Visit Halloween homes in North Jersey to see outrageous and dastardly decorations
In North Jersey, we take Halloween seriously.
Halloween displays across the region have become more elaborate, with some opting to go above and beyond typical store-bought decorations and instead creating their own concoction of spooky goodness.
Between brain-eating zombies, life-size pirate ships and scandalous skeletons, these homes have become staples of the holiday in North Jersey.
Here are just a few of North Jersey's most iconic Halloween displays:
Zombieland, Hawthorne
Where: 193 Lafayette Ave, Hawthorne
This holiday, you can experience a real life zombie apocalypse in Hawthorne — without having to worry about having your brain eaten, of course. Dozens of zombies flood the yard of Anthony Rodrigues each year on Lafayette Avenue. Between the skeleton figurines on his roof and the arch of the living dead leading up to his front door, this home is the ultimate haunt. If you're lucky, you may even catch Rodrigues in costume lurking around the property, waiting to deliver scares to all who stop at his Halloween display.
Originally from Portugal, Rodrigues' inspiration comes from the thrills he experienced during his native country's Carnival holiday. His display attracts the public in flocks, so much so that the police have to put out "No Parking" signs on his block so visitors don't obstruct traffic — that's how good it is.
The Black Pearl, Roxbury
Where: 2 Alcott Way, Roxbury
Every Halloween, the infamous Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean once again sets sail, but this time, from a home in Roxbury. Each year, the Heard family transforms their yard, bringing in a life-size replica of the ship, and decorating their property with pirates, ghouls, skeletons and scarecrows galore.
The family hosts an official walk through every year on Halloween day, where visitors are invited to explore everything their display has to offer. The walk through, which is not a haunted house, features family-friendly spooks for all ages to enjoy.
Pop Culture Mayhem, Hoboken
Where: Bloomfield Street and Garden Street, Hoboken
In Hoboken, Halloween decorations are a pop culture paradise. Along Bloomfield and Garden Streets, residents have taken it upon themselves to recreate scenes from current events. In addition to typical decorations like haunted Jack-O-Lanterns and creepy clowns, these displays include Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce skeletons, a cow being abducted by aliens and a Mojo Dojo Casa House accompanied by Barbie and Ken.
The Zombie Graveyard, Ridgewood
Where: 294 West End Ave, Ridgewood
Peter Maltin's home has become known as the Ridgewood Halloween House. Each year, his front lawn becomes the site of a zombie graveyard, consisting of a zig-zagging walkway that is obscured in the fog of a half-dozen machines. Throughout, you'll find tombstones, dismembered body parts and zombies rising from the dead.
See the map: Want to explore North Jersey's best Halloween displays? This map shows you where they are
The display, which takes about six weeks to set up, involves mapping out lights and laying electrical lines, as well as protecting all items from the elements. Visitors will often tour his zombie graveyard several times a year, as there's so many decorations to explore. On Halloween, a large candy bar awaits visitors at the end of their trip through the graveyard.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Best Halloween houses in NJ: Check out dastardly decorations
