When the Fall Season comes around people start planning Apple Picking and Pumpkin Picking Trips and start getting into the Halloween Spirit. Although many people head into New York City for Halloween events, I’m here to show you that experiencing Halloween in the Hudson Valley is a better choice. You will be surprised by all the incredible, and sometimes frightening, things that there is to do!

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Why Halloween in the Hudson Valley so Special?

Hey there, fellow Halloween enthusiasts! If you’re anything like me, you can’t help but get a little giddy as the leaves start to turn fiery shades of orange and red. That’s because, in the enchanting Hudson Valley, autumn doesn’t just mean apple cider and cozy sweaters – it means Halloween is on the horizon!

The Hudson Valley is one of the most popular places to visit during the Fall season and that is especially true for those who leaf peep and those who want to experience Halloween in the Hudson Valley. It has beautiful scenery and a lot of activities to do, that some people are surprised by how much there actually is to do.

Many people come to the Hudson Valley during the Halloween Season; most notably to visit the famous town of Sleepy Hollow that Ichabod Crane immortalized in his writings.

But Halloween in the Hudson Valley is not only celebrated in Sleepy Hollow or on October 31st, the spooky fun actually starts during September for many local attractions. From haunted houses to a spooky corn maze to scary ghost stories, the Historic Hudson Valley has something for everyone!

Things to do for Halloween in the Hudson Valley

Now, let’s set the stage. Picture the Hudson Valley in the fall – a mesmerizing landscape painted in shades of crimson and gold. This is where Halloween in the Hudson Valley gets its own special welcome.

If you are looking for things to do to celebrate Halloween in the Hudson Valley, then you should take a look at this list. Some may be familiar to you, but others may surprise you!

1. Explore a town with a spooky past during Halloween in the Hudson Valley

– Albany, NY

Ten Broeck Mansion is said to be haunted by spirits that do not only come out during Halloween time. Built during the late 1790s for General Abraham Ten Broeck and his wife, Elizabeth Van Rensselaer, after a fire destroyed their first home. Over the years, stories of ghostly apparitions have been whispered about unhappy spirits who are said to haunt the mansion’s halls and the grounds of this 18th century estate. Tours are available by advance reservations.

– Chester, NY

People visiting Oxford Depot Cemetery have reported dark figures chasing other visitors away, floating orbs of light that can sometimes be seen, footsteps heard from behind visitors at times, and the sound of phantom whistling. This may be one of the spookiest places to visit during Halloween in the Hudson Valley because it actually in a cemetery.

– Garrison, NY

Down river in Garrison NY, the Bird and Bottle Inn reportedly houses the ghost of Emily Warren, the woman who lived there originally. She is reported to roam the establishment and people claim to see a hazy figure and reportedly hear her singing. As a working establishment, this is a great place to visit during Halloween in the Hudson Valley.

– Goshen, NY

Goshen Historic Track is said to be haunted by the spirit of a jockey and his horse, who both drowned in the nearby lake early 1900s. They’ve been seen riding along the lake or chasing visitors through the dirt-road trails; other witnesses say the clip-clopping of ghostly horse hooves has come from seemingly nowhere.

– Hudson, NY

Spook Rock Road in Hudson is a place of legend, where it is said an Indian princess, her lover, and an angry sky god collided long ago to great and terrifying effect. This boulder on the road near Claverack Creek is said to be where a beautiful Indian Maiden and her lover from an opposing nation rest after she defied the will of her family to marry a man she didn’t love, and ran away together, stopping to rest on a boulder.

The story goes that the couple’s treachery so enraged the Sky-Holder God, that he sent torrential rain to flood the area and drown the couple. It’s said you can hear the princess moaning, at the boulder, as death carries her away, and that at night, you may catch a glimpse of her.

– Irvington, NY

• Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, historic home of the famed writer of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle,” is said to be haunted by Irving himself, as well as, his nieces, who used to take care of the home. Irving’s ghost has a reputation for pinching women, and his nieces tidy up after the museum is closed for the night.

• Church of St. Barnabas is allegedly haunted by two separate spirits, one is believed to be that of a former pastor and the other that of a former pastor’s wife, who died somewhere in the early 1900’s. She seems to be especially drawn to the children of pastors who live in the rectory and will visit them at night.

– Monroe, NY

• The McGarrah Stagecoach Tavern Inn in Monroe, NY has been the topic of several ghost-related television shows. What adds to the appeal is that this historic inn, from the late 1700s, is one of the oldest buildings in town. Now part of the Cornerstone Masonic Historical Society, the building has been there for over 200 years and is the “oldest Masonic lodge in all of New York.”

