Why celebrate Halloween just once a year? Combine the best of sunny summer days and Halloween tricks and treats with a summerween adventure in New York State! Whether you’re looking to beat the crowds at popular fall attractions or just get a head start on scary season, there’s something for every Halloween enthusiast. Go on a ghost hunting adventure at Fort William Henry, catch a classic scary movie at the drive-in, or bite into warm apple cider donuts at an evergreen orchard. Check out this lineup of summerween activities and get inspired to start planning your next New York State getaway. Credit: @freetoroamwild on Instagram

Celebrate Fall Year-Round at Sleepy Hollow

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As the birthplace of the Headless Horseman, and with neighboring Tarrytown being the former home of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow author Washington Irving, Sleepy Hollow is the place to be if you’re looking for summerween vibes. Explore one of the country’s finest Gothic Revival mansions, Lyndhurst on a Classic Mansion Tour (April through September 20). Fun fact: The exterior was actually used in the classic vampire soap opera, Dark Shadows.

Courtesy of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Founded by Washington Irving in 1849, the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery offers Classic Daytime Tours on weekends from early May through September 27 that dive into the history of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Step back in time and explore the cemetery by kerosene lantern light on a Classic Evening Lantern Tour (offered Saturdays in August and Friday- Saturday in September). For those looking to up the thrills and chills, the cemetery also offers a Murder and Mayhem Tour (August 22, 29, and Saturdays in September), where you’ll get to hear eerie ghost stories while you tour the cemetery.

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At Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, walk through the romantic riverside cottage alongside guides in period attire on a Sunnyside Tour offered Friday-Sunday from early May through September 20. For a more interactive experience, Legendary Tours start September 18. Find farm fresh goodies and summerween treats from local vendors at the Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Farmers Market on Saturdays from 8:30pm to 1:30pm, through the spring, summer, and fall.

Looking for a little paranormal summerween fun? New York’s Haunted History Trail is a ghost lover’s dream (or nightmare) come true, featuring haunted inns, mansions, and other historic sites, as well as creepy events like ghost hunts, guided tours, and more. Follow along on a ghost tour through the The Historic Bundy House in Binghamton on August 21, go hunting for ghosts at the Mid Orange Correctional Facility in Warwick on August 22, or learn about the realities of working in film and horror entertainment at a Celebrity Event with The Walking Dead star Santiago Cirilo and Tim Davis at Rolling Hills Asylum in East Bethany on August 21. Check out our blog on Creepy Places and Real Haunted Houses for more haunts along the Haunted History Trail in New York State.

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Up the retro vibes and catch a scary movie at one of New York State’s amazing drive-in theaters. In Lockport, the Transit Drive-In’s Terrors at the Drive-In scary movie nights return on August 13, showing The Lost Boys (1987) and The Monster Squad on Screen 1. The Malta Drive-In in Ballston Spa is showing Little Shop of Horrors and The Rocky Horror Picture Show on August 13, and the Glen Drive-In in Queensbury is currently showing the latest installment of the Evil Dead franchise. In East Avon, the Vintage Drive-In is hosting Retro Tuesday showings in late August of fall classics like Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hathaway’s Drive-In in North Hoosick will also be showing Evil Dead Burn.

Tell Ghost Stories by the Campfire

Spend the night telling ghost stories around the campfire on a summerween camping trip in New York State. Whether you prefer to pitch a tent, park an RV, or camp in style with a glamping trip, CampNewYork.com and New York State Parks and DEC campgrounds offer a variety of options. Pack your favorite summerween treats and cozy up alongside New York’s lakes, mountains, forests, and unparalleled natural beauty.

Wander Through Scenic Orchards and Fruit Farms

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Spend summerween frolicking through scenic orchards and berry patches! Apples are the official fruit of New York State and apple picking season starts in late August for varieties like Honeycrisp, Gingergold, Rave, and more. Some popular spots include Behling Orchards in Mexico, NY, Kelder’s Farm in Kerhonkson, and Becker Farms & Vizcarra Vineyards in Gasport. If you’re looking for even more u-pick opportunities, July and August are prime times for a variety of New York fruits like peaches, nectarines, plums, blueberries, raspberries, and more at scenic farms like Lawrence Farm Orchards in the Hudson Valley, Rulfs Orchards in the Adirondacks, and Greg’s U-Pick Farm in Greater Niagara. 

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All aboard! Immerse yourself in a night filled with suspense and mayhem on the rails with the Arcade and Attica Railroad. This three-hour train ride and live theater performance (September 5) promises fun for the whole family, where you’ll help solve a murder mystery aboard one of the state’s only regularly operating steam-engine passenger excursion rides. Dinner is also included in your ticket served at the Curriers Station by Catered Creations. 

Get to Know Albany’s Haunted Side

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Officially declared New York State’s capital in 1797, Albany has been at the center of history and haunts for decades, making it the perfect spot for a summerween fright. Many famous hauntings are tied to the New York State Capitol Building. Explore the lore on a Friday evening tour, offered from early July through August 28. You’ll get to roam the Capitol after hours and visit iconic spots including the Million Dollar Staircase (pictured). Free weekday guided tours are also available at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm and NYS Capitol Hauntings Tours are offered in late September through October. 

