Philadelphia - short trip

[Katzateer]

We have lived a little less than an hour outside of Philly for almost a year now but haven't gone. Today was beautiful and we have out-of-town guests that wanted to go so we made the trip.

This morning we got up early and went to downtown Philly - got tickets for Independence Hall, saw the Liberty Bell, Congress Hall and went to Reading Marketplace. Ate lunch at Delilahs (great fried chicken, mac and cheese and fried fish) and had Amish homemade donuts and fudge. Not a healthy meal but really good!!!

The marketplace was packed-couldn't hardly move.

Haven't seen that many panhandlers on the street of a downtown since I worked in Indianapolis. A little scary downtown walking-wouldn't want to be there later in the day.

Not really sure if I was that impressed with Philly but it was worth the trip. We will try to go to the Art museum and zoo in the future, but not sure if I will go downtown again.

I am glad we got to see the historical sites-very interesting and the guides were great with the National Park Service.

[diz_girl]

The museum area is really nice, you should enjoy it. There are a couple of gazebos behind the art museum that overlook the river and boathouse row. You might want to stop and look. Also, the Waterworks is behind the art museum, you just need to walk down the path. You can also walk along the river and boathouse row. It's great on a beautiful day.

As for the zoo, it is nice too. But stick to the zoo itself, don't wander into the surrounding neighborhoods.

[NJGIRL]

Sorry you didn't enjoy Philly. We love going for the day or a weekend stay. Sometimes it takes a while to find all the cool "inside" stuff it has to offer.

[DisneyDog]

We love the zoo. My dad buys us an annual pass every year, so we go 4-5 times a year. If you go, don't miss the zoo balloon. It offers spectacular views.

I also recommend the Academy of Natural Sciences, and if you haven't seen the Philadelphia Museum of Art, then you don't know what you are missing.

I am a suburban girl, and I don't like crowds, so I can understand feeling overwhelmed and unsafe in the city. But, Philadelphia has so much to offer. History, culture, sports, and some of the best restaurants in the world. We don't usually go there to do everything at once. We will travel into the city every once in a while to do something special. A Phillies game, or an art exhibit or a concert. I lived in middle-of-nowhere Florida for 3 years, and didn't appreciate everything Philadelphia had to offer until I could no longer access it. We are very lucky to have such a great city so close by.