What to bring?
Stroller?
Yes
Restrooms
Independence Hall Visitors Center
With only a day in Philly, we tried to fit a little bit of it all in! Our first stop was Geno‘s Steaks for an original Philly Cheesesteak, complete with Cheese Whiz! We definitely bought into the hype and would highly recommend them. Be prepared that it isn’t a restaurant, but merely a walk up window where you place your order and outside picnic tables along the street. This was perfect for taking our little ones! The sweet lady at the window even gave our a toddler a souvenir bracelet & pen. Also, be prepared for no bathrooms while here!
Only a block away, I spotted an Insomnia Cookie, which is a northeastern chain I’ve wanted to try! Since cookies are the way to our toddler’s heart, we went in to pick out a dozen cookies to fuel us for the rest of our busy day! I’d definitely recommend splurging for their deluxe cookies. They are double the size and double the yum!
With our bellies full, we drove over to the downtown area for the afternoon. First, we had tickets to visit Independence Hall. These must be purchased online ahead of time. A few are released as “walk up” tickets each morning but the workers told us they are difficult to get and the line forms super early. The tickets are only $1 each and are basically just to reserve your spot. You must get there 30 minutes prior to your tour time to go through security. Strollers and diaper bags were no issue going through security. The tour is only 20 minutes but I’m going to honest, it was the most nerve wracking part of the day for a mom of littles! There was basically a 10 minute long presentation from a historian in each of the two main rooms that required a silent room. Luckily, our infant slept in the carrier the entire time and our toddler did a fantastic job being patient and quiet. We were so proud and were able to learn so much about our nation’s beginnings!
Right in front of Independence Hall, there is a huge lawn area that also had a building that housed the Liberty Bell. Due to COVID, they were only allowing a limited number of people in the building at one time so the line inside was very long. Unfortunately, there’s no way to get tickets or reservations ahead of time, so waiting in line is the only option. Since our infant was still sleeping, me & him held our place in line while our toddler celebrated her good behavior playing tag with her dad and finding a “house” in the bushes while playing hide-and-seek. This ended up being the perfect break we didn’t even know we needed.
We once again had to go through security to see the Liberty Bell. Unlike other places, they had me remove my baby from his carrier so they could scan it, which was a mild inconvenience since he was still sleeping. Strollers & diapers were no problem! The security guard at the Liberty Bell enjoyed our toddler singing “ding dong” and even gave her a souvenir card with a picture of the bell. Across from the building, there was an amazing visitor‘s center with clean public bathrooms and concession! With its central location to our stops, we used it multiple times.
We then walked a few blocks to Betsy Ross’s house. It would have been fun to tour, but we were short on time, so we continued on to Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest residential street in America. It was definitely worth walking down the narrow cobble stone road and beautiful homes where people still live today. It was a long walk back to the car, but we had one more stop to make before calling it a day!
This last stop was what my husband was most excited about! He couldn’t wait to run up the famous “Rocky Steps” that were located in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He joined in with many others who had Eye of the Tiger playing on repeat in their heads as he made his way up each and every step, hoping our daughter would greet him at the top of the steps in celebration! Although she didn’t cooperate, she joined in on part of the run, which was such a cute moment we caught on video. Before ending our day, we took a snack break on the steps that overlooked such a picture perfect view of the city.
A few other helpful tips in Philly that will help with parking, since it can be a little tricky! Know that public parking garages are vallet only, and judging by the rudeness of the attendants, they were not people we felt comfortable leaving our vehicle with. For parking on the street, download the app, Park Mobile. It allows you to pay and add on time as you go. Make sure not to chance it if you are a few blocks away when your time expires, they monitor it well and you may end up with a parking ticket like we did! Oops!
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