NYC Halloween 2025: The Ultimate Guide to the City's Best Happenings and Activities
Hello NYC Lover!
Halloween in NYC is a phenomenon, blending iconic traditions with exclusive, can't-miss moments. From electrifying parades and breathtaking fall photo ops to spooky dinner locations, we bring you the ultimate itinerary. Whether you're seeking the thrills of the legendary Village Halloween Parade, family-friendly fun at the Botanic Garden, or the most Instagrammable decorations like the Pier 17 Pumpkin Arch, consider this your insider guide to New York's must-see haunted happenings and spectacular sights for 2025.
Here’s what we have at a glance:
Fall-O-Ween at NYBG: Experience the Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail in the Bronx
Pier 17 Pumpkin Arch: Get the Best Photo-Op Spot in the Seaport
Upper East Side (UES) Spooky Homes: The Best NYC Halloween Decorations Tour
Lillie’s Victorian Establishment & Oscar Wilde: Must-Book Halloween Dinner and Haunted Decor
Spookiest Cocktails: Halloween Themed Bars and Pop-Ups in NYC
The Village Halloween Parade: Route, Dates, and How to Join the March
Fall-O-Ween at NYBG: Experience the Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail in the Bronx
Ready to trade those pumps and sneakers for some walking shoes? When it comes to immersive, high-production Halloween experiences in NYC, nothing tops Fall-O-Ween at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) in the Bronx. This is where spooky meets spectacular, offering both incredible daytime pumpkin displays and a dazzling nighttime ticketed event.
The main attraction for the 2025 season is the highly anticipated return of the Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail, running on select evenings from September 25 through November 30. This 10-week engagement transports you directly to Halloween Town and Christmas Town with over 8,300 square feet of dazzling light installations. You’ll frolic alongside 3D-printed sculptures of Jack Skellington, Sally, and Zero, all set to the film's iconic music. It’s a perfect spot for memorable photos (and yes, you can absolutely dress up!).
You can see the decorations and immersive atmosphere of the event in this video about the 2025 light trail experience at the garden:
Pier 17 Pumpkin Arch: Get the Best Photo-Op Spot in the Seaport
If your Halloween plans include capturing that perfect, Instagram-worthy photo without trekking to a farm upstate, head straight to Pier 17 in the historic Seaport district of Lower Manhattan (Link to Google Maps). The iconic Pumpkin Arch is back for the 2025 season, transforming the Heineken Riverdeck into the city's premier autumn photo destination.
Starting October 22nd, this towering installation - crafted from hundreds of real pumpkins and draped in fall foliage - provides an unbeatable seasonal frame. What makes this arch truly special is the backdrop: when you stand under the gourds, you get a stunning, perfectly-aligned view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River.
Why it’s a great stop:
Free and Accessible: The installation is free to view and open to the public 24/7.
Day and Night Magic: While gorgeous during the day, the arch is arguably more magical after sunset, when it lights up with twinkling, orange lights, offering a completely different aesthetic for your NYC Halloween shots.
Plan a Visit: After you capture your perfect photo, grab a seasonal bite at one of the close by restaurants, which mostly feature a fall-inspired menu, making the Seaport a full destination for your autumn outing. If you don’t mind walking 14 minutes we’d defintely recommend going to Fraunces Tavern - one of our absolute favorite dinner spots in FiDi!
Upper East Side (UES) Spooky Homes: The Best NYC Halloween Decorations Tour
The Upper East Side (UES) Halloween decorations are famous for their sheer theatrical extravagance and unmatched budget. These townhouses transform into cinematic horror scenes, featuring multi-story installations with massive animatronic monsters, celebrity-themed skeletons, and hundreds of custom-carved jack-o'-lanterns.
The Must-Walk Blocks for Maximum Spook
The most elaborate displays are concentrated on the cross streets between Fifth Avenue and Lexington Avenue in the 60s and 70s:
East 64th Street (Between 5th and Madison Avenues): Known for the most elaborate, multi-house themed displays with huge moving props.
East 74th Street (Between Madison and Park Avenues): Features detailed, spooky-yet-chic pumpkin arrangements and ghouls spilling over railings.
East 76th Street (Between 5th and Madison Avenues): Look for enormous, twenty-foot-tall skeletons scaling the building façades.
Insider Tips for the Best Photos
For the best viewing and photos, plan your stroll around golden hour and stay until the professional, dramatic lighting is fully illuminated after dark. Please remember to be respectful of these private residences!
Lillie’s Victorian Establishment & Oscar Wilde: Must-Book Halloween Dinner and Haunted Decor
Addresses: Lillie’s Times Square, Lillie’s Union Square & Oscar Wilde
Get your reservation for Lillie’s here and for Oscar Wilde here.
If you want dinner with a side of spooky spectacle, head to Lillie's Victorian Establishment or its sister spot Oscar Wilde. These are two of the most dramatically decorated restaurants in the City. Every October, they transform into jaw-dropping Halloween wonderlands that look like a movie set somewhere between The Addams Family and The Great Gatsby. Picture chandeliers dripping in cobwebs, haunted portraits glowing in the candlelight, and vintage mirrors reflecting rows of mischievous pumpkins.
The atmosphere is grand, dark and just the right amount of eerie - perfect for anyone who likes their Halloween with a touch of glamour. The menu leans classic and hearty with dishes like fish and chips, shepherds pie and truffle mac and cheese, paired with seasonal and themed cocktails that are just as fun as the décor. We've been to both spots multiple times throughout the year, and they never miss when it comes to décor - every season and occasion gets its own stunning transformation. The food is always solid too, so trust us, these places know how to put on a show.
