Sure, you could make the rounds of your apartment building and call it Halloween \u2014 but where\u2019s the fun in that?<\/p>\n
Across NYC, entire blocks transform into spooky spectacles, with elaborate decorations, costumed crowds and plenty of candy for little ghouls who know where to go.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why The Post asked Gotham parents and neighborhood experts to share their favorite Halloween haunts<\/a> for toddlers taking their first steps in a pumpkin costume, teens hoping to raid the full-size Hershey stashes on a cobweb-covered brownstone, and every kid in between.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s where to go trick-or-treating this Halloween, according to Big Apple parents who are old hands at hauling candy buckets.<\/a><\/p>\n Park Slope, Brooklyn: 3rd Street and the spooky stoops<\/p>\n Last Halloween, Park Slope\u2019s eager trick-or-treaters hit the stoops for candy and took in the neighborhood\u2019s spookily decked-out homes. Stefano Giovannini<\/p>\n For a neighborhood <\/a>synonymous with gentle parenting, Park Slope sure goes hard on Halloween frights. <\/p>\n Vivien Kwok, proprietor of the popular Park Slope Living<\/a> social media feed and creator of the neighborhood\u2019s Spooky Stoops Map<\/a>, says the Brooklyn enclave is a perennial favorite for its elaborate decorations and community spirit.<\/p>\n \u201cPark Slope is my favorite neighborhood for Halloween because it\u2019s one of those rare times when the whole community comes together,\u201d Kwok said.<\/p>\n Her family\u2019s go-to is 3rd Street, where decorated homes and costumed crowds transform the block into a neighborhood-wide bash.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels like one big Halloween block party with its wide streets, elaborately decorated homes and crowds of neighbors in the most amazing costume creations.\u201d<\/p>\n Families looking to explore the area\u2019s spookiest displays can start at Prospect Park West and 11th Street, then head toward the lower-numbered avenues, using Kwok\u2019s Spooky Stoops Map to find standout decorations along the way.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s highlights include<\/a> The Gowanus Express on 11th Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues, as well as the Hall of Honor near 12th Street and Sixth Avenue.<\/p>\n At 597 11th St., the Iarussi family went nautical last year, with swirling tentacles, a shipwreck dubbed \u201cPark Sloop\u201d and a stage where costumed crew greeted trick-or-treaters. Stefano Giovannini<\/p>\n The neighborhood also hosts its annual Park Slope Halloween Parade along Seventh Avenue, which Kwok said brings locals of all ages together before ending at the Old Stone House on 3rd Street.<\/p>\n For Kwok, though, the magic isn\u2019t just about the elaborate displays \u2014 or the candy haul.<\/p>\n \u201cThe \u2018best\u2019 trick-or-treating routes aren\u2019t necessarily the ones with the most elaborate decorations or the \u2018best candy,\u2019 as my kids would say,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re the streets where neighbors really get involved: dressing up and handing out candy, creating fun displays to bring a smile to people, or just hanging out on their stoops to celebrate with everyone passing by.\u201d<\/p>\n The neighborhood also hosts its annual Park Slope Halloween Parade along Seventh Avenue, which Kwok said brings locals of all ages together before ending at the Old Stone House on 3rd Street.<\/p>\n For Kwok, though, the magic isn\u2019t just about the elaborate displays \u2014 or the candy haul.<\/p>\n \u201cThe \u2018best\u2019 trick-or-treating routes aren\u2019t necessarily the ones with the most elaborate decorations or the \u2018best candy,\u2019 as my kids would say,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re the streets where neighbors really get involved: dressing up and handing out candy, creating fun displays to bring a smile to people or just hanging out on their stoops to celebrate with everyone passing by.\u201d<\/p>\n Sunnyside Gardens, Queens: 45th and 46th Streets<\/p>\n Sunnyside Gardens is no sleepy suburb on Halloween \u2014 locals say its homes go all out with elaborate displays that turn the Queens neighborhood into a spooky spectacle. Stephen Yang<\/p>\n For families who want a small-town feel for their little goblins, Sunnyside Gardens is a sweet spot.<\/p>\n Valerie Bernal, 43, a mom of two and founder of the sensory-friendly clothing and sock brand Parker & Talia, has been bringing her family to the Queens neighborhood for the past four years.<\/p>\n The trick-or-treating route starts on Skillman Avenue, where local businesses hand out candy, before families cross into Sunnyside Gardens and wander its tree-lined residential streets.<\/p>\n \u201cMy favorite trick-or-treating spot in New York City is Sunnyside Gardens in Queens, especially 45th and 46th Streets, where the historic houses face each other across tree-lined blocks,\u201d Bernal said.<\/p>\n Valerie Bernal told The Post that Sunnyside Gardens offers a small-town feel in the city, with candy stops along Skillman Avenue before families venture into the Gardens and surrounding side streets. Stephen Yang<\/p>\n \u201cSunnyside Gardens feels like a small town tucked inside the city. You still have the energy of New York, but the streets are lined with trees, and there are shared courtyards and little hidden walkways between the houses that look magical \u2014 and a little spooky \u2014 at night.\u201d<\/p>\n Bernal recommends arriving around 6 p.m., before the biggest crowds arrive, and starting on Skillman Avenue before heading into the Gardens.<\/p>\n She also has advice for parents of sensory-sensitive kids: soft layers under costumes, noise-reducing headphones and a familiar route can help prevent Halloween from turning into a fright night of the wrong kind.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAgree on a quiet \u2018exit spot\u2019 ahead of time, and remember it\u2019s okay to skip the loud, scary houses. The goal is a happy kid, not a full bag.\u201d<\/p>\n Upper East Side, Manhattan: 78th Street<\/p>\n The Upper East Side\u2019s historic brownstones and quiet blocks transform into festive Halloween wonderlands, bringing neighbors together for a little eerie magic. Emmy Park for NY Post<\/p>\n Few things are scarier than Upper East Side co-op boards. But the neighborhood\u2019s Halloween stoops give them a run for their money, especially during designated candy-grabbing hours.<\/p>\n Penn Portman, an Upper East Side mom whose nearly 3-year-old son, Ryder, is already obsessed with Halloween, loves taking him trick-or-treating on 78th Street.<\/p>\n \u201cThey close it off all the way from 2nd to 5th every year, or at least they did last year, and there was a fun DJ,\u201d Portman said. \u201cThe streets are always full of kids and adults, and the decorations are amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n Each year, New Yorkers and tourists flock to the neighborhood to marvel at its Halloween displays, including larger-than-life decorations like the giant skeleton pictured above. Emmy Park for NY Post<\/p>\n The festive stretch is part of the city\u2019s annual Trick-or-Streets program<\/a>, and is a hit with families who want a lively atmosphere, elaborate decorations and plenty of other costumed kids to join in the fun.<\/p>\n Last year, Ryder tore through the crowd dressed in a monkey onesie \u2014 proof that you don\u2019t need to be old enough to read candy labels to get in on the action.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s almost 3 and loved trick-or-treating there. He is obsessed with Halloween and wants to kiss every skeleton.\u201d<\/p>\n Upper West Side, Manhattan: West 69th Street and Central Park West<\/p>\n The neighborhood\u2019s historic buildings are adorned with Gothic gargoyles, grotesques and carved stone dragons, giving the area a built-in spooky vibe all October long. Emmy Park for NY Post<\/p>\n Got older kids ready to navigate bigger crowds? The Upper West Side is your Halloween heavyweight.<\/p>\n