Eastern State Penitentiary
Take a look at the photo for this radar. What do you see–aside from some nifty ivy on the walls of Eastern State Pen and those goofy fake gargoyles? Parking! Except that's not what you'd see if this picture was taken after, say, 6pm on a night when Eastern State is hosting its haunted tours. Take it from someone who lives here: there is NO parking to be found in Fairmount while those blasted haunted tours are taking place. To be fair, the organizers established the "ghost bus" this year–a set of trolleys that run from the Pen to a parking lot at Broad and Spring Garden, where visitors are encouraged to park–and that seems to have helped a little (read: I only have to drive around for an hour looking for parking as opposed to the two hours I spent last year). Still, the situation sucks. So, if you're planning to visit one of Fairmount's fine establishments between now and say, the second week of November (especially on a weekend), I highly encourage you to walk, bike, take a cab, or ride the bus. You'll thank me later (and the car-owning residents of the neighborhood will thank you eternally).
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