Well, New York City, we've hit our October stride. We've gotten halfway through October, and now that the weather's perfect outside, we must ask the tough questions.
Like, have you been on a boat cruise? Have you attended a film festival? Have you taken the time to gaze at the foliage over the rivers? Have you left the city at all yet?
The reason we're asking is that there's a ton going on in NYC for fall. There's a ton going on in Queens, a lot going on in Brooklyn, and autumn is clearly going wild in Manhattan.
We even let you know what's up on Staten Island. We know that Staten Island is a part of the five boroughs, but still.
We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Long Island, Westchester, and Hoboken.
We know, we know, Hoboken is in New Jersey, but many people consider Long Island, Westchester, and Hoboken more New York than Staten Island. Are we one of those people? Well, no. We're just passing along a message. Don't shoot the messenger.
Read on to discover what you've absolutely got to day trip out of NYC to do in Westchester, Long Island, and Hoboken this fall.
Hoboken
1. Hoboken Harvest Festival (October 17th)
standardburger Come see the Standard Burger Mobile Seth tomorrow at the Hoboken Harvest Festival! Bring the kids bring the fam! 11am to 3pm. @standardburger @hoboken #hobokenharvestfestival #hoboken #pettingzoo #hayride #pumpkin #pumpkinpicking #artsandcrafts #maze
We have a fabulous idea. How about you all get on those PATH trains and get to the Hoboken Harvest Festival. Are you wondering why you should go? We've got the lowdown on that for you right here.
The Hoboken Harvest Festival, taking place on Saturday, October 17th at Pier A Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. is all the rage in Hoboken this fall. We mean it. Everyone who's anyone will be there.
So, what we mean is that you should be there too. There will be pumpkin painting and decorating, hay rides, a hay maze, pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, and live music.
We told you it'd be awesome, didn't we? The best part is, it's totally free. All you have to do to be a part of it is show up.
2. Connect the Waterfront (October 22nd)
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Do you love the water over the NYC skyline?
We thought so. If you come to Connect the Waterfront in Hoboken on October 22nd, you'll spend a night on the water, enjoying music, dancing, entertainment, and delicious food and drinks.
There will be an open bar, Zafra Kitchens will serve Latin Dishes, and Emily and the Ideals will be playing music. Two developers who made Maxwell Place Park possible will be honored with the 3rd annual Riparian Award.
Your admission ticket will held fund the completion of Hoboken's waterfront, which is a great way to kill two birds with one stone. Since, you know, you'll also get to have a blast. The event will go down from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Hoboken's Elk Club (1005 Washington Street).
Get your tickets here.
Westchester
3. Pumpkin Festival at the Hill-Hold Museum (October 17th)
skfiles Hill Hold Museum #wildaboutbarns #pocket_farms #farm #country #rural_love #rsa_rural #bpa_rural #bpa_nature #naturehippys #nature_wizards #nature_skyshotz #ig_4every1 #ig_country #ig_supershotz #instaview #instaamici #ipulledoverforthis #nothingisordinary #the_humdrum_chronicles #spring #endless_nature #trb_country #bpa_rural #historic #museum #hillholdmuseum #orangecounty ##pocket_farms #pocket_farms_fences
Got your pumpkin yet? No? Well don't worry. There's hope for you yet.
The Pumpkin Festival, held at the Hill-Hold Museum on October 17th will hook you right up. There will be pumpkin rolling, pumpkin painting, a guess-the-weight-of-the-pumpkin competition, scarecrow making, leaf waxing, face painting, and a hayride.
If you're thirsty, you can buy refreshments. The admission, however, is free. Which is dope. The Hill-Hold Museum is at 128 Route 416. See you there?
4. Jay Ghoul's House of Curiosities (until November 1st)
jadorenewyorkxo Spooky Halloween weekend continues at Lyndhurst Mansion! Jay Ghoul's House of Curiosities! #lyndhurst #tarrytown #westchester #upstate #newyork #Halloween #jayghouls #lyndhurstmansion #hudsonvalley #castle #horror #blackandwhite #beautiful
The Lyndhurst Mansion (635 South Broadway) is populated by long-dead family members, and they want to lead you on a spooky tour of their house. You in?
Who else populates this house? Well, that's an excellent question. You've got Maleficent, Dracula, Henry VII, the characters from Harry Potter, and a really wicked witch.
You'll get a half-hour spooky performance and tour from this terrifying cast of characters through the first floor and basement of the Lyndhurst mansion. You'll get to inside this spectacular gothic castle from the inside.
There will also be refreshments served in the Carriage House, which you can enjoy in the beautifully lit courtyard. Get your tickets here.
,Long Island
5. Oyster Festival (October 17th - October 18th)
Do you love oysters?
Yeah, we do, too. They're delicious right? Here's how we feel about the whole situation with the Long Island Oyster Festival: We don't totally dig the LIRR very much, but we think this festival is worth the trip.
It's the East Coast's largest waterfront festival, and will have more than 200,000 attendees. Will you be one of them?
There will be Tall Ships, top-notch artisans, pirate shows, midway rides, and of course the oyster eating and shucking contest.
What we're really excited for, though, is the Food Court, where volunteer chefs and culinary pros work side by side, serving clam, oyster, and other seafood concoctions. All proceeds from the food court sales directly benefit 25 local charities.
Admission is free, so, that's what's up. It'll go down on Saturday, October 17th and Sunday, October 16th from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1 West End in Oyster Bay.
6. Gateway's Haunted Playhouse (until October 31st)
Yes, Long Island does get spooky around Halloween. Yes, we think you should take the LIRR for this too. Or, if you already live on Long Island, great!
If you like being scared out of your wits, Gateway's Haunted Playhouse is the perfect evening activity for a weekend on Long Island. This spooky house is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. in October. It's so scary that, in fact, they don't recommend bringing any children under 12.
If you come to this haunted house, you'll probably hear yourself screaming the whole time. you might even wind up crying. They've got a ton of professional actors with realistic makeup and costumes. They'll tell you super freaky ghost stories on your walk through. All we can really say is, get ready.
Grab tickets here.
7. Bayville Scream Park (until November 8th)
Looking to get terrified on Long Island?
Great, that's what we're here for. The Bayville Scream Park was voted the "Scariest Haunted House," on Long Island for nine years. Does that give you an idea of how scary it is?
It's got five thrilling haunted attractions, plus, a Halloween pumpkin bounce, a pumpkin patch, and spooky gifts and treats for sale.
Those haunted attractions we were talking about? They've got "Bloodmorth" Haunted Mansion, a 3-D Funhouse of Fear, a Temple of Terror, Zombie Pirates, and Evil in the Woods. The point is, there's a lot going on.
They've open on weeknights and weekends, and they recommend coming on weeknights for shorter lines. Or, coming early on the weekends to get those shorter lines we mentioned. It's open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., but the box office closes at 10 p.m. Grab your tickets here.
Check out 7 Things You Have to Cross Off Your Manhattan Bucket List This Fall.
[Feature Image Courtesy Visit Sleepy Hollow]