With Halloween just around the corner, there are some really great tours that explore Albuquerque's more ghoulish side. Though it is easy to forget that Albuquerque is one of the oldest cities in the U.S., it boasts a very rich history that often comes rife with scandal, hauntings and the paranormal.

At least two Duke City tour companies are getting into the Halloween spirit by offering haunted tours of Albuquerque. The Albuquerque Trolley Company and Tours of Old Town have several paranormal tours to tickle your ghoulish fancy by exploring Albuquerque's ghostly corners and haunted sites.

I am most excited about the Trolley of Terror, a brain child of the two companies that combines the wonderful open-air trolleys of Albuquerque Trolley Company with the ghostly tours by Tours of Old Town. The Trolley of Terror takes passengers on a spooky ride through the city's most haunted destinations, including Bernalillo County Court House, Martineztown and Memorial Hospital, among many others. Lasting 90 minutes, the Trolley of Terror kicks off tonight and runs for the next two weekends, through Halloween.

The Trolley of Terror costs $40 for adults ($30 with a student ID) and commences at 7:30 pm from Romero St. in Old Town. On Friday and Saturday nights, the tour also runs a second showing at 9:30 pm. There are only 34 seats on each trolley, so they recommend you book in advance (you can do so through the Abq Trolley website) or show up at least half an hour beforehand to get seats.

If you aren't in the mood for a chilly trolley ride, there are plenty of other spooky tours on offer around Albuquerque. Tours of Old Town does several ghost tours of the historic Old Town area, including the popular Ghost Tour of Old Town walking tour, as well as the slightly less ghoulish History, Legends and Lore tour, which focuses on Albuquerque myths and hidden architectural gems.

The crisp, cool autumn air is sure to add a hint of spooky authenticity and Halloween flair to the tours, just be sure to bundle up and wear layers!

Happy Halloween!