Bird in Hand vs Willow Valley-jusy got back

We stayed at WV this year and BIH last. We had a great time at both places! Very different but both family orientated...

At BIH you feel like you are in the heart of Amish Country. Away from it all...Its peaceful and serene...Buggy%26#39;s going by all the time...

The zero gravity pool is great for kids...the indoor pools are very nice too...Huge market next door...

At WV you are basically in the suburbs with a CVS and 24 hour supermarket across the street (convenient) The grounds are beautiful and help you forget the surrounding area though.

Four pools and playground give the kids plenty to do...The water park is unbeatable!

The rooms at WV are cleaner than BIH and the facility is much larger...restaurants are equal...

Bottom line if you want a taste of Amish country go for BIH. If you want a waterpark getaway try WV...

Bird in Hand vs Willow Valley-jusy got back

These are my two favorite places in Lancaster for the kids. My two cents is they are both great places!!

If you have the money (it is more expensive if you just get the room at times) go to Willow Valley. Also with meals included it is a great price (compared to alot of other all-inclusives its a great value at WV-try an off time for an even better value). It has a great pool scene and updated rooms. We go every year after Christmas and it is just gorgeous. Everything you need is right there and should you need anything in a pinch Darrenkamps grocery store CVS, McD%26#39;s right across the street and a nice shopping center right down the road.

If you are a bit tight on money but still want a nice place with a great pool scene, you cant beat Bird in Hand Family Inn. Also great if you can go at an off time. We went one year during the summer and the kids had 3 pools to swim in, mini golf, pettin zoo, restaurant, bakery %26amp; farmers Market right there which was neat, like a mini resort without resort prices.

pimple cure

Rental Car Help

O Wise Ones,

We are staying at the Residence Inn downtown for a weekend in August then need to take our son to enter his college (our youngest - starting to get a little mournful but do love Philadelphia in large part due to the terrific advice we have found here). We will take a small PA road trip after dropping him then return to Philadelphia to wind up our stay at the Westin(thanks to priceline advice from Suzanne!). Any suggestions of where we should rent a car that%26#39;s within walking distance of the Residence Inn and Westin?

Thank You in advance again!!!!

Public transportation to/ from the Wachovia Center?

Hi everyone,

I have been to Philly several times, but have never been to the Wachovia Center. I am attending a concert later this month on a Friday, and I will be staying at a hotel downtown somewhere. I am not sure which one yet--if it makes sense to stay somewhere that is more conveniently located to getting to the Center, that is fine. The concert will be letting out about 11:30. As I will not be renting a car, is there a specific way to get there and back, or should I rely on a cab? I will be travelling solo, so I%26#39;m trying to both keep costs down and more importantly, travel safely. Thanks in advance.

Public transportation to/ from the Wachovia Center?

You can take the Broad street subway direct from downtown to the sports complex, its an easy walk to the venue. During concerts, there is always a good sized crowd, so with normal city precautions in mind, its a safe run.

The Doubletree is very convenient to Subway access as a starting point.

Public transportation to/ from the Wachovia Center?

For the subway, purchase both your tokens prior to heading out. There%26#39;s usually a backlog of people buying their way back onto subway after any event and with a token there%26#39;s no line to wait in.

Thank you very much. I will definitely follow your advice, and look into hotels convenient to the subway.

Namaste!

Good Italian

Any reccomendations for good romantic italian dinner in Old City or walking distance from Old City hotel? Looking for more traditional old school italian that Philly is known BUT with a romantic atmosphere and nice wines. No red and white checkered table cloths if you know what I mean.

Spasso? La Famagilia? Any good?

Bistro Romano? I see that place mentioned on a lot of the forums. Where is that in relation to Old City?

Good Italian

All three restaurants are in Old City and are within walking distance of each other.

Philly destination experts are very helpful with good info and reviews. I haven%26#39;t eaten in any of the 3 but plan to try Bistro Romano on my next visit. So many good restaurants in Philly and so little time!

There also are great Italian restaurants elsewhere in the city, but not within what most people would consider to be walking distance of Old City.

Good Italian

Bistro Romano is technically in Society Hill, just a couple minutes of a walk from the Old City district in Philly.

