4 THINGS TO DO IN NEW YORK CITY THIS OCTOBER

by Alex Millsupdated on October 1, 2024September 1, 20242 Comments

THEY ARE ALL FREE & FAMILY-FRIENDLY!

Are you visiting New York City soon and looking for some family-friendly things to do? New York is an amazing city, we were lucky enough to call it home for two years and you’ll have the best time! Of course in October you have Halloween and experiencing Halloween in New York City is an experience like no other. In this post, I’m going to be sharing insider tips on things to do in New York City this October (or every October).

I’m a mum/ mom to two little boys so everything is family-friendly, although you can enjoy these activities with or without kids!

GUIDES YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

THE BEST HALLOWEEN DECORATION IN MIDTOWN
THE BEST HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS – UPPER EAST SIDE
PERFECT 4 DAYS IN NYC WITH KID’S ITINERARY
HOW TO GET AROUND NEW YORK CITY
WHICH NEW YORK SKYSCRAPER SHOULD YOU VISIT?
CENTRAL PARK WITH KIDS

Things to do in New York City this October

1. CHECK OUT THE DECORATIONS

New York City decorates for Halloween like nowhere else I’ve ever known!

One of our favourite activities in October was going on a “spooky-house” hunt. It provided hours of entertainment for my son when he was aged 3-4.

There are two great houses to see in Midtown Manhattan, luckily, they’re very close to each other.

clown Halloween Decorations, Midtown Manhattan

ADDRESSES: Spooky Clown House – East 38th Street between Lexington and Park Avenues.
Glow in the Dark Sckellingon house – East 36th Street between Lexington and Park Avenues

You can also find great decor on the Upper West Side but personally, I think the Upper East Side did it best! Below are the absolute best houses you won’t want to miss but I’ve written a whole guide with more incredible options!

READ IT HERE: THE BEST HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS – UPPER EAST SIDE

ADDRESSES: 1. East 76th Street between Fifth and Maddison Avenues
2. East 64th Street between Fifth and Maddison Avenues
3. East 71st Street between Park and Lexington Avenues
4. East 74th Street Between Maddison and Park Avenues

2. THE PUMPKIN ARCH AT PIER 17

This free display is something well worth visiting. It’s the perfect backdrop for Instagram-worthy photos! This arch is slightly different each year but on display yearly from September 27th to November 7th and is completely free to enjoy.

Generally, people seem to make an orderly line for photos, and the person behind you in the queue will often take a photo of you if you ask nicely!

this is an absolute, must-do thing in New York City this October. While you’re in this area, South Street Seaport is a beautiful area to explore. Or you could walk the Brooklyn Bridge!

3. GOVERNORS ISLAND PUMPKIN POINT

This is another annual event which is completely free (although donations are appreciated). Governors Island is just a short ferry journey from Manhattan’s Wall Street Pier and was our favourite family day trip when we lived in NYC.

The last two weekends in October, the island is transformed for Halloween. Children can pick a pumpkin from the patch, enjoy a puppet show and do arts and crafts.

There’s so much to do on Governors Island.
SEE OUR FULL GUIDE HERE.

4. CENTRAL PARK

No trip to New York would be complete without visiting Central Park, it should be on everyone’s bucket list! The park becomes especially beautiful in the fall (or autumn as we call it in England), the colours of the leaves are just magical!

My favourite spot was by the Bow Bridge, but The Mall is also beautiful. Kids will love The Billy Johnson Playground (located close to the Central Park Zoo – which I don’t recommend, by the way!)

Kids will have so much fun playing in all the fallen leaves and it’s a great opportunity to take some cute photos of them. My eldest just loved throwing leaves over his baby brother!

That concludes my list of 4 things to do in New York City this October. They’re all free and family-friendly which is just amazing in one of the most expensive cities in the world!

I hope we’ve helped inspire you to plan your trip!