Family Fun In and Around Philadelphia

By Amy Suski

Academy of Natural Sciences: For our boys, the showstoppers in this museum were the dinosaur skeletens and especially the 42-foot Tyrannosaurus rex.  Another exhibit they really enjoyed was the Big Dig, a hands-on exhibit where kids can don protective eyewear and use real tools to dig for mystery fossils.  Other cool exhibits include Animal Grossology, live Butterflies, wildlife dioramas, naturalist shows, and a hands-on discovery center for children.   

The Franklin Institute: At this world-class science museum kids can pretend to be a blood cell and crawl through a an 8-foot long artery, explore the skies in the planetarium, watch a live science show demonstration, discover 3D printing, build a mars rover using K'Nex, watch an IMAX movie, and more.  This summer also be sure to see the world's largest display of LEGO creations in The Art of the Brick and learn about the amazing life of conquests of Genghis Khan.

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Philadelphia Zoo: The country's oldest zoo has kept up with the times with new exhibits including Zoo360 -- an innovative system of fenced elevated walkways that lets big cats and primates cross human paths throughout the zoo. In addition to the animals, other fun attractions include camel rides, rainforest carousel, pony rides, swan boats, and a Zooballoon that floats visitors up to 400 feet above the zoo.

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Sesame Place: Just 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia, this one-of-a-kind amusement park caters to the preschool crowd with character encounters, parades, shows, rides, and a tot-friendly waterpark.  

Please Touch Museum: the name says it all. Everything in this kid-friendly museum is safe to touch and provides hours of playful hands-on fun. With two floors and 8 different Exhibit Zones, there is something to inspire every kid ranging from a kid-operated supermarket to a full sized historic carousel.

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Franklin Square Park:  It's no wonder that this outdoor square is a magnet for kids.  With a Parx Liberty Carousel, Philly-themed Mini Golf course,  and the famous Square Burger, there is plenty to keep the kids busy.  

Independence National Historic Park: No visit to the city would be complete without paying homage to the famed Liberty Bell hanging in Independence Hall.  Around the park take a tour, attend an historic reenactment, or visit a "Once Upon a Nation" storytelling bench for a free story about the city's historic past and lasting a just few minutes each.  

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Penn's Landing: Philadelphia's waterfront hosts outdoor concerts, festivals, and ferry rides along the Delaware River. To learn about the city's maritime history, climb aboard a submarine and other historic vessels, visit the Independence Seaport Museum. At the end of the day, fine dining below deck on the historic ship Moshulu is an unforgetable experience, but it is pricey.  As an alternative to the full dinner experience, if your family can snag a table on the deck for an early dinner on the river, the view is worth it.  

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Lodging: We stayed at the Hilton at Penn's Landing, perched between I-95 and the waterfront.  From the high windows of the hotel, our preschool boys loved watching the trucks and ships go by.  In terms of location, it was easy walking distance to the waterfront and historic district and being right on I-95 made it a breeze to get in and out of town (and that much easier to visit Sesame Place) .

The opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own and do not reflect those of the entities mentioned.  We received no special discounts or benefits on this trip. All rights reserved by Kid Trips (c) 2015.