Top things to do for visitors, each linked to its official source.
New York City Metro Area
📍 Merchant's House Museum
Doors slam, floorboards creak, voices call into the dead of night. Venture into "Manhattan’s Most Haunted House" by flickering candlelight to hear chilling – and true – tales of decades of otherworldly activity in…
Official site ↗📍 NoHo
Candlelit tours of 'Manhattan's Most Haunted House', with true tales of decades of paranormal reports. Paid.
Official site ↗📍 Battery Park City
Architecture teams build larger-than-life sculptures from thousands of cans, all donated to City Harvest.
Official site ↗📍 East Village
A giant community ofrenda, Mexican marketplace, craft workshops, live music and Indigenous dance, outdoors in the East Village.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free Halloween event at Dyckman Marina, Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan, listed on the NYC Parks events calendar.
Official site ↗📍 Midtown
Try a free juggling lesson with equipment provided, or watch the Bryant Park Jugglers practice.
Official site ↗📍 Midtown
Try a free juggling lesson with equipment provided, or watch the Bryant Park Jugglers practice.
Official site ↗📍 Upper West Side
Free public telescope viewing on Pier i on the Upper West Side waterfront.
Official site ↗📍 Chelsea
Kiosk-to-kiosk trick-or-treating, caricature artists and Halloween movies on the Hudson.
Official site ↗📍 Seaport
A neighborhood-wide Halloween: free museum admission, trick-or-treating at about 30 Seaport businesses, and a Haunted Fish Market with a dog costume contest.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free Halloween event at Harlem Valley Garden in Manhattan, listed on the NYC Parks events calendar.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free Halloween event at North Lawn, Morningside Park in Manhattan, listed on the NYC Parks events calendar.
Official site ↗📍 Inwood Hill Park
Join the Urban Park Rangers on a walk through Inwood Hill Park at night, where bats, bones, owls, and lore make for a perfect night hike.
Official site ↗📍 Cherry Tree Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Cherry Tree Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Cherry Tree Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Columbus Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Columbus Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Columbus Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Seward Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Seward Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Seward Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Tompkins Square Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Tompkins Square Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Tompkins Square Park
The Kids in Motion program engages children in active, outdoors play. A NYC Parks staff member leads four to seven hours of free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos,…
Official site ↗📍 Inwood Hill Park
Explore the ancient tulip tree forest of Inwood Hill Park with the Urban Park Rangers and learn about the Lenape’s deep connection to this landscape. This short walk highlights rock shelters, cultural history, and…
Official site ↗📍 Central Park
New Dendrology is a group exhibition featuring eleven artists whose work contributes to the study of trees, offering new insight and connection between humans and their arboreal neighbors.
Official site ↗📍 Central Park
New Dendrology is a group exhibition featuring eleven artists whose work contributes to the study of trees, offering new insight and connection between humans and their arboreal neighbors.
Official site ↗📍 Greenwich Village
The country's biggest night parade: thousands in costume, giant puppets and bands marching up Sixth Avenue.
Official site ↗📍 Washington Square Park
Led by a local teaching artist, this drop-in class invites participants to explore creativity through hands-on artmaking under the shade of Scrabble Plaza’s trees. Past mediums have included plein-air drawing,…
Official site ↗📍 Washington Square Park
Led by a local teaching artist, this drop-in class invites participants to explore creativity through hands-on artmaking under the shade of Scrabble Plaza’s trees. Past mediums have included plein-air drawing,…
Official site ↗📍 25 11th Ave, New York, NY 10011
A free event at 25 11th Ave in Manhattan on Saturday, October 31, 11:00–20:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Meatpacking District
Free walk-through pop-up from POP MART (maker of Labubu) with three immersive SKULLPANDA rooms.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free Halloween event at Sugar Hill Hope Garden in Manhattan, listed on the NYC Parks events calendar.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free Halloween event at Edgecomb Avenue Garden Park Sanctuary in Manhattan, listed on the NYC Parks events calendar.
Official site ↗📍 Chelsea
Kids in costume can trick-or-treat through the Chelsea Market concourse all Halloween day.
Official site ↗📍 Midtown
A late-afternoon Halloween treat stroll for kids in Bryant Park.
Official site ↗📍 Washington Heights
Free annual Halloween parade in Washington Heights along Cabrini Boulevard.
Official site ↗📍 188 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10013, USA
A free event at 188 Lafayette Street in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 11:00–15:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free event at Merchant's House Museum in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 18:30–22:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Brookfield Place, Vesey Street, New York, NY, USA
A free event at Brookfield Place in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 10:00–19:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Vessel, Hudson Yards, New York, NY, USA
A free event at Vessel in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 11:00–19:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Chelsea
Sample Indian snacks from Tasting India, an early Diwali celebration.
Official site ↗📍 935 Broadway, New York, NY, USA
A free event at 935 Broadway in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 10:00–19:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Washington Heights
Free Halloween mask-making with The Met Cloisters, then a Haunted Cottage evening in Fort Tryon Park.
Official site ↗📍 75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
A free event at 75 9th Ave in Manhattan on Saturday, October 31, 12:00–20:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free Halloween event at Joseph Daniel Wilson Memorial Garden in Manhattan, listed on the NYC Parks events calendar.
Official site ↗📍 East Harlem
Free Halloween candy giveaway at Serenity Garden in the Lexington Houses community garden.
Official site ↗📍 Harlem
Free Halloween festival at Harlem Grown with farm activities, crafts, a haunted tent, music and costumes.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free Halloween event at Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Riverside Park in Manhattan, listed on the NYC Parks events calendar.
