Family Travel Guide: Day Trip to Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing
“The Moshulu (left) and Olympia (right) at Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA” by Acroterion, via Wikimedia Commons
Recently my family spent a weekend in Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia and really enjoyed our river-side stay. We were surprised how much the area’s vibe felt more like a sea-side destination vs the city-feel that we were used to in Philly! While our trip was an overnight in the area to see a weekend Phillie’s game - Penn’s Landing in itself can be a great escape for a quick day trip right on the outskirts of Philly.
PARKING
Penn’s Landing parking was fairly easy for us as were staying overnight at the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing. We had access to their attached parking garage which is located right along the river. Important to note is that the hotel’s parking garage is open to anyone - so if you are traveling to Penn’s Landing only for the day - the hotel parking garage is a great option. There are also several other parking garages nearby but are located on the opposite side of S Christopher Columbus Blvd.
WHAT TO DO
I was most surprised but how many things there are to do right along the river at Penn’s Landing! We found our day jam-packed with things to do all within a five-minute walk. I offer several suggestions below that will help fill your day in Penn’s Landing.
Independence Seaport Museum is a nautical museum right along the Delaware river that includes several interactive and historical exhibits around the history the river and Philly ports played during the start of America. We spent about 2-3 hours in the museum itself as my son enjoyed boarding the life-size ship inside the museum, building his own battleship with LEGOs and playing in the water table. There are also several historical artifacts inside the museum as well including model ships that date back to the 19th century as well as a rather large gift shop. It is highly recommended to pre-purchase tickets as some exhibits are timed-entry.
The museum also maintains two vessels docked nearby that you can board to learn more. Unfortunately, they were closed during our stay, but we hope to make another visit to check them out as well. They require an additional ticket to enter and include:
The Olympia is the world’s oldest steel warship still afloat. It served as Commodore George Dewey’s flagship during the Battle of Manila Bay in the Spanish-American War and is now docked in the Delaware river as a living museum. Entrance to the deck of the Olympia is available to explore the upper cabins and feel what it was like to live and work on a Navy vessel.
The Becuna is a submarine also docked in the river that served during World War II and later the Cold War. The museum offers timed tours allowing families to step inside the narrow passageways, peek into crew bunks, and get a feel for what it was like to live and work underwater for months at a time.
Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest/Winterfest is nestled at the end of the river walkway and features a roller-skating ring in the summer and ice-skating rink in the winter. In the summer, they offer carnival attractions including a Ferris wheel, carousel and mini-golf. In winter, the rink offers many food vendors, fire pits and smore making. It’s a unique space right outside old-city Philly.
Spruce Street Harbor Park was a fun place to hang out and relax after our time in the museum and lunch. The park is a five-minute walk along the river from Liberty Point Tavern and features several hammocks to lounge in for free! There are also many food and shopping vendors that line the park - making it a great place to grab a snack or dessert and eat amongst the shade. There are also concerts hosted at the park on occasion which gives it a street carnival vibe while walking through at night.
TRIPSTER TIP: The food vendors along the park offered plenty variety if you have a picky eater. We were able to try out a few of the vendors to build our own meal - including hot dogs, pretzels, Chickie & Pete’s fries, ice cream and other desserts.
RiverLink Ferry Ride allows for easy access to the Adventure Aquarium across the river from Penn’s Landing. You can easily walk to the ticket booth and boat access to take a ride across the river to explore the aquarium and return later in the afternoon with a round-trip ticket.
Walking along the river is free and easy while at Penn’s Landing. There is a pathway that goes the RiverRink down and past Harbor Park that was a pleasant walk to enjoy the riverside. This path also allows you to easily access everything on my list without ever having to cross the street or venture into center city.
WHERE TO EAT
Liberty Point (211 S Christopher Columbus Blvd) is a great destination for lunch or dinner and is conveniently located right outside the Independence Seaport Museum. We were lucky enough to enjoy lunch here on a warm summer day under the cover of the top-level Tiki Bar. This outdoor patio was situated on the third floor of the restaurant and offered great food, unique drinks and a panoramic view of the Delaware riverside.
Keating's Rope and Anchor Bar + Kitchen (201 S Christopher Columbus Blvd) is located inside the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner options. We enjoyed dinner on their patio which allowed us to enjoy the riverside views throughout the evening. The food was well prepared, and they also offered a large children’s menu.
Moshulu (401 S Columbus Blvd) is a unique dining experience as it is hosed inside a tall ship. Serving modern American dishes, the floating vessel offers great views of the river and kids will think it’s super cool eating in a one-of-a-kind location.
Ellis Coffee (201 S Christopher Columbus Blvd) is also located inside the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing and offers freshly roasted coffee along with pastries and grab-and-go style sandwiches. They offer bags of their locally roasted coffee for purchase as well as hand-crafted drinks throughout the day.
WHERE TO STAY
Staying overnight or multiple days in Penn’s Landing is easy with the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing right along the river. We stayed overnight which allowed us to easy walk out of the hotel and right onto the path that took us to all of activities above. We enjoyed having all of these great amenities right outside our hotel and the indoor heated pool was a plus as well!
Whether you are only visiting for the day or staying for a few - Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing offers a lot for families who want to enjoy the city of Philadelphia with a quieter - riverside vibe.