Philadelphia keeps its visitors more than occupied with its outstanding collection of historical monuments and museums, its famous sports venues, as well as some of the best dining and shopping in the nation.
However, you can also use the City of Brotherly Love as a springboard for day-tripping in this fabulous corner of the Northeast. Here are 12 day trip ideas from Philadelphia, from the beaches of the Jersey Shore to the time-capsule farms of Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
1. New Hope, Pennsylvania
- Distance From Philadelphia: ~40 miles
Set along the west bank of the Delaware River north and upstream of Philly, the historical artists’ colony of New Hope, PA tempts with a wide variety of attractions. These include options such as the historic New Hope Railroad, which offers scenic and themed excursions aboard vintage railcars, as well as the Buck’s County Playhouse, which has offered onstage productions since 1751.
Nature enthusiasts will love the 4.5 miles of trails in the Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, which showcases 700-plus species of plants native to the Pidcock Creek Valley. You can see the Preserve and other fetching countryside views from atop Bowman’s Hill Tower.
2. Cape May, New Jersey
- Distance From Philadelphia: 93 miles
Among America’s best-known and longest-standing beach resorts, Cape May is a great choice for Philadelphia visitors looking to spend some quality time along the sand and surf.
When you're not soaking up the sun on the town’s beachfront, take time to admire the Victorian-style buildings of the Cape May Historic District. For those wanting to explore further, Cape May Peninsula, the southernmost point of New Jersey, offers more attractions. The Cape May Bird Observatory highlights the area's reputation as one of the top birdwatching destinations in the country. Additionally, the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse provides stunning views of the seascape.
3. Brandywine Battlefield Park
- Distance From Philadelphia: 30 miles
The Battle of Brandywine, which saw British forces under Lord Howe defeat George Washington’s Continental Army, was the biggest single-day terrestrial battle of the American Revolutionary War and resulted in the greatest casualties of the conflict. Close to 50 acres of the site, mainly covering where the Continental Army encamped, lie protected in Brandywine Battlefield Park, an easy daytrip from Philly.
A visitor center offers insights into the battle and guided weekend tours enter the Benjamin Ring House, which General Washington used as headquarters and the Gideon Gilpin Home, where French military office and Continental Army ally Lafayette was tended after being wounded in the battle.
4. Sesame Place
- Distance From Philadelphia: 27 miles
The older of two theme parks based on the beloved children’s show Sesame Street, Sesame Place delights both the young and the young-at-heart, making one of the best Philadelphia nearby attractions for family vacations. Fraternize with such instantly recognizable characters as Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Bert and Ernie and enjoy dozens of themed rides, daily parades and other entertainment.
5. Brandywine Museum of Art
- Distance From Philadelphia: 31 miles
Works by the legendary realist painter Andrew Wyeth and his family—including sons N.C. and James Wyeth—anchor the 2,500-plus-strong collection of the Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, PA. Among the paintings are many landscapes celebrating the pastoral splendor of the Brandywine Valley that enfolds the museum. Set in a refurbished gristmill built in 1864, the Brandywine Museum of Art sits on lovely grounds that serve as a fine expression of that regional splendor; spare some time to walk the paths along Brandywine Creek.
6. Wilmington, Delaware
- Distance From Philadelphia: 31 miles
Downriver from Philly, Delaware’s largest city lies on the Fall Line where the Delaware River turns into a mighty estuary. There’s plenty to see and do here in one of the major hubs of the Delaware Valley, with attractions including the Delaware Art Museum, Grand Opera House, Delaware Sports Museum & Hall of Fame and Brandywine Zoo.
Wilmington’s also a stop along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, which strings together sites significant to the life of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad between Delaware and Maryland.
7. Longwood Gardens
- Distance From Philadelphia: 37 miles
Another landmark of the bewitching Brandywine Valley, Longwood Gardens is most certainly one of the top day trips from Philadelphia, ranking as it does among the finest public horticultural destinations in the country.
First established in 1906 by Pierre du Pont, the location covers some 1,100 acres. The spellbinding fountain and pond strung gardenscape comprises 9,000-plus kinds of plants, including such “showstoppers” as blue-poppies, poinsettias and chrysanthemums as well as one of America’s finest collections of waterlilies. Longwood Gardens regularly hosts concerts and other performances, special exhibitions and holiday installations.
8. Brandywine Valley Wine Trail
- Distance From Philadelphia: ~35 miles
The Brandywine Valley is also well-known for its viticulture and there’s no better way to delve into it than by touring the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail. A variety of vintners and cidermakers lie along the route, including Chaddsford Winery, Galer Estate Vineyard & Winery, Old Stone Cider and The Acadian Wine Company.
9. Valley Forge National Historical Park
- Distance: 22 miles
A storied piece of American geography, Valley Forge marks the site of the Continental Army’s 1777-1778 winter encampment, chosen by General George Washington for its proximity (a day’s march or so) to Philadelphia: the American capital, then occupied by British troops.
Explore the 3,500-acre grounds of Valley Forge National Historical Park on a self-guided driving route or a trolley tour, or maybe rent a bicycle for a pedal-powered visit. Landmarks include Washington’s Headquarters, a number of reconstructed buildings and the National Memorial Arch installed in 1917 to honor the officers and soldiers who weathered that long, brutal winter.
10. Lancaster County/Pennsylvania Dutch Country
- Distance: ~65 miles
The Pennsylvania Dutch Country of Lancaster County encompasses the oldest Amish settlements in the U.S. You can tour its bucolic, windmill-dotted farmland in a traditional horse-and-buggy and explore Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine and crafts. Lancaster County offers plenty else, too: from fine breweries and the kid-friendly fun of Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park to the trails of the Rock Springs Nature Preserve.
11. Princeton, New Jersey
- Distance: 50 miles
Princeton is best known for one of America’s oldest and highest-rated universities and indeed a tour of the Ivy League campus of Princeton University is much-recommended—including a visit to the excellent Princeton University Art Museum. But the town itself has lots of other attractions, including a nice lineup of restaurants and stores, plus historical landmarks such as the Albert Einstein House, where the celebrated physicist lived from 1935 until his death 20 years later and Princeton Battlefield State Park, marking the site of a victory by General Washington and the Continental Army over British forces.
12. Nockamixon State Park & Nockamixon Cliffs
- Distance: ~50-60 miles
Set on the placid shores of Lake Nockamixon, Nockamixon State Park makes one of the Philadelphia top day trips for fresh-air R&R in the great outdoors. Picnicking, fishing, hiking, biking and horseback riding are popular activities here.
And just a few miles away, a natural area protects one of the most impressive landforms in Philly’s big backyard: the Triassic-age shale, siltstone and sandstone Nockamixon Cliffs, looming dramatically above the Delaware River and supporting regionally unusual communities of Arctic-alpine plants such as roseroot.
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