Community Corner
Fun Halloween Day Trips for the Whole Family
Celebrate Halloween with these entertaining, spooky and all-around fun excursions.
Halloween is only a week away. Before you indulge in a night of trick-or-treating with a bevy of ghost, goblins and ghouls, make time for your family to enjoy these great Halloween-themed day trips:
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
540 N. Broadway
Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591
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(914) 631-0081
Why Go
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One of the creepiest new shows on television, Sleepy Hollow, takes place here. Families on a lantern-guided evening tour wander through the historic cemetery visiting famous “residents” of bygone days, such as Andrew Carnegie, members of the Rockefeller and Astor families and Washington Irving. And the Headless Horseman? Well, this cemetery is the stomping grounds of Washington Irving’s beloved, beheaded character, which inspired the new hit show. For those looking for a film crew sighting, don’t bother. Jim Logan, the cemetery’s superintendent, says most filming is done elsewhere. “The flyover sequence shows the Tappan Zee Bridge and there is a brief glimpse of the Old Dutch church,” he says.
Insider Tip
The tour is just under two hours, so wear comfortable shoes. Scared of the dark? Try the daytime tour instead.
Must Do
The receiving vault. Christina Orban-La Salle, director of visitor services, says, “The receiving vault is pretty spooky. Before the invention of the backhoe, bodies had to be stored in the vault.”
The Fine Print
The tour admission is $24.99. Tours available during October and November, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays at both 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Lasdon Park
2610 Route 35
Katonah, NY 10536
(914) 864-7268
Why Go
Lionel trains cruise through a haunted house, but they’re not scary enough to truly frighten younger children. An expansive Lionel Train exhibition is presented within a Halloween backdrop, complete with spooky houses, Nightmare Before Christmas features and miniature props. “The main house is decorated for Halloween, with scary elements, but no blood and guts. It does offer a good little scare,” says Ted Kozlowski, manager of Lasdon Park and Arboretum. “We have witches and ghosts in the house. The display is loosely based on House on Haunted Hill, but without the gore.”
Insider Tip
Don’t miss the smaller library offering a Thomas the Train display that children may operate themselves. Gift shops often cater to adults, but Lasdon Park offers specialty items for children as well.
Must Do
Especially created for younger children, a small maze made of bales of hay is near the garden shop, which also has flowers, snacks and candy for sale.
The Fine Print
You can’t beat the price of admission here. Only $2 admission for children ages 2 to 12 and $5 for adults. Open this Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Outhouse Orchards
139 Hardscrabble Road
Croton Falls, NY 10519
(914) 277-3188
Why Go
A crossword puzzle-driven corn maze and an ample supply of apples. For those hankering for a milder Halloween event, plenty of pumpkins are ready to pick. Children can choose their favorite for the front steps… or to transform into a spooky jack-o'-lantern. While last year’s maze incorporated the shapes of a ghost and witch, this year’s treats youngsters to an expansive maze integrating a barn, an apple tree and a host of farm animals.
“We have a five-and-a-half acre corn maze, with children using a crossword puzzle as their guide to discovering clues to the maze,” says Chrissy Schenkewitz, an assistant at the orchard.
Insider Tip
The apples are plentiful now, but the apple variety is wider the sooner you get picking. There is a $5 fee for parking.
Must Do
Take a hayride around the farm. It’s not too often kids get a chance to ride a tractor. Everyone will not only a fun experience, but will also enjoy the view of the surrounding Hudson Valley. Taste the hot apple cider, too.
The Fine Print
Open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; $25 includes a bag full of picked apples. Corn maze and hayride are $7 and $4 per person, respectively.
