If you're planning a visit to Independence National Historical Park, I'd suggest that the VERY…read moreFIRST thing you do is hit the visitor's center for some free tickets Independence Hall. Once you have these in hand, you can plan out the rest of your time here out based on the time stamped on your free tickets. Tip: All attractions within INHP are only a few minutes walking distance of each other. I suggest you plan on spending an hour in Independence Hall, as sometimes the lines there can get fairly long. One of my favorite sites here was the Constitution Museum. They have some really interesting presentations; not to mention the cool, life-sized bronze statues of Ben Franklin, George Washington, and the other Founding Father's that signed the Constitution. When you've had your fill of INHP, the Betsy Ross House and Ben Franklin's tomb are both very close by.

Walking through the park were a few vagrants which seem to be extremely common in the tourist areas…read morein Philly. The park is well maintained with strong historic character. We took a picture with a man dressed as Ben Franklin. Took a tour through the Liberty Bell Center and wandered the grassy grounds.

There's so much cool stuff within the city limits that I've committed to trying to explore…read moresomething new (to me) every week. Recently that meant exploring the trolley trails in west Fairmount Park and finding the stone spiral arch bridge. In the early 1900s, a scene trolley took people through the woods. Nature has reclaimed the trolley paths, but in recent years they have been converted into miles of hiking trails. It's not crowded--I only saw 4 other people, mountain bikers, on my visit. It's a great place to explore. It's shaded so the walk was cool. It's pretty level so the hike is easy. And if you know where to go, you can find this beautiful bridge that looks like a brick spiral. The years have taken a toll, so I wonder how much longer we'll get to enjoy it. It's cool to think that in the past so much work was put into creating a beautiful structure that really just needed to serve a simple function. Don't have time for a long hike? You can get to the bridge quickly by entering the trail from Chamounix Mansion. Park by the equestrian building and head in. It's probably less than a 1/2 mile walk to the bridge.

I'm one of those weird Aquarius people who like to explore abandoned buildings, and ancient sites,…read moreso I had to check out Stone Arch Bridge! It is an old bridge that leads to nowhere because it is no longer being used. It is surrounded by a forest, and kind of hard to find. The best way to find it is to stay at Chamounix Mansion, and follow the trail behind the trees. It's worth checking out if you like to post on Instagram, and finding hidden gems that are off the beaten path.

With the dog days of summer likely behind us, fall is a good time to visit Nemours estate. Begin…read moreyour visit at the welcome center where you'll be offered a bottle of water, an umbrella (if it's sunny or rainy) and the opportunity to sign up for a free bus tour. (Do it!) If walking gets to be too much, flag down a roving golf cart, for a lift. Nemours Estate was built for Alfred duPont's second wife. (Don't ask about the first. Divorce!) Actually the third wife, Jessie, was the 'love of his life.' 77 rooms -- they never had to wait for a bathroom! -- 47,000 sf, 220 spectacular acres. Designed by Carrere & Hastings (famed architects of NY's 42nd Street Library) the massive project was completed in an astonishing eighteen months. Tours are self-guided with friendly and informative docents throughout. In addition to the mansion, which in its opulent way DOES feel like a family home, there's the garage and gift shop. The shop was formerly the estate's laundry room with machinery and such still in tact. I was happy to learn that the duPonts didn't take their station in life lightly. Besides endowing the world-renowned children's hospital on their property, Mr. duPont, according to a guide, implemented a sort of social security system for local retirees. I hope that story is true!

Stunning landscapes hidden from the City winds. It felt like being in Ancient Greece or Rome…read more Expansive lawn features and gardens. Long pathways that lead to stepped atrium and colonnades. A mansion that highlights the importance of wealth. Beatufully detailed rooms and interior spaces. A chandelier that could hang from Castles, is illuminate to say the least. Wood crafted Studies and libraries meticulously detailed appointments. Interior design that reflected the period. But a bit of personality too. The home was lived in. Step to the rear quarters where the garage is. You will be greeted with some of the finest and rarest post WW1, vintage luxury coaches.

