The latest travel information plus insider event and sightseeing tips for New York City, Boston, Hawaii, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Bermuda.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
New York City Cemeteries
As Halloween approaches, and our thoughts turn to ghouls, goblins and all that goes bump in the night, New York City's cemeteries become popular spots for visitors. And that's hardly surprising: admission to most is free; they have an appropriately scary and often historic atmosphere; and as the few green spaces in many neighborhoods, they can provide a respite from the concrete jungle. Here are three New York City favorites:
Green-Wood Cemetery Visitors are welcome to tour the 478-acre grounds every day from 8am to 5pm (later during spring and summer) and look for celebrity residents such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Leonard Bernstein and F.A.O. Schwarz, or sign up for one of the walking tours to learn about the cemetery's history and architecture.
Trinity Wall Street Churchyard This stunning Episcopal church and graveyard are open year-round, but Halloween night is when its inhabitants come to life: Members of the famed Astor family are portrayed sharing personal histories, and Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton stand-ins reenact their deadly duel. Plenty of treats will be provided, but for an extra kick, visitors can mosey over to the North Churchyard for the Haunted Hamilton Happy Hour.
Washington Square Park Today, it is full of NYU students, but in the early 1800s the eastern side of Washington Square Park was used as a potter’s field for the impoverished and diseased. Skeletal remains have been discovered several times over the years -- learn more about the area's grisly history on one of the Macabre Greenwich Village walking tours.
We recently ran across a helpful site that has live cams around the state of Pennsylvania documenting the current status of fall foliage. Click here to see the camera of Bushkill Falls ("The Niagara of Pennsylvania"), which is less than two hours away from New York City and just over two hours away from Philadelphia.
Get in the mood for the eerie events to take place on Halloween by learning about Manhattan's famous ghosts and ghouls. Want to get a sense of what real "magick" is all about? Then head out to one of the NYC magic shops that stock items for authentic witches. To continue your terror-fic Halloween celebration, take advantage of all sorts of haunted happenings in NYC this weekend (see our extensive list below). And when the big day comes, don't miss the chance to head down to Greenwich Village to see the annual Halloween parade.
Pumpkin Festival in Central Park What: Lots to see and do: a scarecrow design competition, haunted house, Jack O'Lantern Tower, plus music, choosing pumpkins in the pumpkin patch and more! When: Saturday, 10/25, 3-8 pm; Free for all ages. Where: enter Central Park at 72nd Street, Manhattan
Halloween Haunted Walk in Prospect Park What: The beloved Halloween Haunted Walk is back and scarier than ever! Lurking high on Lookout Hill are zombies, wolf men, headless horsemen, good and bad witches, and other creepy characters. Visitors brave enough to experience this harrowing hike should head to Lookout Hill. When: Saturday, 10/25, 12-3 pm; Free. Where: Enter at Prospect Park Southwest & 16th Street, Brooklyn The Great Pumpkin Party at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden What: Dress up in your scariest costume for a haunting day of trick-or-treating at the Spooky Stations throughout the World Financial Center. When: Saturday, 10/25, 12-3 pm; Free. Where: Battery Park City, West & Vesey Street, Manhattan Boo at the Bronx Zoo What: Wear your costume and enjoy magic shows, spooky tales and music, and "spooktacular" arts and crafts. When: Saturday & Sunday, 10/25-10/26, Kids in costume free with adult admission. Where: Bronx River Parkway & Fordham Road, The Bronx Ghouls and Gourds at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden What: Dig up some fun with gourd musical instruments, tattoos, performances, and a costume parade. When: Sunday, 10/26, noon to 6 pm; Kids under 12 free. Where: 900 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn Halloween Hoorah at The New York Botanical Garden What: Come in your costume or make your own mask here and parade around the grounds. Finish the day decorating pumpkins and drinking fresh pressed cider in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden. When: Sunday, 10/26, 11 am - 5 pm Where: Bronx River Parkway, Exit 7W, and Fordham Road, Bronx
American Museum of Natural History's 13th Annual Spooktacular Halloween Celebration What: Don your costume to trick-or-treat with dangerous dinosaurs and eerie elephants, plus mingle with favorite characters and do arts and crafts. When: Friday, 10/31, 4-7 pm; $10 ($9 for members). Where: Central Park West and 79th Street
Pier of Fear at Hudson River Park What: Get your pulse pounding at one of Manhattan's largest free haunted houses. The Maze of Horror includes a guided tour through eerie hallways and creepy rooms. As night falls, the maze becomes even spookier for adults and older children. When: Saturday and Sunday, 11/1-11/2, 12-9 pm; Free. Where: Pier 54, West 14th St. & West Side Highway, Manhattan
In these economic times, it seems worthwhile to focus on severe frugality. So we've decided to adopt some real penny-pinching ways and remind our readers of a couple of the pleasures and activities that abound in NYC.
MOMA admission is free on Friday nights (usually $20)
For only $1 you can take the shuttle that transports bargain hunters between the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market on West 39th Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues) and the Antiques Garage on West 25th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues) -- it's cheaper than the bus or subway!
Want more ideas about what you can do and see in NYC on the cheap? Check out these websites:
One question we are asked all the time is "What is the best time to make online airline reservations?" The truth is that timing DOES matter. We've found that most days, you'll save money by reserving your tickets around midnight EST. That's when most airlines update availability on future flights. Planning a weekend getaway? Then wait until around midnight Thursday night since this is when most airlines post their special weekend online discounts.
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