Best Places to Trick or Treat for Kids in New York City

One of my favorite childhood memories from growing up in NYC was Halloween in the Village. The Village Halloween Parade back then was just a couple hundred artists and freaks who marched through the neighborhood and felt more like a neighborhood affair. After the parade, we would trick or treat throughout the brownstone blocks. Everyone was really friendly and fun and we would come home with our shopping bags completely filled. It was magical.

Trick or treating in your building is great for adults because it feels so safe, but it is nowhere near as exciting and magical for kids as getting to run around the neighborhood at night and go door to door. This Halloween, try going to one of the small neighborhood Halloween parades and then sticking around for the trick or treating. Below are some ideas of great places to trick or treat with kids around New York City.

West 69th St. near Central Park has a huge street party. It gets very crowded and a reader says that they don't recommend this for small children, but this is where many uptown kids head for good door-to-door trick or treating. I've heard 78th between Park and Lex is good too.

Greenwich Village - Stay far from Sixth Avenue and the Parade and make your way to the West Village for the real neighborhood experience.

Chelsea - Families meet in Seal Park on 22nd and 10th Avenue and walk through the brownstone blocks around the Seminary.

Tribeca - I typically don't like trick-or-treating stores, but in Tribeca the stores decorate to the hilt and throw open their doors to greet the kids. It's a nice scene and who can resist Japanese treats from Nobu or homemade cookies as treats from Bouley?

Brooklyn - There are lots of great neighborhoods to trick or treat in Brooklyn. Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Ft Greene, Ditmas Park are some of our favorites. Each of these neighborhoods has a parade and then the kids go off to trick or treat.

Queens - Queens also has lots of great trick or treating spots. Our Queens maven, Leni, offers this tip:

Kew Gardens is a little hamlet tucked away from the main drag of Queens Blvd and a little east of the very popular Forest Hills. The intersection of Austin Street and Lefferts Blvd is Queens’ best place to take kids of all ages trick or treating. There are small stores up and down Lefferts who give out candy as well as people walking the streets with bags of treats. The nearby apartment buildings from 83-33 Austin Street and down toward Hillside Ave all open their doors to trick or treaters. These are great ideas for little ones who need to stay warm or in case of rain. Another great spooky addition to Kew Gardens is the big creepy cemetery at the top of Lefferts Blvd and Kew Gardens Rd. While you’re there don’t miss the Kew Gardens Great Pumpkin Carving Contest and Festival on Halloween. At 3:30pm the Maple Grove Cemetery are giving a supernatural walking tour and at 6pm there will be a pumpkin carving contest. Maple Grove Cemetery 83-15 Kew Gardens Rd.

Bronx - In the Bronx try Morris Park, an area wih single family houses around Morris Park Avenue and Hone Avenue.

Do you know of a great, magical place to trick-or-treat? Share with us in the comments below.