1. Let’s start with Philly, itself. Did you really think the Spirit of ‘76 was just about independence?? Silly you.
History buffs will, of course, want to see all the historical sites, like Constitution Hall, the Liberty Bell, etc. Don’t forget Betsy Ross’ house! There is a walking paranormal tour covering the historical aspect of good ol' Philly. But at Halloween there is nothing spookier than a walk-through the Fright Factory: 25,000 sq. feet of terror in a 120 year old factory basement. A close second is the Eastern State Penitentiary – which was home to some of our country’s most illustrious criminals. There are 5 different walk-through haunted areas within this prison. We can't overlook the hayride out at The Bates Motel, either. This has all kinds of special effects and things that go bump in the hay. These 3 places are all Adults Only. For the truly weird, try the Mutter Museum, then trot over to the Mummer’s Museum for the somewhat weird (weird only to those of you not from around here. You just don’t understand the Mummers). For children, check out Boo at the Zoo! Or the Franklin Institute, which is where science-meets-museum-meets interactive activities. One-of-a-kind experience – ask anyone from Philly if they’ve walked through The Heart, which beats, when they were a kid. Of course, they have! At Halloween all that’s missing at the Heart is Edgar Allan Poe reading The Tell-tale Heart. Oh wait…. yes you can do that too; just visit the Edgar Allan Poe Home, where he lived in the city. After all the terror, head over to the The Art Museum for a relaxing way to spend some time, with great children's programs and trick or treats in the main lobby. The grounds, including the Water Works Restaurant behind the Museum, is a great place to walk around. Don’t forget the Rocky Statue, which requires you to run up the legendary steps while taking selfies jumping up and down. A fun way to "get your steps in". To get around the city, there is a hop-on, hop-off bus, The Philly Phlash – the best $5 you ever spent. It only runs Fri to Sun in the fall, however.
2. Now let’s go back to the time of Jack the Ripper: Victorian Cape May, NJ.
This is the best place to “do” Halloween! I have a house here, so I may be prejudiced, but a trip to this seashore town in the fall really delivers. Unlike other northeastern shore towns, this one is a year-round residence, so it doesn’t close down like other shore towns. The town itself is a landmark: an entire town of beautifully restored, original Victorian homes. Take a horse & buggy ride around the streets, looking at these amazing mansions, and hear some true ghost stories. Or take a ghost tour by trolley. The restaurants in this town are outstanding. There’s a trolley tour out to the Lighthouse in the evening to learn about the hauntings there – and walk the nature path through a woodland restored area that empties out to the beach – if you dare! Alfred Hitchcock may have visited CM when he made the movie, The Birds, because this is a leading bird watching area in the country. There are multiple preserved areas of beach and woodlands you can walk through to observe them. Check out Sunset Beach, with its sinking cement shipwreck & Cape May Diamonds: let your kids look for them on the beach. Learn the story of the original CM Diamond, a saga that begins with King Nummy, the last chief of the Kechemeche tribe and ends in a mystery as a ring equaling a 20-carat diamond, and has connections to the movie “The Philadelphia Story”. History buff? This town abounds with WW2 stuff. Farm to table is a way of life here. Learn the legend of Blackbeard, a pretty scary pirate who would set his beard on fire as he captured a ship. He is supposed to have buried his treasure here. It is the 2nd busiest seaport on the east coast. Eat at the Lobster House where the fish literally come off the boat. The entire town is basically a protected preserve for eagles and all types of raptors, studied and cared for by Rutgers Univ, who also studies and tags the whales and dolphins. The University also runs whale watching trips and because they know the patterns of the pods, you are more or less guaranteed a sighting. Wineries/breweries/distilleries abound and so much more. And then there is Christmas…. Delightful way to celebrate the season, but that’s for a different discussion.
3. Too many ghosts and weird noises scaring you? Then get your adrenaline going with a light show to beat all light shows! Longwood Gardens in Chadds Ford, PA.
(Combine this with an outing to artist Andrew Wyeth country- also Chadds Ford). Longwood Gardens is, of course, for the person who is really into plants, but its also just a wonderful relaxing day spent walking through beautiful fall landscapes, indoor water gardens, outdoor fountains putting on shows to music, and just all-around lovely day spent taking selfies with a gorgeous background. Presently there is a light show extraordinaire that shouldn’t be missed in the evenings. It is not a show, but rather an artistic installation that is interwoven throughout the 1100 acres, spanning the entire Garden. It is only there until Oct 30 and the outdoor fountains only run until then too. Every season is different, with different plantings each year, but some are more beautiful than others. Christmas time is amazing, and tulip season is a like a mini trip to Holland itself.
4. How about just enjoying fall’s splendor in a place where time and technology doesn’t touch? Lancaster, PA.
Fall brings an incredible beauty to this part of the northeast. But its not just for the blazing fall colors that you travel up here. Lancaster is home to the Amish, so you literally share the road with horse and buggies, clopping along beside you. This is not a place to go with time restraints; this is a trip for going back in time, relaxing and enjoying lots of outdoor things. There is so much to do, from a scooter group bike tour of Amish country to an award-winning magic show. Hiking and pumpkin patches are always a big hit. Stop at any number of Amish restaurants, where you have to try their Shoo Fly Pie, a molasses wonder. Then answer the question of which is best: wet or dry pie? Shoo Fly Pie was a staple in our house because my father’s family was from Pennsylvania Dutch country. My answer to that question is wet – meaning loaded with oozing molasses. Christmas is also big up there. For years, we went up for weekends and bought our Christmas tree from one of the many farms along the road.
Once in Lancaster, a spin-off is a visit to Hershey, PA., home of the Hershey kiss and Hershey candy bars. Visit the Hershey Hotel for their one-of-a-kind chocolate facials or chocolate-based massages. All the street lights are shaped like Hershey kisses. There is also Hershey Park, an amusement park that kids of all ages would love. Don’t leave this area without bags of those delicious Hershey kisses!
5. What is more Halloween than an evening hayride and a bon fire with s'mores, telling ghost stories? Ramsey’s Farm, Wilmington, DE.
A working farm turns into a fall playland. Corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin picking, evening bonfires (bring your own s’mores ingredients or purchase theirs), purchase fresh produce and humanely grown & cared for Wagyu beef from their own cattle. This can be just a day out, or a learning outing because the farm is committed to the principle that we should all know where our food comes from. You can also bring a group (just reserve your time/date) or have a fundraiser event there as well. They can handle up to 1000 people!
Extra bonus suggestion: For a spooky day with or without the kids, try any of the many amusement parks in the area. This is their last hurrah before closing for the season, so they try to do it up. Check out their websites for special attractions and their events’ dates & times.
Happy haunting,
Roseann
Hint: Need a quick get-a-way? Combine some of these suggested events with a 2-night stay in the luxury Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia (where I can get you VIP perks!) and/or two nights stay in Congress Hall Hotel in Cape May, and you just elevated this into a Halloween fall outing of scary stuff, relaxing stuff and all kinds of pampering stuff. A true mini vacation!
Comments