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The Shark Tunnel at Adventure Aquarium
Photo courtesy of Adventure Aquarium
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Location:
Center City Philadelphia: Rittenhouse Square, Old City, Bella Vista and beyond
Transportation:
On foot or in a taxi
Duration:
3 Days
With a wide array of family-friendly attractions, the Philadelphia region is a kid’s kind of town, where history and horticulture, art and animals, gardens and galleries, tours and theme parks come together to offer loads of family fun.
Besides being the birthplace of our nation and bubbling with historic attractions and exhibits, Philadelphia is also a great place to have fun and play. So grab the fam and hit the ground running with this family guide to Philadelphia and its Countryside!
Friday
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12:30 P.M.
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Begin your historic adventure with lunch at the Reading Terminal Market, the nation’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market. You can get a traditional Amish-style meal at the counter of the Dutch Eating Place, or get an authentic Philadelphia cheesesteak at Rick’s Steaks. But those are just two of myriad options at this gustatory paradise — look around and see what you like!
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2 P.M.
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2) The Birthplace of Freedom
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3:30 P.M.
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Once you’ve gotten your fill of history, head to the Please Touch Museum, where children ages seven and under are the focus of the fun. Interactive experiences abound in displays such as Move It!, an exhibit that teaches children about various forms of transportation; and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a display that explores what life is like down the rabbit hole. A snack/lounge area is on the premises, so you can re-fuel before dinner.
If you’ve got older kids, you may want to check out the Franklin Institute instead. The Franklin is the area’s premier science museum, housing a planetarium, IMAX movie theater, several permanent exhibits and rotating special exhibits (advanced tickets are typically required for the special exhibits).
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6 P.M.
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4) It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint
It’s perfect for families, because they serve lots of kid friendly fare and still have tasty and interesting food (as well as a full bar) for the adults in the crowd. The multiple locations also make it easy to find one close to your hotel, which makes for an easy transition to bedtime.
As Ben Franklin says “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise.” Make sure to get a good night’s rest — tomorrow is another fun-filled day in Philadelphia!
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Saturday
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9 A.M.
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5) Coffee with the ClassicsStart the day with juice, coffee and baked goods at Old City Coffee, tucked away on a charming cobblestone street behind Christ Church and just a stone’s throw from Betsy Ross’s former home. Grab an outdoor table and imagine how the street looked 200 years ago.
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10 A.M.
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Now you’re off to Penn’s Landing, where you take a short trip on the ferry across the Delaware River to Camden, New Jersey’s Riverfront. From here, it’s just a quick walk to the Adventure Aquarium, home to more than 5,000 marine animals.
The aquarium offers equal measures of entertainment and education with additional attractions including the Touch-a-Shark tank and the Caribbean beach, home to tropical fish and birds.
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12 P.M.
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7) Getting Back to the Garden
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1:30 P.M.
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It’s lunchtime and the kids are starting to fade. When you get off the ferry, walk a couple of blocks to 2nd and Chestnut Streets, where you’ll find Triumph Brewing Company.
They have a full, family-friendly menu and a fun, industrial décor. And if so inclined, the grown-ups can choose from their selection of house-made microbrews.
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2:30 P.M.
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The next stop is The Philadelphia Zoo, which was actually the very first zoo to be established in America. The Zoo offers the incredible Bank of America Big Cat Falls exhibit — featuring plenty of lions, tigers and leopards — plus the Children’s Zoo and Treehouse, allowing kids to get some up-close critter contact.
The Zoo’s newest adventure is the Zooballoon, which rises 400 feet above the treetops and overlooks giraffes, zebras and the Philadelphia skyline.
To get to the zoo, simply board the new Zoo Trolley back at the Independence Visitor Center (6th and Market Streets). The ride is only $2, while kids 2 and under ride free.
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6 P.M.
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10) A Visit to the Old CountryFor dinner tonight, you and the fam are going to venture down to South Philly for some authentic Italian food. Marra’s is the place to go for some of the best pizza in town. They’ve been cooking their pies in the same clay-floored oven since 1925 and manage to achieve the perfect crust — unburnt, fluffy and lightly crunchy — every time. If you aren’t a pizza person, they also serve up an assortment of pastas, salads and classic Italian dishes like Chicken Parmesan.
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Sunday
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9 A.M.
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11) Botanical Slip 'N' SlideToday’s going to be the only day during which you’ll need a car. Grab breakfast at your hotel’s coffee shop, make sure everyone uses the bathroom and head out. Start off with a trip to Longwood Gardens, one of the world’s finest horticultural display centers, with 1,050 acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows, 20 outdoor gardens, 20 indoor gardens and 11,000 different types of plants.
Indoors, you’ll find the Children’s Garden, featuring an ever-changing water curtain and leaping water "glow worm,” comprised of a maze and flower-shaped water jets. It’s kind of like a botanical slip ‘n’ slide.
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12 P.M.
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Once everyone has had their fill of Longwood Gardens, you’ll be heading to Linvilla Orchards, one of the last working farms in the Delaware Valley. With more than 300 acres, Linvilla hosts a variety of family-friendly events throughout the year. Hayrides, tours, swimming and fruit and vegetable picking are offered in season.
After getting a nice lunch at the food stands, head out into the fields to pick some blue- or blackberries — they’ll make a nice Philly-style souvenir for your ride back home!
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Hotels + More
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The Basics
Transportation
If you're traveling from New York, New England, DC, Baltimore, Harrisburg, etc., Amtrak is easy — and you can get 50% off a companion fare when you use our special discount code V454. Book online at Amtrak or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.
Driving
If you drive here, stash your car off-street until you leave. Though you might enjoy an occasional cab, trolley or carriage ride, there’s nothing you can’t reach on foot. Parking regulations are enforced in the historic area, and you may find yourself getting towed with un-municipal efficiency.
Accommodations
You can’t get closer than the bustling Holiday Inn Philadelphia Historic District, which is right in the thick of everything (distance: 0 miles) and has a sunny rooftop pool with a view.
The Sheraton Society Hill is just four blocks from Independence Hall and a block from Penn’s Landing in residential Society Hill. It has a bit more greenery than most city hotels and a heated indoor pool.
The Hyatt Regency is one of the historic area’s newest hotels, a tower right on the Delaware River. You can sit at the outdoor bar and listen to the creak-creak of moored boats.
The Philly Overnight® Hotel Package is a popular getaway — and a terrific deal. It’s available throughout the year and gives you free parking (worth $50 or more) and special offers and discounts - in addition to deluxe accommodations in Center City Philadelphia. Check out the package, then pick your favorite hotel.
More food and drink, please!
Of course, what we've recommended is just a sample of the amazing range of food and drink in Philadelphia. Take a closer look at the city's Dining and Nightlife offerings and pick your favorites.
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