Need help on Pennsylvania Road Trip
 

Planning a fall trip to PA, arriving in Philadelphia on Saturday about 5 p.m. and renting a car for 10 days. We want to drive a loop around the state over to Pittsburgh and back to Philadelphia for return flight. Would also like to drive to Cape May and Atlantic City (one night only). We are interested in history and scenery and not really into shopping. I'm having trouble trying to map out best route despite lots of research - so much to see and do!! I would appreciate any help offered.

Planned to go into Phil center on arrival but want to see the Barnes collection and it is open only on weekends. We also want to see Valley Forge so thinking we could go directly there for Sat night and then visit VF and Barnes on Sunday and then into the city that evening. Or, would it be more reasonable to go from VF/Barnes and visit Washington Crossing and then on over to ATl City and Cape May and then back up into Phil? We want to book for the Tut Exhibit (and Barnes) so, even though it's early, I need to lock in dates since that is the last week of the exhibit.

Thanks in advance!

The Barnes Foundation is short drive from downtown Philly, about 25 minutes. There is a really nice road that connects between City Line Ave and Valley Forge, where there a ton of elegant Main Line mansions. Its been a while since I've been out that way. So, maybe someone from Philly could help us out.

Atlantic City is a fifty minute drive from Philly without traffic. Cape May is another half hour from Atlantic City. Atlantic City is in the opposite direction of the Barnes and Valley Forge.

Since you are interested in Impressionist art, make time for the Rodin Museum--the second largest collection of his work in the world. Also, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has an impressive collection of Impressionist art.

Your museum visit are time sensitive so I'd suggest doing them the first few days. Atlantic City is almost the same every day except for some shows and Cape May is about the same, as is Washington's crossing. On your way to Pittsburg, you would probably like the Lancaster area with the Amish then Hershey with the chocolate and Harrisburg is a pretty city on the Susquehanna(sp) River. You may want to see all you want in the Philly area and then you can take major highways to the other locations. Perhaps a few days in Philly, 2 days in AC and Mays Landing, back to Phila area for Washington's crossing and then the Tpk. for the western part of the state?

When you decide which day you want to do the historic section of Philadelphia, go to the Visitor's Center in the morning to get your free, but timed ticket to Independence Hall You can also order this on line in advance if you know your touring day. Make sure you visit the Constitution Center and Liberty Bell also. They are all in the same area. Franklin Court Museum is also good and is near Christ Church cememtery where Franklin is buried. There are many walking tours for the historic district.
For great info on Phila., go to
www.gophila.com
You also may want to check out this tour:
www.onceuponanation.org.
Also, here's a link to a map.
Check out http://www.independencevisitorcenter.com/map_cc.pdf

You don't say where you're coming from, or where you've been before, but it might make more sense to cover NYC, Balto, Annapolis, and/or DC rather than going to Pittsburgh. These cities along the east coast are much closer to Phila than going to Pittsburgh.

Phila to Pgh is about 5.5-6 hours along the PA Tpk, which is not a fun drive at all (we make the trip a few times a year.) The western half of the state is hilly and you'll be stuck behind 18 wheelers playing passing games, hogging up both lanes on the up-hills.

If you are at all interested in gardens, I'd suggest a visit to Longwood Gardens and a drive through the Brandywine River area.

To satiate your interest in scenery, consider at least part of PA Route 6 that transverses the northern part of the state. National Geographic has called it 'one of America's most scenic drives.'

http://tinyurl.com/yrponk
http://tinyurl.com/28ydu2

Thanks everyone! Driving times and suggestions are very helpful and the great websites are some I had not found (I have been using gophila a lot). We do plan to visit the historic district sites and also want to do the mint tour and the Underground RR Museum. I've researched Longwood Gardens and Brandywine region and those also are on our list. But we will have to make choices (difficult!) as there isn't time to do everything.

We are from Texas and have made several trips to the Eastern part of the country, including DC area and Gettysburg and Lancaster area. My husband wants to revisit Gettysburg and visit Falling Water (which also requires a resv, not open Mondays), thus all the way to Pittsb. Thought it would also be nice drive for fall folliage although we may be a bit early since we moved the trip up a week to see Tut. And, we do know about Route 6 and want to drive some part of that northern route. Any suggestions for which part?