• Also located in Monroe, Museum Village houses over 2,000 books, letters and journals, as well as, artifacts from the 19th century. This may lend to the suspected paranormal activity that takes place on the property.

– Napanoch, NY

The Haunted Shanley Hotel has been described as the most haunted location of the East Coast. Public and private ghost tours are available, and you can even spend the night here, if you dare. This gentleman’s club turned bed and breakfast is said to be haunted by a former owner whose children passed away when they were very young. Several disembodied voices have been recorded, and the recordings are available for a listen on the hotel’s website. This is truly spooky and somewhat frightening!

– Newburgh, NY

Newburgh NY is known for many things: some good, some bad, but many people do not know about the haunted sighting at Downing Park.

Locals say they have seen the ghost of a little boy crying in the middle of the lake. They say he drowned here long ago. He also has been known to make bubbles in the water and scream when a child gets too close to the water’s edge.

Pine Plains, NY

Dutch’s Spirits was an underground complex that hid a distillery run by the mob during Prohibition. It was financed by gangster Dutch Schultz, and may be haunted by him, too. Visitors can book tours, and some have noticed an eerie feeling of being watched while there.

– Poughkeepsie, NY

• The historic Reformed Dutch Church of Poughkeepsie, built in 1921, is said to be haunted by the ghost of a former caretaker. Witnesses have heard the jingle of his keys and the tap of his fingers on his old office desk; his whistling has been heard in the gym and in the kitchen.

• Built in 1888, the Christ Episcopal Church is said to be haunted by apparitions and shadows that appear around the altar and elsewhere. These include:
  • an older female parishioner who appears in her Sunday clothes, sitting in a pew halfway back
  • a happy man who has appeared as an audibly laughing face floating in the air
  • a vanishing bat who causes the candles to go out
  • former church Rev. Alexander Cummings, who has been seen as an apparition on the bell tower steps and around the altar

• Sheahan Hall at Marist College is said to be haunted by a student named Shelly Sperling, who was killed in 1975 by Louis Acedevo, her rejected suitor. I wouldn’t tell the students that currently reside there, though.

READ MORE:
A Day in Poughkeepsie: What to do, see & eat

– Purchase, NY

• SUNY Purchase college is believed to be haunted in several spots, including its small cemetery, where strange noises and ghostly presences have been reported, and the house across from Starbucks, where resides, according to rumor, the ghost of an elderly man who hanged himself in the attic or the basement.
  • Another spot of interest to ghost seekers may be the Elephant Tree–it is said to have branches that sway without wind, perhaps due to the legend that someone was once hanged here, believed to possibly slaves or be a young girl who committed suicide. Lastly, the water tower is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a young boy who died in the water long ago.

• The Castle, Manhattanville College’s trademark, has many lost souls that still roam the halls. Originally, the castle was home to Mr. Whitelaw Reid, a millionaire. His three children died in the castle during a terrible fire, and still roam the hallways of the west room right where the painting of them is. Other strange occurrences include the temporary immobilization of tour guides while giving tours to students, cold spots and sensations of being watched while roaming the halls. There are several accounts of doors opening and closing by themselves.
  • Spellman Hall, the freshman dormitory building, is most famous for the Ghost of 118. It is said that back when the school was of a Catholic persuasion and the faculty of nuns lived on campus, one nun hung herself in her room, Spellman 118. Since then, the room has been renovated and combined with a surrounding room to accommodate the Resident Advisor.

Related Article: New York State Castles that are Hidden in Plain Sight

– Red Hook, NY

Blithewood Mansion was built by National Guard captain and real estate mogul Andrew C. Zabriskie, who commissioned four statues for his garden. Each statue would depict one of his four daughters. When tragedy struck and one of his daughters was killed falling out of a window of a New York City apartment, her statue went missing. Rumor has it that her ghost wanders the property in place of the missing statue. In 1951, the mansion was given to Bard College and has sprawling grounds and a beautiful garden overlooking the Hudson River.

– Rhinebeck, NY

There are so many things to do in Rhinebeck, but this one is quite unusual. The Clinton Community Library reportedly has ghosts that haunt the library no matter the hour. Visitors have heard whispering or books falling off of shelves. Their footsteps have been heard walking the library and climbing the stairs.

