Eastern State Penitentiary

Visit Eastern State Penitentiary to see one of the country's first and at one point largest prisons, this place is scary enough visiting on a normal day, but if a tru fright is what you are after visit in the month of October for the Halloween Tours... If you are in it for the awesome historical perspective visit any time, it is a little outside of Center City, but worth the trip to see an amazing piece of history and an architectural beauty! more

Last Halloween my friend and I went to the Halloween show at the famous prison where Al Capone was held. The atmosphere before you begin ups the creepiness factor as you stand waiting in the dark prison yard listening to a video on the prison. The haunted house portion itself is extensive, taking a while to get through. However, it may be scarier for younger children. I found the environment of the prison itself to be sufficiently frightening that some of the haunted house decorations actually detracted (in particular, a neon room seemed more cartoony and silly than frightening). I would love to go back to take the daytime historic tour which is also about a third of the price. The haunted house is worth seeing but perhaps seeing the prison alone is better. more

This was an exciting and informational tour. Even my teen son, who never admits to liking anything, was impressed with the stories our wonderful tour guide told. Al Capone even was imprisoned here! They also do some really neat programs at Halloween. They even put on art exhibits in some of the old cell blocks. This is a real step into the old prison days, when solitary confinement was thought to rehab prisoners. It is just amazing. They do not allow younger children into the museum, more