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| On the steps of the Phila Museum of Art Perelman Building |
I am a die hard, jaded New Yorker. I'm not easily impressed and when I travel to other cities, I can be a bit of snob. Because all I can think is: it ain't New York.
But five hours in Philly made me forget my New York attitude.
It was our first trip to Philly. I knew there were things I wanted to see and do. I just didn't realize how much I would fall in love with Philly. It was familiar in so many ways and yet completely different. I loved the cobblestone, tree lined streets, the historic homes and narrow winding streets. Living in New York I'm used to seeing horse and carriages (honestly I am not a fan) but there was something about seeing them in Philly that just felt right. I don't typically use the word charming, but there is no other way to describe Philadelphia.
We started our day in Philly with a visit to the Liberty Bell. There was a line but it moved quickly. (You will need to go through a security screening and admission is free but donations are accepted.) We moved through the exhibit pretty quickly as Norrin wasn't going to read everything. But we pointed things out and tried to get him to understand where we were. If you've been following my blog, you know that Norrin has autism and ADHD. Museums and tourist attractions can be challenging but we want to give him as many experiences as possible. Seeing the Liberty Bell was pretty exciting. It's been something I've read about since I was a kid. It was nice to experience that moment with my family.
A dozen pictures and a few selfies later, we walked across to Independence Hall. I didn't realize we had to reserve tour tickets in advance so we just walked into the park area. (Timed tour tickets are also free and can be picked up at the Visitor Center.) Now we know to plan ahead for next time because I'd love to see the inside. For more information regarding The Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall visit: http://www.nps.gov/inde
By this time we had Philly Cheesesteaks on the brain. And while there are quite a few places to choose from - we had our heart and our bellies set on Pat's King of Steaks. Since we had our car parked at an all day lot and our Philly PHLASH passes, we decided to walk to Pat's from Independence Hall. Being from New York, we're used to walking. But I didn't realize how far it was. It's a 1.8 mile walk to get to Pat's and another 1.8 miles back. It was a nice walk. We got to see different parts of Philly, little restaurants (many of them were BYOB - for a listing of Philly BYOB restaurants click HERE) and the Italian Street Market. But I don't think I'd do that walk again.
But if you do decide to walk it. A Pat's cheesesteak is SO WORTH IT.
Joseph and I have decided that each time we go to Philly, we will try out a different cheesesteak spot. Luckily we can already cross Pat's off this list.
After all that walking, we were ready to kick back and relax for a while. So we jumped on the Philly PHLASH - a super convenient way to get around! I loved that the Philly PHLASH was not only a great way to get around, but I was able to see some of the tourist attractions like LOVE Park, the Rocky Steps and the Eastern State Penitentiary. (Note: You will need to take the PHLASH to Stop 9 - the Phila Museum of Art Perelman Bldg - and take another bus to get to the Please Touch Museum and the Philadelphia Zoo.)
The Philly PHLASH left us right in front of the Please Touch Museum where we spent the remainder of our afternoon. We all loved it so much - especially Norrin. The Please Touch Museum had so much to offer, it was unlike any other kid's museum I've ever seen. And I'm happy that Norrin got to experience it. It was the perfect end to our first time in Philly.
We cannot wait to Visit Philly again because while we did a lot in 5 hours, it truly wasn't enough. We have our list of things to see and do for next time. So until next time Philly...Te Ama!
Feel free to let me know if I missed anything. What do YOU recommend for our next visit?
For more on our trip to Philly:
Labels: #FamiliaTravels, Atypical Familia, Places We Go, Visit Philly
