The scariest haunted houses NYC has to offer

Ulster Park's Headless Horseman Haunted Hayrides and Haunted Houses is replacing its hayrides with a haunted walk called "The Haunting of Pumpkin Jack" that'll give New Yorkers an opportunity to slowly pass the creepy crawly things in the darkness and see the headless horseman himself.

"Are you brave enough to walk into the darkness of the Horseman's trail to find Pumpkin Jack and come face to face with the Headless Horseman? It can be done, but can you do it? How fast can you walk? Will the Horseman catch you? Some questions can't be answered until you Walk the dark trail!"

The experience is not kid-friendly, so no one's surprised. There's no doubt that new rules about social distancing are behind the new experience—the park says all guests and staff will be wearing face masks and distancing throughout the event.

The historic oceanside Berkeley Hotel in Asbury Park, NJ is transforming 13 of its rooms into immersive haunted scenes later this month. Guests who check into The Haunting experience will be guided through the rooms on the "haunted" floors of the hotel with their cameras to capture "unexpected frights, spine-tingling thrills, and surprises around every corner."According to organizers, the hotel has been the center of Asbury's paranormal activity for over 100 years and in 1934, the S.S. Morro cruise ship exploded and washed ashore "in a fiery blaze" yards from the hotel entrance. Safety precautions include temperature checks, regular cleanings, mask requirements, sanitizer stations and no physical contact from performers. There's also a 21+ VIP experience with seating at an exclusive Halloween speakeasy that comes with a welcome cocktail, passed appetizers, and spooky drink specials.

Walk three floors of a real house (including a basement) that's been transformed into a haunted nightmare, plus two pitch-black outdoor mazes with more than 20 live actors at A Haunted in Hollis. 

"We dare you to enter the REAL Haunted House in Hollis where you're sure to have an eerie fright you won't forget. As goblins & ghouls and hungry zombies try to get a piece of you, make your way through the horrific mazes and into the experimental labs where zombies chase you and all things go wrong. Or.... opt to say the safe word (peanut butter) if you're too scared. We also have zombie laser guns, where you can "kill" the ghoul that's chasing you. Having been set up by the most imaginative people on the planet, you definitely won't be disappointed and you'll want to come back every year!"