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. There is a $2 per ticket surcharge for bookings made over the phone.
The Original Knickerbocker: Washington Irving & “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
Why is Washington Irving known as the Original Knickerbocker? Come on this one-hour walking tour and find out! Learn more about the talented Mr. Irving, his enormous impact on American Literature and the enduring appeal of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, now entering its Bicentennial! Don’t miss this chance to celebrate The Legend Turns 200, though we can’t promise you a horseman sighting! He is a legend after all…You’ll also enter the Receiving Vault, see the Revolutionary War Memorial and “meet” some of Irving’s contemporaries on this tour. It’s a fun way to spend an hour!
Date & Time: October through November 30th from 11:00 a.m. – 12 noon and also 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
The Classic Day Tour
Soak up the beauty of this 170-year old cemetery while your guide regales you with stories of the fascinating people resting here in peace. Our two-hour guided walk is the perfect way “to have a colloquy among the tombs” as Washington Irving, famous author of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, did himself back in 1849.
As The Legend Turns 200, we pay homage to the great author, but also introduce visitors to some of the other interesting people buried here like Andrew Carnegie, Samuel Gompers, William Rockefeller among others! Compare the amazing architecture of the south and north ends of the grounds, discover the meaning of unusual symbols along the way. This tour gives a great overview of why Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is so famous!
Date & Time: Every Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. through November 30th. Also 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon October 5th through November 10th.
Classic Evening Lantern Tours
This tour covers the same stops as our Classic Day Tour, but it goes by the light of kerosene lanterns. Step back in time and enjoy the fun atmosphere! It’s just the right amount of spooky to be walking around the cemetery after dark while your guide shares stories of the fascinating people resting here in peace. This tour gives a great overview of why Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is so famous – all by the light of kerosene lanterns!
Dates: In October every night through November 16th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Also from 10:00 p.m. – 12 midnight Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through November 10th – and on Halloween night! November 23rd and 30th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. only.
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. Meet 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. For the enjoyment of all tour goers, please respect this policy.
Dates: Thursdays 10/10 and 10/24 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Every Friday and Saturday night 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 – 11:30 p.m. in October – plus Halloween night! – through November 9th. November 16, 23 and 30th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. only.
The Good, the Bad and the Unusual
Join Sara Mascia and Tara Van Tassell from our local Historical Society as they dish about our colorful local residents and some of our world famous inhabitants. You can guess who will be good, bad, or unusual!
Among the many locals are self-styled frontiersman Alfred Weed, poet and eccentric Minna Irving, and wealthy industrialists William Rockefeller and John Archbold. They will also bring guests to visit some of the individuals who became locals by making Sleepy Hollow their final resting place, such as labor leader Samuel Gompers, and many others all by the light of kerosene lanterns. Yes, Tara is a real Van Tassell!
Dates: October 4, 5, 11 and 12 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
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.
