Philadelphia, PA - this is a review for the City Hall Tower Tour. I'm irresistibly attracted to…read moreobservation decks and old towers, so when I discovered that Philadelphia's City Hall doesn't just offer building tours but also a panoramic Tower Tour from atop its clock tower, I didn't question whether I really NEED to see the bird's eye view of yet another city. Located just a short walk from my hotel and something I can squeeze in before check-out, well that sealed it. The tour is very intimate, as each group maxes out at four people, owing to the tower's narrow dimensions, so you're basically on a private tour. There are plenty of time slots however, as the tour departs every 15 minutes, but booking in advance is highly recommended if not imperative (isn't everything these days!). It is only available Monday-Friday from 10am-2:45pm cos, government building. The experience was wonderful from top to bottom. The ladies in the visitor center were so nice and chatted with us as we waited for the tour to begin, and even gave my kiddo a pair of binoculars which he clutched onto with excitement and didn't put down for the rest of the day. Our guide Kim was genuinely warm, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. She took our photos, kept things interesting, and capped it all off with an awesome list of insidery tips about what to do and see - places I hadn't even known about. I've done several dozen observation towers around the world and they never get old. This one's a departure from the usual glossy skyscraper presentation with a slick immersive elevator ride (in fact the elevator ride's pretty rickety), but if you like history and high places, and the luxury of zero crowds, this is a cool hidden gem.

Philadelphia City Hall has become a must-visit for me whenever I am in the city for running events…read morelike the Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run or the Philadelphia Distance Run. My trips just don't feel complete without stopping by to take in its architecture. I remember the 2022 Broad Street Run vividly, falling in love with the building's design around mile five of the course. Being near it, I must say, it has an astonishing presence. I learned that it was designed by Scottish-born architect John McArthur Jr. and Thomas Ustick Walter in the French Second Empire style, with construction spanning from 1871 to 1901. The exterior tower was completed by 1894, although the interior was not finished until 1901. At the very top stands a 37-foot bronze statue of William Penn, the founder of Philadelphia. At 548 feet, this made it the tallest habitable building in the world from 1894 to 1908. City Hall sits on one of the five original urban park squares laid out by William Penn. Geometrically, it is the center of the other four squares within Center City--an area fittingly renamed Penn Square. If you are planning a trip to Philadelphia, I highly recommend including a walk around this iconic landmark on your itinerary, though it is bound to catch your eye unexpectedly while you are downtown. One of my favorite sculptures on the outer perimeter is of Octavius Catto, a trailblazing civil rights leader, educator, and athlete whose contributions to racial equality in 19th-century America remain profound. ~ Be obsessively grateful ~ Thomas G

I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed seeing this house so much. Although the home is not…read moreincredibly large, it has an interesting history which is made even better by the guides. Our guide, Tim, was very knowledgeable about the home and the time period itself. The tour was small and relaxed, allowing time for any questions we had (which were plenty). There was a temporary exhibit upstairs on life, death, and medicine; also very interesting. All of the staff we encountered were friendly and open to answering any questions. My only "complaint" is that they accept cash only. I would've liked to purchase something from the gift shop to support them, but, had no cash on hand and am not from the area. Additional information: -I didn't see a public restroom. -Parking is along the road in front of the home. It is free. -Take some time to walk around the property and read the informational signs. There are benches in the front if someone needs to sit. -Ask about their beeswax, honey, and bee colony. They are in the process of harvesting their own honey and making candles. Again, great job to all of the people involved who work diligently to care for historic homes such as this and to educate the public. Thank you!

This is a cute little place to stop by if you like history and antiques. I love old history but if…read morethis isn't your jam, you would think this was dry and boring. It was free, worth a short visit, and the volunteers are super sweet although the subject matter can be dry.