I came here as part of a 52 Firsts event, and it ended up being such a peaceful afternoon. This is…read moreone of those places that feels like you've stumbled onto a hidden piece of Philadelphia. It was raining when we visited, and somehow that made it even prettier. The whole property has this quiet, historic charm to it. There's a little creek running through the grounds, a cute stone bridge, and beautiful trees all around. It honestly felt like stepping out of the city for a while. I could absolutely see myself living in an area like this. It is a little tricky to find. You drive down a long driveway, and it's easy to wonder if you're going the right way, but keep going because it's worth it. The historic buildings are very well maintained, and the volunteers were friendly and happy to answer questions. One thing I learned was that the kitchen in one of the houses is one of the largest surviving colonial kitchens in the area, and they still use it for historic cooking demonstrations. I thought that was a really cool detail. This isn't a huge attraction where you'll spend an entire day, but that's part of its charm. It's small, quiet, and full of history without feeling crowded or rushed. Overall, it's a lovely little hidden gem. If you're already in the area or enjoy local history, it's absolutely worth stopping by.

If you love history and nature, this is your spot! Inside Wissahickon Valley Park along the trail…read moreis a 17th century paper mill village with well-preserved structures. Take time to read the signs outside each house to learn its history!

So much history! America as we know it basically started in this part of Philadelphia. Just explore…read moreand learn, fun place for any age, brings history to life!

Rich history. Cool place for nice photos and videos. You can take a walking tour as well. If…read moreyou're ever in the area definitely stop by for a visit!

My family and I had such a great time on our northeast trip. We spent a little bit of time in…read moreDelaware and one of the favorite things we did in Delaware was the riverfront Riverwalk. It was very fun we walked up and down the bridge in the river and saw the sights and took pictures and just had a great time it is definitely worth visiting

We took a wonderful stroll on a brisk winter evening while the lights were still up in January…read more Highly recommend. we will definitely come back. Sorry we didn't take any pictures.

My wife and I were in Philly for a long Labor day weekend and we came upon the US Mint on a weekend…read moreand decided to try it out. There is a security screening when you get in and they have a ton of coins on display. You can walk skyways above the plant, but no one was working this weekend. It would be a lot cooler if there were workers, but it was still worth a visit. It's about a 30 minute visit, and worth a stop.

This was a fun tour. when we were in Washington DC we learn how the money was made…read more When we were in New York we learn how the money was being destroyed. All that was left were how the coins were made. This is a self guided tour so you got your own pace, but you get a chance to look above a window down below to the factory flooring and see the coins being produced. Then you can purchase coin that never been to used or touched by anyone

It was definitely a unique experience, and well worth the admission fee. I found it to be…read moreeducational and creepy, yet in a highly photogenic and artsy kind of way. I couldn't stop taking pictures. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Besides, I don't think I can add anything to this review about its history that hasn't already been said. I'll just give you a few tips before your visit. Bring ear buds so that you can listen to the self-guided audio tour that is narrated by Steve Buscemi. It's 45 minutes long and is included with admission. Otherwise, just do as we did and go through each cell block at your own pace. You can always listen to the audio tour later. There's also a guided tour that can be booked for a higher fee. The best time to go is in the morning. It didn't feel quite as hot inside as I thought it would be. There are a few exhibits that have air-conditioned rooms if needed. One of them is the "Worship Behind Walls" exhibit that was closed off when we we there. Only the outer room was open in that exhibit. One of the cell blocks was closed off for the "Halloween Nights" event that starts in October. We were told that it's an amazing night experience. They even set up a speakeasy at Al Capone's cell for VIP ticket holders. It's just something to think about when planning your visit. It took us about 2 hours to go through it all. It's easy to navigate through each cell block due to the wheel design of the building from it's central hub. It's on the top 10 list of things to do in Philadelphia for a reason. It also gives you a chance to check out the Fairmount neighborhood while you're there. It was a great experience overall!

My wife and I were in Philly for a long weekend and saw that this was a cool spot to checkout…read more I am glad we did. It is an old prison set in a neighborhood, kind of like Wrigley Field is in the middle of a neighborhood. The structure is huge and has a hub and spoke type of detention with 8 cell clocks around a center location. The cells were small, but they did have Al Capone's cell, which was decked out! He was there for a year for an illegal weapon. Nice narration and a great way to spend an hour or two in Philly!