Philly Itinerary Help

Old Mar 22nd, 2017, 04:13 PM
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Philly Itinerary Help

Need some help with planning a trip to the Philly area in mid April. Never been there before. Flying into and out of Philly. 8 Days /7 Nights - Is is feasible to visit the Philly area, Gettysburg, Lancaster and the Poconos? Or is it too much? We are flexible with schedule and have not made any hotel reservations. The only MUST is a Phillies BB game. They are in town the day we arrive and the next 4 days. Any scenic drives will be appreciated.
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Old Mar 22nd, 2017, 05:10 PM
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The city of Philly and TWO others is easily do-able, try to make it three and it'll be a tight squeeze. If you're NOT a Civil War buff then you can eliminate Gettysburg; if you are, then eliminate the Poconos.

Be aware of two things when you visit Lancaster:
1) 99% of what you'll see not only has nothing to do with the Amish, but is completely contradictory to their beliefs.
2) you can view the Amish by driving off the main roads, and even buy their goods direct from their farms, but DO NOT photograph them or ask them about their lifestyle.
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Old Mar 22nd, 2017, 06:18 PM
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Thank you PaulRabe, I will drop Gettysburg. Any suggestions on
how many days to spend in each place?
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Old Mar 22nd, 2017, 06:38 PM
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I think you will find that a good hotel room in Lancaster or the Poconos will be cheaper than in Philadelphia.
See the baseball game either the day you get there or the day after.
Unless you really want to rent a car at the airport or in Philadelphia, just get on one of several Amtrak trains to Lancaster. Spend a day in Lancaster and then rent a car to see the Amish country and then go to the Poconos.
Return the car to Lancaster and ride the train back to 30th St. station.
New Jersey Transit also runs trains out of 30th St. station to Atlantic City if that interests you.
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Old Mar 23rd, 2017, 02:10 AM
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There is so very much (including history, art, cultures, food, and some lovely scenic hikes) in Philadelphia itself that I would definitely give the bulk of my time to that, but then I'm not a huge fan of riding for the sake of riding. I find the Poconos more a place to "be", as in a great place for a family reunion in one of the big rental houses or something like that, but not terrifically interesting. Lancaster is either doable as a day trip or an overnighter, but I agree with PaulRabe completely about the Amish "experience." The New Hope area is another nice day trip.

For Philadelphia itself a car is generally more of a hindrance than a help. The suggestion above to take a train to Lancaster and then rent a car is a logical one, but for myself I'd only do that after I'd spent four days at least in the city itself.

If you have specific interests, let us know and we should be able to make suggestions for you. Happy travels!
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Old Mar 23rd, 2017, 03:39 AM
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For the Lancaster part of your trip, I agree that taking the train into Lancaster City and then renting a car is a viable option
Enterprise will pick you up at the station- although you will have to come when they are open.
The train itself passes though about 10 miles of Amish farmland east of Lancaster so you will probably see buggys and farming activities, assuming you are not coming on a Sunday and/or its not raining.
For ideas on what activities interest you look at the very good tourist website www.discoverlancaster.com
If you want to interact with the Amish themselves, you will have to venture onto the back roads. Remember, all Amish businesses and almost all Mennonite businesses are closed Sundays.
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Old Mar 23rd, 2017, 04:24 AM
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For ideas of what to do in Philadelphia go to
visitphilly.com
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Old Mar 23rd, 2017, 05:57 AM
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Some random thoughts:

Scratch the Poconos.

Day trips:
You don't say what your interests are, except for "scenic drives," but if you're into gardens and arboretums, Longwood Gardens is an arboretum on steroids, even worth a visit at night. And Winterthur, a former Dupont estate is interesting.

You'll have to plan your trip to Lancaster so you're not slogging along the main Route 30 with a million other tourists. Map out some back roads to get a good look at Amish farms and lifestyles.

I'm not so sure about the advisability of training to Lancaster and then renting a car (and doing it in reverse on the way back). You can do some exploration on the drive to Lancaster -- maybe stop at Valley Forge.

Lots to do and see in Phila. Have fun.
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Old Mar 23rd, 2017, 06:04 AM
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In mid-April tourist traffic on Route 30 won't be too bad, especially during the week, however, Route 340, which parallels 30 to the north is a better drive, but still touristy.
Route 772 from Intercourse too Leola, is better still. Many Amish farms and businesses.
I strongly agee about Longwood- one of the great gardens of the world
Winterthur would be reccomended mostly if you like early American furniture and decorative arts- The mansion was turned into a museum to house the founder's collection- probably the best in the country. The grounds are attractive-but not comparable to Longwood.
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Old Mar 23rd, 2017, 06:43 AM
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Be sure to visit Reading Terminal Market. Great food stalls.
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Old Mar 24th, 2017, 04:59 AM
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brook: Though it may have seemed so, I wasn't comparing Longwood to Winterthur. They are indeed two different types of attractions.

And while traffic on Route 30 may be part of the discussion, that wasn't my main point, either. Route 30 is swamped with touristy places that purport to be "authentic" Amish. I was encouraging the OP to stay away from 30 if he/she wanted the real feel of Lancaster.
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Old Mar 24th, 2017, 01:41 PM
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Lancaster makes a good day trip from Philadelphia, though a car is necessary nowadays. The closest to an Amish experience you're likely to get is a visit to the Amish Farm and House, a collection of Amish buildings and the like. It's on busy Route 30, but I enjoyed it.

Regrettably, both the city's main downtown museums, The Heritage Center Museum and the Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum, apparently have now closed. The latter was especially enjoyable. Too bad.

Other area attractions (which I haven't been to) include Wheatland (the home of James Buchanan), the Landis Valley Museum, Hans Herr House and Museum, Ephrata Cloister, National Watch and Clock Museum, and the Railroad Museum. They're all spread out, though, so a car will be necessary.

Some folks hate these places, but you might also comsider eating at a Pennsylvania Dutch family style or buffet restaurant. I went to Good and Plenty, and enjoyed it. Other options include Plain and Fancy Farm, Miller's Smorgasbord, Shady Maple Smorgasbord, and Dienner's,
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Old Mar 24th, 2017, 01:51 PM
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As far as Philadelphia itself is concerned, there are scads of things to see and do there, including historical attractions and homes, science-type museums, and art museums. Would definitely recommend getting hold of a travel guide or something similar to see what interests you.

Will definitely recommend eating at the Reading Terminal Market -- a standout there is the roast pork sandwich at Di'Nic's. A cheesesteak is also a good idea, with Jim's being a standout (and Geno's and Pat's not, despite being more famous). Philly has several good Chinatown options, and there's always the 9th Street Italian Market area. Franklin Fountain does excellent ice cream, as does Bassett's at RTM.
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Old Mar 25th, 2017, 11:12 AM
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Count me among those who hate the PA Dutch smorgasbord. The one at Shady Maple is particularly revolting.
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