Where to stay/what to do in PHILADELPHIA

[LD92599]

We're going to be in Phily for a weekend in August. Not sure if DS will be with us or not (we're dropping off/picking up w/ the IL's for DS to spend a week w/ them in VA).

Where is a good place to stay (decent, doesn't need to be fancy, etc)? And things to do?

Thanks/Laura

[StantonHyde]

Philly is awesome. I would stay somewhere right in center city--not sure what is there now, I haven't lived there in over 10 years. But--it really is fun to do the whole Liberty Bell, sight seeing thing in the really old part of town. South Street was always the funky, fun neighborhood/street to shop/people watch. The art museum is awesome. The University of Pennsylvania has an amazing American Indian Museum--or maybe it is part of another museum that U Penn has.

I responded to the Baltimore post--didn't see that you would be dropping off DS. The fun thing to do would be to spend a day in Philly. Then the next morning, drive to Baltimore--and on the way--stop to see the Brandywine River Museum (do you like Andrew Wyeth?), the Chadds Ford Winery (which used to have a great antique shop/mall next to it), and Longwood Gardens. You take 95 south to 322 and that puts you on Route 1 just north of Route 202 and then you drive down Route 1 to all of these sights. From Longwood, you can take several back roads down to Baltimore. I used to take Route 1 all the way down to where the potato chip/pretzel factory is (name??) and then take a back road down to 95 through Maryland. (these are all numbered routes--I just don't remember the numbers!)

Then spend the night in Baltimore and you could go down to the Inner Harbor and then see Fells Point (?) for some fun shops and taverns etc.

Have fun!

[BrookesMom]

If your kids are into Seseme Street there is a Seseme Place Park about an hour from Phili. I don't know the website off-hand but if you Google it it should come up.

[AddiesMom]

I am originally from So NJ, now living in Mass. We are going to visit family and then go to Sesame for 2 days and then the Zoo. For the first few days I am staying with family but when DH flies in Weds night we are staying in the Mt Laurel/Cherry Hill area of NJ. Parking at most of the hotels in center city is over $40 a day! Going to take advantage of much cheaper rates and free parking in NJ.

[jenstiles]

gophila.com is a great resource for finding things to do in philly!!

[Fairy]

I absolutely love Philly. I cannot say enough good things about this amazing, wonderful, beautiful, historic town. Living history to be sure. The historic stuff is a must, South Street is a must, but I also must encourage a tour of Elfreth's Alley, which is a little known gem. It's the oldest current residential neighborhood in the US.

http://www.elfrethsalley.org/

Certain residential homes are open to the public at certain times of year. I was lucky enough to be there during the one week a year that the homes were open for visiting, but this was way back 15 years ago, and things have changed, I'm sure. Seems more of it is open now than then. But it's absolutely not to be missed. NOT TO BE MISSED.

[Fairy]

Ah, I found it. There are just TWO days they all open their homes, and they're in June and December.

http://www.elfrethsalley.org/node/48
http://www.elfrethsalley.org/node/54

You're going in August, but still go. It's such a treasure.