Philadelphia and Vicinity, Pennsylvania

Nice place to shop n kids can play

all historic stuff. great picnic spot

A must-visit for all kids 6 and up at least once or twice in a lifetime. So much history and great things to see and do. Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell, The Constitution Center (separate fee) and much more.

Thus hotel was just what my daughter expected and more. The room was impeccably comfortable and the service was exceptional!!!

Introduction show was terrific, multimedia in a circular theater. Be sure to take advantage of interactive computerized Q & A on constitution kiosks. Shows and interactive events were entertaining and educational. And who doesn't want their picture taken being sworn in as president. Walk among life size statues of the founding fathers and sign the constitution.

The 3D light show was one of the highlights of our trip to Philly. Really enjoyed the interactive nature of the program that let history come alive.

This museum or archeology and anthropology owns over one million objects from all around the world, including mummies, skulls, a crystal ball, and Buddhist temples. Unfortunately, there is no audio guide aimed specifically at children, and many of the explanatory panels are dense and hard to read. I do recommend the (small) exhibit on human evolution and budding Egyptologists will enjoy seeing the sphinx and hieroglyphics in the Egypt gallery. But this was certainly not my favorite museum in Philadelphia. And my museum- and history-loving tween assigned it a solid grade of "B" because he felt like either the exhibits didn't have enough explanation or had descriptions that were too hard to read.

The Please Touch Museum is housed in Memorial Hall, a grand building in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park that was build for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition. To give you a sense of the size and style of the rooms, it was the original home of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It's now home not to formal portraits and sculptures but a bright Philadelphia cityscape (complete with a subway car), a river to race boats or splash in, and Alice's Wonderland complete with a rabbit hole and a tea party. among many other exhibits There are tons of opportunities for imaginative play, including a large pretend supermarket. But my son's favorite activity was the gorgeously restored antique carousel. It's the perfect place to spend a morning with younger children.

Billing itself as the oldest zoo in the United States, this charming home to lions, tigers, and bears has a very walkable size that make it a perfect place to go with a preschooler. The grounds have a genteel, Victorian feel to them that seems like it must be much the same as when the zoo opened in 1874. Although it is situated in the large Fairmount Park, you know you are in the city - trains rumble past - but it is also full of lush landscaping and public art. My little animal lover liked that he could get up close and personal with the big cats, the primates, and the polar bears - none of the enclosures here is so big that the animals are really far away. There's a brand new children's zoo that I haven't yet had a chance to visit, but it promises lots of fun with a butterfly enclosure, a duck pond, a pigeon loft, and more.