Visit Philly: Philadelphia Trolley Works Big Bus Hop On Hop Off Tour

I love city bus tours.  Yes, nothing screams "tourist" louder than riding at the top of a double-decker bus, but these tours are a great way to explore a city without having to drive yourself (or hunt and pay for parking), and the guides will tell you all sorts of interesting tidbits of information.

While in Philadelphia, we hopped aboard the Philadelphia Trolley Works Big Bus Hop On Hop Off tour to explore the City of Brotherly Love.

We passed by many notable landmarks and iconic buildings, such as the Betsy Ross House,  a sculpture of Ben Franklin made out of pennies, Ben Franklin's Grave, the United States Mint, City Hall and more!

We also learned so many cool things about the city, such as how it's home to the nation's oldest street!

Elfreth's Alley (nation's oldest street)

One of my favorite things about exploring a new city is viewing the different types of architecture.

There are 27 stops, and the entire tour takes approximately 90 minutes.  We hopped off at several different stops - City/Hall and Love Park, Whispering Wall, Reading Terminal Market, Please Touch Museum, Rocky Steps, and Franklin Institute.

Trying out the Whispering Wall

For a portion of the tour, if you wish to continue on to the Zoo Loop (Philadelphia Zoo, Please Touch Museum, etc.), you must hop off and transfer to a smaller bus.

We crammed as much as we could in a single day, but for those who have more time, 2- and 3-day passes are also available.  

The guides were knowledgeable and entertaining, and the tour was simply so much fun.

The Philadelphia Trolley Big Bus Hop On Hop Off Tour is a great way to learn about and explore Philadelphia!

Mahalo to the sponsor for four passes on the Philadelphia Trolley Works Big Bus Tour.  A fifth pass was purchased on my own.

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Visit Philadelphia: Liberty Bell Center

Our first stop while in Downtown Philly was to see the Liberty Bell.

We went to the Liberty Bell Center approximately 30 minutes before opening time, and there was a class of students already in a line.

Promptly at opening time, the doors open and everyone goes through a security and bag check. 

At the Liberty Bell Center are exhibits, as a well as a short video, but we bypassed all of that and went straight to the Liberty Bell to take a look and get photos. 

We did take some time to look at the exhibits after we got our photos, but we were really just there to see the Liberty Bell and its famous crack (which I was astonished to discover was actually the "repair job"). 

It was neat to see the original Liberty Bell - a symbol with a message to "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof."

There are no tickets required to enter, and the security line moves fairly quickly, so if all you want to do is snap a pic of the Liberty Bell (like we did), don't let a long line deter you!

Liberty Bell Center
N 6th St & Market St

Philadelphia, PA 19106

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Visit Philadelphia: Rocky Steps

We don't mind looking or acting like tourists whenever we travel, so of course we had to make a stop at the Rocky Steps and Rocky Statue while in Philly.

We got there via the Philadelphia Trolley Works Big Bus Tour.

In total tourist mode, we ran (okay, my kids ran - I just walked) the 72 steps up to the fountain at the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, then took a pic with hands in the air.

View from the top of the stairs

Of course, there were many others doing the exact same thing.  There was even a wedding party taking photos with the museum as a backdrop!

Don't forget to take a pic with the Rocky Statue, which is right next to the famous steps!

Rocky Steps
Spring Garden St
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Mahalo to the sponsor for the 4 tickets to the Philadelphia Trolley Works Big Bus Tour.  A fifth ticket was purchased on our own.

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Visit Philadelphia: Geno's Steaks

There are no shortage of restaurants to go to if you want a cheesesteak in Philly, but my favorite of the places we tried was Geno's Steaks.

Geno's is open 24/7 so hungry patrons can get their cheesesteaks any time of the day or night.

I opted for a Cheestesteak with Onions and Whiz.

If you order a cheesesteak in Philly, I highly recommend you get it with Cheese Whiz if possible.  It is so good!  

If cheesesteak is not your thing, Geno's also offers hoagies, but why would you want anything else when at Geno's?

Geno's Steaks

1219 S 9th St

Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 389-0659

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Visit Philadelphia: The Franklin Institute

We were heading back to our car on the Philadelphia Trolley Works Big Bus Tour, when I noticed a Game Masters banners at The Franklin Institute.

I thought this exhibition, which runs through September 3, would be fun for the kids, so we made an impromptu stop!

Game Masters celebrates five decades worth of video games, featuring over 100 games that visitors can play, including arcade icons Pac-Man and Space Invaders, to more recent trending games, such as Angry Bird and Rock Band.

The kids played everything from vintage arcade games to new (to them) games.  They could've spent the entire day there!

They did, however, spend some time exploring other exhibits in The Franklin Institute.

Founded in honor of America’s first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is one of the most popular attractions in Downtown Philadelphia, with numerous exhibits that engage the minds of both the young and old.

The kids really enjoyed the SportsZone, where they got to test their balance and see how high they could jump.

They had fun exploring The Giant Heart, and it was neat to see a locomotive!

