Philadelphia trip

Heading there for a weekend with kids (tween/teen).  Staying in Old City.  Favorite sites?  Breakfast, lunch spots?  Dinner already set.  How's the Aquarium in Camden?  

We like the Reading Terminal Market near the convention center.  Lots of inexpensive food options there.  And the aquarium is great...worth the trip.

u.s. mint

Franklin museum

The Reading Terminal Market for breakfast or lunch on Saturday. (It's open on Sundays, but the Amish and a number of other merchants aren't there). And the Mutter for a museum like no other; Kevin Bacon, who grew up across from it, still gets the creeps from it. The good kind.

Those two sites are easily reachable from Old City on public transit, but my choice would be to incorporate them (and, say, Rittenhouse Square) into a leisurely day's walk across Center City. I'd devote the other day to the standbys -- Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Constitution Center, Betsy Ross House, etc. -- in the historic district.

I never thought the aquarium was anything special, especially for older kids. ETA: But as erins shows, opinions will differ.

For a fun sit-down dinner, I like Jones at 7th and Chestnut. Fun food that will appeal to tweens/teens and a Brady Bunch vibe.

Edit: Oops, I didn't see the part about dinner being covered already. Sorry!

DaveSchmidt said:

I never thought the aquarium was anything special, especially for older kids. ETA: But as erins shows, opinions will differ.

Oops - I missed the part about older kids.  If the kids are into aquariums - maybe stop by on the drive to Philly or on the drive home.  If its between hanging out in Philly or the aquarium - hang out in Philly!  Don't forget to hit the sites along Ben Franklin Parkway...and do the obligatory "Rocky Run" up the stairs to the Museum of Art!  There is a Rodin Museum over there that I've been dying to check out.

The Eastern Penitentiary (http://www.easternstate.org) is also fascinating if they are interested history and/or crime and punishment.

The Chemical Heritage Foundation (https://www.chemheritage.org) has some of the most interesting and informative exhibits I've seen on the development of all sorts of modern technologies (e.g. blood analysis and silicon chips) and is in old city.

And if it's up yet, the Riverfest Ice-skating can be a good time.

erins said:

There is a Rodin Museum over there that I've been dying to check out.

Definitely worth a visit. Sounds like you'd also enjoy the Barnes Foundation, which remains on our list. (It moved to the city after we left, and, sadly, we never got out to see the original site.)

I liked Betsy Ross's house.   It's small and does not take much time.  Was not a hit with the husband or kid though, so you have to evaluate.  If I was going now with kids, I'd probably head for the penitentiary.  Sad to say.

You would actually like this penitentiary, Nan.  It's fascinating and history rich.

If they still allow this -- hours for access could be hit or miss, as I recall -- there's a nice view of the city to be had from the Kimmel Center's rooftop garden, especially around dusk. Worth a brief peek if you're walking in the vicinity.

jfburch said:

You would actually like this penitentiary, Nan.  It's fascinating and history rich.

+1

For breakfast or lunch, you could go to Famous 4th St Deli.  We love it.  Their cookies are great (they have a stand just for their cookies in Reading Terminal)

jfburch said:

You would actually like this penitentiary, Nan.  It's fascinating and history rich.

I'm sure I would.  I been on the Jim Thorpe Jail tour at least four times.  I'm ready for something bigger.  I just sometimes wish others around me could appreciate small, quirky museums the way I do.