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Halloween jack-o-lantern mug filled with candy corn
Halloween jack-o-lantern mug filled with candy corn
Photo by Sarah Gualtieri from Unsplash
Life

Add A Spooky Bar Crawl To Your Halloweekend Plans This Year!

Samantha Greenaway
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Pace chapter.

The Halloween season can be exciting for individuals who like to party and socialize with others. That’s why getting in the spooky mood this time of the season can build up the fun. Exploring new and exciting places can be a great adventure, especially activities that bring people together. Don’t be afraid of trying new things alone, as long as you feel safe. In the bar setting, people gather in this atmosphere for different reasons, whether it’s to relax, create, or just to party. As you’re reading along, here are the top spooky bars to explore that I think would be worth it to spend Halloween weekend at. 

The first on the list, with a Beetlejuice theme, is Beetle House in the East Village. There’s more to the theme than just Beetlejuice, including characters from other films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas. The drink I tried was “This is Halloween,” which is the opening song from The Nightmare Before Christmas. It had a mix of flavors such as  cinnamon liquor, sour apple, pumpkin, apple cider, and ginger beer. After the bartender finished making the drink, the fun part was watching it  smoke as if it were mist from darkness. If you want to book a table for a meal, make a reservation before it gets too packed! 

Another more classic bar is called The Headless Widow, which has, in my opinion, a gothic Victorian atmosphere. A little heads up: they might want your ID at the door, so be prepared for that. As for the atmosphere, it gives more of a relaxing vibe because of the candles all around and the drinks there. When I was about to order something based on a holiday celebration, I decided to take it nice and easy so I wouldn’t go crazy. I ended up trying the pomegranate mocktail drink, with a nice juice flavor. In general, mocktail drinks can taste better for some  because of taste preference and having more options available. 

In Hoboken, there are other places that you’ll love, including a bar called The Waiting Room. If you’re asking why it’s named that, it’s because there are more spaces than most  bars that are usually crowded. As I entered The Waiting Room, it had more of a bright atmosphere, and Halloween decorations were put up everywhere inside. Personally, my favorite thing about this bar is that they put fake webs and fake spiders up to make everything more spooky. The first drink I tried was a mocktail, inspired by an apple cider mule. I gave it a 9/10 because the flavor was very autumn-like, and it was filled with tasteful excitement. Another mocktail drink I tried was called “Dracula’s Blood.” It wasn’t actually real blood, but it had a good taste! I also asked the bartender if it gets crowded on the weekends and they said it gets packed in the other bars, but customers come to this bar because it’s usually less crowded. 

 Another bar in Hoboken to adventure into is called Madd Hatter, named after the character from Alice in Wonderland. I previously went there during a speed dating event last year, and it felt  more as if I was at the club on a weekend with the music jamming loudly. If nightlife is for you, I recommend checking out their website. 

Since I live in Jersey City, New Jersey, I also recommend  places that are local to there, such as The Pet Shop and Zeppelin Hall Beer Garden. After living in Jersey City for three years, I’ve been able to socialize by going to meetup groups that host events around the holidays. The Pet Shop on Grove Street has a more vintage atmosphere, especially when it comes to the arcade stations and photo booths. 

I want to wish everyone a Happy Halloween weekend! Stay safe when traveling in groups or solo, and enjoy the bars from my list!

Samantha Greenaway is originally from New Jersey and has lived in Jersey City for three years. She is majoring Political Science at Pace University in downtown New York. Sam’s pronouns are she/they. They’re passionate about writing culture, lifestyle, and career. Another one is that she enjoys writing about book reviews after reading each book. This would be her first time as a staff writer on Her Campus and her first time joining it this year. Outside of Her Campus, Sam also joins the Political Science Society and Aphros Literary Maganize at Pace. Passion for Human Rights, Advocacy, and Social Sciences. Being socialized, she enjoys exploring the city, especially learning more about culture based on her major. This summer she interned at a Non-Profit Organization called National Urban League as a Legal Intern at The Office of the General Counsel in New York. Last year, Sam joined the Bowery Mission for food preparation and distribution to help homelessness. As for being independent, she spends time hanging out with her friends and her family. For her interests, Sam also spends listening to podcasts (true crime, murder mystery), Sam is a bookworm when it comes to reading, including their favorite genres mystery, sci-fi, historical fiction, and gothic. Their favorite of all to do in life is traveling to places such as cities and outside of the United States. And their favorite drink of all is matcha latte.