46. Franklin Institute Science Museum
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (215) 448-1200
Address: 222 N. 20th St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Okay, I’m going to say it—you can’t come to Philadelphia without coming to the Franklin Institute. Come on, where else can you walk through a beating heart 15,000 times bigger than the one in your body or let your kids crawl through an 8-foot-long artery? You can also explore the universe from a space research station replica and in the state-of-the-art Fels planetarium, attend a simulated air show, unravel the mystery of electricity, and learn firsthand the science behind your favorite sports. Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are also 3D and IMAX theaters (additional cost).
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 3400 W. Girard Ave.
48. AudioWalk & Tour of Historic Philadelphia
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (215) 965-7676
Description: Travel Holiday magazine called this 72-minute CD tour “the best way to see historic Philadelphia.” Rental of the CD, lightweight player with earphone, and Historic District map costs $10 for one person, $14 for two. Available at Independence Visitor Center and Lights of Liberty.
49. Ghosts of Philadelphia
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: Haunted Trolley: (215) 413-700
Description: When Philly native son M. Night Shyamalan wrote the line, “I see dead people” in his famous film The Sixth Sense, could he have just come home from taking one of these spooky sojourns? Maybe you’ll see dead people, too (or at the very least you’ll hear about them) during one of these after-dark 90-minute candlelight strolls ($17), haunted trolley rides ($30), or graveyard and haunted house tours ($22)—they’ll even equip you with an EMF (electromagnetic field meter) so you can successfully stalk any resident spirits.
50. Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (215) 546-1146
Address: 1616 Walnut St.
Description: Almost 70 different 1.5-hour walking tours ($10 adults; $8 students) are categorized by city and suburban neighborhoods, genres such as art deco and “Athens of America,” historic periods, and more. Available May through Oct.
51. Big Bus Tours
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (215) 788-6001
Description: Hop on and off this London-style double-decker at any of 20 different stops. Live guides provide narration.
52. I Glide Tours and Rentals
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Description: Once you get the hang of it (even I did and I’m a klutz), you’ll want to ditch your car and glide everywhere. Your 2.5- to 3-hour daytime ($69) or 1.5-hour nighttime ($49) glide includes 30 minutes of training. As you cruise, you’ll see past historic buildings, gorgeous gardens, Fairmount Park, and Boathouse Row. Tours run from Mar through Nov. You must weigh between 100 and 250 pounds to ride.
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
54. Philadelphia Trolley Works
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Insider Pick:
Description: Hop on and off this open-air trolley at any of 21 different stops. Live guides provide narration.
55. 76 Carriage Company
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (215) 923-8516
Description: Ride like royalty in a private horse-drawn carriage for a short (15 to 20 minutes, $30), medium (30 to 35 minutes, $40), or deluxe (1 hour, $80) guide-narrated tour. Free courtesy shuttle available from Center City locations.
56. West Chester Railroad
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (610) 430-2233
Description: Take a relaxing 90-minute round-trip ride through scenic countryside and historic stations along the Chester Creek Valley from West Chester to the lovely village of Glen Mills. It’s a great way to enjoy the drama of the fall foliage. Prices are usually $12.50 for adults, $10.50 for children (December’s Santa Express is $20/$12.50).
57. QVC Studio Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (484) 701-6789
Address: 1200 Wilson Dr.
Description: Okay, armchair shopoholics, this one’s for you. Take a tour of the 58,000-square-foot broadcasting facility where products are scrutinized, sampled, sold, and shipped to millions of customers across the country. You may even be able to watch a program in progress (or, if you check their website for opportunities, take a seat in the audience). Tours are available every day. And you’ll certainly want to get a firsthand look at “Today’s Special Value” at the on-site QVC Studio Store. Tours are available daily at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4 p.m.
58. Philadelphia Insectarium
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (215) 335-9500
Address: 8046 Frankford Ave.
Description: Scientists estimate that for every 1 person on earth, there are at least 200 million insects. Well, here the human-to-bug ratio is a lot less unsettling, but there are plenty of crawlies—thousands of them, some alive and some mounted—on display to creep you out at the largest insect museum in the nation (the brainchild of an exterminator, of course) located less than 20 minutes northeast of Center City. The giant bugs crawling up the outside wall welcome you to their world where hundreds of cockroaches rule the roost in a kitchen setting, bees and butterflies go about their business, and a “petting zoo” of pests show their warm and fuzzy side. You can even snack on a chocolate-covered cricket or mealworm. Yum! Open Mon through Sat 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
59. Please Touch Museum
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (215) 581-3181
Address: 4231 Avenue of the Republic
Description: I wish I could devote an entire chapter to the wonders of this fabulous 38,000-square-foot “imaginarium,” the nation’s first museum dedicated to children 7 years and younger, and one of Philadelphia’s true treasures. Here, kids can do anything such as plan and build a city, pilot a flying machine, play on clouds, build their own fantasy car, race a sailboat, explore a river and rain forest, slide down a rabbit hole into Wonderland, and too much more to mention. In short, if you have young children, don’t miss it. Open Oct through Mar Mon to Sat 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sun 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Apr through Sept Mon to Sat 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
60. Academy of Music
City: Philadelphia, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (215) 893-1999 (tickets), (215
Address: 240 S. Broad St.
Description: Don’t let the humble facade fool you; “the Grand Old Lady of Locust Street” is quite the stunner inside. When built in 1857, the budget was limited, so most of it was poured into the opulent interior with its 50-foot-round, 5,000-pound crystal chandelier, elaborately carved and gilded wood sculptural accents, and murals on the ceiling. Today the 2,900-seat Academy is home to the Opera Company of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Ballet (well, it’s actually one of two homes to the ballet; the other is the Merriam Theater at the University of the Arts) and presents a wide range of other music, dance, and classical and Broadway theater productions throughout the year. If you’re here during the holiday season, don’t miss The Nutcracker! Ticket prices vary widely.