{"id":300438,"date":"2026-10-05T23:16:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T23:16:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/300438\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T23:16:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T23:16:07","slug":"where-to-enjoy-family-friendly-halloween-activities-in-and-around-philly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/300438\/","title":{"rendered":"Where to enjoy family-friendly Halloween activities in and around Philly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking for Halloween fun without the nightmares? Philly has plenty of family-friendly<\/a> ways to celebrate.<\/p>\n

Spooky Season at Franklin Square Park<\/p>\n

Families looking to celebrate the season can head to Franklin Square this month. The historic park has once again brought back Spooky Mini Golf, transforming Philly Mini Golf into a fog-filled Halloween course with strobe lights, eerie colored lighting and festive decorations through Nov. 1.<\/p>\n

Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the family-friendly attraction costs $15 for adults and $12 for children. On Thursday through Sunday evenings, the adjacent Boo-zy Bar will also serve up seasonal cocktails, wine, beer and mocktails.<\/p>\n

Franklin Square is additionally hosting a free Pumpkin Patch on Oct. 17 (where kids 10 and under can decorate their own) and Trick-or-Treat Street on Oct. 24, where little ones can follow a candy-filled trail through the Square. That same day, WHYY\u2019s free Be My Neighbor Day will host Daniel Tiger, Katerina Kittycat, a firetruck, community activities and a complimentary carousel ride for registered guests.<\/p>\n

Finally, on Oct. 25, families with four-legged visitors can get in on the festivities during the free Bark-or-Treat Trail, complete with costumes, treats, photo ops and space to play.<\/p>\n

200 N 6th St., historicphiladelphia.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Boo at the Zoo<\/p>\n

Running select Saturdays and Sundays now through Nov. 1, this annual family-friendly celebration turns the Philadelphia Zoo<\/a> into a hub of seasonal fun with trick-or-treating, costume contests, carnival games and a chance to encounter more than two dozen giant skeletons throughout its grounds. Guests can also explore the Trick-or-Tree House, learn the truth behind \u201clegendary cryptids\u201d like the Jersey Devil, hop aboard the decorated \u201cBoo\u201d Choo Train, or check out pumpkin feedings scheduled throughout the weekends.<\/p>\n

Visitors can additionally take in fall foliage from the 10-story Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel, explore the gardens on a spooky Frightful Flora tour, or indulge in seasonal treats and drinks like apple cider and pumpkin-spiced hot chocolate. As an extra bonus, the Zoo\u2019s Wake Up With Wildlife premium tour on Oct. 11 includes a visit to The Solitude, the Zoo\u2019s oldest (and reportedly most haunted) building.<\/p>\n

3400 W Girard Ave., philadelphiazoo.org<\/a><\/p>\n

ArBOOretum Month at Morris Arboretum & Gardens<\/p>\n

Families can head to Morris during ArBOOretum Month to uncover more than 50 scarecrows scattered throughout the grounds. Designed by members of the public, visitors can cast their vote for their favorite creation on the Scarecrow Walk (free with admission) through Oct. 18 (though the Scarecrows will be on view through the end of the month). The top three will win cash prizes of $300, $200 and $100.<\/p>\n

This month\u2019s fun also includes the Pumpkin Promenade, a small trail lined with pumpkins, gourds, and other seasonal sights on view through Oct. 31. At the end, kids of all ages can explore the Morris Pumpkin Cottage, a 100-square-foot exhibition covered in hundreds of pumpkins \u2014 a nod to the area’s past, when the neighborhood around Morris was known as \u201cPumpkintown.\u201d<\/p>\n

100 E Northwestern Ave, morrisarboretum.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Halloween House<\/p>\n

Not a fan of jump scares? Halloween House Philly offers a more playful take on the season, with no actors, blood or traditional haunted-house scares. Instead, families can wander through 10 fully themed rooms packed with elaborate decorations, photo opportunities and interactive fun. Returning favorites include the Glow Room, Zombie Bunker and Spiderweb Spectacle, while new additions include a Jeopardy Room, Karaoke\/Dance Room and a Backrooms-inspired experience exclusive to the Philly location.<\/p>\n

