Best Haunted Houses in NYC for Halloween 2026

Halloween in New York means peak season for the city's haunted houses, scare mazes, and dark-history tours, plus a cluster of Hudson Valley attractions close enough for a day trip. This guide rounds up attractions confirmed to run in fall 2026, with addresses, dates, and prices verified directly from each operator's official site. Expect $20-$30 for a walking ghost tour up to $100-plus for a VIP scream-park pass.

This isn't a ranked "scariest" list — it's practical. Some picks are gory, actor-heavy haunts; others are family-friendly pumpkin spectacles or ghost tours with zero jump scares. Read each pick's "Best for" line before booking, especially with kids or mobility, light-sensitivity, or claustrophobia concerns.

How to use this guide

• Most indoor haunts (Blood Manor, Pure Terror) are not recommended for children under 12-14 and involve strobe lights, fog, and tight spaces — check each site's age guidance before buying.
• Outdoor Hudson Valley attractions (Blaze, Headless Horseman Hayrides) require comfortable shoes; trails are uneven and only lightly lit.
• Prices below are base adult admission confirmed on official sites for the 2026 season; taxes, fees, and VIP upgrades are extra almost everywhere.
• Dates and hours change due to weather and demand — always confirm your exact night on the operator's own calendar before you drive or buy non-refundable tickets.
• If you're combining a haunt with other fall plans, see our fall things to do in NYC guide or build a whole fall date night around it.
• For the Hudson Valley attractions, you'll need a car or a Metro-North train plus local transport — check our day trips from NYC by train guide for logistics.

In Manhattan

Blood Manor has scared Manhattan since the 2000s, spread across roughly 10,000 square feet of themed rooms in a converted Tribeca building. The 2026 calendar runs through Halloween weekend with regular and student-discount nights, plus charity events like the long-running Hallowscream benefit 1. It's walk-through only, actors don't touch guests, and it's not recommended for kids under 14. Check the official dates-and-hours calendar before booking, since nightly hours shift by date 2.

In the outer boroughs

Now in its sixth season, Twisted Trails is a community-run walk-through trail haunt themed "Rise of the Giants" for 2026, with new oversized character builds 3. It's a lower-key, lower-price alternative to the Manhattan haunts, and some sessions run without actors for younger visitors — check the site's calendar for which nights are actor-free.

Green-Wood is an active cemetery, so there are no costumes or scare actors — just guided after-dark walks past mausoleums, with several themed options this fall. Green-Wood After Hours (Oct 25) and the Moonlight Tour (Oct 26) are both $30 4; Hereafter Hours ($45) includes Catacombs access on Oct 30 and Oct 31 5; and Nightfall, a 21-and-over spectacle on Oct 23 (rain date Oct 24), runs $70-$95 6. Masks and costumes aren't permitted.

This woman-run outfit runs researched, history-based walking tours rather than jump-scare haunts, covering everything from Haunted Brooklyn Heights to Spiritualists of Green-Wood Cemetery to the Greenwich Village ghost tour 7. It's a good low-intensity option for a date or group that wants atmosphere without anyone jumping out of the dark. Check the schedule page for exact October 2026 dates.

Hudson Valley day trips

Blaze is the Hudson Valley's best-known fall attraction: a self-paced half-mile outdoor walk past more than 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins arranged into dinosaurs, a working carousel, and other displays, with a synchronized soundtrack 8. It's not a scare attraction, so it works for all ages; visits run 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on whether you add the Gourd & Goblet Tavern or Headless Horseman's Hideaway 9.

This is a daytime live-action "whodunit," not a nighttime scare maze: a guide walks you through Philipsburg Manor as costumed characters present alibis for Ichabod Crane's disappearance, with the Headless Horseman making an appearance 10. Recommended for ages 8+, with one stretch in low light — a gentler option for families.

This sprawling, 65-plus-acre property combines a tractor-pulled hayride (new for 2026: "The Cursed Earth of Crow Hollow"), a corn maze, and several haunted houses on one ticket 11. The full visit takes 2-2.5 hours, with two Children's Day dates (Oct 3 and 17) toned down for younger visitors 12.

A Guinness World Records holder for longest haunted attraction, Pure Terror packs 10 haunted houses — including a new "Gargoyle Den" for 2026 — onto one property, with no timed entry slots, so you can arrive any time before gates close 13. It's best suited to dedicated haunt fans, and it's not ADA-accessible due to uneven outdoor terrain.

Fright Fest turns the park into a nighttime horror event with scare zones, live shows, and nine haunted mazes, four new for 2026, including a Friday the 13th maze ("JASON: Blood Reign") and a Final Destination maze 14. Not recommended under 13; the mazes need a separate paid pass on top of park admission.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to buy haunted house tickets in advance?

For nearly every attraction here, yes. Indoor haunts sell timed slots that sell out on weekends, and the Hudson Valley attractions state no or very limited tickets at the door.

Are these haunted houses appropriate for kids?

Most indoor haunted houses and scare mazes are not recommended for children under 12-14 due to intense content, strobe lighting, and live actors. Family-friendly alternatives include The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, The Headless Horseman Files (ages 8+), and the Children's Day events at Headless Horseman Hayrides and Twisted Trails.

Can I get to the Hudson Valley attractions without a car?

Van Cortlandt Manor and Philipsburg Manor are reachable via Metro-North's Hudson Line with a short cab from the station. Pure Terror, Headless Horseman Hayrides, and Six Flags are much easier with a car.

What should I wear to an outdoor haunt or hayride?

Closed-toe, comfortable shoes are a must — trails and pumpkin paths are uneven, grassy, and lit only for atmosphere. Dress for the actual nighttime temperature, since most of these events run rain or shine with no refunds for weather.

Are any of these tours actually scary, or just historical?

Green-Wood's and Boroughs of the Dead's tours lean on real history and storytelling rather than actors jumping out at you. For actual scares, stick to Blood Manor, Pure Terror, Headless Horseman Hayrides, or the Six Flags mazes.

Where can I check if a date is sold out before driving out of the city?

Every attraction above sells tickets through its own official site, linked in each entry — check there directly rather than relying on third-party listing sites, which are sometimes outdated on dates and prices.

Plan the rest of your night

Pair a haunted house with dinner and drinks beforehand, or turn the whole evening into a themed date — see our fall date ideas in NYC for inspiration. If your group wants to burn off adrenaline afterward, check best places to dance in NYC; if you'd rather explore more under-the-radar spots this season, our hidden gems in NYC guide has ideas beyond the obvious haunts. For more seasonal events happening around the same dates, browse /events.