Welcome to a brand new month in the big apple! We’re approaching holiday season and it all begins with Halloween time. As we kick off the new season in the city, we’re excited for all the family friendly activities such as pumpkin picking, trick or treating, making fall treats and so much more.
Here is everything we’re looking forward to this month in New York City!
Tea Around Town
Tea Around Town is a bright pink bus you can enjoy tea on. See all the sights around town and have a tea party with your friends! It’s all pink, so it’s basically got my name all over it and they have great finger sandwiches and pastries to enjoy along with the tea. The 90 minute experience has tickets starting at $69. Book it with friends for a fun day out or even a birthday!
Brookfield Place Halloween Bash
Looking for a family-friendly Halloween activity this weekend? Brookfield Place is having a Halloween bash on the 28th from 12-3, where you can make spooky crafts, boogie with a DJ, show off your costume, explore liquid nitrogen, trick or treat and more! See you there!
Go to a Pumpkin Patch
Ever since my kids were babies, we have been going to pumpkin patches! Not only is it a fun family friendly activity, but you get to leave with cute pumpkins to decorate. One of my favorite parts are the apple cider donuts! Here’s a list of our favorite pumpkin patches near the city! There’s even a brand new rooftop in LIC that has pumpkins to choose from! Tickets begin at $18/person.
Coffee Festival
From October 6th-8th, coffee lovers can experience the best day of the year for them! There are signature drinks, emcees, street food and so much more. Even if you don’t drink a ton of coffee, this is a really cool festival to check out! The New York Coffee Festival is at the top of the list for New Yorker festival must-sees!
Go Apple Picking
Apple picking is another family friendly activity we enjoy! We have already begun going and love to make apple pie from the apples we gather. I have a fabulous list of some of the very best orchards not too far from New York City linked here.
Harry Potter Exhibition
It’s official: the exhibition is extended through the new year! Enter the immersive wizarding world and view storytelling through technology through exclusive experiences. It includes characters and locations from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. Tickets are currently on sale, but run don’t walk because it is a hot commodity! The experience is open until January 7th at Herald Square.
Big Apple Circus
The circus is back in town! Tickets are officially on sale for the Big Apple Circus. They actually open November 8th, but tickets will fly off the shelves, so you will want to get your hands on those ASAP. This year, they are collaborating with Circus-Theater Roncalli for a “Journey to the Rainbow” magical show. My kids love going, so think about making a family fun day out of it!
Day of the Dead LIVE!
In celebration of Día de Los Muertos, there is a new musical and visual journey to embark on. It’s family-friendly and contains Mexican folk songs from popular artists and musicians. With puppets, jugglers and dancers there is so much fun to be had! It opens on the 18th and has performances through November 1st. Check out their site for the calendar of performances!
Frankenstein’s Mad Scientist Cocktail Lab
Bucketlisters is back with a fun event! Wednesdays-Sundays through the end of the month, you can explore Frankensteins lab of concoctions, elixirs and potions. This 90 minute experience will allow you to create your own cocktail or mocktail! For an extra price, there are more drinks and a tarot reader, so don’t miss out on the spooky fun!
Celebrate Halloween
This is one of our favorite holidays! So much goes into it from decor to costumes to pumpkin carving activities. Stay tuned for some great costume options this year but for now, here is a list of top places to trick or treat in NYC. I’ll be putting out a bunch of fun Halloween themed recipes all month long to enjoy!
Elvis Themed Pop Up Bar
When I heard about this, I knew I had to see it for myself! Inspired by the jungle room in his home, this spot is called Love Me (Bar)Tender! At 594 Amsterdam Ave, this is the place to be! It’s open for 2 days and will have cocktails and bites, memphis-style. It’s a 90 minute experience and you do need a ticket. Check it out October 5th and 6th!
Fall-O-Ween
The New York Botanical Garden is a family friendly place that I always love to recommend. They are decked out for fall featuring pumpkin parades, pumpkin carving competitions and even a beer sampling event for adults! Tickets are available now and this is an October happening you will not want to miss. It’s one of the best places for New Yorkers to visit this fall season.
Broadway Shows
We’re huge fans of TodayTix, an app that makes it incredibly easy to get your hands on Broadway tickets. They have great deals running and from October 3rd until the 15th, they have their friends and family sale to get $20 off shows like Sweeney Todd, Wicked, Hamilton, The Book of Mormon, Here Lies Love and more! The app even has a Halloween sale happening all month for $17+ tickets for amazing shows and attractions including Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors, Hadestown, Fall-O-Ween, TerrorVision, Little Shop of Horrors, Bear Mountain Cruise.
Oktoberfest
The biggest beer festival of the year is here! All month long, you can enjoy authentic German beer and traditional Oktoberfest German food, such as pretzels! Good food, great beer and an even better time! Grab your friends and join in on the fun! The big apple is a great place to celebrate this time of year!
