Everyone knows if the kids are happy on vacation, so are parents and grandparents. That’s why it wasn’t surprising to learn from family travel research curated for our most recent TMS Family Travel conference that kids increasingly are influencing where families go on vacation, what they do and where they stay.
To that end, we are going to be talking with local kids around the country and the world to get their take on what they think visiting kids would like. Their picks aren’t necessarily the city’s top attractions and historic sites, as wonderful as they are. Yet with all eyes are on the City of Brotherly Love after the Eagles’ Super Bowl win, we think Philadelphia deserves a fresh look and a second opinion on what visiting families will love.
7 Very Cool Things Kids Say to Do in Philadelphia
Meet Margot Schneider and Lucy Kelley, both 14 and proud Philadelphians. Here’s their advice for peers.
KIDS SHOULDN’T MISS Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a super cool, indoor-outdoor mosaic structure that you can walk through. Also Eastern State Penitentiary, a famous former prison with a really good tour. Lots of movies and music videos have been made there.
KIDS SHOULD EAT a cannoli at Termini Brothers bakery in the Reading Terminal Market. Cheesesteaks — sandwiches made from thin beef and melted cheese served up on a long roll — are what Philly is most famous for. You can find cheesesteaks at places around the city.
KIDS SHOULD TAKE A SELFIE in the courtyard or inside of City Hall, where there is a lot of sculpture in the archways. Check out the statue of William Penn atop City Hall’s clock tower! He was the founder of Pennsylvania and for a long time, no building could be built higher than his statue’s hat.
KID SHOULD VISIT the Barnes Foundation art museum. There are special family activities and the museum is free the first Sunday of every month. Also see “Your Brain” at the Franklin Institute, a science museum with a lot of really cool activities. Climb through a model of part of a brain!
KIDS SHOULD TAKE THEIR PARENTS TO EAT at Audrey Claire, a great neighborhood spot in Rittenhouse Square where you can watch the food being prepared at the chef’s counter. We also like Davio’s for nice dinners because it’s beautiful and the food is Italian. Miles Table is more relaxed and family-friendly and has casual but good American food including burgers and pizza and, it’s also open for breakfast.
KIDS SHOULD HAVE FUN going to the skating rink at Dilworth Park during the winter. You can run through the fountains when it’s hot outside in summer! Go to Spin, a new huge ping-pong bar place where you can get mocktails. Super cool! In spring, sit outside in the big park in Rittenhouse Square, one of Philly’s first parks. Bring a picnic, a book or a sketch pad. Check out the outdoor art exhibitions!
KIDS SHOULD BUY AS A SOUVENIR like an Eagles T-shirt, because the Eagles won the Super Bowl. If you’re not a sports fan, get a figurine of the famous LOVE sculpture. You can see the real one in Love Park across from City Hall, which is under renovation until May. This is a good selfie spot too!
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