– Troy, NY

The West Hall of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,which currently houses the college’s arts department, was once a hospital with a psychiatric ward. If you find yourself around there after sundown, you may just hear the footsteps of Nurse Betsy as she checks on her patients in the ward. There have been reports of screaming, whining, and piano music, which apparently the nurse played to calm patients. According to legend, Betsy perished in a psych ward fire while trying to save her patients, and has been trapped there ever since.

– Wappingers Falls, NY

Miss Fanny’s Victorian Party House has been featured numerous times in paranormal television shows. Built circa 1870, the house is primarily significant for its unaltered interior. Filled with Gothic antiques and horror-film paraphernalia including a coffin, this home is said to be haunted by a menacing presence. Used now for special events and personal events, such as private events or small gatherings such as an unusual girls night out, showers, birthdays, meetings, photo shoots, and whatever else your imagination can muster up.

They also hold their own events throughout the year from ghost hunts to psychic, Halloween parties, and more.

– Warwick, NY

Silvio’s Italian Villa Restaurant is housed in a building that originally dates back to the 1700s. In 1972, Roy Vail’s sister was found murdered and Roy was rumored to be a suspect. Ten years later, he committed suicide in the Peach Room. Witnesses say doors open and close, objects are moved, the apparitions of a little girl and a cat are seen, and much more.

– Windham, NY

Captain’s Inn Point Lookout in Windham sits just off of Route 23, a sentinel on a cliff where on a clear day you can see mountain ranges in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Closed at the time of this posting, legend has it that inside Room 12 a woman was murdered and, ever since, strange activity has plagued the guests. From flickering lights to foul odors, to disembodied voices, guests have reported strange occurrences over the years.

2. Participate in a Trunk or Treat Event or Halloween Parade

Show off your best Halloween Costumes and the many local Trunk or Treat events. If this is your first time hearing about these Trunk or Treat events, its where you open the trunk of your car, add Halloween decorations and hand out candy to children dressed in their best costumes. While this is a fun and safe way to go trick or treating, this eliminates the need to venture out Halloween night.

Many local towns also host a Halloween parade to have the local children and family members enjoy the season. So put on your favorite costume and make this year’s Halloween in the Hudson Valley the best one yet!

If you’re looking for a fun way to celebrate Halloween in the Hudson Valley with your children/grandchildren/special children, then this is the way to do it. Several Trunk or treat events are listed in my Private FB Events Group.

3. Take a Tour of Haunted Locations

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Tours

The best known cemetery tour happens right in Sleepy Hollow, NY. The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery tour takes place during the day and in the evening. The Classic Daytime tour highlights Washington Irving’s contribution, as well as, Andrew Carnegie and William Rockefeller, who were also laid to rest here. Halloween in the Hudson Valley would not be the same without these tours.

They offer several different tours, while the Murder and Mayhem tour may be the most popular, taking place Saturday Evenings. This walk-through experience is so scary that it is not suitable for children under the age of 18. Get advance tickets here. This is probably one of the scariest tours to take during Halloween in the Hudson Valley.

The Haunted Shanley Hotel

The Haunted Shanley Hotel has been described as the most haunted location of the East Coast of the United States. Public and private ghost tours are available, and you can even spend the night here, if you dare. Make this year’s Halloween in the Hudson Valley the most memorable one yet!

Legends by Candlelight Ghost Tours

Located at Clermont State Historic Site, in Germantown, visitors will meet a horde of “ghosts” from Clermont’s past as they tell their stories of glory, loss, success, and failure. Some ghosts may be scary, some may be funny but all the stories they tell are true! These encounters take place on select days at the end of October. Click here for more information.

4. Watch a Halloween-Inspired Show

Irving’s ‘Legend’

Taking place from late September through Halloween, Irving’s ‘Legend’ is now performed outside under the stars at Washington Irving’s Sunnyside. Master storyteller Jonathan Kruk will cast a spell with dramatic performances of the classic tale. Live music and an appearance from the Headless Horseman himself make this a spooky spectacular experience for all ages. This Halloween in the Hudson Valley event requires walking. Tickets can be found here.

5. Visit Local Farms

In addition to picking fruit and pumpkins in a pumpkin patch, many Hudson Valley Farms offer so much more to celebrate Halloween in the Hudson Valley. Many celebrate with a costume parade through the farm, food trucks for everyone to enjoy and Halloween-inspired treats, such as pumpkin-flavored ice cream!

