Top Regional Attractions

Philadelphia

Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; 215-299-1000. www.ansp.org. Butterflies!. $2 fee in addition to admission. Dinosaur Hall. The Florence R. Foerderer Live Animal Center. Egyptian Mummies. Living Downstream. Marveling at Mollusks. Science at the Academy. Naturalist Shows. Closes 11/1. Outside-In. $10; $8 seniors, students, military, children 3-12; free for children under 3. 10 am-4:30 pm Mon.-Fri., 10 am-5 pm Sat.-Sun..

AAmerican Women's Heritage Society Underground Railroad Museum 2000 Belmont Mansion Dr.; 215-878-8844. www.belmontmansion.org. Winter: Tue.-Fri. 11 am-5 pm. Summer: Tue.-Sun. 11 am-5 pm:.

Bartram's Garden 54th St.; 215-729-5281. www.bartramsgarden.org. America's oldest living botanical garden & the pre-revolutionary home of naturalist, botanist & explorer John Bartram. Little Explorers. $5. Grounds: Daily 10 am-5 pm. Tours: Mar.-2nd week of Dec.: noon-4 pm.

Betsy Ross House 239 Arch St.; 215-686-1252. www.betsyrosshouse.org. $3; $2 seniors, military & children under 13. Apr.-Sept.: Daily 10 am-5 pm. Oct.-Mar.: Tue.-Sun. 10 am-5 pm.

Christ Church 20 N. American St.; 215-922-1695. www.christchurchphila.org. Georgian architectural treasure attended by founding fathers; heritage is well documented by an extensive collection of artifacts as well as archival & library materials. Christ Church in the Age of Washington. Donations accepted. Mon.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm; Sun. 1 pm-5 pm.

Christ Church Burial Ground Arch Street; 215-922-1695. www.christchurchphila.org. Final resting place of Benjamin Franklin & 4 other signers of the Declaration of Independence. American Artists, Writers & Composers Tour. Yellow Fever 1793 Tour. Closes 10/31. Guided tours on the hr., last tour at 3 pm. $2; $1 students; $10 groups up to 25. Mon-Sat. 10 am-4 pm; Sun. 12 pm-4 pm.

Eastern State Penitentiary 22nd St. & Fairmount Ave.; 215-236-3300. www.easternstate.org. The vaulted, sky-lit cells of this prison once held many of America's most notorious criminals, including bank robber Willie Sutton & Al Capone. $12; $10 seniors; $8 students & children 7-12. Children under 7 cannot be admitted to the site. Daily 10 am-5 pm.

Edgar Allan Poe National Historical Site Spring Garden St.; 215-597-8780. www.nps.gov/edal. Home of the noted author from 1843-44. 9 am-5 pm Wed.-Sun..

Elfreth's Alley Second St.; 215-574-0560. www.elfrethsalley.org. $2; $1 children 6-18. Mon.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.

Fort Mifflin Fort Mifflin Rd.; 215-685-4167. www.fortmifflin.com. American War of Independence. $6; $5 seniors; $3 children 5-12. $6; $5 seniors; $3 veterans & children 6-12; free for children 5 & under. Wed.-Sun. 10 am-4 pm.

The Franklin Institute 222 N. 20th St.; 215-448-1200. www.fi.edu. Giant Heart. Space Command. Sports Challenge. The Franklin Air Show. The Train Factory. Sir Isaac's Loft. Franklin. He's Electric. Franklin National Memorial. Amazing Machine!. Body Worlds II & the Brain. $18-$27; $16.75-$24.75 seniors, students and military; $13.75-$19.80 children 4-11. $12-$23.75; $11-$22.75 seniors; $9.50-$15.50 children 4-11. Sci-Pass: $14.25; $13.25 seniors, students & military; $11.50 children. IMAX & other permanent exhibits open daily 9:30 am-5 pm.

Franklin Square Sixth & Race Sts.; 215-629-4026. www.historicphiladelphia.org. Trick-or-Treat Trail. Closes 10/31. Lightning Bolt Express Train. Closes 10/31. Sun.-Thu. 10 am-6 pm; Fri.-Sat. 10 am-7 pm (hours vary per season).

Independence Hall Chestnut St.; 215-597-8974. www.nps.gov/inde/independence-hall-1.htm. Guided Tour - Explore this historic example of Georgian architecture. Daily 9 am-5 pm.

Independence Seaport Museum 211 S. Columbus Blvd.; 215-925-5439. www.phillyseaport.org. Skin & Bones: Tattoos in the Life of the American Sailor. What Floats Your Boat?. Olympia: Launching the American Century. Home Port Philadelphia. Coming to America. Philadelphia & the China Trade. Divers of the Deep. On the Rivers, On the Shores. $12; $10 seniors; $7 children/students/military; free for children under 2. 10 am-5 pm daily.

