About Us

Welcome!

Hi there! We are the Curren Family. We traveled full time in our Airstream from 2013-2017 and now split our time between our small condo in Teton Valley, ID and the road.

As avid, outdoor, travel and adventure enthusiasts we are here to provide tips, advice, and inspiration to help you develop healthier and stronger family relationships.

Follow Us

Email Subscribe

5 Fun Things to do on a Quick Trip to Philadelphia With Kids – Pennslyvania

5 Fun Things to Do on a Quick Trip to Philadelphia with KidsHaving navigated Washington DC successfully for 4 months, I thought I was prepared for another big city. I was definitely wrong. Philadelphia is OLD. The streets are crowded, the parking scarce, and it seems that no no takes credit cards. I’m so glad we had friends to act as tour guides and point out the best parts of their lovely city. Touristing is always better with friends anyway, right? Here are a few things to do on a quick trip to Philadelphia with kids:

When We Visited: November 2013

Ages of Kids: 8, 6, 3

Tips: Bring lots of cash – most vendors/small restaurants don’t take credit cards.

1. Ride the Train. Since there are no RV Parks within an hour of Philadelphia, we graciously courtesy parked the Airstream at our friends’ house in Havertown and took the train in to the city. It was great. The kids love trains anyway, and it gave us a way to avoid parking. Check the cost compared to parking all day in a lot though – while it may save on the hassle, it could possibly cost more than driving in.

2. The Franklin Institute. ASTC Pass participant. There’s a giant statue of Ben Franklin in the Rotunda and a small light show. They also have a room that’s all about the heart, including a two story, beating replica Cara was terrified of. The other kids thought it was cool. They also have a planetarium, and a small younger kid’s room.

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia

3. Independence National Historic Park. I’ve written a longer post on this you can see HERE. We earned our Jr. Ranger Badges, waited in line to see the Liberty Bell, and watched a ranger hand press copies of the Declaration of Independence. If you want tickets to actually go inside Independence Hall, you have to show up really early as they sell out quickly.

4. Eat Philly Stake Sandwiches. You can’t go to Philadelphia and not eat one. Unless you are a vegetarian I suppose. We found a fairly random little shop within walking distance of Independence Square using Google Search and made sure the place had good reviews before we went. Plenty of places sell them, so just find one that’s closest to you at lunch time.

5. World’s Largest TV & the LOVE Sign. At the Comcast Center in downtown Philadelphia is the largest TV in the World. The building’s lobby is also quite interesting so its definitely worth the stop. Nearby is also the LOVE statue, located fittingly in Love Park. We did a quick stop and then jumped back on the train headed to Independence Hall.

Other ideas:

The Benjamin Franklin Museum – located next to the printing press we visited, this museum looked very interesting. After learning about Jefferson and Washington, I would have loved to learn more about this great historical figure but we just didn’t have time. Although it is an NPS run museum, there is an additional cost to get in.

Please Touch Museum – This one has FANTASTIC reviews on Google and sounded like so much fun. We chose the Franklin Institute as it was free, but next time I think we’ll splurge on the Children’s Museum Pass so we can get in on a discount.

Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse –  a free, safe place to play for children 10 and younger. Its 6 1/2 acre Playground includes the Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide and more than 50 pieces of unique, age-appropriate and accessible pieces of play equipment. This sounds awesome!

Although it was a quick trip, I did love it there! I can’t wait to go back and explore more areas of the beautiful city. Have you ever been to Philly? What was your favorite part?

Partners & Affiliates

We've tried and tested many companies and only bring you the best! By clicking on our links we receive a small kickback and it doesn't cost you anything. Thanks so much for your support!

©2019 Peak Ventures LLC. All rights reserved. Republication in part or entirety requires a link back to the original post AND permission from the author. 

Occasionally we will partner with a company or brand and/or provide affiliate links on our site. All opinions are always our own and generally we've vetted things pretty well before presenting them to our readers. 

We are not professionals and although we provide trip reports or adventure ideas please research and do your own due diligence before embarking on any trip.