The Village Halloween Parade
Who doesn’t love a good parade?! Especially when you get to dress up! Beginning at 7PM on the 31st, the parade begins in Greenwich Village and the parade route ends in by Union Square on 6th avenue and 15th street. It’s free, there will be puppets, live music and so much more! Dress up to have the best time! Elaborate costumes are welcome! It’s on rain or shine. After all, who doesn’t love a good Halloween party?! This is one of the most special events at the end of October and for good reason. It’s Halloween night!
Halloween Horror Cruise
Fall foliage cruises are pretty popular around here, but have you been on a Halloween themed horror cruise? This is the 11th annual year they will be doing this and it’s basically a giant Halloween costume party with great music-on a boat! Inside has a dance floor while the outdoor portions provide for some of the best views of the city. Grab tickets from this link and keep an eye on it in case they sell more once they’re sold out!
Financial District Haunted History & Scavenger Hunt
This is a more historical spooky activity. The walking tour begins at Fraunces Tavern and covers Fidi history starting in the 1600s. Lasting 90 minutes, you will learn all about lower Manhattan history, visit a grave site where Alexander Hamilton is buried and so much more! Grab your tickets here for this event starting at 6:30PM on Halloween night.
Black Lagoon Pop Up
I love pop ups, especially around a fun holiday! This immersive gothic experience pays homage to the macabre. Wear your best costume and enjoy spooky drinks while you immerse yourself in a Halloween dungeon. Be sure to make a reservation to plan ahead!
Luminocity Festival
We love Luminocity because it’s a bunch of fun lights and really kicks off the holiday season! They have Dino Safari, which are large scale light displays all forming dinosaurs. They also will have pumpkins, skeletons, spiders and more lit up to celebrate the month of Halloween. Running now through the end of the month, there are 11 immersive exhibits with dinosaurs over 50 feet tall! There’s also a bounce house and animal lights exhibit! Reserve all of your tickets now.
Fall Foliage Cruise
Sometimes on the weekends, I just want to relax in nature and we can’t always do that in the city. The Fall Foliage Cruises are a great way to fulfill this desire because you can see all of NYC and the leaves changing, while experiencing a great meal. They have drinks, as well! This also makes for a great date! Cruises run between 2.5 hours to 3.5 hours, depending on which you sign up for. Sail along the Hudson River in the crisp fall air. It’s one of my favorite things to do for a date night in the autumn season. It’s always a good time!
The Great Jack O Lantern Blaze
It’s back! Located in Hudson Valley or on LI, you can see thousands of carved pumpkins light up in the night. The magical walk through experience is perfect for families or even a fall date night. Tickets are available now and they have free parking! Check it out this holiday season!
Manhattan Vintage Show
We all know how much I love finding vintage finds and admire vintage flair. This is a ticketed event running October 20th, 21st and 23rd. A few cool things to note are there will be a dj, onsite tailor, photobooth, fitting rooms and more!
Annual Pumpkin Flotilla
If you don’t know what this is, basically it where you can bring your carved pumpkins and watch them set sail in Central Park! It’s actually adorable, they light them so they can be seen at night! This is a totally free event, no tickets necessary, either. There will be plenty of activities and entertainment, as well. So bring your pumpkin and have a great time!
Pier 17 Pumpkin Arch
Welcome to the annual event for the Pumpkin Fest at The Seaport! All month long, there will be Halloween activities and things to see. First and foremost, the pumpkin arch is back on Pier 17. This is a the best spot to get pictures! You’ll be able to spot it until November 7th on the northside of the pier. Make an afternoon out of it and dine at the delicious restaurants over there or check out a movie at the Seaport Cinema.
Color Factory Haunted Hues
It’s time for the Haunted Hues! To celebrate the spooky season, they will be having treats, scavenger hunts, photo opportunities and their very own version of a pumpkin patch! This is a fantastic spot to have a family friendly day and the Halloween fun is even better.
La Fête du Champagne
I love a good party! It’s a champagne celebration! October 25th-28th, you can purchase tickets to events that are still available. Everything is listed on their site and it’s a fabulous reason to dress up and enjoy some drinks!
NY Film Festival
The New York Film Festival is at Lincoln Center until October 15th! The lineup is phenomenal and tickets are still available! I think this is one of the most fun things to experience in the city, as it’s not something you get to see just anywhere. I love supporting the arts and this is a great way to do so!
Trick or Twirls
The most adorable Tutu School in Lenox Hill is having a sweet event on the 28th from 2:30-4PM! There will be crafts, twirls and trick or treating! If you have a little one who loves to dance, this event and studio is for you! Be sure to RSVP to: [email protected] if you plan on attending.
Comic Con
Comic and pop culture fans– New York Comic Con is back October 12th-16th at the Javits Center! There’s a great lineup of guests and plenty of occasions for photo ops. There are panels, exhibitors and the artists alley to explore. Now is the perfect time to get tickets, it’s always best to be prepared!
For more NYC things to do, visit here!
