The Declaration House
Ah…back to Philly we go! I hope you all are enjoying my trip down memory lane. After a late and crazy fun night we woke up to explore some more of historical Philadelphia before catching our bus out to Valley Forge. First stop was the Declaration House (free!) This is where Thomas Jefferson lived when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. The exhibit here is small. There are a couple of things to see on the first floor and then you can climb to the 2nd Floor to see the rooms that Jefferson rented out. They are decorated in reproductions so that you can get a feel for how it must have looked when Jefferson lived there. It was pretty neat imagining him sitting there writing the document that would create the history of our nation.
Then it was over to Christ Church where we sat in the pew that Marth and George Washington used to sit in when they went to service during their time in Philly. We met a nice man from New England (I had my Red Sox shirt on) who we had a fun chat with there. We enjoyed the history of Christ Church before heading over to Elfreth’s Alley. Elfreth’s Alley is our nation’s oldest residential street. It is this beautiful, little, historic street that is just so picturesque. I’m sure the people that still live there though probably mind all the toursits wandering down their little street, but I guess that’s what you sign up for when you live there! Then we wandered over to the Christ Church Burial Ground to visit Ben Franklin’s grave. After our exploring it was time to grab lunch and hop our bus out to Valley Forge.
The Huts at Valley Forge
This ride was quite the adventure. It was probably about an hour bus ride (it would have been a lot faster if we had our own car). We were on a local bus and obviously very concerned about getting off at the right stop. We asked the bus driver and he said he’d let us know. Well he announces the last stop and tells us this is our stop. Instead of finishing his route, he had let us off at the Valley Forge Convention Center, which while not that far away from Valley Forge National Park, was a tricky stretch of road to navigate. We managed (although it was harrowing) and found the bike rental where we rented bikes for our first biking adventure together. This was when I was a complete newbie (as in I broke the chain off of my bike within 2 minutes on the bike).
Valley Forge has a ton of bike paths, running paths, and a driving route. It is so easy for people to explore and so worth the visit (especially if you are a history buff). Our first stop along our biking journey was at the replicas of the cabins that soldiers would have lived in at Valley Forge. There was a woman dressed in historical garb that was there to answer any questions we might have and tell us all about life at the camp that infamous winter of 1777-1778. She was so informative, we easily spent a good 10-15 minutes there. It was amazing the number of people that lived in that little cabin (pictured above). She was also from New England (just makin’ friends wherever we go!)
Me outside George Washington's House at Valley Forge
We continued along our bike ride and rode an extra mile because I really wanted to see Washington’s Head Quarters (see me in the photo above!) The inside of the house is decorated with replicas so that you can get a feel for what life was like for George Washington during the winter his army was stationed at Valley Forge.
The Practice Ground @ Valley Forge
One of the most beautiful parts of Valley Forge to take in are the Parade Grounds (Practice Grounds). Valley Forge is perfectly located about 20 miles outside of Philadelphia. Close enough to keep the British in check, but far enough away from Philadelphia to prevent a surprise attack. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Valley Forge. We spent the entire afternoon biking around it’s paths and taking in the entire Park. As we arrived back at the Visitor’s Center what did we find but a bus back into the city. The bus that took us to Valley Forge was supposed to bring us right to the Visitor’s Center (oh, foiled!) At least geting back to Philly was easier.
Me @ City Tavern
After we got back and changed for our evening out in Philly, we headed over to City Tavern. This was the unofficial meeting spot of many of the First Continental Congress. It has since burnt down but they reconstructed it to be just like it was and the waitstaff still dresses in Colonial garb. The beers that they serve in the bar are original brew recipes from George & Martha Washington, Thomas Jefferson, etc. Jon got a sampler, but I was afraid, knowing I wouldn’t like all the different beers. So I stuck with Tom Jefferson’s brew. This was the perfect place to spend a couple of quiet hours, talking, enjoying the history surrounding us, and a brew or two.
Jon running the Rocky Steps
The next morning was our last in Philadelphia, although we’ll definitely go back (uh, well, I went back two times in the next two months, I just couldn’t get enough!) We started out by what else, running the Rocky Steps – go Jon go! We wrote our postcards to family and then mailed them at the Ben Franklin post office. Then we enjoyed the site of Ben Franklin’s house and the museum and print shop that are there now. Lastly, we headed over to Besty Ross’ house for a quick tour before it closed. Then it was time to get our stuff and hop back on the train to NYC.
Oh and after all of this I forgot to mention that we had Philly Cheesesteaks everyday we were in Philly. We tried Rick’s, Pat’s, Geno’s and Tony Luke’s. To be honest my favorite was Rick’s (Pat’s son) in Reading Terminal Market…but they are no longer there…sad!
Well that’s my account of Philly! We absolutely loved our long weekend getaway exploring an amazingly historic city just 90 minutes from NYC. If you haven’t been – go. A great resource for planning your visit is www.gophila.com.
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What’s your favorite Cheese Steak???
