Whether you believe in ghosts or just enjoy a good fright, New York delivers spooky and macabre thrills galore. This isn’t just a city of bright lights and world-famous landmarks; it’s a place filled with stories that will give you goosebumps and chills, and make your hair stand on end! Haunted mansions, creepy theatres, labyrinthine cemeteries and hidden bars with sinister secrets—you’ll find them all here. We love how you can go from high art to historic haunts in a single block, or step from bustling avenues into a cemetery straight out of a Victorian novel. Here are our top recommendations for your spooky NYC adventures—just don’t be surprised if you spot something strange along the way!
Fraunces Tavern: revolutionary ghost tales
History comes with a side order of hauntings for those brave enough to visit Fraunces Tavern. This Lower Manhattan fixture dates back to 1762 and famously served as a haven for George Washington and other revolutionaries during the American War of Independence. It’s also said to be home to a slew of colonial spooks and specters. Wander the tavern’s labyrinthine rooms, discovering tales of revolutionary spies and tragic duels, listening carefully for unexplained footsteps echoing down empty hallways.
The staff delights in sharing personal stories of odd events—candles extinguishing themselves, mysterious chills, and the clink of ghostly glasses in the bar's darkest corners. The colonial décor, with wood beams and flickering lanterns, will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
Linger for dinner and order the legendary chicken pot pie—a menu staple steeped in tavern tradition. The warm, inviting dining area makes for the perfect spot to trade ghost stories with friends, while seasonal evening tours (hello Halloween!) increase the fear-factor a hundredfold.
Ghostly Greenwich Village: macabre walking tours
Ghostly Greenwich Village: macabre walking tours
Greenwich Village is legendary for its bohemian history, but look a little deeper and you’ll find tales of restless spirits in every shadowy corner. sign up for the Ghosts of Greenwich village walking tour and let costumed guides lead you down crooked streets beneath flickering lamplight. Tour stops like Washington Square Park—once a potter’s field—thrill with stories of executions, plague, and spirits that still linger beneath the plaza.
As you wander, you’ll peer into the windows of historic brownstones, each with its own lore: haunted wells, mysterious footsteps and sudden drops in temperature that will chill even the hardiest of souls. Highlights include the Murder House at 14 West 10th Street—said to be both cursed and the most haunted house in the borough,plus the ultra-creepy Hanging Tree, and terrifying tales of the gray man of Greenwich Village.
What sets this experience apart is the playful storytelling—a blend of dark comedy and dramatic suspense that leaves you entertained as much as spooked. After your stroll, duck into Art Bar for their famous milk stout and enjoy the quirky, relaxed vibe—they’ve got local ghost stories of their own if you ask the bartender nicely!
Haunted Broadway: the New Amsterdam Theatre
Broadway slawart the New Amsterdam Theatre is mostly known nowadays for its big, bold and colorful blockbuster Disney stage shows. But did you know it’s also the epicenter of some of Broadway’s ghostliest gossip? Opened in 1903 and now lovingly restored, it shimmers with timeless glamour, ornately carved balconies and burnished gilding. But, behind the scenes, staff and performers report ghostly goings-on—most notably in the shape of tragic Hollywood starlet Olive Thomas, once a Ziegfeld girl and silent film star.
Olive, seen wandering backstage with the poison bottle that killed her over a century ago, is said to bring good luck (and the occasional mischief) to productions. Ghost tours, offered by request or during special events, usher you through shadowy dressing rooms, echoing staircases, and corridors thick with jasmine scent—Olive’s favorite perfume.
The Empire State Building’s haunted history
The Empire State Building is as famous for its ghosts as for its skyline views. Elevator operators and nighttime maintenance crews often swap stories of unexplained cold spots on upper floors, lights flickering in unused offices, and eerie silhouettes in the stairwells. The building’s observation deck even has a reputation: some visitors feel a presence at certain corners, especially on misty, gloomy nights.
Special haunted history tours, hosted seasonally, share the backstory behind these experiences while also guiding you through the structure’s glamorous and sometimes tragic history. From stories of lovesick jumpers to the tower’s role in classic noir films, the tour weaves a narrative rich in gossip and the uncanny.
Spirits in the museum: American Museum of Natural History
Spirits in the museum: American Museum of Natural History
By day, the AMNH bustles with science-curious crowds. But, after dark, it transforms into a labyrinth of silent dioramas, vast empty halls, and, according to some, lingering spirits. Security staff and after-hours maintenance crews tell tales about the ghost of Theodore Roosevelt, unexpected temperature drops in the Egyptian wing and creepy echoes in the Hall of Oceans.
Seasonal ‘night at the museum’ sleepover events add to the intrigue—indeed, the first two movies in the ‘Night at the Museum’ series were filmed here. Imagine drifting to sleep alongside dinosaur skeletons and ancient artifacts, and trading ghost stories by flashlight with fellow adventurers. Don’t miss the chance to explore the halls by low light, catching the glow of the blue whale suspended overhead as nighttime brings the exhibits to uncanny life.
Green-Wood Cemetery: twilight tours
If you love mixing history, art and a dose of the supernatural, Green-Wood Cemetery could just be your dream haunt. Sprawling across 478 rolling acres in Brooklyn, this urban cemetery dates back to 1838 and is the permanent residence of more than half a million souls, including famous figures like Leonard Bernstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and notorious gangster Albert Anastasia. More than just a resting place, Green-Wood feels like an open-air museum, featuring intricate Victorian mausoleums, serene lakes and winding paths lined with ancient oaks.