Running through Nov. 1, the walk-through takes about 40 to 45 minutes, but after completing the attraction, guests can revisit their favorite rooms to soak up the season. Tickets start at $24.99 for teens and younger and $34.99 for adults, with group discounts available for a four-pack and a BOGO 50% Off eight-ticket package. Tickets are available through Eventbrite, and advance booking is recommended, as popular dates can sell out.<\/p>\n

901 Market St., eventbrite.com\/e\/halloween-house-philly-tickets<\/a><\/p>\n

Haunted Mission at Beat the Bomb<\/p>\n

For a Halloween activity that\u2019s more interactive than spooky, Beat The Bomb Philadelphia is bringing back its limited-time Haunted Mission now through Nov. 1. Teams of two to six players can navigate five all-new Halloween games through dark rooms, mazes, lasers and a haunted graveyard before facing the ultimate challenge: Graveyard Shift, where players race to complete 10 levels before the Red Slime Bomb detonates.<\/p>\n

Recommended for ages 6 and up, the roughly 60-minute experience includes protective gear plus free photos and videos. Premium and VIP tickets add perks like a Halloween-themed drink and commemorative shirt, with VIP guests also getting access to the Arcade Bomb Battle. Tickets (starting around $39.95) can be found online.<\/p>\n

1218 Chestnut St., beatthebomb.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Fintastic Pumpkin Glow at the CAA<\/p>\n

Adventure Aquarium\u2019s \u00a0Fintastic Pumpkin Glow is back on site through Nov. 1, \u00a0and the series will once again showcase glowing pumpkins \u201cof all shapes, sizes and species\u201d floating alongside sharks, rays and other aquatic animals.<\/p>\n

Locals can look forward to the return of the Aquarium\u2019s Paint-A-Pumpkin activities, live underwater pumpkin carving, the \u201cBones or No Bones\u201d animal skeleton show, festive fall d\u00e9cor throughout the space, specialty treats and more.<\/p>\n

For little ones ages 2 to 5, families can also take advantage of the Pre-K Kid\u2019s Adventure Pass, offering free, unlimited Aquarium admission for a year. Tickets (starting around $32) are available online.<\/p>\n

1 Riverside Drive, Camden, New Jersey, adventureaquarium.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Howl-O-Ween at the Great Wolf Lodge<\/p>\n

Great Wolf Lodge is back in the spooky spirit with its annual Howl-O-Ween celebration, running through Oct. 31. Families can follow the Trick-or-Treat Trail, dance at the Monster Bash, get crafty with Halloween activities, test their spooky-season knowledge with trivia and play Boo Bingo while there.<\/p>\n

New this year, select resorts are also housing Ghostly Globes, private Halloween-themed spaces decked out with glowing pumpkins, ghosts and other decor. The new experience also lets families create their own themed pudding treats with an assortment of festive toppings. Guests can additionally dig into a limited-time Howl-O-Ween menu featuring bites like the Howlin\u2019 Wagyu Burger and Pumpkin Pie Caramel Swirl Shake, plus themed cocktails and mocktails.<\/p>\n

1 Great Wolf Drive, Scotrun, greatwolf.com<\/a><\/p>\n

MORE: Best fall foliage day trips and getaways near Philly<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\tKeywords<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tHalloween,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Philadelphia Halloween,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Things to Do in Philadelphia,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Family Activities,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Philadelphia Events,\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t Fall in Philadelphia\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Looking for Halloween fun without the nightmares? Philly has plenty of family-friendly ways to celebrate. Spooky Season at…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":300439,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[123786,7288,732,69,53163,123785,71,70,69783],"class_list":["post-300438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-philadelphia","tag-fall-in-philadelphia","tag-family-activities","tag-halloween","tag-philadelphia","tag-philadelphia-events","tag-philadelphia-halloween","tag-philadelphia-headlines","tag-philadelphia-news","tag-things-to-do-in-philadelphia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300438"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300438\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/300439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}