Another Italian restaurant I recommend in Old City is Ristorante Panorama. Attached to the Penn%26#39;s View Hotel, the food is excellent and if you want wine, the adjoining bar to Panorama (aptly named Il Bar) houses the best wine selection in Philadelphia. They do flights, which are excellent. Their food is very good - I have particularly liked their pasta dishes in times past at the restaurant.

Hope that helps!

Suzanne

Suzanne,

Thanks! It has been a long time since I lived in the Philadelphia area (Grover Cleveland was still in the White House) and I keep forgetting the distinction between Old City and Society Hill. The city is so walkable and the two neighborhoods are so close together that they sort of fuse in my mind.

Just for my future reference, is Walnut Street the southern ';boundary'; for Old City, or am I still confused? [We won%26#39;t even mention Northern Liberties which, when I lived in the area, was referred to mostly in history books or on obscure 19th century maps. What a great change!]

tylerarb,

Old City runs from Front to 6th, Walnut to Vine. Northern Liberties technically starts at Callowhill and ends at Girard but these days anything north of Vine on up to Thompson, and 6th to Front is considered NoLibs.

Owlyn, thanks! I appreciate knowing.

Has anyone eaten at Spasso?

Colton Motel

How is it that one hotel can have so many differing reviews? My DH is trying to convince me that it must be a fine hotel b/c it is #5 on the Gettysburg Hotel list but we%26#39;ve driven by it several times and there is no way I believe its as great as some of the reviews say. I tend to believe the scary ones.

I know that Trip Advisor relies alot on the number of reviews but I have a really hard time believing it is truly the #5 hotel in Gettysburg.

Any insights?

Colton Motel

PLEASE, PLEASE, DON%26#39;T STAY at the COLTON dump!We made this mistake and still regret it. Hair that wasn%26#39;t ours in the bed and bathroom, dried cookies by the chest, and looked like the carpet hadn%26#39;t been vacuumed in over a month by the amount of junk on it. If it hadn%26#39;t been so late when we got there, we would have gone somewhere else after seeing the room. The WORST part of it the manager charged our credit card for two nights instead of one and it took him 5 months to credit our credit card. When our credit card statement came and I noticed the double charge I called him and Expedia called him 4 times and he claimed he would never do such a thing. The credit card statement proved him wrong. Gettysburg is a wonderful town so just stay somewhere (anywhere) else.

Colton Motel

My goodness, shock, horror. We have booked a couple of rooms at this motel because of the recommendations on TA. Was it really that bad? should I find some where else. We are coming over from UK and I would hate to give our friends the wrong impression so early in our holiday. Someone please advise.

I would not stay here, even after the reviews on TA. I%26#39;ve driven by it, walked by it on visits and couldn%26#39;t figure out why so many people seemed to love it! I still don%26#39;t really have an answer.

I would recommend the Travelodge personally. But I would warn to STAY AWAY from the Colton.

Do yourself a favor and spend a little bit more

money and stay at a reputable hotel.I was there 2 weeks ago and was shocked by this dump!! I have no idea how it is rated so high on TA.If you do stay here bring a gallon of bleach and a mop so you could clean the bathroom.Also wear water socks in the shower..Any questions feel free to pm me....

We have changed our accom; and now staying at a %26#39;proper%26#39; hotel

but thank you for the upto date advice

City Island

We will be in Harrisburg/Hershey for one day. Would like to see part of Harrisburg also. Is the City Island worth going to?

City Island

If you are looking for a relaxing hour or two, City Island might be worth a visit. It offers a very picturesque view of the Harrisburg riverfront. You can have lunch at Riverside Village, ride the Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat, play Water Golf (mini golf), ride a carousel and miniature railroad, batting cages, and take a horse carriage ride.

harrisburgevents.com/Events/…CityIsland.html

Here is some info on some other Harrisburg attractions:

1. There is the Whitaker Center, which has the Harsco Science Center (many hands-on exhibits) and an IMAX Theater (Harrisburg). (www.whitakercenter.org/science/index.asp).

2. The PA State Capitol has tours and there is the PA Museum with a variety of displays, both are in Harrisburg. (http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/toursWelcome.cfm and http://www.statemuseumpa.org/).

3. There is also a Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. (http://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/).

4. Fort Hunter Park in Harrisburg has a Victorian-era mansion, restored barn, church, stable, and tavern house that illustrate life in the 1800s (http://www.forthunter.org/).

