I have been working diligently to make an itinerary for our upcoming trip to Philadelphia, but I am at a loss. I have a list a mile long but no idea what is grouped together by location or how much time to plan. I have a 4 yr old and a 3 yr old, and we will be there for 10 days. They will go go go until late afternoon, and we get up early. Any help would be appreciated.

Here is my mile long list of to-dos:

Franklin Institute
Adventure Aquarium (ride ferry) Gardens that are there too?
Zoo
Academy of Natural Science
Please Touch Museum
Historic Sites
Chinatown for dinner?
Firemans Hall Museum?
Franklin Court
Elfreths Alley
Smith Playhouse
Reading Terminal
3 Bears Park
Franklin Square Park

Drive Locations:
Sesame Place
Lancaster County
Hershey? (maybe same day as Lancaster)
and Atlantic City one weekend day

I know this is quite a list, but we will be there 10 days and want to do as much as we can, we dont like just relaxing at the hotel! Another question, can you give me some reasonably priced dinner locations that will be good with kids? We will probably head back to the hotel late afternoon so the kids (and me) can rest a bit and then go out to dinner and maybe do something while we are out? An if it matters, we are parking our car at an off site airport lot and bringing the train in and using public transportaion while we are there (except the out of the city days, I will go get the car) I know this seems like a hassle, but parking is $45 a day just at our hotel, not counting the places we go!

Thanks!

You've done some good homework here. Have been to some of these and for kids will definitely recommend the Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences, Adventure Aquarium, Fireman's Hall Museum, and Franklin Court. Several of the historic sites may be good as well. And Reading Terminal Market is a great place for grazing from food stall to food stall.

A day trip to Hershey strikes me as a great idea for kids -- Hershey Chocolate World (a sort-of tour of the chocolate plant) and Hershey Park (an amusement park) are good options to consider.

I can't imagine there's anything at Atlantic City for kids. The casinos have an age limit of 21 or older, and there isn't much else there.

More later.

we are not planning on going to Atlantic City for the casinos, we are going to spend the day at the beach. Is there a better beach to go to?

Have not been to: Please Touch Museum, Zoo, Smith Playhouse, 3 Bears Park, or Franklin Square Park. But they all look like excellent options for kids, and unless someone chimes in otherwise, I'd guess they're good choices. Same goes for Sesame Place.

If you're over in Camden at the Adventure Aquarium, it's a reasonable walk along the waterfront to the battleship USS New Jersey, which may or may not be of interest for kids that young. I don't know anything about gardens in Camden, but I'd avoid wandering too far afield in this city, as it's not a safe place beyond its waterfront area, and then only in daylight hours when the attractions are open.

Not sure if Lancaster and the surrounding Pennsylvania Dutch area has a lot for children as young as 3 and 4, except maybe for the really touristy things such as Dutch Wonderland (an amusement park).

I'd avoid Atlantic City, too. For the old-fashioed beach town experience with kids, I'd go to Ocean City.

~Liz

Lancaster county- There is alot of fun items to do there for kids. Dutch Wonderland is a must for kids that age. Take a buggy ride, eat at a amish restaurant, go to a hands on Amish farm.My kids are 15 and 17 and still talk about the trips we took to that area.


As to Hershey park, I do not know if I would go there for your children's ages. I would see how any rides they have that your children can go on. They will show you by height on their web site what rides are for them. They do how soe shows. We did not take our children until they out grew Dutch Wonderland.

Check out the Museum web sites. The please touch museum is is course for them.I do not know how much the others will have for them.

If you have any other questions,please ask

If you do go to Atlantic City, check out Lucy, the Margate Elephant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_the_Elephant (the regular website didn't work for me).

This is a 6 story elephant building built in 1882, and your little ones might enjoy it.

I too think that your children are a bit young for Hershey Park and that they would enjoy Dutch Wonderland a lot more.

all the suggestions are good (except Lucy the elephant. that's the kind of thing adults think is cool, not worth the detour) agreed that AC is a bad beach choice --google Long Beach Island. The road to get there is one lane-it's 1 and a half hours from Phila but it's by far, the nicest, family, clean beaches. you will have to buy daily beach tags. Ocean City and others are also nice, but further south, hence further drive.
If you have 10 days -- you might want to stay overnite in Lancaster or Hershey. Hershy Park DOES have lots of little kid amusement park rides --that's what makes it so fun! you can also take a really fun "fake" tour of the chocolate factory that ends with a free sample, and in the largest chocolate food court and "discount" factory candy store. We go evry year --my kids have loved it for more than a decade! There's also a really nice small zoo, next door to the amusement park --with North Amer animals (ducks, fox, racoons) great for little kids. (you can buy a combined ticket, i think) There is enough to do 2 days in each of those places --also you need a car to get there. I would rethink leaving your car -- there are PLENTY of places to park for less than $45. Even if you go to a private, attendant/monitored lot --next door to your hotel --the 24 hour daily charge will probably be $26. You can park along the parkway --where the art museum, Franklin I, natural history/dinosaur museums are for $10 a day (then you would have to take a cab/walk back to your hotel) What hotel are you staying at??
Definately go to the Fireman Museum, reading terminal and walk/eat in chinatown

forgot to say, 3 bears park is nothing. it's a SMALL square in a yuppie neighborhood, where city toddlers play --that has a metal sculpture of bears.
adventure aquarium does have a nice children's garden with it --and with the aquarium, you could spend most of the day there (come back across the river for dinner in Phila. there is nothing else in Camden for tourists/not a great neighborhood)

I wanted to jump in to say that for 3 and 4 year olds, Three Bears is nicely sized. Another playground option -- which also tacks on a short "train ride"-- is Narberth playground. Tons of kids and a lovely french bakery and some shopping for parents.

I think that some of your list may not be 3-4 year old targeted. For example, I can't imagine a small child listening to the phones at Franklin Court and watching the 1970s era display, or wandering down Elfreth's (where most people just peer in homeowners' windows to see how modern families fit 21st century furniture into tiny spaces). The Franklin Institute, too, is geared toward slightly older children. Of your list, Smith and the other playgrounds, please touch, the Aquarium, zoo and Academy are the best bets for the 3-4 year old set.

I think I read you wanted to spend one weekend day at the shore. I'd rethink that and go on a weekday. Ocean City is kid friendly, but I'm partial to Stone Harbor for its combination of beach and shopping.