Official site ↗📍 Midtown
Rows of glass kiosks with makers, gifts and holiday food around the free Bryant Park rink.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free event at Greeley Square Park in Manhattan on Friday, October 30, 14:00–15:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Inwood
Urban Park Rangers lead a walk through Inwood's tulip-tree forest and talk about its Lenape history.
Official site ↗📍 Greenfield Hall, Manhattan School of Music, 130 Claremont Avenue, New York, NY 10027
A free event at Greenfield Hall in Manhattan on Friday, October 30, 10:00–17:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Inwood Hill Park
A free event at Seaman Avenue and Isham Street Entrance (in Inwood Hill Park) in Manhattan on Saturday, October 31, 08:45–10:30. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Greenwich Village
Free children’s Halloween parade in Greenwich Village with NYU and CB2.
Official site ↗📍 Washington Square Park
A free event at Northwest Corner Seating Area (in Washington Square Park) in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 13:00–15:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Van Der Plas Gallery, Orchard Street, New York, NY, USA
A free event at Van Der Plas Gallery in Manhattan on Friday, October 30, 15:00–17:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 262 Mott Street, New York, NY, USA
A free event at 262 Mott Street in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 10:00–19:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 48 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002
A free event at 48 Ludlow St in Manhattan on Friday, October 30, 10:00–17:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Dyckman House Museum
A free event at Dyckman Farmhouse Museum (in Dyckman House Museum) in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 18:00–20:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 New York, NY, USA
A free event at New York in Manhattan on Saturday, October 31, 18:00–21:30. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free event at The High Line in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 17:30–19:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 213 Bowery, New York, NY 10002, USA
A free event at 213 Bowery in Manhattan on Friday, October 30, 07:30–11:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free event at Merchant's House Museum in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 21:30–23:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Times Sq - 42 St, New York, NY, USA
A free event at Times Sq - 42 St in Manhattan on Friday, October 30, 11:00–22:00. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Sadie’s, Fulton Street, New York, NY, USA
A free event at Sadie’s in Manhattan on Thursday, October 29, 17:30–20:30. Check the organizer's page for RSVP and details before you go.
Official site ↗📍 Financial District
Dine-in cinema at 28 Liberty with food served during the movie and a bar.
Official site ↗📍 SoHo
Classic downtown art-house cinema for independent and foreign films, with a café upstairs.
Official site ↗📍 East Village
An East Village archive and cinema for avant-garde, experimental and rare films in an old courthouse.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A free seasonal event at J. Hood Wright Recreation Center, J. Hood Wright Park in Manhattan, listed on the NYC Parks events calendar.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
A restaurant on Avenue A in Manhattan. Open seven days. What sets it apart: michelin (per its official site).
Official site ↗📍 Theater District
A Theater District jazz club named for Charlie Parker, with big bands, singers and dinner seating.
Official site ↗📍 Greenwich Village
The famous Village jazz club with two sets most nights and late-night shows.
Official site ↗📍 New York
A restaurant on West 40th Street in Manhattan. Open seven days. What sets it apart: rooftop (per its official site).
Official site ↗📍 Greenwich Village
AIA New York's storefront galleries with free architecture and design exhibitions, plus talks and events (some ticketed).
Official site ↗📍 New York
A museum on West 83rd Street in New York. What sets it apart: interactive exhibits and programs built for kids ages 0–6 (per its official site).
Official site ↗📍 Greenwich Village
One of the city's oldest continuously running cinemas, showing indie films and documentaries.
Official site ↗📍 Midtown
Escape rooms with themes from a museum heist to a space mission.
Official site ↗📍 Upper West Side
A free Day of the Dead night with a community ofrenda and a live son jarocho and cumbia set by Guachinangos.
Official site ↗📍 Columbus Circle
Jazz at Lincoln Center's club with a view of Central Park behind the band.
Official site ↗📍 Midtown
Escape rooms near Times Square with several themes.
Official site ↗📍 Upper West Side
Home of the New York Film Festival, with daily screenings of new art-house releases and repertory series.
Official site ↗📍 Greenwich Village
A nonprofit cinema on Houston Street screening independent premieres and classic film series.
Official site ↗📍 Midtown
A staff-led 45-minute walk through Bryant Park's history, design and gardens.
Official site ↗📍 Midtown
A staff-led 45-minute walk through Bryant Park's history, design and gardens.
Official site ↗📍 Manhattan
The annual indoor holiday market inside Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall, with local makers selling gifts, jewelry and crafts through Christmas Eve.
Official site ↗📍 New York
A barbecue restaurant on West 26th Street in Manhattan. Open seven days. What sets it apart: live music (per its official site).
Official site ↗📍 Greenwich Village
A Sixth Avenue art-house cinema with indie premieres, documentaries and cult midnight screenings.
Official site ↗📍 New York
A museum on Varick Street in New York. In its own words: “Learn about the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson through artifacts, historical imagery and multilayered storytelling.” (official site)
Official site ↗📍 Turtle Bay
Japanese art gallery near the UN, now showing Gen'ichirō Inokuma's NYC Salon (Oct 6, 2026–Jan 10, 2027). Free First Fridays 5–7 PM (Nov 6, Dec 4, Jan 8).
Official site ↗📍 Midtown
Escape rooms in Midtown, from beginner puzzles to scarier live-actor games.
Official site ↗📍 Greenwich Village
A Bleecker Street venue on the site of the old Village Gate, mixing concerts, classical music and comedy.
Official site ↗📍 SoHo
SoHo museum dedicated to LGBTQIA+ art, with rotating exhibitions and a free digital guide.
Official site ↗📍 Chelsea
Improv theater and school with low-cost improv and sketch shows most nights.
Official site ↗📍 NoHo
An 1832 rowhouse with its original furnishings intact, home to one family for nearly 100 years and said to be haunted.
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