Independence Visitor Center N. 6th St. & Market St.; 800-537-7676. www.independencevisitorcenter.com/. Open daily 8:30 am-6 pm.

Laurel Hill Cemetery: The Underground Museum 3822 Ridge Ave.; 215-228-8200. www.theundergroundmuseum.org. Outdoor sculptural garden, horticultural gem & unique historical landmark featuring over 75 acres of art & history. Lecture and Walking Tour. $25-$30. 10/31. 9 am. Mon.-Fri. 8 am-4:30 pm; Sat.-Sun. 9:30 am-5 pm.

Laurel Hill Mansion East Fairmount Park; 215-235-1776. www.fairmountpark.org/LaurelHill.asp/. Georgian-style mansion built in 1767 by Rebecca Rawle. $5; $3 seniors; $2 children 6-12. Open 10 am-4 pm weekends.

Liberty Bell Center 501 Market St.; 215-965-2305. www.nps.gov/inde. Home of the Liberty Bell & exhibits on its origins & role as symbol of freedom. Home of the Liberty Bell. Mon.-Fri .9 am-5 pm; Sat.-Sun. 9 am-6 pm.

Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania 100 E. Northwestern Ave.; 215-247-5777. www.morrisarboretum.org. meta Metasequoia. Closes 11/6. Out on a Limb - A Tree Adventure. Open Guided Tour. $14; $12 seniors; $7 students & youth 3-17; free for children under 3. Hours vary throughout year.

The Mutter Museum 19 S. 22nd St.; 215-563-3737. www.collphyphil.org. Over 200 wet & dry specimens, lantern slides, x-rays & more. The Devouring Element: Lead's Impact on Health. Closes 11/1. $12; $8 seniors, students, children 6-17; free for children under 6. 10 am-5 pm daily; until 9pm Fri..

National Constitution Center 525 Arch St.; 215-409-6600. www.constitutioncenter.org. 1787 copy on display plus more than 100 interactive exhibits, Signer's Hall, The Story of We the People (Multimedia presentation featuring live actor, film & video projection, family-oriented exhibits) & more. Diana: A Celebration. $23; $21 seniors; $15 children 4-12; free for active military and children 3 and under. The "We the People" Mosaic. The Story of We the People. 1787 Copy on Display. Audio Tour: Meet the Signers. $3; $2 members plus general adm.. Sally Bedell & Vincent Bzdek: American Aristocracies. $35; $21 members. 11/2. 2:30 pm. Regular admission: $12; $11 seniors; $8 children 4-12; free for children under 4 & military (audio tour $3). Mon.-Fri. 9:30 am-5 pm, Sat. 9:30 am-6 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.

National Liberty Museum 321 Chestnut St.; 215-925-2800. www.libertymuseum.org. Coming to America. From Conflict to Harmony. Liberty Hall. Voyage to Liberty Through Faith. Heroes From Around the World. Independence Starts Here: Exceptional People. Heroes of 9/11. Education Center / Chihuly Gallery. Let Freedom Ring. Native American Heritage Month. Closes 11/29. $7; $6 seniors; $5 students; $2 children 5-7; free for children under 5 & for all on Sun. Self guided tours only. Open 7 days a week (closed Mon. fall, winter, spring).

National Museum of American Jewish History 55 N. Fifth St.; 215-923-3811. www.nmajh.org. Mon.-Thu. 10 am-5 pm; Fri. 10 am-3 pm; Sun. noon-5 pm.

The Philadelphia Zoo 3400 W. Girard Ave.; 215-243-1100. www.philadelphiazoo.org. Cat Falls. Children's Zoo. Dodge Rare Animal Conservation Center. Reptile and Amphibian House. PECO Primate Reserve. African Plains. Bear Country. Bird Valley. Carnivore Kingdom. Monkey Junction. Pachyderm House. Prairie Dogs. Small Mammal House. Giant Tortoise Feeding. Beast Feast. Closes 10/31. $18; $15 children 2-11; free for children under 2. Daily 9:30 am-4:30 pm.

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology 3260 South St.; 215-898-4000. www.museum.upenn.edu. 3 gallery floors with art & artifacts from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia, the Americas, Africa, Polynesia & the ancient Mediterranean world. Fulfilling a Prophecy: The Past & Present of the Lenape in Pennsylvania. His Golden Touch: The Gordion Drawings of Piet de Jong. Iraq's Ancient Past: Rediscovering Ur's Royal Cemetery. Painted Metaphors: Pottery & Politics of the Ancient Maya. 40 Winks With the Sphinx. $50. 40 Winks With the Sphinx Halloween Sleepover. $50. 10/30. 6:30 pm. James Cuno: Museums, Antiquities & Cultural Property. Pay-what-you-like. 11/2. 5-6 pm. Great Discoveries: Angkor!. $5 advance; $10 day of event. 11/4. 6-7:30 pm. Suggested donation: $10; $7 seniors; $6 students & children 6-17; free for children under 6. Tue.-Sat. 10am-4:30pm, Sun. 1-5pm.

