Sights and frights are sure to delight this Halloween season. October has an abundance of haunted happenings and scary stories—for those who dare. Journey through time as you traverse the streets of these historic downtowns. Follow the light from the lanterns as you hear tales told by ghost hunters from Morristown to Cape May and beyond.
Evenings in October
Ghosts of Cape May Tours
The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities is offering Cape May residents and tourists plenty of sights and frights throughout the month of October. The Ghosts of Cape May Trolley tours are led by medium and psychic Craig McManus, as the old-fashioned streetcars glide through the town’s historic streets. The Historic Haunts tours offer the opportunity to visit the Emlen Physick Estate, a historic mansion built in 1879, while learning about the Victorian-era fascination of ghost-hunting. Want to do both? You’re in luck. The combo tour allows visitors to experience double the fun.
Washington Street Mall and Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May. Times vary. Adults $12; Children 3-12, $8. Combo tour: Adults $22; Children 3-12, $15.
Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays in October
Ghost Tour of Ocean City
Stroll the streets of this shore town after the sun goes down. The candlelight tours offer guests seeking ghostly adventures the perfect opportunity to learn about the folklore of Ocean City.
9th Street and Asbury Ave, Ocean City. 8 pm. Adults $15; Children 4-12, $10.
Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons via Jalal Hameed Bhatti.
Fridays in October
The Ghosts & Legends Asbury Park Downtown Tour
Take a walk through Asbury Park’s historic downtown district on a lantern-led tour throughout the month of October. Weekly tours will take ghost-hunting guests through the city to visit the scene of a crime in the hopes of uncovering the truth behind some infamous local legends. Tour guides will also share secrets and stories from Paranormal Books & Curiosities’ hands-on ghost-hunting expeditions.
Downtown Asbury Park. 8 pm. Adults $12; Children under 10, $6.
Fridays and Saturdays in October
Jersey Shore Ghost Tours
Guides in period dress will lead groups on lantern-lit walking tours through the Jersey Shore towns of Red Bank and Keyport. Tours leave from Monmouth Street in Red Bank every Friday and West Front Street in Keyport every Saturday at 8:30 pm.
Monmouth Street, Red Bank and West Front Street, Keyport. 8:30 pm. Adults $12; Children under 10, $10.
Fridays and Saturdays in October
Spirits of New Brunswick Walking Tour
Tours of this history-rich, central Jersey town promise tales of people past—some who continue to haunt the city’s most popular sites. Stops along the tour include Willow Grove Cemetery, Henry Guest House, Dutch Reformed Church and the Civil War Memorial.
Old Queens Hall, 51 Somerset Street, New Brunswick. Tours depart at 7:30 pm. $10 per person.
Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons via creepyhalloweenimages.
Saturdays in October
Princeton Tour Company presents Ghost Hunt & Cemetery Visit
Weekly walks throughout October give visitors a chance to explore the Princeton University campus and surrounding neighborhood with trained ghost hunters, equipped with real ghost-hunting equipment. This guided ghost tour will provide plenty of stories collected from students, faculty, local officials and residents over the years. The last stop on the tour is the locked cemetery at Nassau Presbyterian Church, the final resting place of Grover Cleveland, Aaron Burr and more.
Downtown Princeton. Tours run from 6-10:30 pm. $25 per person; adults only.
October 10
Ghostly Revelations at the Ford Mansion
The Ford Mansion, part of the Morristown National Historical Park, once served as General George Washington’s headquarters in 1779-1780, during what is said to be one of the worst winters on record. Considering its Revolutionary War-era history and presidential past, the mansion is certainly bursting with tales of long ago. A recent study by Gordon Ward, respected investigator of ghosts and author on the topic, attempted to unravel some of these many tales. The program brings new details about the mansion’s past including photos, audio recordings and imaginative new theories. Following the presentation, visitors are invited to tour the mansion with a park ranger and spend the day at the park.
Washington Headquarters Museum, 30 Washington Place, Morristown. 10 am. $20 per person.
October 10
Mullica Hill Ghost Walk
The Harrison Township Society presents its ever-popular annual ghost walk. The one and a half hour tour traverses through historic houses and public buildings on Mullica Hill’s Main Street. The Jersey Unique Minds Paranormal Society will also be making an appearance at the event, where they’ll conduct an investigation in the basement of a local building.
Main Street, Mullica Hill. Tours depart every 10 minutes starting at 6:30 pm. $7 per person.
Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons via William Warby.
October 10 and 17
Woodbridge Ghost Walk
As the one of the oldest townships in the state, Woodbridge is guaranteed to have a few tales as old as time. Guides dressed in period clothing will tell the stories of New Jersey’s first settlers, heroes of the Revolutionary War and more. The 40-minute walking tours provide the opportunity to “meet” both famous and infamous residents of centuries past.
Parker Press Park, 400 Rahway Ave, Woodbridge. Tours run from 6:30-9 pm. $6 per person.
October 16-17, 24 and 30
Annual Greenwich Halloween Ghost Walking Tours
The historic Cumberland County town is offering four nights of ghost tours this Halloween season. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover the town’s main artery—Ye Greate Street—while listening to legends of long-ago.
Warren and Reba Lummis Genealogical and Historical Library, 981 Ye Greate Street, Greenwich. Tours at 7 and 8 pm each night. $5 per person; registration required (call 856-455-8580).
October 17 and 24
Salem County Historic Ghost Tour
You didn’t think Salem, Massachusetts, was the only place with haunted happenings, did you? Turns out Salem (County), New Jersey has quite a few of its own. Revolution Tours, Inc. teams up with Jersey Unique Minds Paranormal Society, to bring us two nights of tours. The two-hour excursion will present the historical tales and paranormal findings surrounding this South Jersey county.
Riverview Beach Park, Pennsville. 5:45 pm check-in. $20 per person.
Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons via Paul Davis.
October 24
Ghostly Tales of New Jersey’s Revolutionary Past
Gordon Ward, historian and writer of mostly mysterious things, is back to share even more scary stories. This time, he’ll be telling ghostly tales of New Jersey’s past at the Jacobus Vanderveer House and Museum in Bedminster. Join him as he brings spine-chilling stories to life, accompanied by sweet sounds of his guitar.
Jacobus Vanderveer House & Museum, 3055 River Road, Bedminster. 1:30 pm. Adults $10; Children under 12, free.
October 31
Bones and Stones: Who’s Buried in the Presbyterian Church Graveyard?
As a town steeped in American history, Morristown boasts some pretty famous names from way back when. The town’s founding families include notable names like the Lindsleys, Fords, Kings and Vails—some of whom are buried in the Presbyterian Church’s neighboring graveyard. Tread lightly over nearly 1,400 graves including the final resting places of 135 Revolutionary War soldiers. Tours are led by Carol Bark, a guide with the Morris County Tourism Bureau and member of the Morristown Historic Preservation Committee.
The Presbyterian Church in Morristown, 65 South Street. 2 pm. $15 per person; register by calling 973-631-5151 or online.
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