A Handful of Halloween Happenings in Philadelphia

Spending Halloween in or near the city of brotherly love? Here are a handful of Halloween happenings, suited to a variety of different ages and tastes.

1. Laurel Hill Cemetery, the sprawling, 32-acre garden graveyard located by the eastern banks of the Schuylkill River, has been a popular tourist destination for over 150 years. Interred there are 40 Civil War Generals, among them George Gordon Meade, the hero of Gettysburg, as well as numerous other dignitaries. Every October, Laurel Hill features guided tours by actors dressed as famous decedents. This year, the event runs on Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at a cost of $20 per person. Tours are also available on Sunday, October 29th for $15, but without costumed actors. Laurel Hill Cemetery is located at 3822 Ridge Avenue, and can be reached at 215-228-8200.

2. For years, Eastern State Penitentiary held some of society's most depraved criminals. Now, according to some, it holds much worse. Tours are offered of the allegedly-haunted, 188 year-old building, which officially closed as a prison in 1970. But more interesting by far than the daylight tours is the annual Terror Behind the Walls, which this years runs from September 21 through November 3. Eastern State Penitentiary is located at 2124 Fairmount Avenue. For tour times and prices, call 215-236-5111. Lines are generally shorter earlier in the evening.