Wagner Free Institute of Science 1700 W. Montgomery Ave.; 215-763-6529. www.wagnerfreeinstitute.org. Founded 1855. Houses Wagner's natural history collection of skeletons, mounted animals, fossils. Gold, Elixirs and Books of Secrets: A Brief History of Alchemy. Donation suggested: $10; $5 students and seniors. 11/5. 4-7 pm. Donation suggested: $8. Office: Mon.-Fri. 9 am-5 pm.

Woodford Mansion 33rd & Dauphin St.; 215-229-6115. www.woodfordmansion.org. Elegant 18th century summer house furnished with an exquisite collection of period antiques. Guided Tours of Woodford Mansion. $5; $3 seniors; $2 children 6-12. Tours $5; $3 seniors. .

The Woodlands 4000 Woodland Ave.; 215-386-2181. www.woodlandsphila.org. National Historic Landmark District featuring the William Hamilton mansion & carriage house of 1789 & the continuously active Woodlands Cemetery founded on the remains of Hamilton's estate in 1840. $3-$5. .

Pennsylvania suburbs

Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site Route 1, Chadds Ford; 610-459-3342. www.ushistory.org/brandywine. 52 acres of woodlands, meadows, Washington's headquarters, artifacts, weapons, uniforms. House tours: $5; $3.50 seniors; $2.50 children 6-17; free for children under 6. Tue.-Sat. 9 am-5 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.

Chester County Historical Society 225 N. High St., West Chester; 610-692-4800. www.cchs-pa.org/. $5; $4 seniors & students; $2.50 children; free for children under 6. Wed.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm.

Elmwood Park Zoo 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown; 610-277-3825. www.elmwoodparkzoo.org. The Norristown Zoological Society operates the Zoo, an educational adventure in a fun, clean & family-oriented environment. Nightmare at Elmwood. Closes 10/31. $10.75; $7.75 seniors & children 2-11; free for children under 2. Daily 10 am-5 pm.

Hopewell Furnace 2 Mark Bird Ln., Elverson; 610-582-8773. www.nps.gov/hofu. Voices of Hopewell. Traditional Apple Picking. No entrance fee charged; $1 per pound for apples. Closes 11/1. $4; free for children under 16. Daily 9 am-5 pm.

Longwood Gardens Rte. 1, Kennett Square; 610-388-1000. www.longwoodgardens.org. The Buds & the Bees: Pollination & the Secret Lives of Plants. Pumpkin Playground. Closes 11/4. Kids' Garden Adventure. Closes 11/10. $16; $14 seniors (ages 62 & over); $6 students (5-22); free for children 4 & under. Mon.-Wed. & Sun. 9 am-6 pm; Thu.-Sat. 9 am-10 pm.

New Jersey

Adventure Aquarium 1 Aquarium Dr., Camden; 866-451-2782. www.adventureaquarium.com. The Creature Feature. Penguin Island. West African River Experience. Jules Verne Gallery. Shark Realm. Irazu Falls. 4D Theater. $22.95; $19.95 children 2-12. Seal Shores. Ocean Realm. Caribbean Currents. Touch-a-Shark. Rainforest Rendezvous. Feather Ridge. Aquarium Adventure: Swim With the Sharks. $165; $150 passport holders. Closes 11/22. Aquarium Adventure: Seals Up-Close. $145; $130 passport holders. Closes 11/22. Aquarium Adventure: Positively Penguins. $125; $115 passport holders. Closes 11/22. $17.95; $14.95 children 2-11; free for children under 2. Daily 9:30 am-5 pm.

Atlantic City Aquarium 800 N. New Hampshire Ave., Atlantic City; 609-348-2880. www.atlanticcityaquarium.com/. Dive & Dine. Daily 10AM-5PM.

Battleship New Jersey Museum 62 Battleship Pl., Camden; 866-877-6262. www.battleshipnewjersey.org. Experience what life was like aboard our nation's most decorated battleship. City at Sea Guided Tour. $19.95; $15 seniors, veterans and children 6-11; free for children under 6 and active military. Fire Power Tour. $19.95; $15 seniors, veterans and children 6-11; free for children under 6 and active military. General Quarters Tour. $18.50; $14 seniors, veterans and children 6-11; free for children under 6 and active military. 4D Flight Simulator Ride. Tour admission. $15-$19; $10.50-$13 veterans, seniors, ages 6-11; free active military in uniform, ages 5 & under. .

Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead 1605 Daniel Bray Hwy. (Rte. 29), Lambertville; 609-397-2752. www.holcombe-jimison.org. Museum is dedicated to the preservation of Hunterdon County's agricultural heritage from the 18th into the 20th centuries. Donation suggested: $5; $3 seniors & students. May-Oct.: Sun. 1-4 pm; Wed. 9 am-noon.