motherofalltrips's Passport
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Send a ComplimentAbout Me & My Family
I don’t know when or where I got bit by the travel bug – perhaps it was in Italy when I was nine? In France when I was nineteen? Or India when I was twenty nine? But having children has done nothing to cure me of it. In fact between June of 2003 and July of 2004, my husband Matt and I took our (then 1-year-old) son Tommy on an odyssey across six states, three countries, and two continents.
And the arrival of our second son, Teddy in 2005 hasn’t done much to slow us down. Whether it’s to Wisconsin or Arizona, Paris or Vermont, we all love to hop on a plane or hit the road.
Our Family's Travel Personality
adventurous, curious, independent, energetic, sophisticated, scheduled
We Just Got Back From
New York City
Our Favorite Vacation Spot
Vermont and Paris
A Place We'd Love To Visit
Hawaii
Favorite Vacation Memory
There are a lot of them! But an especially fond memory is going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The kids loved the elevator ride up and were thrilled to see Paris spread before them when we got to the top.
Worst Travel Moment With My Kids:
Definitely the day I left for my first long-term trip with my one-year-old. I arrived to discover the apartment we'd rented was dirty, noisy, and had no working telephone.
Websites I Like:
Off the beaten path in Philadelphia
Looking for something a little different than the zoo or the well-known historic sites when visiting Philadelphia? This list offers suggestions for some lesser-known things to do with kids, most of them walking distance from Independence Hall.
40 North 2nd Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
reviewed on: November 03 2009
"See a play in Old City Philadelphia"
The Arden is a small theatre in the round that offers a lovely family series (2009-10 offerings are Peter Pan and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie). With high-quality performances, it's a great place to introduce children to live theater. We saw the musical Frog and Toad there and were not disappointed (despite high expectations that came with our love for the original cast recording).Some of the family performances include what the company calls "salons" where the actors and stage manager stay after the performance to answer question, display the scenery, and show the tricks behind the special effects.
The Arden also runs a drama school and has a number of one-day workshops including "Play in a Day" where kids work together to write, rehearse, and then perform a play. If you've got a budding thespian in your traveling group, this might be a great activity for them while you go out and explore other aspects of the city.
1450 John F Kennedy Boulevard
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
reviewed on: November 02 2009
"Get close to William Penn"
Many people don't realize that it's actually possible to go up inside the tower in the center of City Hall. Buy a ticket at the gift shop in the base of the building, take an elevator up to the seventh floor, and then follow a red stripe on the floor to escalators that will take you to the waiting area.The elevator to the top is itself fascinating to kids, old-fashioned and small as it is. It also has glass walls, so you will see the tower's clock from the inside as you ascend. Once you're at the top you can look up and see the famous 37-foot tall statue of William Penn that sits atop the building towering immediately over you. Since the city and surrounding area are fairly low and flat, you get a great view of the city and suburbs as well as the Delaware River, with it impressive bridges to New Jersey.
1701 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
reviewed on: November 02 2009
"The world's biggest TV"
Visit the beautiful new headquarters of the Comcast Cable Corporation and you'll see gorgeous glass lobby with very high walls. As you approach the welcome desks what looks like a large and solid wall at the back suddenly turns into a field of flowers or a seascape. You're staring at the world's largest LED screen - all 2000 feet of it. And whether or not you're a fan of TV, it's something to see. Comcast has created an amazing video display, now dramatic, now whimsical, with music to match. Sports fans will love the images of Cole Hamels pitching. Even young children will be captivated by the super high-definition display.
And the lobby itself is a fascinating place. At the center of the floor, close-to-life-size (and very realistic) statues of a father and son stand hand-in-hand looking up, and as you follow their gaze you realize that the upper reaches of the high ceiling are populated with numerous other status engaged strolls across white beams that criss-cross the space.
Right in Center City, an easy walk from City Hall, this free attraction is appropriate for kids of varying ages and is definitely work a half hour of your time.
Twelfth and Arch Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
reviewed on: November 03 2009
"Let the kids pick their lunch in a historic market"
What's the perennial problem when you're traveling with kids of different ages and tastes? What to do for lunch. This enclosed farmers market is a fun and bustling scene for lunch or a snack - and with 80 vendors, there's something to please everyone.
Leave yourself some time just to browse. Children will be fascinated by the array of wonderful things on display: homemade fudge, kaffir lime leaves, linens from Provence. You can buy artisinal bread and local cheese for a picnic lunch or purchase food from one of the many restaurants - your choices range from sushi to cheesesteaks. And if its authentic Pennsylvania Dutch food that you're after, this is a great spot to find it, with over eleven vendors selling everything from pickles to shoo-fly pie.
There are several seating areas, the largest in the center of the market. It can be tough to find a seat so you may want to send on member of your party on a scouting mission. Regulars are used to the tourists and are usually willing to share tables if you ask nicely. Sometimes a jazz combo or other band will be playing to entertain the diners.
If you like to cook, you'll likely find the market's many ethnic and gourmet shops a temptation. A number of the merchants do offer shipping, so you might be able to send goodies home.
It's about an eight-block walk over to the market from the Independence Hall area, so if your kids are up for it, you could easily hoof it over here for lunch and avoid the tourist traps in Old City.
100 Baltimore Pike
Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
reviewed on: November 03 2009
"Art and nature in perfect harmony"
If you're visiting Philadelphia and would like to get out of the city, this gem of a museum is worth the half-hour drive. The light-filled building (a 19th-century grist mill) is fascinating to kids, with its large brick courtyard and circular interior. Huge windows overlook the river, one of the prettier ones you'll find.The first time we visited my oldest son was four months old and he was fascinated with the huge and colorful N.C. Wyeth paintings. Originally used as illustrations for such classic stories as Treasure Island and Kidnapped, the pictures of pirates and patriots are fun for kids to explore and discuss.
The foundation that runs the museum is also a nature conservancy. Once the kids have tired of the inside of the museum, step out into the courtyard and around the back where you can follow a series of trails that meander through the wetlands next to the Brandywine River. If you've spent any time looking at the Andrew Wyeth paintings with your children, you will all recognize the landscape that surrounds you, a major influence for his art.
During the holiday season the museum displays numerous Christmas trees hung with intricate ornaments made from entirely natural materials. There is also a large model railroad display and regular concerts and caroling. It is crowded, but also a great way to get into the holiday spirit.
