Philadelphia Vacations

Bring the kids to this Ben Franklin tribute featuring stellar science exhibits, including a giant walk-through heart, an athletic Sports Challenge, IMAX theater and top-floor observatory.

Ever wonder what this bell has to do with the Declaration of Independence? Head to this centerpiece in Philly's Historic District to get the full story and see the iconic original, with its famed crack, biblical inscription and all.

Come to the birthplace of America for an 11-day tribute with fireworks galore, free headlining concerts, a Main-Street style parade, and the chance to see descendants of the original Declaration of Independence signers "tap" the Liberty Bell.

Get behind bars (and a solid tour guide) at this historic "first" penitentiary, once home to criminals like Al Capone and "Slick" Willie Sutton. Test your mettle at night with a haunted tour of notoriously ghosty ESP.

Get lost in one of the largest parks in the country (and a whopping 10 percent of Philadelphia's land), including Rittenhouse Square, LOVE Park, America's oldest zoo, the Rodin Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Not just for regattas, this vibrant strip of boathouses on the Schuylkill River also sports a rec center, social club and canoe clubs. Join the local scene and run, walk or people watch.

Make like Rocky and jog up the Museum's 72 stone steps, but don't stop there. Come inside the pillared landmark to explore 225,000 art objects across famed period rooms. Back outside, take in hilltop views of the city, Fairmont Park, the Schuylkill River … and the nearby Rocky statue.

The four-pages-long, centuries-old Declaration of Independence turns high-tech interactive for all ages here, where you'll also find an original public copy of "We the people."

Come hungry to this 1893-landmark farmers market at 12th and Arch for a wildly diverse and delectable assortment of Philly feast-ables. If you eat only one thing, let it be an authentic Amish baked good.

Walk the same halls as George Washington and see where the Declaration of Independence was adopted, the U.S. Constitution was debated, and a joker named Ben Franklin was known to trip opposing delegates.

A Philadelphia vacation almost always means American Revolutionary War history will be part of the getaway. It is, after all, the first capital of the country, home of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were written, and where you can see the cracked Liberty Bell and Betsy Ross’ house. It’s also hard to miss the legions of actors in period costumes and personas roaming the Old City section. Edgar Allen Poe was the city’s 19th century celebrity, while in modern times, the “City of Brotherly Love” has seen countless visitors run up the stairs at the Museum of Art, raising their arms in triumph a la Rocky Balboa. Although it has a subway system, the best way to see Philly is to walk. Explore the Italian Market on the south side (great for those famous cheesesteaks); the college-town atmosphere of University City west of the Schuylkill River; the city center for its world-class arts and science museums, parks and squares; and the up-and-coming trendy area the Northern Liberties. Less than two hours from New York City by bus, the city is sometimes called the “sixth borough,” and its well-regarded art schools and affordable cost of living make it a magnet for a thriving creative class. Shoppers can find stylish threads made locally at designer boutiques, such as SA VA, throughout the city, and restauranteur Stephen Starr has even exported his super-successful dining concepts to New York, but you’ll want to enjoy the originals in Philly. To paraphrase Elton John, Philadelphia freedom—we love, love, love you, yes we do.

AOL Travel’s Philadelphia Guide

AOL Travel's Best Philadelphia Hotels