first visit-this weekend family 4- kids 8 & 12

We are staying in Mt Laurel and will have Saturday and Sunday to tour Philadelphia and would like to know what are the best and must see sites. Also what is the best way to get there. Thank you.

first visit-this weekend family 4- kids 8 %26amp; 12

Any particular interests? Historical, Museums, Sports, etc?

Also, will you have a car?

first visit-this weekend family 4- kids 8 %26amp; 12

Yes we have an car. We are interested in being able to see as many sites as we can in 2 days. Since we have never been here would like to see the Liberty Bell, Independance Hall, and I was thinking of The Eastern State Pennetentary. We live near DC and go there often, we went to the National Zoo today. So museums that are different from the Smithsonian%26#39;s in DC would be preffered. Thank you.

That helps.

Okay, other than maybe the art museums, there is not much that is going to stack up to the Smithsonian. So lets take Museums off the table for now.

Day 1 at least (could be 2 days EASILY) I would probably recommend the historic district. Start at the Philadelphia Visitors center and get timed tickets for independence hall. Then you can head to the Liberty bell, constitution center, maybe Franklin court. Rather than re-invent the wheel, I will point you to:

http://www.nps.gov/inde/

and

http://www.ushistory.org/tour/index.html

to research what elements may be of interest to you.

For lunch that Saturday, you could walk a few blocks to the Reading Terminal Market or there is Campo%26#39;s for steak sandwiches near the historic district.

On day 2, Sunday, if interested, I will recommend the Art Museum.

The reason is that Sunday is %26#39;Pay what you wish%26#39; admission.

http://www.philamuseum.org/visit/

Transport - Depending on where in Mt Laurel you are staying, your directions may vary, so I will leave you to the tender mercies of your hotel staff if you wish to drive in. There are many parking lots in the historic area from between $12-$20 per day. Once there, you can take the Phlash shuttle to the art museum on Sunday, after catching up on historical items of interest.

gophila.com/C/…1303.html

Another option would be to drive to the nearest Patco station (again may depend on which hotel) and take the Patco high speed line in. With 4 people the economics will be a wash pretty much.

Hope this gets you started.

Thank you very much. Is the Franklin Science Center worth the $$

I like it, and its kid friendly, but with the air and space and natural sciences museums in your backyard I don%26#39;t think it would offer enough bang for the buck.

I think your kids would very much enjoy the Franklin Institute...which is currently running a special exhibit about Pirates. The museum is an interactive science museum where your kids can learn hands on about gravity, electricity, weather, mechanics, etc. Don%26#39;t miss the walk-through exhibit on the human heart. There is also an IMAX theater and planetarium.

http://www2.fi.edu/

Also don%26#39;t miss the Constitution Center. http://constitutioncenter.org/

Thank you for the input.

We have an SUV.

For safety, cost, and walking distance,

Are there any places that are better to park than others? Is it better to park in a lot or on the street?

Personally, I prefer a garage.. Keeps the car cooler and dry entry in case of rain. The garage I prefer is a little far away however.

None of the lots or garages in the historic district are bad, there are many, the usual caveats about don%26#39;t leave valuables in plain view apply, of course.

Also, if your SUV is large, check heights, some garages might be tight!

Forget parking on the street. Almost all spots are either metered or timed (2 hour spots mostly), and you WILL get a ticket if you break any rule at all. The best place to park for price, safety, and convenience in the historic district is in the Philadelphia Parking Authority garage on 2nd Street between Chestnut and Walnut. The entrance is on the left hand side of the street. You can pay with a credit card. Use the same card when you enter and exit.

I%26#39;d skip the Franklin Institute if you%26#39;re accustomed to the Baltimore Science Center (I may have the name wrong. It%26#39;s right on the Inner Harbor and we loved it.).

I second the recommendation to visit the National Constitution Center. Also, Franklin Court is a must see.

Lynn