Where will you be on October 31?

The sun hits the horizon and the night smothers you suddenly, and it’s on this one night a year that you can be anyone and anything you want to be. Halloween is quickly approaching.

Halloween originated from Samhain, a Celtic Festival celebrating the end of the harvest. It was believed by the ancients Gaels that on Oct. 31, the boundary between the world of the dead and the world of the living ceased to exist and spirits could travel back and forth as they pleased.

Once you’ve decided on your costume of choice, whether it be a naughty cop, toga person, or Gandhi, the real question is: how are you going to spend your evening in the company of the “undead?”

If you’re feeling adventurous, there are a few haunted houses, each with their own unique spin, that may pique your interest. A huge smash in New York City, “Nightmare: Ghost Stories” is an exhibit based on a selection of actual ghost encounters and accounts. Open daily from 7 p.m. to midnight, “Nightmare” features a guided tour and the chance to find your way out of an intense haunted house.

If you want to experience the real thing, there are also opportunities for you to take your chances with the paranormal. A few reputed haunted spots here in Miami include the Biltmore Hotel, which served as a hospital during WWII and offers ghost tours weekly. If you do check out the Biltmore, be sure to stop in on the 13th floor, which has a particularly sinister reputation.

The Ghost Tours of Coconut Grove will provide you with a new look at your local Thursday night hot spots. Are you willing to know the truth about the party spots your frequent, and the guests you may or may not have seen looming there?

Of course there are still swanky parties that are happening around Miami, including Mansion, BED, Space, Cameo, Dek23 and Club Prive; be sure to order your tickets as soon as possible to avoid paying high last minute prices. If you’re interested in heading to SoBe, alternative duo Chromeo will also be performing at Heathrow to celebrate Halloween with Miami. And if you are looking for a more fancy event (which comes with the steep price tag of $125 a ticket) Viscaya is having its own costumed soiree.

Trick-or-treating events will take place early on in the evening at Miracle Mile, while most of CocoWalk will be closed off for pedestrians who will be undoubtedly up to mischief and mayhem later in the evening.  Remember to sign up for the Ibis Ride to the Grove and/or Sunset place to secure a safe and reliable way to get back on campus.

Have you made plans, but are still stuck on costume ideas? Check out costumeideazone.com for tips on making or purchasing a unique costume that will be the talk of the party.

With such an array of events going down this Halloween, you shouldn’t be stuck wishing you’d planned ahead. So, whether it’s your friend’s house party, a haunted house or a stroll through the insanely packed Grove, make the most of this year’s chilly Hallow’s Eve.