My Trip Report.. 24th-27th July 2007

First off, thanks for everybody%26#39;s help on here for your tips and advice prior to the trip.

This was a 3 leg trip, Washington from the 21st PHILADELPHIA and then New York till the 31st.

We did alot in Washington and was very tired, walked for miles and miles and so didnt cram as much in as we would have liked to and plus we wanted to sleep a little before new york as we knew that too would be hectic anyway....

24th July 2007-Day 1

Arrived off half decent flight about 3ish and got taxi to hotel the Embassy Suits. Had a fiddle around in the hotel etc. picked up some leaflets and decided to head over to Eastern State Penitentary but we had read the leaflet wrong so had to walk back again as it was about 7 o clock. The streets were quite scary and I didn;t feel all that safe, I think the problem was that in Washington it is all so perfect and there is people everywhere plus we stuck to Touristy bits so felt pretty safe all of the time. Anyway, walked back and stopped in a little supermarket to pick up a few bits. Got back and went to TGI Fridays in the hotel which was quite nice and very cheap, we had a very nice waitress which was good too. Went to bed after.

25th July 2007-Day 2

Had complimentary breakfast at TGI Friday%26#39;s not bad considering it came with the hotel it was a buffet and there was a large variety. Then we got the Phlash! bus ((((HIGHLY recommended ONLY $1 a ride and regular too!)))) to Independance Hall Visitor Centre and picked up tickets for Independance Hall. Walked across to Liberty Bell-in %26amp; out wasnt too busy!.Crossed street to look at Lights of Liberty but decided not to buy tickets.Went opposite to a little Italian cafe and had the nicest ice cream ever called gelato or something. Huge choice and so cheap compared to home!! Then went to Independance Hall. Got there early and a ranger guy said to go visit Congress Hall instead of sitting around so we did. Quite interesting and nice inside. Independance Hall was alright too- quite nice inside and the ranger knew his stuff. Walked to Tomb of Unknown Soldier the park was pretty and nice to have a picture of the monumnet thing. Walked to Betsy Ross House and came across a museum about Liberty and Heroes. I wish I knew what it was called cus I would tell you all to go see it. It was one of my favourite things through the whole holiday.... really really nice. Some very nice things inside and some amazing ornaments as well as interesting information. Great for kids as it is very inspirational but same for adults too...

Came out and stopped at a little coffee shop. By the look of it it looked so expensive but by god the food is so cheap overthere!!

The house was alright, very small and again the streets felt a bit dodgy but not as bad as the way we walked to the prison. Went to Starbucks across the street and then got Phlash bus to Eastern State Penitentary-the audio tour is excellant and the prison it self is very eerie. So glad we went back and didnt do the Lights of Liberty instead. Highly Highly recommended. One of the highlights of the whole trip.Also seen an ex-prisoner tlak at 6.45om who was very interesting. Really thoroughly enjoyed time there. Walked back to hotel using main roads and felt alot safer. Went to TGI Fridays again and then bed...

26th July 2007 Day 3

Had a lay in and skipped breakfast. Went to the Franklin Institute and picked up tickets for King Tut exhib. Had a look around but the musuem seemed more suited for kids. Went into the IMAX theatre and seen Mummies. First time and I was very impressed. The cinema room place makes you feel all disorientated because its like a dome shape. Movie was a little boring but I was a new experience. Got Phlash! bus to Reading Terminal Market. Quite nice inside and had a little walk around. Walked around the streets and found a food court so decided to eat in there and had a KFC. Walked to a little shopping centre place and bought some bits from Old Navy. Walked around the streets and stopped for coffee at Starbucks. Kept walking and found Macy%26#39;s, tried on some shoes and found some bargian flip flops but they never had any in my size!! Walked to get the bus stop stopping in Banana Republic and while waiting for the bus we met a lady which was kinda weird cus she was from the same city we live in and the chances of meeting somebody that literally lived down our road in freaking Philly is like the same as winning the lottery. Anyway came back to hotel. Went to King Tut at 7pm which was quite good. There was some good things and it was nicely set out and was better than I thought it would be! Grabbed a Subway on the way back and went to bed.

27th July 2007 Day 4

Day we were flying to New York!! Got up, shower packed etc. Had another Subway!! and got to airport. The flight was delayed by 2 hours which was a bit of a bore but finally arrived at 6.30

and heres my NYC report if anybody wants to read it...

I am yet to do my Washington but that too I%26#39;ll put a link up in case anybody fancys a read..

Anyway thanks again for your helps and tips prior to going and although I don%26#39;t think I appreciated the city as much as now looking back than I did when I was there, I would still recommend a visit and the Eastern State Penitentary was one of a couple of highlights from the whole trip

You got a good city and thanks for letting me visit

Sam

My Trip Report.. 24th-27th July 2007

dont know how to edit...

heres new york.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60763-i5-k1376777鈥?/a>

Sam

My Trip Report.. 24th-27th July 2007

Sounds like you had a good time and at a good pace. It absolutely frightens me that you think Philly prices are cheap in some shops, this because I am off to London later this year.

BTW, I agree with your observation that the Franklin Institute is more for kids now, I was just there for the first time in a few year and it REALLY felt like that.

Glad you had a good trip, and thanks for the kind words about Philadelphia. I love your comment about running into someone from your hometown in such an unlikely place; that%26#39;s Philly karma. It%26#39;s a small town masquerading as a large city.

You found The Liberty Museum! It%26#39;s a neat place, but it has a hard time %26#39;branding%26#39; itself, as it%26#39;s kind of a mix between a glass art gallery and a museum dedicated to an intangible (liberty), so it%26#39;s not as widely known as most Philadelphia attractions.

Parts of Art Museum (the area surrounding Eastern State Pen) can be nasty. Parts are gorgeous - mostly, west of 20th St. are very nice, but east of that, toward Broad, begins to deteriorate. If you were walking over from Center City, you probably walked right along the border.

Loonbeam--its pathetic everything is literally double the price, yesterday I went into Starbucks here, 2 coffees and a panini just under 拢10 ($20) for that in America I was gettting 3 coffees and 3 breakfast items... we have tax on everything, ornaments and gifts here are ridiculously expensive, and clothes, in you average high street shop jeans would cost you at least 拢30 and thats on the cheap end... these are shops like topshop and river island (where the average girl goes, oh and you have to go to topshop on oxford street in london--its like a dream!)

but just wondering are you touring around London or exploring out? England is a beautiful place and I would hate you to miss that just by staying in London, I don%26#39;t like it there.. you won%26#39;t get your proper English experience.

and the Liberty Musuem is really wonderful. Some of the glass sculptures were really nice, and if anybody I know goes to Philly I will definately make sure they go there--spreading the word and all that!

Yea, I think that there wasn%26#39;t anything to be worried about it%26#39;s just when you%26#39;re in a new place, theres nobody about and its not nice looking I got a little worried, still it was worth it, the prison was erally cool

thanks for you replies!

Sam -

Thanks for posting your trip report, glad you had such a nice time in Philadelphia.

I just returned at the end of July from a Ireland/Scotland trip - and yes, things are definitely WAY more expensive over there...I found Scotland (Edinburgh) extremely pricey - but, wow, what a great city!

Come back and visit us again!

Suzanne