Celebrate Halloween in the Hudson Valley with these 10+ Events

A Very Fluffy Halloween

It’s their version of a Halloween fest – only way cuter. Enjoy this fun guided farm tour that lets you meet the animals of Lilymoore Farm and Dreaming of A Chance pigeon sanctuary. This year has more alpacas in Halloween costumes, goats too – who knows maybe the llamas will join in the fun this year. Enjoy Halloween in the Hudson Valley and come dressed up for the event. They do a great craft at the end of the farm tour. Select days at the end of October. Get tickets and learn more here.

Related Article: A Visit to Lilymoore Alpaca Farm you will not soon forget!

Bannerman Castle

During the Halloween Season, Bannerman Castle Island hosts their famous Halloween in the Hudson Valley movie event. This year they are showing Hocus Pocus. Information can be found under ‘Movie Nights at Bannerman Castle’.

Enjoy Halloween in the Hudson Valley in a whole new way. Information can be found here.

Related Article: Take a peek at Bannerman Castle located on the Hudson River

Boo at the Zoo

October 25th, 2024
Forsyth Nature Center, Kingston
Celebrate Halloween in the Hudson Valley in costume and join everyone for another Boo at the Zoo at Forsyth Nature Center in Kingston! This family friendly event will include a costume parade, fun decorations, and a MOVIE IN THE PARK!

READ MORE: A Visit to Forsyth Nature Center – Free Fun all year long

Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze

Located on the grounds of the Historic Van Cortlandt Manor, the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is a annual event that brings thousands of visitors. Taking place from September through Mid-November, discover a breathtaking display of more than 7,000 illuminated jack o’ lanterns, all the designs and hand-carved pumpkins on site are done by their team of artisans.

Tickets often sell out for an entry time on the weekend, so plan accordingly. This is a VERY popular Halloween in the Hudson Valley event!

If you are in Long Island, then Blaze: Long Island is for you! The spooky trail takes you along their Hall of Fame, Pumpkin Planetarium and more…

Related Article: Find out about the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze and see why it’s such a popular event.

Harvest Hunt

Select Saturdays and Sundays in October 2024
Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie
Calling all kids and families! Come to HARVEST HUNT at Locust Grove in Poughkeepsie during select Saturdays and Sundays in October.

A special story walk/scavenger hunt for over 30 decorated pumpkins hidden among the gardens and trees! Safe, fun, stroller and wheelchair friendly! From $10/person, kids under 4 are FREE. Check out their website for information and to purchase tickets.

Haunted Huguenot Street

Oct 11th – Oct 27th, 2024
Huguenot Street, New Paltz
Visit this year’s Haunted Huguenot Street program, led by Blandina Elmendorf who recently discovered her father Edward Cary had passed away at the Ulster County Poor House. As she tries to understand who her father was, you will be taken back to the year 1813 just days before Blandina’s baptism, and learn of the secrets of a family torn apart and what a father is willing to do for his child.

Tours take place:

• Friday, October 11 – Saturday, October 12
• Friday, October 18 – Saturday, October 19
• Friday, October 25 – Sunday, October 27*
  *Sunday tours will take place at the earlier time slots of 3 PM, 4 PM, 5 PM, and 6 PM

Headless Horseman Escape Rooms

Located in Ulster Park on State Route 9W, The Headless Horseman Escape Rooms are fully interactive and an immersive experience unlike anything you have ever done before. No longer do you sit back and watch the show… now you are 100% part of it. The minimum capacity of each room is 6 and maximum capacity of 12, so bring a group and have fun! Learn more about it here.

Headless Horseman Haunted Attractions

Named #1 in America, the Headless Horseman Attractions in Ulster Park celebrates 30 years of frightening the public. With a haunted walking trail and 9 additional attractions, this is a popular destination of many. Although they have stopped doing the Headless Horseman Hayrides, there is still plenty to see and do and this event.

In addition to their regular schedule, they also off Children’s Day Activities two times during their season, which includes their popular Magic Moon Maze.

Home of the ‘Legend’

Taking place between Mid-September through Mid-November, this family-friendly event takes you on a tour of the home of Washington Irving, decorated for Autumn, as well as, providing a shadow puppet short film and games on the lawn. A special exhibit highlights how the Legend has lived in the imagination of popular culture through the centuries since its publication. Tickets information can be found here.

