Looking for a quick getaway? Philadelphia is a great city to visit, filled with kid-friendly and adult-approved fun places to check out, history to soak in, and a massive amount of good eats.
Even though the weather in the Northeast is hardly cooperating, Spring Break is just a few weeks away and, with that, hopefully some sunshine! This year, the kids and I are planning something completely different, and we’re very excited. But more on that next month. In the meantime, we *do* have another trip to Philadelphia planned in the coming months.We have been there a few times over the last couple of years, and it makes a great quick getaway that is a short driving distance away with something for everyone. In case your Spring Break plans include taking a quick trip to Philly, I’ve rounded up some of our favorite things to see and do.
- If you’re a regular reader, you know that we visit a lot of zoos. The Philadelphia Zoo remains one of our favorites. It is clean, beautifully maintained, and the grounds are gorgeous. You can check out our complete review right here.
- When I took the kids (and two friends) to the Liberty Bell, it was actually the first time any of us had been there, and it was fun that we got to share that experience together. Even if it did take us forever to find it! *This picture is from about a year and a half ago – oh those baby cheeks on Madeline!
- Although it is over the border in New Jersey, if you’re making a weekend out of it, add the Adventure Aquarium in Camden to your list. It’s not far from Philadelphia at all, and worth a stop.
On our list for our next visit to Philly?
- A stop at the Betsy Ross House to learn about her life and the legend behind America’s most famous flag maker.
- A visit to Pennsbury Manor, where there are horses, oxen, sheep, and even a few peacocks roaming the grounds, which is the recreated country estate of William Penn, and situated on 43 scenic acres along the Delaware River. Craft demonstrations, costumed interpreters, interactive activities, gardens and stables of animals whisk modern-day visitors back to the 17th century with.
- At the Independence Seaport Museum, kids can explore the Spanish-American War Cruiser Olympia and the World War II Submarine Becuna. Every third Saturday of the month, known as Seafarin’ Saturdays, kids participate in activities
designed especially for them. They can take crafts home with them, or leave them at the museum to be displayed on the Family Gallery wall. - Opened in 1924, the 16-acre Elmwood Park Zoo has nearly 300 species indigenous to the Americas. Many of the animals—the American bison, peregrine falcon, bald eagle, timber wolf and American alligator—represent significant wildlife conservation success stories. The zoo also includes a spacious playground featuring interactive animal sculptures. Guests have a chance to hand-feed the world’s tallest living land animal at the new giraffe exhibit (you know how much we love feeding giraffes!).
- Philadelphia’s only all-bug museum and the largest insect museum in the Northeast is the Insectarium, exhibiting thousands of live and mounted insects from Africa, Tanzania and other exotic locations, as well as interactive displays and a movie room.
To encourage you to stay and enjoy all the Philly has to offer, many hotels are offering a Visit Philly Hotel Package, which gives you free parking for two consecutive hotel nights. Not a bad deal!
And, of course, Philly is known for its cheese steak, so you can’t leave the city without trying some of the very best. Pat’s, Geno’s, and Jim’s are usually the top-rated choices for go-to cheese steak, but if you head towards South Philly, you can stop at John’s Roast Pork, which has been serving up deliciousness for over 70 years.
Great. And now I totally want a cheese steak.
Soon.
Another favorite stop of ours is the Reading Terminal Market. Filled with all sorts of food and other vendors, you can spend hours in here, totally shopping from stall to stall, soaking up the energy. It’s a not-to-be-missed stop.
If Philadelphia is one of YOUR favorite spots, do share some must-see places. We can’t wait to go back.
Philadelphia is the perfect spot for a getaway. Stay for any two consecutive nights at one of twenty participating hotels and your car stays free! For more information and to book your room visitphilly.com/overnight.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Visit Philadelphia. The opinions and text are all mine.
I’m sure I’ll find myself in Philly again in the next year or so! I’ll have to include some of these on my list of go-tos!
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