Things to Do in New York in October: Your Guide

October is peak fall in New York, when the trees turn shades of red, orange and yellow you'll never forget.

It's a cool month and a calmer time to explore the city. High season is over, there are fewer tourists, and prices drop on flights and on New York hotels.

The city also fills up with pumpkins and Halloween decorations, so it's a really fun month to travel to NYC with kids!

New York October 2025: Recommended Activities

By October there aren't as many free outdoor activities as during summer in New York, but in this wonderful city there's always something going on every month of the year, and October is no exception.

Here are several plans, sights and events I recommend to make the most of your trip to New York in October:

1. Wander the parks of New York

New York's parks are at their absolute best in October. You'll go crazy photographing the deep reds, oranges and yellows of the trees.

Central Park is the famous one, but don't miss other tree-filled parks like Prospect Park in Brooklyn or Fort Tryon Park, with stunning views of the Hudson River.

Take the chance to see Little Island, the one-of-a-kind New York park built right in the Hudson River. Only in New York do places like this exist! The park is packed with greenery that also puts on a show in the fall 🍂 🍁 .

2. Day trips to the Hudson Valley

Another great way to enjoy October in New York is to catch a train at Grand Central and head to Sleepy Hollow, the town of the Headless Horseman, just 50 minutes north of New York by train.

On the ride you'll get views of the forests along the banks of the Hudson. Once in Sleepy Hollow, be sure to visit the Rockefeller Mansion!

Another unforgettable outing is Storm King Art Center, an open-air museum of enormous sculptures, also about an hour north by train.

You'll feel like an elf standing under those giant works, surrounded by meadows and trees changing color (a note for Aziz Ansari fans: it's the park he visited with Francesca 😉

3. New York Comic Con

New York Comic Con is the biggest pop culture convention on the East Coast of the United States, and fittingly it happens in Gotham City, the capital of superheroes!

Comic Con 2025 runs from October 9 to 12 at the Javits Center. Check all the event details on the official site.

4. Columbus Day

October 12 is a holiday, as it is in many countries across the Americas.

To mark it, there's a parade up Fifth Avenue on October 9 (from 44th Street to 72nd), between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Columbus Day sales!

The Columbus Day sales run from October 8 to 11. A great chance to find discounts of up to 60% off (more info on where to shop cheap in NYC).

If your trip doesn't line up with these sales, you can shop at Woodbury Common Outlets, with deals year-round on premium, first-quality brands.

Stores close on 10/12, but most tourist attractions stay open.

5. New York Film Festival 2025

If you're a movie buff, this is your chance to spot one of your favorite stars, catch a premiere, or attend an event at the New York Film Festival put on by Lincoln Center.

While we wait for the New York Film Festival 2025 dates, you can look over the full 2024 festival lineup on the NYFF website to get a sense of how big this event is.

6. Go ice skating in New York

Toward the end of October, the ice rink at Rockefeller Center opens, the first rink of the season to open and the last to close.

You can watch, skate, or pay for a few ice skating lessons. It's an early taste of the holiday season and winter that you get to enjoy ahead of schedule.

7. Halloween in New York

On October 31 in the Village, you can have a blast watching New York's Halloween Parade (The Halloween Parade).

This is not a kids' event at all. The adults put together costumes that'll make you jealous. So much fun!

If you love Halloween, you can't miss Sleepy Hollow in October. The whole town goes full witching-season, and there are special activities for kids too.

If you're traveling with children, there are also very family-friendly, classic Halloween activities you can do together, for example:

🚢 Head to Pumpkin Point on Governors Island, an event where everyone gets to pick their own pumpkin. It takes place the last two weekends of October. Getting to the island by ferry is an adventure in itself.

🎃 Visit the Queens County Farm Museum: an old farm that sets up a corn maze, with hayrides and walks through a pumpkin patch. It's a classic American tradition. Read the info for visiting the farm.

8. Football season

October is the heart of football season in New York (NFL).

