Philadelphia vacation

[ProudMommyof2]

Have you looked at VRBO?

 

[eangel12]

Crayons Factory is better for older kids...like 6+. We took my 2 year old and it was a waste. Just not toddler friendly IMO!

Franklin Institute is more for school age kids. They do have a small area for preschoolers but it is super small. I would skip that for now!

Adventure Aquarium, Philadelphia Zoo, Please Touch, Garden State Children's Museum, Morris Arboretum are all toddler friendly!!

 

[dtr_angel]

Thank you SO much for all these replies, I am overwhelmed!

Thanks again!

 

[Yoshi]

There is a Red Robin less than a minute away from Sesame Place right near the mall.

 

[tink76]

I am also curious why some don't like The Crayola Experience. It looks like a lot of fun and is one of our stops while in PA this summer.

 

[ferrytale]

There is Red Robin literally right next to the parking lot. There is also TGIFriday, Bertucci's, Margaritas, Ground Round, Mama Mia's, Cheeburger Cheeburger, Chili's, Macaroni Grill, Old Country Buffet all right near the park, and several otger restaurants really close. You'll have no trouble finding something you like

 

[Kathi OD]

I second Strasburg. DH took the boys there (each on their own - their special trip with dad and then to visit granny). Sometimes Thomas is there for "A Day out with Thomas" and that's when they'd go. If going to Strasburg DH stayed in the Red Caboose Motel with the Kids. Which they loved.

If you decide to go and do the attractions near Strasburg, stay at the "Little Red Caboose Motel." It's made of old train cars. Very dated, but reasonable and clean. My grandson begs to go every year.

Thank you SO much for all these replies, I am overwhelmed!

Our plan was to stay a few nights in the city at a hotel to do Please Touch and the zoo, etc and then move to a hotel outside the city near Langhorne for 2 days at Sesame Place. DH and I have been talking it over a lot with replies to this thread and as of right now, I think we are just going to Sesame Place. We're going to drive up and check in to the hotel on a Wednesday, do Sesame Place Thursday and Friday (DS's birthday) and drive home Saturday. I wanted to take advantage of the buy 2 nights get 1 free, but I'm not sure that it's the best deal since they give you the unlimited pass and we aren't going to be able to go back again this year at all.

Any recommendations for meals? I'm not sure how late we are going to be able to stay the 2 days we are at the park. I am hoping to get a hotel that has free breakfast. We plan on doing a character meal on one of those days for lunch or dinner. Have any of you had any of the counter service or character meals at Sesame Place? It's hard to find anything online about sesame place like you can for Disney! Also any restaurants nearby that we should check out? We live in a small town so we don't have anything fun. I haven't had a chance to research the area but would love to eat at a Red Robin, Sonic, or Steak and Shake if there is one nearby.

Thanks again!

As others have said, Red Robin is right there. The only Sonic in the area has closed (I don't think it was open a year), and Steak and Shake isn't in the area at all. Someone gave you a pretty good list of restaurants close by. Pizzeria Uno is right next to Sesame.