Spookiest Cocktails: Halloween Themed Bars and Pop-Ups in NYC
Looking for a place to sip spooky cocktails this October? NYC has some of the most creative and immersive Halloween-themed bars around, perfect for everything from a night out with friends to a full-on seasonal adventure. We would like to share with you these three spots, that go all out on decor, atmosphere and creative drinks:
Highwater Rooftop - “Haunting Under the Stars”, Financial District (120 Water St)
If you want Halloween vibes with a view, head to Highwater Rooftop in the Financial District for their Haunting Under the Stars event, running now through November 2nd. They describe it like this “Part cocktail party, part cabaret, the night is full of spooky surprises”. As you can see this is not your typical sit-down bar experience. It's a standing cocktail reception where you can wander the rooftop, grab drinks at the bar, and find the perfect spot to watch live performances and costumed entertainers. This event is ticketed, you need a ticket to get in. Weekends (Fri-Sun, 5-10pm) feature performances with multiple acts and cost $15. During the week (Mon-Thu) the tickets are free, but there are no performances. You can come to enjoy the view, the Halloween atmosphere and some nice drinks. Plan ahead and snag a spot for this one-of-a-kind seasonal experience.
Get your tickets here.
Beetle House - East Village (308 E 6th St)
At Beetle House, it's Halloween every day of the year, but October is when this Tim Burton inspired bar truly comes alive. Step inside and you're immediately surrounded by dim lighting, gothic decor, and playful, darkly themed touches that make you feel like you've walked straight onto a movie set. Their cocktail menu is full of quirky, imaginative drinks with names and flavors to match the macabre mood, and the staff are fully in character, adding to the immersive experience. Beetle House is a mix of theatrical charm, gothic whimsy, and Halloween spirit, that is welcoming enough to linger for hours with friends.
Someday Bar - “Black Lagoon Pop-Up”, Williamsburg (364 Atlantic Ave)
Just across the river in Williamsburg, Black Lagoon is running its horror-themed pop-up now through November 2nd, The Venue is decked out with skeletons, skulls, glowing red lights and plenty of dramatic touches for maximum spooky impact. Their creative cocktails, like Memento Mori and Hex Appeal, match the bold aesthetic and make every drink feel like part of the experience. Dark, dramatic, and dungeon-like, Black Lagoon is a must-visit for anyone looking to go all in this Spooky-Season.
Whether you're into rooftop thrills, gothic charm, or full-on horror theatrics, these three bars are guaranteed to deliver unforgettable Halloween vibes - drinks, decor, and a healthy dose of spooky fun included.
The Village Halloween Parade: Route, Dates, and How to Join the March
The Village Halloween Parade actually started in 1974 when Greenwich Village artist and puppeteer Ralph Lee decided to take his creations for a walk. Just him, a few friends, and some homemade masks. Fast-forward a few decades, and that little neighborhood stroll turned into the Halloween event of the year, with tens of thousands of costumed New Yorkers flooding 6th Avenue. It's chaotic, creative, and completely iconic - basically, the most “New York” way to celebrate Halloween! Here is everything you need to know about when and where the parade takes place, what to expect and how you can join.
The parade will take place on - you guessed it - Halloween (Friday, October 31st). It starts at 7 PM, come rain or shine, and typically runs until 11 PM. As the name states the parade goes through The Village. It starts at Canal Street and makes its way up 6th Avenue to 15th Street. Since its 50th anniversary in 2023, the parade has featured a special theme each year. This year's theme is going to be “Potluck” - an invitation to come together, break bread and celebrate abundance.
Everyone can watch and even join the parade, let's get into some details here:
You can watch the parade between King Street and 15th Street on either the west or east side of 6th Avenue (see map).
Busy spots tend to be between Bleecker Street and 14th Street along 6th Avenue, so you might consider getting there early. If you prefer fewer crowds, you might try positions near the start or end of the route.
There are also tickets available for special VIP areas but those start at $125. You can check this website here and decide for yourself if it is worth paying the money for.
If standing outside in the crowds and maybe in the cold is not for you, you can consider watching it live on TV. The parade will be broadcast live on Spectrum News NY1 starting around 8 PM.
But even better consider marching in the parade! It is free and everyone can join BUT you have to be in costume.
The line up for those who want to join is at the corner of Canal and 6th Avenue between 6:30 PM and 9 PM. As the parade progresses, you will be led north along 6th Avenue. Once you're in you can't go backward (south), it is a one-way flow.
Lastly, here are some tips and things to watch out for: As mentioned before, plan on arriving early as it gets very crowded and try to have an exit plan if you are deep in the crowd. Many streets will be closed and traffic will get crazy so you are definitely better off using public transport. It is the end of October so dress warm enough and also comfortable as you'll be outside standing or walking for a while. And finally have fun and go all in with your costume, because why not? You only get this opportunity once a year. 😉
Route of The Village Halloween Parade 2025
And now, the last but most important question: Pumps or Sneakers?
If you're planning on exploring the haunted houses on the Upper East Side, sneakers are definitely the way to go. 😊 However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with dressing up in your best for a classy Halloween dinner at a spot like Lillie's Victorian Establishment!
Bye, see you next time!
Hugs, Kisses, and NYC Wishes! ♥️
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