from the dead and join the living across the country as they celebrate this most hallowed eve.
Here are some of our favorite cities and Halloween events across the U.S.
New York City
Sleepy Hollow might be a little north of Manhattan, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be some hair-raising things to do see and do in New York City. In fact, a recent study found that New York was the number-one city for Halloween fun. They say the lights are bright on Broadway, but what happens when those lights dim? Well a ghost walking tour of Broadway promises to unearth the “lost opportunities, political intrigue, disease, and murder” of this storied
boulevard. Of course, there’s one of the biggest Halloween celebrations that’s a New York tradition right in the Village. Tens of thousands of people are costumed up and march in the annual Halloween parade, including the mayor of NYC and governor of New York. And don’t forget: many condos in Manhattan, like the recently reinvented 90 Morton Street, offer holiday parties for guests. It’s a great way to celebrate the holiday and meet the neighbors. Just watch out for headless equestrians clopping about.
Boston
As one of America’s oldest cities, it’s undebatable that Boston has a few skeletons in its collective closets (and crypts). Take a Ghost and Gravestone haunted trolley tour and learn about this eerie history with stories of the Boston Strangler and Ephraim Littlefield. And if you really like spirits, why not imbibe them during a Halloween pub crawl?
Miami
Like everything that takes place in The Golden City, Miami puts its own white-hot, tropical spin on Halloween. Everyone is encouraged to don their favorite costume and take a stroll down the legendary Lincoln Road pedestrian strip. Here you’ll find lots of like-minded revelers from young to old on Halloween night. But the All Hallow’s Eve events heat up once the sun sets. Listen to famed French DJ Yelle spin her tunes at ClubSpace from witching hour to the wee hours of the morning. For those zombies who like to party, head to e11even where you can be up from dusk ‘til dawn, literally, the club is open 24-hours a day.
Los Angeles
The city where dreams come true turns into a city where nightmares come to life, but just for a night. With parades, concerts, and haunted tours taking place in Los Angeles, you can be assured that it’ll be weirder than almost any horror film Hollywood has to offer. It’s long been alleged that Griffith Park has been cursed by a daughter spurred by not getting her inheritance. While that’s up for debate, what’s true is that the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride will give you quite the fright with scary clowns running about, and other creatures popping out of the shadows to scare you. Pro tip: try not to get lost in the maze … or else. For a more wholesome event, head to the 11th Annual Halloween Festival on the 31st where you and your kids can enjoy face painting, crafts, and even doors to trick-or-treat in — terrifying clowns popping out of the shadows not included. Cinephiles know that Universal Studios has some of the most iconic monsters on the silver screen like Dracula and Frankenstein. It’s only fitting that Universal Studios Hollywood brings you multimedia immersive experiences for many of the studio’s most frightening creations: Step into the upside-down or Stranger Things or escape Michael Myers from the Halloween franchise.
San Francisco
Image 06 San Francisco is known for its temperate climate, laid-back residents, but at the end of October dread rolls in like the city’s famous fog. It’s recommended that fright-seekers visit the Fear Overload Scream Park which’s like a haunted house, only 1000-times more terrifying. The SF Mint is also opening its doors for a spooky and interactive theatrical experience helmed by some renowned experimental artists, including Peaches Christ.