Thanks to The Sequester and last year's budget impasse, this national park service location has…read morebeen closed for the better part of the last two years straight. But about a month ago I noticed that The Germantown Whitehouse will be open in 2014 on Saturdays only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 28 - September 1 so it was time to see what was up on Germantown Avenue. Twice this house sheltered George Washington. In 1793, he took refuge here from the deadly yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia that killed over 4,000 of the 40,000 that lived in the city at the time. During November of 1793 Washington also had four cabinet meetings at the house with Jefferson, Knox, Hamilton and Randolph having attended. The following summer Washington, family and slaves made it a welcome retreat from the heat of the capital city. Also known as the Deshler-Morris House, the home gets its name from its first and last owners. David Deshler built the home beginning in 1752. Elliston P. Morris donated it to the National Park Service in 1948. Today, the home has been restored to its 18th century appearance. You actually enter the house next door which is the Bringhurst House which has some displays that document the history of Germantown in general, a timeline of The Revolution and how the Deshler-Morris house was not only occupied by Washington twice but also by General Howe. After that you are led next door to The House itself where one of the volunteers will take you through the first and second floor to see the various displays, period furniture pieces and some pre-1800 items as well. A few things worth noting if you go: As mentioned prior, the house(s) are only supposed to be open on Saturday's until September 1st. After that it's anybody's guess as to what the powers that be will allow seeing as I would assume that keeping rangers at this location takes money/manpower away from the other locations that also fall under the Independence Hall NPS jurisdiction. (The Hall itself/The Liberty Bell/Portrait Gallery in the Second Bank of the US/Edgar Allen Poe NHS/Thaddeus Kosciuszko NM/etc.) Parking on Germantown Avenue is via two hour meters only so your best bet is to drive around the block and park for free on a side street like West Coulter. Some genius at the NPS is doing their best to make this place a well hidden secret. It formerly had its own listing on the NPS site at nps.gov/demo but that listing was removed around two years ago. Any information can now be found at nps.gov/inde/historycult... but that doesn't have crazy things on it like the house's physical address. Overall maybe this would take an hour to see tops. The rangers on duty really didn't seem to know their heads from a hole in the ground but the two older women who were volunteering knew the history of not just the house but of the area inside-out.

I enjoyed my experience here. I brought my family to the Belmont Mansion and had no idea what to…read moreexpect. For starters, we were dropped off on the premises and weren't too sure exactly where to go. But I saw a flyer with the hours of operation on a door and walked into what looked like a dining room with artifacts on the wall. Need to Know before you go: -Bring Cash or a Card (They aren't accepting digital payments) -They will charge your card in the office, which is upstairs -The Musuem has three parts with a tour guide available to answer any questions you have -A packet of information is yours to keep and read at your leisure

Hidden diamond. This beautiful mansion and it's rich history have wonderful staff to match its…read morepowerful story. Staff led me through this former site of the Underground Railroad and gave life to history through stories and exhibits. On the day I visited, there were live actors set up around the mansion reenacting the tales of kings and queens of Africa and the awful events of slave auctions. This place left a deep impression on me that I will remember for many years to come.

If you're a history or literature buff, this is truly a hidden gem in New Jersey. I can't believe…read moreI'm the first person to review this place in four years! My 9-year-old son and I came here on a Saturday afternoon in November. They are only open for two hours, from 11-12 and 2-3. I called ahead and scheduled a tour for 2 o'clock. There is only street parking available, but we were able to park directly outside and pay at the meter. The tour starts in the house next door where you watch a ten minute video on Walt Whitman's life, then you go next door to his house where they have painstakingly recreated most of the rooms based on old photographs. The tour includes his upstairs bedroom where he passed away, and finishes in the backyard. Our tourguide was very friendly and knowledgeable and humored my son's millions of questions, many of which were somewhat off topic ("do you think Walt Whitman could do a cartwheel?!" *does cartwheel in the backyard*). The best part is that the tour is completely free, though donations are of course accepted. After the tour we drove to the Harleigh Cemetery to see his gravesite, which is only a mile or two from his house.

Whitman's house is so full of history; visiting it was a great experience. There is a short film…read morethat sets the stage. Beyond that, the guide had interesting things to reveal in every room. I was especially intrigued by the bedroom, but I won't give the surprise away.

Definitely worth the effort to call up and schedule a tour! One of the best American history tours…read moreI have had --and I go on a lot of them! In the hour-long tour we heard wonderful tales of the house's history as a stop on the Underground Railroad within the context of Revolutionary War and the later Fugitive Act. I learned so much and thoroughly enjoyed it. Note: 1) It's cash, check, or Venmo only. 2) while the walls and floors are original and there is some original furniture this is not a tour about walking through a house set up to look like a period home. Much of the history you will experience is verbal.

