Having grown up on the East Coast, I didn’t realize how valuable my proximity to public transportation was until I moved to the middle of the country, to a small town at the base of the Rocky Mountains. While the scenery was stunning, five hour drives to other small towns somewhere also in the mountains grew mundane. After a decade of western life, I moved myself and my kiddo back near the Eastern Seaboard and have been soaking up both the humidity and cultural experiences since my return. As much as I love my 2005 Ford Explorer (brag), one of my favorite things about the East Coast is the availability of trains.
Recently, I packed up a backpack with snacks and our reusable water bottles and bought morning train tickets to Philadelphia for myself and my kiddo. We had only visited the city once before and that was for an event, not just to stroll around and take in the skyscrapers. This trip was strictly meant for the city experience.
We set out for The Academy of Natural Sciences, which is located in Center City and offered an excellent view as we approached it. The Academy has floor to ceiling dinosaur skeletons, which blew my kid away. They had never seen dinosaurs in real size, and the ancient reptiles are just as big as their imagination can hold. There is also an area for kids to dig for fossils, which was engaging for the kids and a good resting time for the parent.
READ: Family Travel Guide: Weekend Trip to Harper’s Ferry
Next, we went to the Art of the Brick at The Franklin Institute. As someone whose floor consists almost exclusively of Legos, I was excited to see what they look like when made into sculptures. Nathan Sawaya created incredible pieces that merged my interest in art history with my kid’s tactile obsession of brick stacking to create a memorable museum experience for us. It was really refreshing to experience something that felt like it was truly made for both young and not-as-young alike. The rest of the Institute was a thrill with hands-on science and stem exhibits.
Fun Fact – many of the museums in our area participate in the Museums For All program, which offers free or discounted admission for families who qualify for the SNAP Program.
Once the excitement was over and the museums closed at 5:00pm, instead of having to navigate the busy streets and highways of the city, we just got back on the train. And though we did head west, Harrisburg is significantly closer than Colorado.