I guess my confusion is after Phila, do we go down to Cape May and up to AtlC and over to Trenton and go northern route outbound to Pitts or reverse it and head to Gettysburg after the NJ jaunt?? I mentioned Washington Crossing on the way to Atlantic City in first post because it looks like WC is nearer Trenton so thought that might be logical combination without backtracking. We have made several trips photographing lighthouses but have never been to Cape May LH so we don't want to miss it since we're that close or we would eliminate NJ detour. What would be the easiest and most reasonable flow? We do prefer to travel back roads rather than the turnpikes when feasible and would probably do so westbound as well, time permitting of course.

Looking forward to hearing from all. Thanks!

You've got a bit of a dilemma. I'm in Harrisburg--I don't envy you the driving....

I'm going to offer a solution loaded with my biases.

Start in the Philadelphia area. Then, get out to the Pittsburgh-area for the FLW properties. I assume you're going to catch the early-morning deluxe tour at Fallingwater, then head over to Kentuck Knob.

At this point, I'd drop down to 68 in MD. Follow it to 70, then on to Baltimore, where you'll catch 695. Follow that south to 97, which takes you to 50 (near Annapolis) where you'll go across the Bay Bridge.

Then head to Lewes, DE. A delightful little town, where you can also catch the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. It's a nice ride of a little over an hour, and drops you off, of course, at Cape May. Then head up the Jersey coast to Atlantic City, then on to Phila. for your return.

Thanks bookhall, it is a dilemma! I will get out the maps and check out your suggestion. Any advice on which part of Route 6 you like?

For your stay in Phila to see the Tut exhibit, look into hotels that have packages that include VIP tickets to the exhibit in the cost of the hotel room. We booked a Saturday night at the Residence Inn which includes the Tut tickets for Saturday. The nice thing about these tickets is that they're not timed--you can go in any time during the day. Here's (hopefully) the link to the page that list the participating hotels: http://www.kingtut.org/plan_your_vis...hotel_packages. Hope you enjoy your visit.

I hate generalizing. However, visitPA.com divides that area into three regions. The eastern quarter is the Poconos, not bad for what it is. The central half is out back of beyond--prime nature territory, and a lot of it. The western quarter is the Lake Erie area: My son went to school there (PS Behrend,) and I rather like the city.

I think you best make up your own mind on this--you're the best judge of your likes and dislikes.

Just did some quick checking. PHL to Scranton is 133 miles. From there to Erie (Rt 6) is 321 miles, and on to Pittsburgh (which I also think is neat) is another 128 miles. About 600 miles total.

Thanks. I have researched several sites for scenic/historic drives and have a lot of info on Route 6. Thought some of you familiar with it might have specific suggestions, but I'm sure we'll drive some part of it.

I appreciate all the replies. I'm going to get tickets for Tut Exhibit and Barnes to firm up those dates and plan from there. (The lodging/VIP tickets are nice but pricier so we'll settle for times for Tut.) Is one day reasonable to see the historic district sites?

I'm sure Route 6 is great, but it seems like a lot of driving. I suggest you do what someone above posted. Go west from Philadelphia first and then do a southern route to Lewes and then Cape May. Leave time on the return trip to go up to Washington Crossing and New Hope/Lambertville area. You can see a lot of the historic center in 1 day.

You will love The Barnes Foundation. It's amazing.

I'm a New Zealander who, because of very close friends, has spent many happy holidays in south central PA and also in beautiful Bucks County area, just north of Philadelphia. Can I make several recommendations: Doylestown in Bucks County is an interesting place with the old Mercer (?) mansion and tile works, and en route I think to Washington Crossing (there's also a beautiful little town near the crossing that has the venerable Bucks County Playhouse, can't recall the name of the town. Now for further west Harrisburg is Ok but the real highlights for me in that area are Gettysburg, the new civil war museum in Harrisburg and then the area around Hershey, Ephrata, Carlisle. Carlisle itself is a very old and stately town with many historic buildings. Also don't miss Boiling Springs and in particular the artisans gallery there for fantastic arts and crafts gifts.

