Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. But I’ve found myself past the skimpy costume days and not quite ready to sit at home and greet trick or treaters.
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t So what’s a 30-something Halloween enthusiast to do? Here are some ideas in U.S. cities that used to be my party go-to spots, but also offer more mature festivities to keep the fun going.
1. Halloween Marathon
t Locations: Miami, Atlanta, North Carolina, San Juan
t The Halloween Marathon started in 2009 and is a half-marathon race where participants are encouraged to wear costumes. Not in marathon shape? No worries. There is a “Freaky 4-Miler” in Miami and the other cities also have shorter distance runs so more people can participate. Awards are given out for various costume categories, and everyone gathers at the end to celebrate and have some post-race fun. The Miami race in particular has a route along more picturesque areas of the city, and the final gathering spot is Nikki Beach in South Beach.
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t Photo credit: Halloween Half Marathon
2. Haunted house
t Locations: Miami, New York, Los Angeles
t I’m not one for scary movies at all. And living in New York, there’s pretty much always something frightening to see on my daily walk to work. But despite these two facts, I love a good haunted house. My favorite unique find this year is “Terror In The Jungle” which takes place on Jungle Island in Miami. There is a story behind the haunted theme, and it takes place in a zoological park. I already have tickets and hope that it delivers on the scary claims on the site.
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tPhoto credit: John Lamparski/Stringer/Getty Images
t While there are many haunted options, I’ve been let down by a few. Here are my picks in New York and Los Angeles for tried-and-true haunted fun.
- Upstate New York: Headless Horseman
- New York City: Blood Manor
- Los Angeles: Haunted Hayride
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3. Themed dinner/show
t Location: New York
t I went to Queen of the Night last week and loved it. The site describes it as a night of magical fun, but it’s hard to tell what you’re getting into. It’s essentially an interactive dinner show experience, where you can come early to have a few drinks and explore the venue. Once the show starts, you’re seated at communal tables for dinner and entertainment. This is a great event for Halloween because everyone is encouraged to dress up in gala attire, and I’m sure they’ll play up the spook factor for the holiday.
tSleep No More is a show that takes place in the McKittrick Hotel and is similar to Queen of the Night in terms of an interactive show experience, but there is no dinner. For Halloween, they will be having a themed Inferno party with drinks and live performances.
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tPhoto credit: Queen of the Night
4. Halloween parade
t Location: New York
t If you’re a 30-something looking for something more to do this Halloween, Halloween parades allow for awesome costume watching, and you can either join in or watch from the sidelines.
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tPhoto credit: Daniel Rose
tNew York’s Halloween Parade is one of the biggest in the country and takes place in the vibrant Greenwich Village. The mile-long stretch of the parade route always has unexpected surprises. and you truly never know what kind of costumes you will see.
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