5. Harrisburg’s Wildwood Lake Sanctuary is a scenic wetland home to rare birds, delicate flowers, amphibians, and animals; the Olwine Nature Center has exhibits (http://www.wildwoodlake.org/).

City Island

Thanks for the info....this helps alot. Well definitely look into it.

Reasonable hotel near Art Musuem?

Hi All!

We are planning a Philly trip this Fri and would love to stay somewhere within walking distance of Musuem.

Also would like to use Hotwire so we spend in the $100- $125 rnage or less, but I%26#39;m not sure what hotels are in the different city sections.

Thanks for any help you may provide!

Reasonable hotel near Art Musuem?

Several years ago we utilized a hotel package when we came to see ';Manet and the Sea'; at PMA and stayed at the Best Western nearby. It was certainly conveniently located and affordable but also dreary to the extent I%26#39;d never stay there again. Philadelphia is so walkable that last April we stayed near Rittenhouse Square (definitely not an easy-on-the-budget choice) when we came for the Frida Kahlo exhibition.

Reasonable hotel near Art Musuem?

Rather than worry about being too near the art museum, since you will be in during the summer, find a nice place in either Society Hill, Old City, or the Historic area. For just a few bucks a day you can hop on the Phlash shuttle to the Museum and still have access to everything else. You are more likely to find your price in that area.

That said, the Embassy Suites is walking distance, tho I am not sure they are on hotwire.

Assuming you are just staying for one night (Friday, 8/22?)

On Hotwire, the options are the following:

3* Center City East for $89/night - looks to be the Doubletree (but don%26#39;t count out the Hilton Garden Inn or the Crowne Plaza)

4* Center City East for $129/night - looks to be the Westin

3.5* Center City East for $109/night - looks to be the Radisson Warwick

3.5* Olde Town/Penn%26#39;s Landing for $109/night - looks to be the Sheraton Society Hill

3* Olde Town/Penn%26#39;s Landing for $89/night - looks to be the Holiday Inn Independence

3.5* Center City West for $94/night - could be either the Sheraton City Center or the Sheraton University City

You have some decent choices. You could take your chances and go with Center City West for $94/night with the knowledge that you could end up either right near the museum (Sheraton City Center) or closer to UPenn and Drexel (Sheraton University City)

Me, I%26#39;d spent the extra $$$ and go with the 4* in CC East for $129/night - the Westin

Also, the 3.5* in CC East for $109/night (most likely the Radisson Warwick) is a very walkable location to the museum if its not 100 degrees outside..

Hope this helps a bit, let me know if you have questions.

Suzanne

Wow! $109/night for the Radisson Warwick! Without Suzanne%26#39;s advice, we spent more than double that in April. It%26#39;s a great location, I think, for walking to PMA and enjoying other aspects of the city.

We are staying just the one night.

Took the plunge and booked the $86 Center City East hotel which has turned out to be Crowne Plaza.

I%26#39;m a bit concerned with reviews but it%26#39;s not like we%26#39;ll be there for a week! Only hope the renovations aren%26#39;t too noisey and that we don%26#39;t get an old room...

Thanks everyone, as always, for all your help!

Here%26#39;s a bit of advice about the Crowne Plaza - I%26#39;ve stayed there 2x.

When you check-in, ask for a room AWAY from the elevators on each floor. You cann%26#39;t believe how tiny those rooms are next to the elevators. And noisy. The ones down the hall are far bigger and nicer.

That 3* in CC East is hard to target - and Hotwire keeps changing the amenities on those 3 hotels, which doesn%26#39;t make keep track of things any easier.

I actually had a very good experience the last time I stayed at Crowne Plaza - and for the price you are getting, it%26#39;s only one night, you should be fine.

They also have a nice outdoor pool if you want to cool off.

One more thing: stay clear of the food at the hotel%26#39;s restaurant - the Elephant and Castle. it%26#39;s downright lousy. Not a bad place for a drink, but walk down 17th Street and have much better eats at the Black Sheep Pub (very good crabcakes, surprisingly!)

Enjoy --

Suzanne

Suzanne,

You are always able to provide the reassurance we need! So good to know you%26#39;ve stayed there! We will bring swimsuits for earlier in the day and will check out your pub recommendation too.

We like to walk so any other thoughts you have, feel free to send our way!

Have a great night :)

pimple cure