Thousands and thousands of hand-carved illuminated jack-o'-lanterns. Visitors can traverse a seemingly endless display of creatively carved—and brightly lit—pumpkins. Replete with slinking snakes fashioned from pumpkins, giant spider webs and jumping jack-in-the boxes, the historic 18th century Van Cortlandt Manor site this year has added a pterodactyl and brontosaurus to its Jurassic Park display. “The Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze is one of the biggest Halloween events and the No. 1 draw for families in the area,” says Jim Logan, superintendent of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
Insider Tip
Runs through Nov. 11 but tickets sell out quickly. Some paths are narrow, slightly sloped and unpaved, so plan footwear accordingly.
Must Do
The art of the pumpkin exhibit. This is a first at the Van Cortlandt Manor annual blaze. Sculpture, inspired by pumpkins, created by local artists and chosen by a panel of experts will be on display.
The Fine Print
Adults, $16; Children 3 to 17, $12 (Saturdays $20, $16), free for children under 3 + members. Open October through Nov. 11.
Jay Ghoul’s House of Curiosities and Scarecrow Invasion
Lyndhurst
635 S. Broadway
Tarrytown, NY 10591
(914) 631-4481
Why Go
A haunting trip through a real Gothic castle, the residence of Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows. Once home to railroad mogul Jay Gould, this house was also used as the setting for two Dark Shadows movies, filmed in the 1970s. Halloween celebrants are treated to an evening journey through Jay Ghoul’s House of Curiosities.
“Actors, cast as crazy family members, perform tongue-in-cheek scenarios as they escort guests throughout the house. “The tour is simultaneously eerie, scary and beautiful,” explains Christine Plazas, manager of events planning. “There is an opportunity to go into the mansion cellar, which is gorier and scarier. But people with younger children can leave the tour to avoid the scarier element.”
For an additional $10, guests take a 15-minute ride around the property in an old-fashioned horse-driven wagon.
Insider Tip
Visiting the carriage house is free, and includes a film exhibit on the original Dark Shadows. If you’re going to the haunted house tour, be sure to arrive 20 minutes early.
Must Do
The scarecrow invasion. The grounds of Lyndhurst act as the home to hundreds of scarecrows, erected by local school children and area businesses. Admission is free during the week, but a $5 grounds fee is collected on weekends.
The Fine Print
Oct. 25, 26, 27 and 31 and Nov. 1, 2 and 3. Tours begin every 15 minutes, starting at 6 p.m. Admission, Saturdays and Sundays: adults $25, children 12 and under $20; Fridays: adults, $20, children 12 and under, $18.
Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture
630 Bedford Road
Pocantico Hills, NY 10591
(914) 366-6200
Why Go
Who doesn’t love farm animals, a picturesque landscape and sustainable farming? The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture has all of that and more. Bring the family and watch farming happen before your eyes while checking out chicken, sheep and pigs in their element. For some bits about the farm that you won’t get from the brochure, explore the property alongside a tour guide. The whole family can do hands-on activities like gardening and egg collecting while on the tour. If you'd rather go at your own pace while learning and teaching your kids along the way, be sure to pick up the scavenger hunt clues for a self-guided tour or download the Stone Barns Center app to help lead your exploration.
Insider Tip
Dress in comfy clothes and even cushier shoes because this adventure entails lots of walking. For the total farm experience, plan a weekend trip there for egg collecting, open to children 2 to 14 and adults. Closed-toe shoes are required for this activity. For families hoping to pick up some farm-fresh produce, dairy, meats, eggs or baked goods, schedule your family trip for a Sunday when the farm market is open, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Must Do
Don't miss the Blue Hill Cafe or Blue Hill at Stone Barns culinary experiences. Since outside food is not permitted on the premises, families can take advantage of the two eateries. All foods made are seasonal, local and mostly grown right on the Stone Barns farm. Get the ultimate food experience at the Blue Hill at Stone Barns where a menu doesn't exist. Instead, the kitchen uses the harvest to cook up a multicourse “farmer's feast.”
The Fine Print
The center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. While there is no admission fee, parking costs $5 per vehicle. Anyone aged 2 and up can collect eggs for a $12 fee, both adults and youth.
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