Whether you are a history buff, love sculpture, interesting cemetery symbolism, or just want to enjoy the pretty scenery, a visit to historic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery’s 90-acre grounds is a treat. Make the most of your time here by taking one of our guided tours to unlock some of the secrets behind the stones!
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All tour proceeds go directly towards preservation and restoration of the grounds. Donations to the Historic Fund are always welcome.
Please note that advance ticket purchase is highly recommended. If no tickets have been sold, the tour will be removed from the calendar and the guide will be released. To avoid disappointment, please buy tickets in advance.
The Original Knickerbocker: Washington Irving & The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Trace the footsteps of Washington Irving’s most famous character Ichabod Crane in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” as we walk to the author’s final resting place during this one-hour tour. Learn more about the talented Mr. Irving and his influence on popular culture today.
Dates: Every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. – 12 noon and 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. in November through Thanksgiving weekend. The meeting point is our South Gate, 430 North Broadway. Children under age 5 do not require a ticket for daytime tours.
The Classic Day Tour
Our two-hour afternoon walking tour offers a great overview of what makes this 169-year old place so special. The first stop is none other than the final resting place of the illustrious Washington Irving, author of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. After that it’s on to the Receiving Vault – a favorite especially among Dark Shadows fans – and some of the most lovely plots in the south end before making our way north to Andrew Carnegie’s final resting place, William Rockefeller’s family mausoleum and much more along the way.
Dates: Every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m.-12 noon and 2:00-4:00 p.m in November through Thanksgiving weekend. The meeting point is our South Gate, 430 North Broadway. Children under age 5 do not require a ticket for daytime tours.
Classic Evening Lantern Tours
Enjoy our two-hour walking tour by the light of kerosene lanterns! This tour follows the same route as the Classic Day tour, but the atmosphere is completely different in the dark!
Dates: November 23rd and 24th from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Please note that the meeting point for this tour in the North Gate, 540 North Broadway. Evening tours are not appropriate for very young children.
Murder and Mayhem Lantern Tours
Looking to hear some darker – but all true! – stories? Meet fallen angels and helpless victims on this two-hour walking tour through Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Join us as we visit by lantern light the flamboyant businesswoman branded “the wickedest woman in New York,” a debonair counterfeiter, the scene of a grave robbery, victims of “the Mad Murderer of Sleepy Hollow,” a brotherly murder-suicide, and the celebrated opera singer who was alleged to have assaulted, extorted, and killed various of her seven husbands, and more. Subject matter is not suitable for children under 18.
Dates: November 23rd and 24th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Please note that the meeting point for this tour is the North Gate, 540 North Broadway.
Schedule a tour
All public and private organized group tours MUST be conducted by Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Tour operators, corporate and civic groups, email us at tours@sleepyhollowcemetery.org for information about scheduling your group. External organizations and parties are expressly prohibited from using the Cemetery for personal profit or private activities not authorized in advance by the Cemetery. Unauthorized groups on the property will be asked to leave the grounds immediately. Please note that the cemetery is private property.
On your own
Walk or drive our 90 acre grounds during visiting hours, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily. Entrance is free to individual members of the public. All groups must be accompanied by cemetery staff. Please note that tour buses and other large vehicles are not permitted without advance arrangements; access fees apply for all groups. Commercial photography is only permitted with prior authorization of the cemetery superintendent and site fees would apply.
- Our full-color, 17” x 20” map is an indispensable guide to more than 50 special features of the cemetery. Purchase at the cemetery office during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4 pm, closed major holidays) or at the Philipsburg Manor museum shop across the street from the cemetery’s south gate. Purchase now through www.sleepyhollowgiftsonline.com.
- We offer free legal-sized maps of our 90 acres—perfect for a short, self-guided tour to 8 major figures in the cemetery. Pick up a copy at the cemetery office or at the cemetery’s south gate, adjacent to the Old Dutch Church.
