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Philadelphia Tours
There are many tours
designed
to provide you with the best possible views of Philadelphia's attractions, neighborhoods and places of interest.
The Duck
tours are terrific and are one of my favorite tours. You will go on a
guided historic tour around the city and then proceed up a ramp splash
into the Delaware River at Penn's Landing for a short boat ride. Lots
of fun for kids of all ages!
Philadelphia Trolley Works offers daily sightseeing tours of
Philadelphia on Victorian Trolleys, Double Decker Buses and Horse Drawn
Carriages. Trained staff will
enlighten and entertain you with historical tales, cultural highlights
and entertaining stories.
Shopping
Are you looking for shopping? The
King of Prussia shopping center located about 35 minutes from center
city, features more than 300 famous department stores, and specialty
shops. This is often a favorite destination for out of town guests. In
addition, in center city Philadelphia you will find The Gallery at
Market East, The Shops at Liberty Place, Jewelers' Row, South Street,
and Rittenhouse Row where you will find all types of stores from chain
stores to high end boutiques.
Enjoy the arts?
For Art lovers the
Philadelphia
Museum of Art with
its renowned collections, and acclaimed special exhibitions, is the
city's major at museum. Little boys will love the Arms & Armor gallery,
filled with shiny medieval armor, swords, firearms, shields, and
equestrian equipment. In addition, it features those famous steps made
popular by the Rocky movies where Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) ran up
during training.
In addition,
Philadelphia is
home to the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Rodin Museum, which
contains the largest collection of work by Auguste Rodin outside of
France.
Avenue of the Arts in section of Center City that contains many of the
city's esteemed concert halls and theaters including the Kimmel Center
for the Performing Arts, home to the Philadelphia Orchestra, the
Academy of Music, home to the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Merriam
Theatre and the Wilma Theatre. Interspersed amongst the theaters
you will find some wonderful restaurants, galleries and museums such as
the Fabric Workshop Museum and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
Animal Lover
Sites
Philadelphia Zoo,
which is the oldest zoo in America, is a great place for kids of all
ages with over 1300 animals to visit. You will enjoy seeing Giraffes,
penguins, Asiatic Black Bear, Cheetahs, Otters, Polar Bears, African
Lions, Gorillas, assorted reptiles and more. It is located in Fairmont
Park which is about a 20 -25 minute ride from center city
Philadelphia.
The Amazon Rainforest Carousel, Camel Rides, ZooBalloon, Pony Rides,
PZExpress Train Ride, and the Swan Boats are sure to be a hit with your
children as well. The zoo is quite large so the entire day can be spent
here if desired.
The New Jersey Aquarium
is located just 5 miles from Philadelphia, at the Camden waterfront. It
is accessible by ferry at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia waterfront. This
terrific aquarium offers exhibits like
Penguin Island,
The West African River Rainforest Rendezvous , Creature Feature,
Touch-a-Shark and more. Some of the features have extra charges in
addition to the admission price. Sporting
Events
If you are looking for
a sporting event to attend you have a variety to pick from depending on
the season. Philadelphia is home of the pro football team the
Philadelphia Eagles, The pro ice hockey team the Philadelphia Flyers;
the pro Basketball team the 76ers and the 2008 World Champion pro
baseball team the Philadelphia Phillies. In addition, you will find
Kixx Arena Soccer games; The Wings Lacrosse team and Arena football
games featuring Jon Bon Jovi's Philly Soul; Coming in 2010 Philadelphia
Independence Women's soccer and Philadelphia Union soccer
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Philadelphia with Families
Philadelphia is a fantastic vacation destination for families. There are many attractions, sites
and historical landmarks throughout Philadelphia that are great for children.
Some of the more popular ones include the Liberty Bell, Constitution
Center, Independence Hall,
Elfreth's Alley
and Ben Franklin's home. In addition, animal lovers will enjoy
the Philadelphia Zoo, and New Jersey Aquarium. Museums which will
provide wonder and amazement for children of all ages include:
Please Touch Museum,
Franklin Institute,
and
Academy of
Natural Sciences
Some Historical Sites to See:
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A trip to Philadelphia
must include Independence National Historic Park. This is
located in center city Philadelphia and is the home of the Liberty
Bell, Independence Hall and the US Constitution Center. Things are
close together so you can park at the US Constitution Center and
walk around to the other sites.
While you are
walking around the historic area, you may encounter Philadelphia's
most famous citizen, Benjamin Franklin. Many of Philadelphia's
historical attractions are free including Independence Hall, the
Liberty Bell, Christ Church, Elfreth's Alley, Franklin Court, and
the Edgar Allen Poe House.
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Franklin Court
is a short walk from the Independence National park and is the site
where Benjamin Franklin's home once stood. A wonderful museum
featuring many of his inventions and his printing shop reside at
this site. Franklin Court is located at 316-322 Market Street
between 3rd and 4th Street.
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Christ Church
is one of America's most historic churches. The church was built
between 1727 and 1754 and its burial ground is the resting place of
many famous individuals including Benjamin Franklin, and five
signers of the Declaration of Independence. It is located on 2nd
Street above Market Street in center city Philadelphia.
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Betsy Ross House
is where Betsy Ross and her husband John lived from 1773-1786. They
rented it and ran their upholstery business out of the house. It was
at this site that Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag. Betsy
Ross House is located at 239 Arch Street (between Second and Third Streets) in center city
Philadelphia.
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Elfreth's Alley
is a National Historic Landmark. It is the oldest continually
inhabited street in the United with some of the 33 houses dating
back to 1702. Guided tours are available and it is located between
Arch and Race Streets just off Second Street in center city
Philadelphia.
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Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site-
This is the only surviving residence in Philadelphia of the popular
poet, writer and editor Edgar Allan Poe.
On-site activities for children include
exploring a traveling trunk containing 19th century clothing,
solving puzzles and finding hidden clues throughout the exhibits and
Poe's home. Be sure to ask for a
Junior Ranger Activity booklet or download it prior to your
visit at http://www.nps.gov/edal/forkids/index.htm.
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Please Touch Museum
is designed for children 7 and under. It is filled with
wonderful interactive,
intellectually stimulating exhibits, workshops, and activities
designed to encourage children to learn
and to keep them amused for hours. It is located at
210 N. 21st St.
Philadelphia.
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The Franklin
Institute is an awesome museum that has something for everyone
and is fun for the entire family. There is so much to see that you
can spend the entire day at the museum. The Imax theater always has
great features that the kids will enjoy. The Fels' Planetarium is
the oldest in the country, but it has the most up to date equipment
available. The world's largest thumping artificial heart, that you
walk through, was always a hit with my kids. In addition, there is
an interactive sports area that is quite enjoyable. The main
exhibits change all of the time so you will need to check to see
what is offered when you plan your trip.
This museum is
also located in center city Philadelphia at 222 North 20th Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19103.
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Academy of Natural Sciences was always a favorite for my son.
Children
will love the
Egyptian Mummies,
Dinosaur
Hall, Live Butterflies,
Captain Cook's Cannon,
Science at the Academy, What Eats What
and
more. This museum is
located at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia.
- Blue Cross
River Rink. If you are visiting in the winter then you should
consider ice skating at Philadelphia's outdoor skating rink. The
Blue Cross River Rink is located at Penn's Landing, Columbus
Boulevard at Market Street. It is sure to be fun for the whole
family.
Enjoy Your Trip
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