Tagged: northeast
Halloween in NYC, Part the Second: Haunted Houses
Nightmare Haunted House, p/c jadedviewer.blogspot.com
So, if you’re not the touring type, I mean, first of all I pity you, I really do, but there is still plenty to do in NYC in preparation for All Hallows’ Eve (I guessssssss). So let’s get to planning some more Hallowrific good times.
This week, we’re talking about haunted houses! Because honestly, what would Halloween be without a haunted house?
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Blood Manor: This and Nightmare, which we’ll talk about next, are arguably the biggest haunted houses in the City, and they’re both done really well. Blood Manor now has something called Touch Me Thursdays, where the cast members are allowed, yes, to touch you (only with your consent though!), so if you want to step up your horror game, you do you.
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Nightmare: A few years ago, Nightmare was riding the Twilight high and did a vampire concept — and it was actually really, really good: one of my all-time favorite haunted house experiences. This year’s theme is Horror Show, which means that they’ll actually put on eight mini horror productions. So you can be super hardcore this October, make multiple trips, and see a different thing each time! (And if you have that kind of budget for Halloween, let’s talk and maybe you can sponsor an NYC trip for me or something, haha.)
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Blackout: Ugh, Blackout. So, full disclosure, I’ve never been, mostly because nothing sounds less appealing to me than a haunted house with a safe word. But this one is consistently written up as the most terrifying one in the country, so far be it for me to withhold that information from my loyal readers. It’s 18+ (for violence and sexual situations), requires you to sign a waiver, and often makes you go through alone. My recommendation is to do a little Google research before you go and decide for yourself if Blackout is right for you. Here’s a review to get you started.
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New York Haunted Hayride: Brand new to NYC, the haunted hayride takes place on Randall’s Island. It’s an offshoot of the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, which usually gets good reviews. So this is your chance to get in on the ground level and try something completely new!
New York Haunted Hayride, p/c newyorkhauntedhayride.com
There are a few more haunted houses of note, of course, so check out NYMag’s 2014 guide for another POV. Of course, things may change between 2014 and 2015, so be sure to do your own research.
I’ll be back again next week with some decidedly less-scary options, because I am nothing if not thorough (and also a wee bit obsessed).
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Spooky Halloween Activities in NYC
![By InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AGreenwich_Village_Halloween_Parade_(6451247921).jpg)
I’m originally from the Northeast, and since moving to the South I start longing for my temperate home state right around mid-August, without fail. It just doesn’t look like I’ll be able to get up there this fall — truly the most wonderful time of the year — and that’s a tough thing to deal with. So today we’re going to say so long to some of my own personal FOMO and chat about Halloween in New York City!
I lived in New York City for quite a few years and can almost unequivocally say that no place does Halloween better. Sure, sure, I may be biased, and to be fair, no, I have not been to Salem since middle school, but New York just does the (BESTBESTBEST) holiday right. So let’s kibbitz about all the bone-chilling things that are available for you to do!
Starting with…ghost tours! Ghost tours, ghost tours, ghost tours. I’m a history nerd who loves thrills and chills, so forgive me for straight up GEEKING OUT about this:
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Merchant’s House: The Merchant’s House is supposedly the most haunted house in NYC, so they really get into the Halloween…spirit (muhahahaha). During Halloween they decorate to look like a 19th century home during a mourning period: black crepe everywhere, memento mori accessories, the whole deal. They also host candlelight ghost tours, lecture series, readings, and live music. Here’s the full October calendar of events for you to peruse.
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Haunted Manhattan Tours: My super-talented friend Robby, otherwise known as Professor Mortimer, hosts a tour of Greenwich Village that is not to be missed. His good friend Frankie the Bartender also hosts an East Village tour where you can hear about ghosties as you have a pint.
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Green-Wood Cemetery tours: There’s nothing like a trek through a historic cemetery to get you in the Halloween mood. Green-Wood hosts a few tours that are just the ticket: a moonlight walking tour (accompanied by live accordion music?!?), Into The Veil: An After-Dark Exploration, and a Spirited Stroll that’s held during the day (and also lets you go into the catacombs, ooh!).
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The Halloween Extravaganza at Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine: Missing the Halloween events at St. John’s is one of my major regrets. Not only do they host crypt crawls where you can hear stories of those entombed at the cathedral, they also show silent movies, accompanied by with the organ. This year they’re showing F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, über-creepy and absolutely perfect. Need another reason? Check out this amazing video of 2009’s Procession of the Ghouls!
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Make your own tour! Time Out has a spooktacular list of the top ten most haunted spots in the City. Explore on your own and find out what sort of things go bump in the night.
Robert Gonyo as Professor Mortimer
Well kids, I still have A LOT to say on this topic, but I’ll end here and continue another day. Until then, stay spoooooooky! (And for those who are more faint of heart, I promise I’ll deliver something for y’all, too.)
So long, FOMO 