But the real chills come after sunset. Book a Twilight Tour and you’ll get a peek behind the wrought-iron gates as the sun dips and shadows stretch between gravestones. Guides lead you through mysterious catacombs rarely open to the public, share tales of tragic loves and unsolved murders, and point out graves rumored to be haunted. The lantern-lit walk is beautifully atmospheric—you’ll catch the perfume of old cedar trees, spot foxes skulking among the crypts, and snap unforgettable photos of impressive Gothic structures glowing in the moonlight.
Merchant’s House Museum: candlelit ghost tours
Merchant’s House Museum: candlelit ghost tours
Step through the doors of the Merchant’s House Museum and you’ll feel time warp back to 1832. Located on a quiet East Village street, this beautifully preserved family home is legendary for ghost sightings and unexplained happenings. Still filled with original furniture, family portraits and period décor, the Tredwell family’s 19th-century world seems frozen—except, perhaps, for its hauntings.
On evening ghost tours (especially popular during fall), expert guides set the mood with flickering candles and whispered tales of the home’s lingering spirits. You’ll pass through creaking corridors and explore dimly-lit bedrooms while hearing about Gertrude Tredwell, the last family member who lived—and some say, died—in the house. Many guests report cold drafts where no window is open, or the sense that someone is watching them from the corners. Museum staff love recounting eerie occurrences: a ghostly woman in a nightgown, footsteps in empty rooms, and heavy furniture that seems to shift by itself.
Edgar Allan Poe Cottage
Any fan of the macabre owes a visit to the Bronx’s Poe Cottage. This simple white farmhouse is where famous Gothic poet Edgar Allan Poe spent his final years, reportedly mourning lost loved ones and penning some of his most haunting stories and poems. Nestled in the peaceful Poe Park, the site feels a world away from the city’s bustle—an unexpected oasis tinged with creative melancholy.
What can you expect? Guided tours wind through Poe’s tiny rooms, complete with antique furnishings, weathered wooden floors and stirring artifacts that set the imagination racing. The guides delight in highlighting how local superstitions and Poe’s personal tragedies informed his famous work (including ‘The Raven’, said to have been written here). Some visitors report odd occurrences like fleeting chills, flickering lights or the sensation of being watched, especially near the poet’s modest bed.
Ghostbusters Firehouse (Hook & Ladder 8)
This Tribeca firehouse is a pilgrimage site for ghost-loving movie fans the world over. Hook & Ladder 8 is the very same building seen on screen as Ghostbusters headquarters, and standing beneath its familiar brick arch gives you a sense of Hollywood magic—mixed, perhaps, with a touch of the supernatural.
While it’s an active fire station, visitors crowd outside for photos with the instantly recognizable sign and wall mural. The street is bustling with pop culture fans, many in cosplay and ready to trade tales of their own best ghost sightings. Sometimes, the friendly firefighters wave from inside or display souvenirs for fans. And, while you (probably) won’t get a giant marshmallow man making an entrance, the sheer nostalgia and playful energy hanging over this spot makes it worth your time.
High spirits at the Ear Inn
High spirits at the Ear Inn
One of SoHo’s oldest and most atmospheric taverns, the Ear Inn is famous for more than just its legendary whiskey sours and maritime memorabilia. Founded in 1817, this former sailor’s haunt racks up ghostly encounters by the dozen—especially the playful specter of ‘Mickey’, a sailor who met an untimely end and whose spirit now flirts with visiting patrons by moving bar stools or tweaking the volume dial on the jukebox.
Push open the crooked doors, step onto the sloping wood floors, and enjoy live blues or folk in the cosy, candlelit back room. The Ear’s staff love to share ghost stories, and regulars dish out their own wild tales over fish and chips paired with an Ear Martini (vodka with cucumber and mint). The ambiance is delightfully creaky and unpolished, for fans of pubs with true character—and resident ghosts.
One if By Land, Two if By Sea: haunted dining
This west village gem isn’t just a date-night dream—it’s also reputedly the most haunted restaurant in NYC. Set in an 18th-century carriage house, One if By Land, Two if By Sea’s candlelit tables shimmer under glittering chandeliers while portraits gaze down ominously from velvet-clad walls. The food is show-stopping: think beef wellington with wild mushroom duxelles, or lobster risotto that’s almost as much of a local legend as this eatery’s resident spooks.
And therein lies the real thrill, with specters said to include a jilted woman, a heartbroken bride, and (naturally) a revolutionary-era baron who lingers at his favorite spot near the piano. Waitstaff report glasses shattering, place settings being rearranged, and mysterious laughter echoing from empty rooms. So, for a romantic evening with a supernatural twist, treat yourself to their signature ‘Midnight Rendezvous’ dessert or sip a classic daiquiri at the bar—all with eyes and ears peeled for shadows creeping in dark corners.
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McSorley’s Old Ale House: haunted suds
Nothing says old New York quite like McSorley’s. This East Village boozer has barely changed since its 1854 founding—and some regulars seem to have hung around long after last call. Sawdust floors, newspaper clippings and original bar fixtures set the scene for whispered tales: glasses that slide along the bartop, mysterious faces reflected in antique mirrors, and the ‘old regular’ who always leaves the ladies’ room tap running.
Grab a plate of the bar’s famous cheddar-and-crackers, order a pint from the two choices of house ale (light or dark) and soak up the raucous, storytelling atmosphere. Bartenders—many third-generation—churn out ghost stories along with the pints, weaving the readers into the rich tapestry of haunted New York lore.
Seeking yet more fun and frolics in NYC? Get hip to what’s happening in arty Williamsburg, and plot out how to spend one unforgettable day in the Big Apple.
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