A walk down memory lane … in Philadelphia, PA

This time last year, we did a road trip to Boston, stopping overnight in Gettysburg to break up the 17-hr drive. While in Boston, we made many side trips, one of which was our girl's getaway trip to Philadelphia and New York City. My sweet college friend and I took the Amtrak train from Boston, a comfortable and relaxing ride that gave us six hours of quality time to catch up on our lives.

We already felt the buzz of big city life when we passed through New York City, and the vibe continued when we got off at 30th Street Station. Our first stop was downtown Philly. We ambled around city hall and into Reading Terminal Market to see what's new. It's been a looong time since I last visited. 

Philadelphia City Hall

Reading Terminal Market

Then we grabbed a take-out (cheesesteak, of course) from a neighborhood joint to picnic at my favorite place in the city - the gazebo and promenade in the Museum area between Schuylkill River and Kelly Drive. 

Museum of Art

After we ate, we walked up the steps to the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art. You may recognize the museum area from the legendary movie Rocky. The view of the Philadelphia skyline was obstructed by scaffold and ongoing construction, much to our chagrin. 

Fountain of the Sea Horses

The south has Civil War history. The north has colonial history, and Valley Forge National Park is the perfect place to learn some. General Washington and his army camped here during the long cold winter of 1777-78. There is a visitor center and many historical monuments scattered throughout the park. We used to live about half hour away and had spent many a weekend here. The 3,500-acre park has lots to offer, from history to trails (jogging, hiking, biking, horse-back riding) and wildlife viewing.

soldiers slept in these log huts

Washington's Headquarters

We were in the vicinity, so we stopped at another favorite place, Wissahickon Valley Park, and even swung over to see our old house.

Our first house from years ago.

I've always loved the suburbs of Philadelphia. The city not so much, but every time I visit, I grow fonder for it. This trip was short but sweet. I really enjoyed it, and I think my friend did too. 

Have you been to Philadelphia? 

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday.

You might also like:

A walk down memory lane … in New York City, NY	A slice of Paris in Philadelphia	On the Road Again: Gettysburg, PA

Tubing on the Delaware River in Bucks County, Pa

Updated: 7/5/24

Nothing says summer like floating down a river. 

We used to live in Philadelphia, and one of our most favorite things on a hot summer day was tubing on the Delaware River. When we had a family reunion in Philadelphia some years ago, we did a tubing trip. It was the first time for some siblings, and was such a memorable experience we still talk about it. Below are some of the pictures we took of our tubing adventure in Point Pleasant in Bucks County, a 70 minutes drive from Philadelphia center city.

Let's go tubing!

Taking a break to enjoy the scenery

A lovely cloudless August day on the Delaware River

You can stop to have lunch along the way and even look for fish and other river critters, like our nephew and niece did.

Look what I found!

Showing off her find

Bucks County River Country is always crowded in the summertime, so be sure to check their website to see if you need to reserve the tubes in advance.

Get outside and enjoy the outdoors, but be safe, wear sunscreen, hat and bring lots of water.

This post is shared on image-in-ing, My Corner of the World, and Skywatch Friday.

You might also like:

Cruising during the dog days of summer	A walk down memory lane … in Philadelphia, PA	Horsing around Assateague Island National Seashore, Berlin, Maryland

A Slice of Paris in Philadelphia

Did you know that the Benjamin Franklin Parkway was designed by a French architect, and he modeled it after the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris?

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway, as seen from the museum

The Philadelphia Museum of Art

Unlike the famed Parisian avenue, there aren't any chic luxury shops on the Parkway, but you'll find plenty of arts and culture, some of which include the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Franklin Institute, the Rodin Museum, the Swann Fountain, and the Cathedral Basilica of Sts Peter and Paul. On May 19, a new museum created by the Barnes Foundation will join these Philadelphia icons on the Parkway. For those of you living in Philly, don't miss the 10-day grand opening. The weekend of May 26 is packed with events and activities. Check their website for information on tickets and schedule.

Philadelphia City Hall; you might recognized this scene from the comedy Trading Places

Writing my recently published article, Weekend Getaway: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, brought back many many wonderful memories. I've enjoyed the Mummer's Parade on a freezing January, watched in awe the amazing exhibits at the Franklin Institute, and mimicked Rocky running up the 72 steps to the Museum of Art. I've gotten naturalized at Old City Hall (home of the First Supreme Court), the building on the left of Independence Hall, and tied the knot at Valley Forge (near the Historical National Park where General George Washington of the Continental Army camped out during that brutal winter of 1777-78). We used to hike the Wissahickon Valley in the fall, and escape the summer heat tubing down the Delaware River in nearby Bucks County. Ahh, the good old days...

Forever etched in my memory is the experience of eating the most delicious hoagie for the first time. And the Philadelphia cheesesteak. My mouth is watering as I ponder the juicy, scrumptious Philadelphia sandwich. Simply unforgettable!

You won't go hungry in Philly. This local joint, Geno's, is open 24/7

You might also like:

Heat Wave in Paris, France	A walk down memory lane … in Boston	A walk down memory lane ... in Daytona Beach, Florida