Something that may come as a surprise is that the “sleepy village” from Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” – is not so sleepy!

In fact, it is buzzing with history!

Visit in the Fall, where the stories of Irving come to life inside the settings of neighboring Tarrytown, Croton-on-Hudson, and of course, Sleepy Hollow. From exploring the historic cemetery where Irving lies in perpetual rest, or seeing the bridge where the Horseman’s ride ends, there are so many fun activities in the fall that it is hard to choose what to do first!

Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, a gorgeous estate that houses the writer’s works and personal belongings, is owned by Historic Hudson Valley, which also operates other locations. While a small location, the tour inside is worth the wait. Come during the fall and hear a special tour about the history behind “The Legend.”

Adults $16 
Senior (65+) $12
Student (18-25) $12
Child (3-17) $8 *

Prices as of 2018, Prices for 2019 are not yet announced.

Nearby, the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery has 90-acres of land to explore, and an infamous bridge. The hidden bridge is the site where locals claim the Headless Horseman chased Ichabod Crane. Not too far away Washington Irving has his final resting place, and there is even a mausoleum that was featured in the 1960s show, “Dark Shadows.” The grounds are free and open to the public from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily.

For those less into history, but still into the excitement of the Halloween season, there are several different events that the Historic Hudson Valley run that benefit the community and their programming through the year. The Great Jack-O-Lantern Blaze in Croton-on-Hudson is a big crowd-pleaser each year, as is the haunted Horsemen’s Hollow, an exciting hayride through the same streets of the Legend.

#museumgaltip: Try to plan in advance if you can. Many of the programs that occur in the Fall book up in the Spring! Get yourself on email lists that will notify you when tickets go on sale. These are treasured events that bring a lot of people to the area, so be patient and get ready to wait a bit if you are going to the more popular events!

Happy (early) Haunting!