Halloween Fun in New York City

Halloween doesn't just have to be about soaping windows, toilet papering yards, smashing pumpkins and going from house to house collecting candy, it can also be about family enjoying some good ole' Halloween fun on the town. By good ole' Halloween fun I'm referring to hayrides, haunted houses, storytelling, costume contests and much more.

If you plan on being in New York City this Halloween, then load up the family and enjoy some of that good ole' Halloween fun that New York City has to offer. You can start your adventure on October 20 through the 21 at the Bronx Zoo Halloween event, which is located on Fordham Road and the Bronx River Parkway in Bronx, New York. While attending Boo at the Zoo, your family will enjoy magic shows, spooky stories, costume parades, hayrides, musical entertainment, creepy critters and more. Then on October 27 through the 28, from 10:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., another Boo at the Zoo Halloween event will be held at The Central Park Zoo on 64th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York. At The Central Park Zoo, your family will get to watch as the animals trick-or-treat. Other festivities will include face painting, a costume contest for children 12 and under, a spooky show in haunted habitat at 1:30 p.m., a scavenger hunt in the zoo, crafts and more.

In Staten Island, New York, beginning October 27 (6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.) and lasting until October 28 (5:30p.m. to 9:00 p.m.), you and your family can head to 614 Broadway for the annual Spooktacular Halloween event at Staten Island Zoo. Spooktacular will be filled with plenty of Halloween fun for everyone in the family! For ticket information and directions, visit the Staten Island Zoo website.

Safe and educational Halloween fun will await your family on October 20 through the 21, October 27 through the 28 and again on Halloween night at the New York Aquarium's Halloween at the A-scariumny. Not only will you be educated about monsters, but you and your family will also enjoy games, prizes, arts and crafts, face painting and more. Don't forget to give the family a traditional Halloween scare by taking them for a ride on the 3D Halloween ride. The New York Aquarium can be found on Surf Avenue and West 8th Street in Brooklyn, New York.

Dress up the kids and head to the 12th Annual Spooktacular Halloween Celebration at the American Museum of Natural History on Halloween night. Once there, Curious George®, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Winnie the Pooh and many other fantasy characters will greet you and your children. The children, of course, will also enjoy an evening of treat-or-treating, arts and crafts and lots more Halloween fun. The fun begins at 4:00 p.m. and ends at 7:00 p.m.. For directions and ticket information, visit the American Museum of Natural History website.

Take your family to the second largest parade in New York on Halloween night. The parade will kick off at 5:00 p.m. and is sponsored by Jackson Heights Beautification Group. New York's second largest Halloween parade on 37th Avenue will run from 89th street to 77th street.

Finally, you can't end Halloween until you've visited two of the most scariest haunted habitats in New York City that are sure to give you the scare you're seeking:

Witness a live execution and much more as you tour Blood Manor on foot. They say there's only one way to escape alive. Can you can discover that way out? Remember, upon entering Blood Manor, it's total darkness!

Blood Manor, New York City's premier haunted attraction, is located on 542 West 27th Street. See the Blood Manor website for more information, a video trailer, ticket prices and much more. Not recommended for young children, and children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

If you're looking for a classic haunted house drop by Nightmare -- Ghost Stories, located at Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center. Enter into a ghost story and see if you can find your way out of the Maze before it's too late!

Other than the above mentioned, there is much more Halloween fun to be had in New York City. If you'd like to find out about the many other Halloween events and haunted houses that await your presence in New York, then visit Google and search for "New York haunted houses," "Halloween fun in New York" and/or "Halloween in New York."