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Learn the stories of the legendary ghosts who haunt Albany’s downtown on a Ghosts of Albany Tour. Offered year-round, an experienced and animated guide will lead you through the capital city’s eerie past, antique sites, scandalous tales, haunted places, mysterious sightings, and more. Once a month, the Albany Twilight Market comes to Quackenbush Square (May-September) and Washington Park (October and December), showcasing alternative creators selling a mix of taxidermy, oddities, curated antiques, macabre jewelry, apothecary, gothic apparel, tarot readings, and more. Check out Discover Albany to hunt down even more haunted places to visit in and around Albany.

Looking for fall treats? Nine Pin Ciderworks serves up refreshing cider year-round from 100% fresh-pressed New York apples in their downtown Albany tasting room. For your cider donut fix, head to Cider Belly Doughnuts, serving up warm, fresh donuts year-round. 30 minutes outside of Albany will land you at Indian Ladder Farms, where you can pick-your-own strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and apples, enjoy homemade pies and baked goods, meet friendly farm animals, sip on hard cider and beer using local apples, pears, berries and pumpkins, and more.

Celebrate Halloween with a splash of sunshine at Nickerson Beach on Long Island! Held on August 22 from 12pm to 4pm, this summerween beach party will be packed with all kinds of fun with bounce houses, trick-or-treating, photo ops, and a costume contest with prizes, and more. Costumes are encouraged! 

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A deliciously haunted treat awaits at Barkeater Chocolates in North Creek, and legend has it that the venue has a haunted history of its own. Sign up for the Haunted Factory Chocolate Session to dive into the real-life unexplained events and mysterious historic facts of Barkeater. To sweeten the deal, the tour includes a chance to make your own chocolate ghosts!

Beware! The House of Frankenstein Wax Museum in Lake George is not your average wax museum. Make your way up the haunted stairs if you dare, where you’ll be greeted by a variety of monster-themed wax and animatronic figures featuring scary special effects. If you survive the museum’s haunts, be sure to pop into some of the shops and restaurants that also line Lake George’s main street.

Located at the strategic southern end of Lake George, Fort William Henry is a restored Colonial fortress of the 1755-1757 French and Indian War era. It was also featured on season 6, episode 22 of Ghost Hunters. If you’re looking to delve deep into stories of this fortress, try one of the Haunted History Tours (offered through September 19) where history meets the supernatural. An expert guide will lead you through the dimly lit corridors and shadowy corners of the fort–who knows what you’ll find! For those looking to go beyond the traditional ghost tour, the fort also holds a Hands-On Paranormal Investigation on Mondays and Tuesdays through September 8.

Stay at a Cabin in the Woods

Get close to nature without trading the homey comforts of the indoors and stay at a cabin or cottage in New York State. There are a variety of cabins to choose from, whether you’re looking for something a little more rustic like the cozy cabins in Allegany State Park or a luxurious cottage at The Lakes in the Adirondacks. During the day, hike through sprawling forests, admire amazing mountain peaks, or go paddling on shimmery lakes, and at night, get comfy with some summerween snacks and a scary movie at your own cabin in the woods. Visit CampNewYork.com or New York State Parks and DEC campgrounds to find your perfect cabin.

Sip with Spirits at Haunted Wineries

Cheers to great wine and new ghostly friends at a haunted winery! Plan a visit to the Winery at Marjim Manor in Greater Niagara, featured on Ghost Hunters and on the Travel Channel series Most Terrifying Places in America. As you sip on local fruit wine, you may run into a few of the resident ghosts that roam the mansion, which was originally a farmhouse and later a summer retreat for the Sisters of St. Joseph convent. Learn the true story of the manor on a tour (every Saturday), and you can even add a wine tasting onto your tour experience! Miles Wine Cellars is known for its award-winning Finger Lakes wines and Seneca Lake views, but this winery also has its own haunted history. Be sure to try their Ghost wine, dedicated to the spirits that sometimes roam the Miles Wine house and grounds. 

Up for a delightfully frightening overnight stay? The Haunted History Trail of New York State is home to a variety of quaint inns, elegant mansions, and Victorian manors, each filled with their own paranormal mysteries and maybe a few ghostly guests. At the Tudor-style Red Coach Inn, located just steps from Niagara Falls, guests have reported seeing jewelry move across dressers and hearing music in the dead of night. Staff and guests of the Georgian Revival mansion, Belhurst Castle in Geneva, have witnessed showers mysteriously turning on and off and eerie lullabies echoing through the halls at night. 

Climb aboard Buffalo Double Decker Bus Tours and get ready to solve a murder mystery! Travel back to the year 1977 at Studio 716, Buffalo’s grooviest disco, where you need to figure out who killed the club owner. Throughout the tour, you’ll make stops at three local taverns and your grooviest 70s attire is encouraged. Tours take place Saturdays through September 26.

Don’t forget to post photos of your New York adventures on Instagram and X with #iSpyNY and tag us on Facebook!