In the Washington, DC area, Columbus Day offers an opportunity to make a quick weekend getaway. Philadelphia is a short drive or train ride away and is perfect for a long weekend. Our family had been meaning to do a trip to Philadelphia for a while but something would always come up and we could never make it happen. We needed to leave our house for a few days this summer while our hardwood floors were refinished, so we made a long weekend trip to Philadelphia to explore and be tourists for a few days. And I’m so glad we did!
Aside from a couple of business trips to Philadelphia, where I pretty much only saw the inside of my hotel and a conference room of a downtown high rise, I hadn’t spent much time in the city of brotherly love. And to be honest, those were trips during the winter which left me with the impression of Philadelphia as being a gray and gritty industrial city. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Philadelphia is a vibrant and stylish city with an artistic flair. I was totally taken by the federal buildings, quaint markets, and artistic murals that dot the city.
We began our trip by checking in to the quaint Club Quarters Hotel in Center City. The hotel offered the perfect set up for our family: a suite with a queen size bed and a pull-out sofa plus a kitchenette. When traveling with the family, I typically look for a hotel room that has at least a fridge and microwave especially when traveling with little ones. My kids wake up at different times and my youngest wakes up hungry and wants breakfast right away while the rest of us are still laying in bed. Having a kitchenette allows us to bring a few breakfast options so we don’t have to rush out right away to take care of his hungry belly.
I was really impressed by some of the amenities Club Quarters offers which were above and beyond my usual expectations. In the hallway on each floor there is a filtered water filling stations and plastic water bottles for filling. By the registration desk there is a living room area with a wide screen tv, refreshments, and snacks which offers a place to relax and work outside of your hotel room. If you forget an iPad, the hotel will allow you to borrow one during your stay. They will even deliver yoga equipment to your room!
Club Quarters Hotel
On our first day, we asked the hotel for information on a hop-on/hop-off bus. We try and ride the hop-on/hop-off bus in every big city we visit with our kids. I think this is the easiest way to see a city up close when traveling with children. My kids love riding on the top deck and I know they appreciate not having to trek from one end of the city to the other to see the sights.
We rode the bus directly to the impressive Philadelphia Museum of Art. I’m well aware that this is one of the top art museums in the country but we are huge Rocky fans. So the first thing on our list was to run up the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art just like Sylvester Stallone. I was a little surprised to find out that the Rocky statue isn’t at the top of the steps as it is in the movies. As it turns out, the museum of art didn’t think as highly of the Rocky statue as we do and there was some controversy over it’s location over the years. At first it was removed and stored elsewhere then moved back but in a different location. The compromise is that it is now located on the corner by the infamous steps to the top. Judging from the line of people waiting to take their picture with the statue it was a wise decision to bring it back. When you reach the top of the steps to the art museum turn around — there is a breathtaking view of this gorgeous city.
The view from the Philadelphia Museum of Art
We hopped back on the bus and rode it across town to Independence Hall and the Constitution Visitor Center. The kids enjoyed the bit of history and then we walked across the street to view the Liberty Bell. We were fortunate to find a local farmer’s market so we stopped to browse and ate lunch at a nearby cafe.
Liberty bell
Philadelphia’s impressive city hall
We had several sites on our agenda for the following day but sadly we didn’t make it to all of them. My older kids were excited to see the Eastern State Penitentiary. Al Capone famously was imprisoned there in 1929 supposedly to hideout from growing mob violence in Chicago during that time. On the tour you can see his jail cell. For lunch we stopped at Reading Terminal marketplace. Because our crew was craving an opportunity to run around we took advantage of one of the many parks and green spaces the city has to offer by visiting Franklin Square Park. There is a carousel and mini golf with tiny replicas of Philadelphia landmarks at every hole.
Mini golf at Franklin Square Park
There is so much more the city has to offer. We will have to make a return trip to explore more. The Franklin Institute, the Mutter Museum, and the Philadelphia Zoo are on our list. What are your favorite Philadelphia attractions? I’d love to add them to our list for our next visit.
By the way, this post was not sponsored or paid for in any way.
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