I live in Bucks County, PA. I'm going to jump in here.

The town with the Bucks County Playhouse is New Hope, PA.

The historic sites of Philadelphia can be done in a day. Start at the visitor center for Independence Hall.

You must decide based upon your prior experience and interests but my view is that 'bookhall', above, has a good approach. I would find Route 6 less interesting than his suggestion (sorry, National Geographic.) The Grand Canyon of PA is worth a visit but it is in a remote area which doesn't connect well with your trip.

Allow at least a half day for Cape May. A walking tour there is worthwhile if you can fit it in. The lighthouse is at Cape May Point which is just a few minutes drive to the southern tip of New Jersey.

Really try to include Falling Water which, I feel, is very special. Also outstanding is the Barnes. Not too far from the Barnes is Longwood Gardens. Longwood is beautiful at any time but since your trip is in the fall, and you have so much to include, you may wish to omit it.

Welcome back to Pennsylvania.

Since you want to visit Washington Crossing, it makes sense to visit New Hope (however, I am not a big fan of the place).
As you say you are interested in history, you should also consider making a day trip to Behtlehem for both the historic district and the amazing steelworks. The images of the abandoned steelworks are stunning (do a search for Bethlehem Steel in the travel section of the NYTimes...unfortunately, the link is way too long to paste)

http://www.historicbethlehem.org/places/
http://www.bethlehem-pa.gov/about/im...lehemSteel.htm

Since you are going the whole to Pittsburgh, I would suggest stopping in Johnstown:

http://www.jaha.org/FloodMuseum/history.html

http://www.nps.gov/jofl/

http://www.inclinedplane.com/

All these suggestions are so exciting--thanks! The only problem is everyone sounds like something we'd love to do, so planning after Phila is going to require some tough choices. I have tickets for Tut Exhibit and The Barnes Foundation lined up, but I'll have to wait for to reserve for Fallingwater closer to time, and Cape May and the LH are definites. Just a couple more questions for now:

How long for Longwood; would 3-4 hours be worth a visit? We might be able to do that on day of return (flight not until 6 pm). What would be time required to drive to the airport from Longwood?

Found by accident today a really great rate at Hampton Inn near convention center but required to pay now with fee for cancellation. Best rate I've found and reviews mostly favorable but some not so about the area. Would it be a safe area for walking at night?Holiday Inn rate was not as good, but still good. Would it be a better choice?

Hi
Longwood can be done in three hours - I don't know about the time to get to the airport from there but check mapquest or yahoo.
If you are a frequent traveler I think you would be fine with the Hampton Inn.

If you are going as far west as Falling Water I would urge you to try to fit it in. It is especially nice in the fall.

Hi texasjo. I agree that Longwood Gardens can be seen in 3 hours or so. With no traffic it is about 45 minutes from there to the airport, but you should definitely count on some traffic.

I think the Hampton Inn would be fine.The Convention Center does plenty of business and lots of those folks stay in the area. Would you want to be out after 11 or midnight? I think I might be a little nervous very late but I'd be fine there otherwise.

Thanks GBC and Suki. Trying to keep budget under $200 night w/pking and still stay "in" Phila rather than out in burbs, and I'm having a difficult time. We've had good luck with HampInns thru the country for that price range type of hotel. Just not sure about this one's location although the price is great. Would you all say subway in that area OK? I know some cities, we've been advised to avoid certain areas/stops.

GBC, we will be visiting Falling Water. I've got to determine the route we're driving before I know when we will be there. But it's a must on our list.

The hotel is at 13th and Race, not really a problem at all if you're at all conversant with cities, which it sounds as if you are. I was in the general area a couple of weeks ago (doing Flower Show setup) and while it isn't particularly busy later at night there was nothing alarming. You're also close to lots of good cheap eats in Chinatown. (I like Imperial Inn, myelf, on 10th Street.)

Have fun in Philadelphia! (and the rest of your trip. By the way, on your way west you could also stop in Altoona area and see the World Famous Horseshoe Curve, just to add to your choices.)

