minnemom's Passport
 | Been to 182 Attractions |
 | 182 Reviews |
 | 160 First to Review |
 | 80 Photos |
 | 149 Helpful Votes |
Compliments
(5)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(9)
(5)
Send a Message 
Send a ComplimentAbout Me & My Family
We have four children, and have been traveling with them since they were born. We take day-trip "adventures" to both well-known and out-of-the-way places, and we're trying to see as much as the USA as we can.
We love the back roads and things off the beaten path.
Our Family's Travel Personality
curious
We Just Got Back From
a 12-day, 3850-mile roadtrip to San Antonio and environs, which included outrunning a major Midwest snowstorm.
Our Favorite Vacation Spot
Chicago--there's so much to do, and it's within a day's drive
A Place We'd Love To Visit
the Grand Canyon
Favorite Vacation Memory
Sitting on a beautiful sandy beach on a warm summer day . . . at Grand Beach, an hour north of Winnipeg, Manitoba!
Worst Travel Moment With My Kids:
Four of the six of us getting sick, in a motel room, on Christmas Eve.
Websites I Like:
Historic Philadelphia on Foot with Kids
Park once and make your own walking tour. Here's what we did on our day in Philadelphia with four young children.
6th & Market St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
Buy tickets for Independence Hall here, as well as pick up Junior Ranger programs for the kids.
reviewed on: March 18 2009
"Your first stop in Philadelphia"
If you're touring historic Philadelphia, you want to stop here first, and early in the day if you want to go to Independence Hall. Other than the gift shop, Breakfast with Ben, and other special events, this isn't a place where you actually DO much, but it's where you get tickets for Independence Hall, Junior Ranger Guides and National Park Stamps, bus tour tickets, and information about the city and historic area. So, four-star rating because it's not fun in and of itself, but it's a necessary stop on your Philadelphia tour.
143 S 3rd St,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
Many of the historic buildings are part of this historic site. Get the Junior Ranger guide at Independence Visitor Center to help the kids learn even more about these places.
Fifth and Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
See where part of United States history was made in this short, ranger-led tour.
reviewed on: March 18 2009
"It's history."
For adults or kids old enough to understand the historical importance of this place, this is a great place. For little kids, it's just an old building where they have to be quiet. Fortunately, the tour isn't particularly long, and you can stress how cool it is to be in this historic building. Just don't expect that there's anything hands-on for kids to do. (A Junior Ranger guide, picked up at the Independence Visitor Center, will help them to pay a little more attention so they can complete more pages.)
6th and Market St
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
Kids will love seeing the Liberty Bell!
reviewed on: March 18 2009
"Hands-off History"
This is another place that has no interactive exhibits, but the fact that you're seeing the actual Liberty Bell is impressive. Even if you're 3. So take the kids, snap some photos by the Liberty Bell with Independence Hall in the background, and someday explain the rest of the history lesson to them. They'll think it's cool that they got to go there once upon a time.
Twelfth and Arch Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
Good stop for lunch.
reviewed on: March 18 2009
"Hang on to your kids"
The Reading Terminal Market is an experience. We're glad we took the kids, because it's like nothing they've seen before. The variety of goods for sale and people in the market is something to see. On the other hand, it's kind of difficult if you have more kids than hands. Weaving the kids in and out of the not-particularly-kid-friendly crowd was a challenge, as was refraining from losing any of them. We had a good lunch there, and then headed across the street to the Christmas railroad model, which was a disappointment. It was placed between fiberglass and difficult for the kids to see; not that it mattered much because it wasn't impressive anyway.
6th and Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
Another meeting place of the founding fathers.
Market and Third Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
We especially enjoyed the print shop, and sent ourselves postcards from Ben Franklin's post office.
reviewed on: March 18 2009
"Surprisingly interesting for kids"
Franklin Court is the site of Benjamin Franklin's Philadelphia home. An outline of the home stands in the court, and a National Park Service museum runs underground. In the museum, a film tells about Franklin's life. Across the court, a replica of Franklin's printing press is in use, and our kids were very interested in watching it work. Next door is the Ben Franklin Post Office, where we mailed postcards to ourselves with its special postmark. Upstairs in the post office is a small postal museum. Of all the historical sites in Philadelphia, this was one of the most interesting for the kids.
239 Arch Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
Interesting to see Betsy Ross' house and the story behind it.
reviewed on: March 18 2009
"Part of History"
This tour doesn't take long because the house isn't very big, but it's interesting to see the historic house in Philadelphia where Betsy Ross once lived. There's a small hands-on area in the basement, which the kids liked. They also liked the artisan and musician who were in the gift shop. Admission is reasonable; this is a good stop on any tour of Philadelphia.
126 Elfreth's Alley
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Comment:
Oldest continually inhabited residential street in the U.S.
reviewed on: March 18 2009
"Walking through history"
Walking down Elfreth's Alley is a walk down the oldest residential street in the U.S. It's narrow, only a block long, with private residences on either side. Like other Philadelphia sites, there's not much excitement for the kids, other than to point out that these are old houses, and to have them look for the little "busybody" mirrors that show who's knocking on the door. It's only a block away from Fireman's Hall, so you might as well see it if you're headed in that direction.
147 North Second Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
reviewed on: March 18 2009
"Free museum for little firefighters"
Although this museum isn't terribly exciting (much of it is old, do-not-touch equipment), there are some interactive things for kids upstairs, including a phone where they can practice calling 911. Since it's free, it's worth the walk, especially if you're at nearby Elfreth's Alley. It's a nice change from the historical stuff for the kids.