Going to a New York Giants or New York Jets game is about as American as it gets. Buy your tickets in advance and you'll find seats from $30! Hurry, they go fast.

9. Baseball season

Baseball season in New York wraps up in October. You can still catch a Yankees game or see the New York Mets.

The sooner you buy your tickets, the better the prices 🙂

10. NBA season

The 2025 NBA season (National Basketball Association) kicks off in October. Watching a game in the top professional basketball league in the United States, one of the biggest in the world, is a very American experience that you have to see live to feel the energy of the fans.

New York has two NBA teams, so pick your side!

1. Tickets to New York Knicks games: The New York Knicks are one of the league's most iconic teams and they play at Madison Square Garden, in the heart of Manhattan.
2. Tickets to Brooklyn Nets games: The Nets are based in Brooklyn and play at Barclays Center.

Both teams have passionate fan bases and add to the city's rich basketball history.

Check the schedules for the Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets, and if the game is at Madison Square Garden, that only makes the experience better.

11. Ice Hockey Season

Between October and April, don't miss the intensity of ice hockey in New York! Whether you choose to catch a New York Rangers game at the iconic Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, or the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont, easy to reach by train, the excitement and adrenaline are guaranteed.

12. Guided Tours in New York

October weather is mild, ideal for walking and walking without wearing yourself out. It's a great time for a guided tour of a specific neighborhood, or to see far-flung places faster and without getting lost.

The New York contrasts tour, for example, is perfect if you're short on time and want to see the other boroughs instead of sticking to Manhattan.

There are other versions of the Contrasts Tour, like the Contrasts tour with a Gospel service and the Contrasts + Roosevelt Island tour, where you'll ride the Tram, the only aerial cable car in New York.

Take a look at other guided tours you can do in the city and around it.

13. Free Spanish-Language Tours in New York

Did you know there are free Spanish-language tours in New York? They're short guided walks, and at the end you just tip the guide based on how much you enjoyed it 😀. You could even do them all! But you need to book your spot in advance (they fill up fast):

👻 Free mysteries tour of New York, my top pick during Halloween month!

🏙️ Free tour of Downtown Manhattan

🇮🇹 Free tour of Chinatown and Little Italy

🏢 Free tour of the Village in Manhattan

🎨 Brooklyn street art tour

14. See a Broadway Musical

No trip to New York is complete without seeing a Broadway show:

Here are a few recommendations:

🧙‍♀️ Wicked the Musical: find out what happened in the Land of Oz before Dorothy arrived from Kansas.

👞🎶 At MJ the Musical, you'll get to know the life and musical legacy of Michael Jackson.

🔵 Blue Man Group: an off-Broadway show worth seeing at least once

🦁 The Lion King: the record-breaking box office musical, perfect for families

🎩🇺🇸 Hamilton: Lin-Manuel Miranda's famous musical told through hip-hop.

New York Weather in October

Temperatures start to drop in October, but they're still pleasant for exploring the city (between 50°F and 65°F).

Days are shorter (it gets dark around 6:30 pm) and you'll want to bring warm layers.

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As you can see, just like every other month of the year in this magnificent city, there's plenty to do in October in New York 🙂

Cheaper hotels in New York in October!

Take a look at this selection of well-located, decent, affordable places to stay in Manhattan. They'll stretch your budget on a trip to New York in October.

Here's some other info that might help: these are the 5 most booked hotels by the NewYorkando traveler community 😉:

📍 West Side YMCA on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

📍 HI New York City Hostel, also on the Upper West Side.

📍 NY Moore Hostel, very well located in Brooklyn.

📍 Pod Times Square in the heart of Manhattan.

📍 Holiday Inn in Chelsea, one of NYC's most iconic neighborhoods.

Traveling at another time of year?

Check out the guide Best time to travel to New York. There I walk you through what happens in New York every month of the year.

If you can't make it in October, November in New York is a similar month. It's also low season, though much colder by then (but not yet as cold as a New York winter).