Travel Diary
Today we went to visit Philly. Because our hotel was located outside of the city, we decided to take a taxi. It’s a flat rate of 28.50 dollars one-way from the Airport area to the city center.
We started our visit at Independence Mall. Luckily my friend knew that if you wanted to go inside Independence Hall you need to get tickets at the Independence Visitor Center (located at Market Street). These tickets are free, BUT limited! During the busy season, tickets are often gone by 1:00 PM. We were there when it opened at 8.30 AM. The earlier you’re there, the more chance of choosing the time of your tour. We picked the first tour at 9.00 AM.
You get a guided tour from about half an hour taking you through this historic building where the Declaration of Independence was adopted. It was here that the Constitution of the United States was debated, drafted and signed.
It’s a nice tour that explains a lot of American history and I can definitely recommend it!
After this tour we saw the Liberty Bell. You don’t need a ticket to visit it (there is a security screening, so it’s best to only bring a small backpack).
Did You Know? The Liberty Bell weighs 2,080 pounds, is made of bronze, its strike note is an E-flat, and that the large “crack” is actually a repair. This large “crack” and the inscription around the top “Proclaim Liberty” has made the Bell an international symbol of freedom. Source: www.nps.gov/inde
To explore the rest of Philadelphia city, we decided to buy an all-day pass (5 $) for the Phlash trolley. This is a trolley that takes you along the major highlights of Philly.
It’s a hop-on-hop-off system. You can get off at any of the sights you want to visit and hop back on. It’s 2 dollars each time you board. So if you’re going to use it a lot, the all-day pass is the most interesting way to go. It runs from 10 AM – 6 PM (March-November).
There’s so much more to see when you visit Philly: Philadelphia Museum of Art, City Hall, Betsy Ross House, Penn’s Landing, US Mint,…
And Philadelphia Zoo, that’s celebrating it’s 150 birthday this year and was the first zoo of America!
More information on Philadelphia: www.gophila.com
We called the same taxi driver to pick us up, went back to the hotel and freshened up for dinner. The driver gave us a good tip, he recommended Lehman’s Tavern (400 Wanamaker Ave Essington, PA 19029). Great food and reasonable prices. Apparently one of the Philadelphia area’s best kept secrets.
Want to visit Philly a bit longer? Find a hotel.
And don’t forget to go shopping at King of Prussia’s shopping mall.
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