Forget the fairy princess costumes and buckets of candy.
That's child's play, and you're better than that.
True revelers of Halloween know that it's all about getting the crap scared out of you. And even better, watching your favorite people lose it with you.
New York City has not shortages of scares, and these are the top spots to go get your scream on for Halloween in the city.
1. Blood Manor (163 Varick Street – Hudson Square)
bloodmanornyc Do you believe in magic? He does! #bloodmanor #magicicians #geturscareon #geturwowon #mindblown
Enter Blood Manor, which immerses you in over 5,000 square feet of good ol’ fashioned terror. The master of the house is welcoming all to experience the twisted halls and dark rooms through November 7th. Well, before he comes chasing you with a chainsaw, that is.
Now in its eleventh year, Blood Manor has become one of the NYC go-to’s for anyone looking to challenge their mettle.
[anad]
All new this year they’re opening up new areas like The Crypt, a maze where the undead stalk your every step, and Hannibal’s Hell, a graphic exposé highlighting 1,000 different blood-soaked ways to meet your maker.
And at their special "Lights Out Nights", take on the manor with just a glow-stick to guide you as things wait to greet you in the dark.
2. New York Haunted Hay Ride (1 Randall's Island Park)
What harm can a Hallow's Eve hayride do, you say? Climb on this tractor-drawn hay wagon and find out! After seven years of scaring Los Angeles, they are making their debut ride in the Big Apple this year.
Whisking you through meandering paths of a fantasy forest gone wrong, your ghoulish host will tell an original and creepy tale that brings each scare together. Whether you’re outrunning psychopathic clowns or dodging the demonically possessed, it’s anything but a ride through the park.
Running up to October 31st, the house has garnered much media attention and even scored an investment from the widely popular Shark Tank. All aboard?
3. Times Scare (669 8th Avenue – Times Square)
wearefuckagenre At #Tsgo productions #event at #timesscare. Waiting for the #show to begin. Shouts to #Emileena for putting it together.
There’s finally a legitimate reason to venture into Times Square, which can be quite a scary experience in itself! However, this is no run-of-the-mill tourist trap. Although open all year, Halloween is when they put on their best to make even the locals wet themselves.
[anad2]
Masked as a haunted hotel from the bawdy days of the roaring 20s, this tour becomes terror when you find yourself surrounded in a gore-filled psych ward with a slew of insane inhabitants.
They also boast a Kill Bar, where you can load up on various potions and brews before your tour. Liquid courage, if you will. You’ll need it.
,4. Astoria’s Haunted Mansion (22-51 29th Street – Queens)
astoriamusicarts Big thanks to our first two local sponsors! #Burnsidebiscuits and #rockymcbrides thank you for helping make our nightmares come true!!
Astoria’s first-ever haunted house gears up for its opening two nights on October 30th and 31st, an effort to create a new Halloween tradition for the neighborhood.
Six horror-themed rooms set the scene while an eerie live band provides the spooky soundtrack for the explorers who dare to venture inside.
[anad]
Plus, the suggested $5 donation to get in is only part of the allure. Numerous volunteers and actors have come out in support to make the inaugural house something to be remembered. Come and check out what Astoria is hoping will be a new thrill-seeker Halloween hotspot for years to come.
5. Nightmare New York (107 Suffolk Street)
Breaking from their usual traditional of sending unsuspecting locals into a horrific multi-level maze, this year the team of Nightmare is presenting a Horror Show Theater Festival, eight terrifying plays that are said to be even scarier than the actual haunted houses they usually do!
Take your seat at the Flamboyan Theater at The Clemente and prepare for a visual spectacle like no other. Shows are given nightly through October 31st. Make no mistake: you are no safer in the theater seats than if you were making it through another bloody maze. Now, you just have nowhere to run…
6. Gravesend Inn (186 Jay Street – Brooklyn)
mfheadliner Went to the New York City college of technology #theatreworks #haunted #house tonight. It was cheesy and amazing and i totally jumped 3 times. I can't believe it's a college course where you build a haunted house for your grade. #college #hauntedhouse #gravesendinn #ahauntedhotel #brooklyn #spooky #newyorkcitycollegeoftechnology
Situated in the appropriately named Voorhees Theater, the acclaimed high-tech haunted hotel makes its return to Downtown Brooklyn. Although it’s light on the blood and gore, the scares and visual effects make it a must-see this Halloween.
[anad2]
With an amusement park haunted house flair, Gravesend Inn is open the nights of the last week of October, culminating to a dramatic and chilling end on Halloween night. Will you be able to tell what’s real and what’s not? Test your eyes, and your spine.
Check out 11 Halloween Flicks You Can Netflix & Chill to This Month.
[Feature Image Courtesy of New York Haunted Hayride]