The Franklin Institute offered exhibits on Electricity, the Changing Earth, Your Brain, and so much more. 

The variety of hands-on exhibits throughout The Franklin Institute simply made learning all about science so interesting!

A visit to The Franklin Institute is both educational and entertaining, and fun for the entire family!

The Franklin Institute
222 N 20th St

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Mahalo to the sponsor for the four general admission tickets. A fifth admission, and separate admission to Game Masters for all members of my family, were purchased on my own.

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Visit Philadelphia: Philly PHLASH Downtown Loop

For a super easy and inexpensive way to get around Downtown Philly and see some of the popular sites, take a ride on the Philly PHLASH Downtown Loop!

With service every 15 minutes, and at just $2 per person or $5 for an all-day pass and $7 for a two-day pass, the Philly PHLASH Downtown Loop, a seasonal transit program managed by the Independence Visitor Center Corporation, makes stops at or near a variety of attractions, such as the National Museum of Jewish American History, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rodin Museum, the Reading Terminal Market, the Philadelphia Zoo, and so much more!

The Philly PHLASH Downtown Loop is such a deal when it comes to exploring Philly! No need to drive through traffic or look (and pay!) for parking. Simply hop on the Philly PHLASH and you'll be taken to the next destination in cool, air-conditioned comfort. You can even access a site on your mobile phone to find the nearest PHLASH stop and find out when the next bus is coming in real-time!

The Philly PHLASH Downtown Loop is one of the most affordable and convenient ways to explore Philly!

For route maps and service information, click here.

Mahalo to the sponsor for the complimentary All Day Passes.

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Visit Philadelphia: Bassetts Ice Cream

Bassetts Ice Cream is America's oldest ice cream company.

In 1892, Lewis Dubois Bassett opened a a retail ice cream shop at Reading Terminal Market, which we visited to try some of Philly's popular ice cream.

Cookie Dough

Salted Caramel Pretzel

Mint Chocolate Chip

I ordered the Salted Caramel Pretzel.  I loved it!

The sweet and salty combo mixed into premium, creamy ice cream was just so delicious!

Definitely give Bassetts a try if you're craving ice cream in the Philly area!


Bassetts Ice Cream
Reading Terminal Market
45 N 12th St

Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 925-4315

Mahalo to the sponsor for the Reading Terminal Market gift card.

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Visit Philadelphia: Pat's King of Steaks

I tried my first Philly Cheesesteak while in Philly!  We went to popular cheesesteak shop Pat's King of Steaks.

Instructions on how to order a steak sandwich is readily available for newbies (like myself).

We ordered a steak, with (onions), and provolone.

The hearty sandwich was good, with thin slices of grilled steak and onions, and melted cheese.

Pat's also offers a variety of other steak sandwiches, such as pizza steak, mushroom steak, and pepper pizza steak.  They also serve hot dogs and fish cake!

Pat's King of Steaks
1237 E Passyunk Ave

Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 468-1546

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Visit Philadelphia: Please Touch Museum

We love taking the kids to children's museums on our travels, and while in Philadelphia, we visited the Please Touch Museum, which was a stop on the Philadelphia Trolley Works Big Bus Tour.

The mission of Please Touch Museum is to "change a child’s life as they discover the power of learning through play."

Although the focus of the museum is for kids ages seven and younger, even older kids will find some of the exhibits engaging and entertaining.

The different galleries throughout Please Touch Museum emphasize creativity, imagination, life skills, and critical thinking.

I thought the Wonderland exhibit was really fun for all ages.  The kids went through a maze, worked their way through optical illusions, and even had tea with the Mad Hatter!

Train lovers will enjoy the Centennial Exploration exhibit, which includes a model of the 1876 Centennial Exhibition and a locomotive the kids can hop in!

In Roadside Attractions, the kiddos had fun pretending to drive a bus, trolley, and car, and they dished out treats at a roadside food stand.

Another favorite exhibit was Healthy Me, Healthy Family, Healthy Community, where the kids could dress up and partake in everyday activities in the neighborhood, such as grocery shopping, visiting the doctor, eating at a restaurant, and more!

Through September 3, visitors can enjoy the Hello from Japan! exhibit, in which they can learn about all sorts of aspects of Japanese culture and history.

There's even a working carousel (separate tickets required).

Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel

Whether the kids were constructing buildings in the Imagination Playground, enjoying water play in River Adventures, or launching spacecraft in the Rocket Room, they were not only having fun, but they were also developing skills, such as creative thinking, gross motor, and problem-solving.

Imagination Playground

River Adventures

Rocket Room

Everywhere you turn there is something to explore in this two-floor museum.

Statue of Liberty Torch in Hamilton Hall

If you have little ones, be sure to visit the Please Touch Museum when in Philly!

Please Touch Museum
4231 Avenue of the Republic

Philadelphia, PA 19131
(215) 581-3181

Mahalo to the sponsor for providing complimentary admission for four members of our family. A fifth admission was purchased on my own.

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