Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
A day out of NYC is always a much needed and appreciated, so the boys and I visited Philadelphia (less than 2 hours away from the city) to do some exploring. We stayed and played down by the Delaware River Waterfront, Penn’s Landing which is in walking distance of many eateries, parks as well as a number of recreational and historic attractions.
Patriot Harbor Eco-Cruise is part of the on-water programming at the Independence Seaport Museum. This 1.5 hour tour is led by an Environmental Educator who is full of Philadelphia history and facts about the surrounding environment.
We learned lots of new things about the Delaware River and my boys asked plenty of related questions that the educator was happy to answer. It was amazing to see hints of the returning wildlife that is a sure sign of the thriving environment along our tour, like an osprey nest as well as some deer hanging out on the shore. We were also told to be on the look out for otters in the river.
Have you heard that the Delaware River supplies 15 million people with their drinking water – including all of Philadelphia? Join Independence Seaport Museum and Patriot Harbor Lines for an eco-adventure to learn more about the Delaware River watershed and the important role it plays in the local ecosystem. Find out how the health of the river has been transformed since the passing of the Clean Water Act and learn about easy steps you can take to improve the health of your local waterways. This tour is 1.5 hours and cruises along the Delaware River. The tour is offered in partnership with Patriot Harbor Lines and is led by an Environmental Educator. This is a great cruise for kids! Click here for dates and to purchase tickets
Independence Seaport Museum was founded in 1960 and deepens the understanding, appreciation and experience of the Philadelphia region’s waterways through history, science, and art, plus experiences on the water. The museum exhibits are interactive with lots of opportunities for hands-on-learning for students of all ages.
The River Alive is a new exhibit made possible by the Williams Penn Foundation. Dive into all things water as you discover the wonders and challenges of the regional waterways.
Play along on the high-tech River Continuum Wall to find out how the river connects the wilderness to the city for the answer. This game is a great way to get little ones to understand how the environments are all connected and dependent on each other.
Visit the Fisharium to see some live fish from the area up close. Learn more about them by asking the resident researcher, collecting the coloring pages or by disecting one using 3D model puzzle.
You can even role play as one of the animals in the area by dressing up and wading through a giant sized model of a riverbank at the River Highway Theater.
Make sure to visit the museums’ extensive boat collection located on the 2nd floor to see boats big and small.
The Deck on the Moshulu is located right along the riverfront and is part of the world’s oldest and largest square rigged sailing vessel still afloat. This part of the restaurant is open seasonally and we were able to visit for lunch.
The Deck’s menu offers sushi, small plates, chilled seafood and sandwiches with craft beer cans and refreshing seasonal cocktails. They also offer “children’s meals” like chicken fingers and french fries. BUT even though my boys ordered some kids comfort food, they still dug into the oysters I ordered for myself leaving only 1 for me.
The menu has a variety of choices from cheese burgers, grilled portobello, steak frites, salads and this Salmon Special sandwich I ordered. The portions were generous and the food was definitely delicious.
Hilton Penn’s Landing is close to all the places we visited and more! This 4 star hotel was exactly what we needed after a day of exploring the seaport.
Our room was spacious with a great view of the city and super comfortable pillow top beds. The amenities include an indoor pool (a must for my boys), a 24-hour fitness center, complimentary wi-fi and more!
We visited the indoor pool before bed and were up bright and early to order room service for our breakfast in bed. After breakfast, we watched some TV and lounged in bed before heading out to do more exploring.
If you are planning a trip to Philadelphia, make sure to visit Penn’s Landing for fun, food and some amazing history!