Amy, thanks for Imperial Inn suggestion. From other boards, I had picked up Shiao Lan Kung. Another decision :)

While you'd probably be Ok, I would suggest that you use cabs to get about rather than the subway. If you're at a restaurant late at night, ask them to call one for you. The distances are not large and the fare shouldn't be either. If this is a biggie, perhaps you could get more details with a separate posting asking about the PHIL. subway. We live in the suburbs, traveling in/out of the city by auto so I'm not current on the subway.

Imperial Inn is great in Chinatown. Joseph Poon, in my opinion, is even better.

If you are still planning to visit Gettysburg and Fallingwater, I would suggest travelling between the two through Maryland via I70 to I68 and then up PA/MD Route 40 to Fallingwater. I currently live in the Pittsburgh area, but I am originally from the Gettysburg area and my husband is from Philadelphia. This is our preferred route for a few reason. The road conditions in Maryland are much better, and there aren't tolls. The trip takes about the same amount of time as travelling the PA turnpike and is much less stressful. Our policy is to avoid the turnpike whenever practical.

I would try to spend a night in Cape May rather than just a couple of hours. You don't mention the time of year, but many of the historic inns and b&b's can be quite reasonable off-season. Once you arrive in Cape May, you won't want to leave in four hours! I'm not a fan of AC, but since you want to check it out, you can do that quite easily from Cape May and spend the night there as well. I'm not quite sure if this makes sense, but what about a Cape May, AC, New Hope loop?

As far as the trip to Pittsburgh, the PA turnpike is BRUTAL. The suggestion for taking the route through Maryland is probably a good one.

I have never travled the east-west route through MD from Philadelphia, but it sounds quite nice. I have traveled the PA turnpike many times and I don't understand how it could be characterized as brutal. The George Washington Bridge through NYC, I-95 through Wash DC or parts of CT, these I might consider brutal, but the Pa turnpike is OK driving as far as I am concerned. Not much in the way of a pretty drive, but traffic flows nicely and is not very intense.

Just to clarify my earlier post. If you are travelling directly from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, the PA turnpike is unfortunately the most direct route. Travelling through Maryland is most practical if you are are leaving from the Gettysburg area. Travelling that route from Philly requires taking I95 South to Baltimore, then picking up I70, as that is really the only major east-west route in MD. One of the biggest pros to choosing this route is that Fallingwater is quite a bit south of Pittsburgh, right off of Route 40, which you would take to go back into PA. A word of warning, there are several exits for variations of Route 40, you want Exit 14, just a few miles before entering West Virginia. If you would like to travel in the northern part of the state, I would do so on the way back to Philly.

First, again, thanks to everyone! Our thinking now is we will hit Falling Water and Gettysburg on the return to Phila. The Maryland route from FW to Gtsb looks like the way to go. How long is that drive, rhleone? And, what route would you take Ptsbg to FW? There are several scenic routes indicated on the maps but may be too much out-of-the-way. We prefer those if we have time. I guess all that area is considered Laurel Highlands?

From Gettysburg, guess we'd come back via Lancaster (can't miss chance to have early lunch at Good-and-Plenty again) and then on to airport for return (6 pm flight). Guess Longwood won't fit in this time, but think we can make CapeMay/AtlCity/WashCross/New Hope loop after Phila before we head out to the west. Didn't know about New Hope, appreciate the suggestion.

The trip from Fallingwater to Gettysburg should take just about 3 hours. The route from PGH to Fallingwater varies greatly depending on where in the area you would be staying. Feel free to email me at [email protected] for more specific info.

We decided to go with the Hampton Inn and now have all the Phily things confirmed. Will have the next few months to firm up the rest, including resv for Fallingwater. Thanks so much everyone!

A hope you write a full trip report when you return.

Hi texasjo,
Because I'm working on a trip into the city with my grandsons another thought popped into my head that hasn't been mentioned so far.
I don't know if it is your type of thing but Philadelphia is recently known for the mural art programs there. They are quite unique. In your travels about the city you are sure to come across some of them because they are located throughout center city on the exposed walls of various buildings. They are worthy of note and a little study on the website before your trip will get you up to speed. Best of all, you can do them anytime of day and they are free when you walk or drive by. To learn more visit www.muralarts.org where you'll find a little background, descriptions, and a map outlining a tour of the sites.