Dusting off your blog after three years is cathartic, to say the least. The last time I posted, I was fresh off of a trip to Chicago with my toddler. I was knee deep in my corporate tech job. Ez was maxing out opening hours at the neighborhood Montessori school. And I would have never, in a million years, been able to imagine where life would take me in 2025.
So here we are, fresh off of another epic kid trip – this time to Philadelphia. There was no PTO request – I work for myself these days. There was no school skipping – Ez is attending a project-based private school with a part time schedule and extended breaks (like fall break!). And life is feeling a little more like it should and a lot less like the typical American grind.
Now that I’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about Philly. Why Philly? Well… I’ve been planning trips based off of the perfect intersection of Southwest stops and Marriott stays, the lower the points the better. And all signs pointed to Philadelphia. I had been before and I remembered being surprised by the city’s energy. But would it be fun with a 6 year old? I had no idea.
I’m less Type A lately, so rather than scheming and planning weeks in advance, I found myself up the weekend before jotting down friend and ChatGPT recs, alike. And the more I jotted, the more excited I became. Could Philadelphia top Chicago for kid friendly travel? In that moment, I had a feeling it could.
Spoiler alert: it did. We arrived on a Tuesday evening and headed back on a Saturday morning. So the itinerary below is for a full three days. And you know what? I wouldn’t change a damn thing about it.
Day 1: Sharks, Ship Decks & Market Chaos
We crossed the river first thing and spent the morning with stingrays and sharks at Adventure Aquarium. From there we walked straight to the massive Battleship New Jersey and wandered the decks and bunks like little explorers. Instead of Lyfting back, we took the ferry across the river, which turned out to be a perfect reset for tired legs. We finished the day at Reading Terminal Market, doing slow laps and taste-testing our way through the chaos before heading back to the hotel.
Day 2: Scooters, Snacks & Mini Golf Between Skyscrapers
We stayed in the city this day and let the pace be playful. We scooted through Chinatown, grabbed boba, popped into a couple tiny toy shops, and then landed in Franklin Square for carousel spins and mini golf fun tucked right into the middle of downtown. It was one of those days that accidentally becomes a highlight because nothing was rushed.
Day 3: Big Stories, Big Cells, Big Science
We kicked off with the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, letting someone else do the navigating while we sat up top and got an overview of the city. Mid-route we hopped off for a surprisingly kid-friendly tour of Eastern State Penitentiary – crumbling cell blocks, Al Capone’s room, and just enough eerie to keep it interesting. We ended at the Franklin Institute, where we burned the rest of the day on hands-on exhibits and the giant heart walkthrough before calling it.
Philadelphia was the reminder I needed that travel feels different when you’re not shoving it between obligations. We showed up, moved at our own pace, and the days stacked into something better than I imagined. And Philly itself? An incredible city with endless things to do for both kids and adults. I left thinking it might tie with Chicago, but now that I’m writing this and replaying it in my head, I think Philly quietly takes first place.
Jot these spots down for your next kid-friendly Philadelphia trip!