Day Trips from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1. Chanticleer Garden (40 minutes)

Chanticleer Garden is 40 minutes outside Philadelphia in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and is known as one of the best gardens in the area. The estate itself dates back to the early 20th century, giving the space a historical feel, yet the colorful design of Chanticleer lends the garden a contemporary vibe.

Visitors will enjoy exploring eight distinct gardens and various themed wooded areas, such as the Asian woods. There is a meadow, a creek, and an orchard, along with elevated walkways amid flowers and plant life. Guests may also take classes and workshops or join guided tours.

780 Church Road, Wayne, PA, Phone: 610-687-4163

2. Doylestown (1 hour)

Located an hour outside Philadelphia is the town of Doylestown in Pennsylvania. Visitors will enjoy hiking and biking along a 16-mile shared network of paths, roadways, and trails that also connect with two larger trail systems – 202 Parkway trail, and Bicycle Route “S”.

There are two museums in town, the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle, and the James A. Michener Art Museum. A historic shopping district features unique specialty stores. Doylestown has seven municipal parks on more than 80 acres of land, each distinct from the others. Some are neighborhood parks, some are nature focused, and some have athletic facilities.

3. Baltimore (1 hour)

Baltimore, an hour away from Philadelphia, is a city with extraordinary historical and cultural offerings. Themed tours abound, such as tracing the story of Baltimore and the National Anthem during the War of 1812, offered by the Baltimore National Heritage Urban Rangers.

Legends & Legacies Heritage Bus Tour highlights African American contributions to the city. Museums such as the Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art showcase permanent and temporary historic exhibits. Historical attractions such as the Edgar Allen Poe House offer glimpses of the past and visitors will also appreciate cultural experiences such as the Baltimore Symphony, led by Marin Alsop.

4. Longwood Gardens (50 minutes)

In Kennett Square, visitors will discover 1,000 acres of gorgeous Longwood Gardens. Stunning architecture, indoor and outdoor gardens , and water fountains give visitors many areas to explore while the formal, themed, and children’s gardens offer a little something for everyone throughout the gardens’ changing seasons.

Highlights like the green wall, which is reminiscent of a lush jungle, and the Silver Garden, an awe-inspiring vision in the moonlight, delight visitors. There is an open-air fountain show, an on-site cafe, and a fine dining restaurant. Beer gardens provide a place to relax after a day tour, workshop, class, or other activity.

1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA, Phone: 610-388-1000

5. Ricketts Glen State Park (2 hours, 35 minutes)

Ricketts Glen State Park is one of Pennsylvania’s most treasured natural areas and has earned the distinction of being a National Natural Landmark. The number one activity here is hiking the Falls Trails System, where you can explore the park’s 22 waterfalls, including 94-foot Ganoga Falls. You’ll be surrounded by old-growth trees in this 13,050-acre park.

Other activities include swimming, boating, and fishing on Lake Jean; rustic camping; and exploring the park’s abundant flora and fauna. Mountain laurel blooms are particularly striking on the Grand View Trail in early summer. During winter, visitors can rent cabins, snowmobile, cross-country ski, ice fish, and snowshoe.

695 State Route 487, Benton PA, Phone: 570-477-5675

6. The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg is home to one of the world’s most remarkable collections of railroad artifacts. The museum is dedicated to maintaining and understanding the vast impact the railroads had, and continue to have, on society.

They do this with displays of more than 100 locomotives, educational programs, tours, and special events. There is also a plethora of exhibits featuring railroad artifacts, art work, photographs, books, and other materials. In addition to the extensive exhibits, the museum also restores many unique locomotives that managed to survive their time, giving visitors a look at how designs have progressed.

300 Gap Road, Strasburg, PA, Phone: 717-687-8628

7. Lapp Valley Farm (1 hour, 20 minutes)

The Lapp Valley Farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, produces hormone-free dairy products and homemade ice cream. Visitors can walk the grounds, where bulldogs, peacocks, and cats roam freely, and watch how the farm’s Jersey cows are milked.

As a special treat, guests can pet the calves while they’re being bottle-fed. Visitors can enjoy a few scoops of creamy ice cream inside homemade waffle cones, or a rich milkshake at the farm’s Ice Cream Shop. Lapp Valley Farms also offers several dairy products to-go like butters, various types of milk, and a wide range of ice cream flavors.

244 Mentzer Road, New Holland, PA, Phone: 717-354-7988

Lancaster is a 1 hr 45 min (81.3 miles via US-1 S) day trip from Philadelphia.

8. Six Flags Great Adventure (1 hour)

Located in Jackson, New Jersey, Six Flags Great Adventure Park has more than 60 rides that cater to all ages, from kids’ rides like Bugs Bunny Ranger Pilots to thrill rides like Dare Devil Dive, which plummets over 15 stories at 60 mph.

There are numerous live entertainment venues throughout the park, like Looney Tunes Dance Party, which takes place at the Main Street Fountain, and Trainer Talks that feature feathered and flippered animals, their habitats, diets, habits, and more. Visitors will also delight in a wide array of fresh food and beverage options, from sit-down meals to sweets on-the-go.

1 Six Flags Blvd, Jackson, NJ, Phone: 732-928-2000

9. Gettysburg National Military Park (2 hours, 30 minutes)

The Gettysburg National Military Park is located east of the Appalachian Mountains in the Piedmont Province of south central Pennsylvania on nearly 6,000 acres of land. The Gettysburg National Military Park contains woodlands, pasturelands, woodlots, streams, and agriculture fields providing habitats for various mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and flora.

It is well known for educating and entertaining visitors on the historical Battle of Gettysburg, the turning point of the Civil War. Here guests can learn about the various people and places that were a part of the battle through photos and other multimedia presentations as well as through reenactments and audio battlefield tours.