Check Out These Halloween Happenings!
October 21, 2022
It’s spooky season! There's nothing more thrilling like Halloween nights in the City of Philadelphia. With so much to do in the city, we put together a handy guide of some of the biggest events going on, from the most frightful to the most family friendly - and how to get there on SEPTA. For more events - including events beyond the city - check out our Local Happenings page!
The Haunting at Lincoln Mill
Lincoln Mill Haunted House is Manayunk’s Newest Haunted Attraction. The Haunted House features over 40 live scare-actors, production quality sets, props, animatronics, and special effects such as fog, strobes, and flashing lights. Open Thursdays - Saturdays: 10/6 - 11/5. Hop the Manayunk/Norristown Line to Manayunk Station or Routes 9, 27, 35 or 61.
MNYK Trick-Or-Trolley
Starting 10/6, visitors can get around Main Street for free on the Trick-or-Trolley in Manayunk! Riders will be able to get off at several spots including the Lincoln Mill Haunted House. Thursdays & Fridays: 6PM - 10PM and Saturdays: 1PM - 10 PM. Hop the Manayunk/Norristown Line to Manayunk Station or Routes 9, 27, 35 or 61.
Halloween Nights
The massive Eastern State Penitentiary — a gothic, castle-like structure in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood — is also home to the attraction’s famed Halloween celebration. Formerly known as Terror Behind the Walls, Halloween Nights comprises 15 attractions, including FIVE separate haunted houses (which can be bypassed by those who want a less scary experience). Also included: historic tours, live music and themed bars inside the 10-acre historic site. Check it out from 9/23 thru 11/12. Get there on SEPTA. Bus Routes 49, 48, 43, 33, 32 & 7 all get you [terrifyingly] close. And don't forget - you've got Perks! Save $3 off tickets with this Perk!
Spooky Twilight Tours
The home of Revolutionary-era icon Betsy Ross plays up Philly’s grisly past during special twilight tours this October. Gather in the courtyard to hear tales about bloodletting, smallpox, yellow fever (and the general ickiness of life in 18th-century Philadelphia) before taking a shadowy tour of the pint-sized property. Note: Because of some queasy content, these tours are not recommended for small children. Short walk from 2nd Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line or hop Routes 17, 33 or 48.
Boo At the Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo’s annual Halloween celebration takes place over three weekends in October - from 10/15 thru 10/30. Don your favorite costume, take the kids trick-or-treating around the zoo and participate in special family-friendly activities — all to a backdrop of festive fall decor. Boo at the Zoo is included in regular zoo admission. In between candy stops, visit the new giraffe feeding encounter to offer the resident gentle giants a treat of their own: some of their favorite vegetation. Note: There is an additional charge to feed the giraffes. And remember - you've got Perks! Save $2 on admission! Get there on SEPTA Routes 15 or 38.
Collingswood Fall Festival
Get into the Fall spirit at the annual Fall Festival at the Knight Park Pavilion on 10/22. There will be music, countless games and fun for kids, and food galore followed by a haunted hayride! Make a SEPTA to PATCO connection. Hop the Market-Frankford Line to 8th & Market to connect to PATCO or the Broad Street Line Walnut-Locust for the PATCO stop at 15th & Locust. Tunnels connect the systems underground, just follow the signs. For more info, click here.
Funky Brunch & Market: Halloween Edition
Make you way to Ardmore Music Hall for free family fun during the Funky Brunch & Market: Halloween Edition on 10/22! Show starts at 10:30am! Get there on SEPTA! Hop the Paoli/Thorndale Line to Ardmore or Routes 44, 103 or 106.
Franklin Fright Weekends
Trick-or-treat your way through the Franklin Institute, and experience our classic live science shows performed alongside special guest Gourd’n the Giant Pumpkin Robot in an immersive Halloween-inspired environment. New this year, visit The Lab for a collection of interactive tech-focused activities, including photo ops, mazes, and demos; and see the all-new “That’s Gross!” Live Science Show featuring pumpkin smashing and more fantastically grotesque demos focused on the human body, presented by costumed performers every weekend in October! Leave the driving to SEPTA. Short walk from Suburban Station, hop Bus Routes 7, 33, 38, 48 or Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 or 36.
So, leave the driving to SEPTA when you travel about this Halloween season! Plan your trip today! And check out our Local Happenings page to see more things to do in the city and beyond!