Kevin McCurdy’s Haunted Mansion

Located in Wappingers Falls, Kevin McCurdy’s Haunted Mansion consists of a haunted trail, The Asylum and the popular Wicked Woods returns, consisting of The Funhouse, Dark Nature, Lost Souls Cemetery, Merry Krampus and more… This event is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings in October.

Lyndhurst after Dark

From October 17th – 20th and 24th – 27th, 2024, go and experience Halloween in the Hudson Valley, the history of the mansion and explore Victorian lore in the glow of an October evening; Lyndhurst After Dark! This is an experience through the Mansion in the evening hours, that will discuss the slightly darker side of history through those who lived at Lyndhurst. A limited number of tickets are available for each timed event and tickets do sell out, so buy your tickets here.

Haunted History Lantern Tours

Stop by the Pine Bush UFO & Paranormal Museum where this program invites guests to the mysterious and haunted locations that exist within the hamlet of Pine Bush. Once evening falls, guests will be guided by lantern light to these historic locations in town and revel in the findings of local ghost investigations provided by acclaimed paranormal author, Linda Zimmermann.

No Scare Halloween

All the same Halloween spirits with no scare. Come to Museum Village in Monroe, on October 26th & 27th, dressed in costume to enjoy games, a costume parade and crafts.

Nyack Halloween Parade

On October 28th, 2023, Downtown Nyack will host a Halloween Parade. Don your most daring costume and join us in Nyack for a frighteningly fun Halloween Parade on October 26th, 2024 at 5:30pm! (Rain Date: October 27th). Get more information about this great Halloween in the Hudson Valley event here.

Peace, Love and Pumpkins

Located on the grounds of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, you will find this enchanting walk-thru Halloween experience. During this walk-thru experience, guests will wind through the garden trails of beautiful Bethel Woods, highlighting thousands of unique hand-carved jack-o-lanterns and glowing themed pumpkin art. Two nights, they offer Friday Night Frights where scary things await.

Prison of Horrors

Located in Warwick at the Hudson Sports Complex, this event takes place select days in October. The complex is known far and wide as a home for the paranormal. Whether it be the ghosts of the children who never found reformation in its halls or the convicted who died within its walls, something at Hudson Sports Complex demands to be heard, and sometimes, even seen… or felt. Tickets can be purchased here.

Pure Terror Scream Park

Pure Terror Scream Park is known as New York’s scariest haunted house and the worlds longest overall walk-through haunted attraction holding the current Guinness World Record. With 10 scary haunted houses at one massive location, in addition to a food court, gift shop, music and FREE photo ops with unusual monsters on the Midway, it’s no wonder that this is a popular destination for many enthusiasts of Halloween in the Hudson Valley. Running weekends in October, this event is not for the faint at heart.

Rosendale Theatre

Located on Main Street in Rosendale, Rosendale Theatre hosts several showings of Halloween-inspired films, including Poltergeist on October 26th, 2024. This is definitely a fun way to spend Halloween in the Hudson Valley.

Sugar Loaf Halloween Festival

Taking place at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center, this Halloween in the Hudson Valley festival takes place on October 26th, 2024. Trunk or treat starts at 11am. The event features a hay ride, witches meet and greet, witches sorting ceremony, hay maze, scavenger hunt, trick or treating and so much more…

Witchingtonville After Dark

When most of us think of Halloween events, we think of child-focused gatherings that cater to the sweet side of the festivity. Witchingtonville After Dark is about to change all of that on the night of October 12th, 2024 from 5pm – 10pm, in the center of Washingtonville. Designed to entertain teens and adults, Witchingtonville After Dark mirrors a haunted carnival and has all of the attractions you’d expect — and more!

Witchingtonville Before Dark

Located in Washingtonville, this is a family fun Halloween in the Hudson Valley event, especially for the littles! On October 13th, 2024 from 12pm – 4pm, have fun at Witchingtonville during the day. Sensory-Friendly Event: 11:00am – 11:30am

Do Not Miss Out on These Exciting Activities for an Epic Halloween in the Hudson Valley

If you wait until October 30th to make your plans, then you will definitely miss out because Halloween in the Hudson Valley is a big deal!

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Tips for Having a Memorable Halloween in the Hudson Valley:

• Make sure to confirm ALL INFORMATION on the corresponding websites before making plans
• Many of these events are rain or shine
• Many events during Halloween in the Hudson Valley also sell out quickly, so buy your tickets early.
• Double check each events video and photography policy. Some allow both, one or none at all.
• Be prepared for any kind of weather and dress appropriately. Here are some items that may help.

Until the Next Adventure…

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