To my great fortune, I stumbled across the Johnson House Museum as part of a scavenger hunt…read moreorganized by Historic Germantown (which is a partnership of historic houses, museums, cemetaries, and natural outdoor spaces in the Germantown area of Philadelphia). If you ever have the chance to visit this area, do not miss out on this incredible journey through history. Upon entering the building, a presentation and tour were underway. I was allowed to join, and I learned about the Underground Railroad through the stories of one family and the incredible risks abolitionists took personally. What made the experience so special was the wonderful staff, including Jim who gave an outstanding and thrilling tour. Jim is a fantastic story teller. He had a wealth of knowledge and shared personal accounts from the family who lived in the house during slavery. There were photographs and artifacts that made the stories come to life. I ended my tour by buying something to remember in the gift shop (cash only, fyi). I had an absolute blast and would definitely go back to spend more time taking in everything there is to experience. If you love learning about American history during this period, you will be glad you came.

I was only in the grounds of this historic home but am looking forward to going back to see the…read moremansion. It's located on Germantown Ave in Germantown. I parked on the street, not sure if parking is available on site. The mansion is impressive. A revolutionary war battle was fought on the premises. The household also had enslaved people. This fact was ignored until recently when descendants if the enslaved and the community fought to include all the history. The grounds were open to the public. A visitor center and bathrooms was added fairly recently.

Cliveden is a great place to learn about American history during slavery from the wonderful staff…read moreyou will encounter while there. I had a lovely time seeing the museum (no charge) and the house (for a fee). I would suggest a tour, because there is a great deal of information to absorb, and you learn more details and fascinating facts from your tour guide. You should explore their website for additional facts and information about its significance in American history. I only planned to drop in but was swept away once inside. The next time I go, I'll be sure to give myself enough time to take it all in. The grounds are also open to the public to explore or simply relax, surrounded by beautifully massive trees in the midst of the city. Once on the property, you feel like you suddenly entered into a magical place.

I'll be honest, I pretty much only come here on First Fridays when it's free, but I always have a…read moregood time. It's a very small museum, but that's part of the charm. The museum itself is basically just the first floor, so you can get through it pretty quickly, but you really come here for the experience of seeing the historic homes and the street itself. Elfreth's Alley is one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in the country, and standing there actually gives you a much better sense of what Philadelphia looked like hundreds of years ago. They also have old-timey clothes that you can dress up in for pictures, which is honestly one of my favorite parts. I try to come up with a different outfit every time because there are always so many people around taking pictures. The staff are always nice and will even help take your photos, which I really appreciate. The little back garden is especially cute when you get there early. It's small, quaint, and ridiculously aesthetic. During events, though, that garden gets PACKED, and honestly, getting into Elfreth's Alley during popular events can be almost impossible because of how crowded it gets. I really like being able to step inside the homes and see what these historic houses actually looked like rather than just reading about them on a plaque. It makes the history feel much more tangible. It's a small place, but I think that's exactly why it's worth keeping around. Elfreth's Alley feels like one of those little pieces of Philadelphia that could easily disappear if nobody cared for it, and I'm glad they're keeping it alive. Even if I'm mostly here for the free First Friday admission and the cute pictures, I always leave appreciating the history a little more.

It's a cobblestone alley in Old City that dates back to 1703. It's named after Jeremiah Elfreth who…read morewas a blacksmith who owned a couple of the properties. The alley was home to artisans, craftsman, and later to immigrants working in the factories. The draw to this alley has to do with it's historical status. According to the website and markers, it's considered to be "one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in America." It's a very specific distinction, right? Maybe it's not the oldest residential street, but it's still a perfect example of a residential alleyway with rowhouses from that time period. Most of the houses are private residences. The museums are located at house #124 and #126 near the entrance to Bladen's Court. The museums are only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We visited on a Friday. It also happened to be Labor Day weekend which turned out to be perfect. There weren't many people in the alley. It was quiet and peaceful. We were told that it can get crowded there on Saturdays when the local vendors are out selling their goods. We had clear views as we walked through Bladen's Court as well. I was more interested in this hidden part of the alley. It's here where you can find the old water pump, gas street light, and the spinning-wheel balcony at house #2. It's said that the resident would set up her spinning wheel on this 2nd story porch to get some fresh air while making yarn. It does feel like stepping back in time when walking through it. There are some cool things to see such as "Busybody" mirrors on the 2nd floor windows, and boot scrapers near the entrances of the houses. The fire insurance plaques and brick patterns seen on the houses are interesting details to see. It doesn't take much time to walk through it all. There's somewhat of a view of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge peeking over the highway wall after passing through this street on your way to Christ Church. Is it a must visit? I don't know. We did see other historic rowhouses in Fairmount and even on 9th Street on our way back from the Italian Market. The Betsy Ross House was once a row home. You'll see them around, but maybe not as large of an area as Elfreth's Alley. I'm still glad we got to see it though.