Lots of good information on both the city and the National Park run sites in the immediate area…read more The Rangers at the NP desk were helpful answering questions and giving advice. There are some exhibits on the Liberty Bell and the Independence Hall. There is a movie but it is more about Philadelphia tourism not the NP. There are bathrooms and if course a large gift shop.

I was at the visitor center for a Phambassador event. The event space is on the second floor…read more Stairs in an elevator are both available. The space at the top of the stairs is a good size. It had the check-in table and some photo ops. There's also a balcony that you can go out and look onto Independence Mall. The main space is large. There were a lot of tables, but it didn't seem crowded. Bathrooms are available on the first and second floor. They are clean. There's also a gift shop on the first floor and information in a little café along with a theater and some exhibits. It is a great addition to the historical area

Used to be a great area. Now they have entrapping traffic cams on NE Turnpike Extensionread more

This is a beautiful visitor's center. It has plenty of parking, and was so nicely decorated for the…read moreholidays! My cousin had her winter recital in here which was beautiful!

This is a fantastic welcome center, highly recommend visiting. Pretty easy to get to off of the…read morehighway. There are restarants inside and a dunkin donuts, and a large souveneir shop. There are restrooms, they are clean. There are plenty of informational packets about things to do in the surrounding areas. We stopped at several welcome centers on our east coast trip, but this one was a top 2. There is also a hidden geocache.

I frequent the Biden Welcome Center whenever I'm passing thru, and each experience is always…read morepleasant. This "Welcome Center" is quite spacious, with quite a variety of vendors for all your needs. Some of my favorite? A Dunkins, a Panda Express, and even a Wendy's! The restrooms here are not "Bucees" clean (but c'mon who can compete??), but compared to other pit-stops, this place is second-tier. A great place to stretch, walk-around, and recharge for the remainder of your trip. This round --- I only stayed for about 15-20 minutes, and decided to try the new "Applegreen Tap&Go" Coffee Stations. One is located at the very entrance of the building, and one towards the back (near the food court). I ordered an "Iced White Mocha", and was pleasantly surprised by the quality. It did what I want coffee to do, taste good and have caffeine! In any case, if you're in Delaware, make it a point to stop-by!

(Note: This review is for the Thompson-Neely Section of Washington Crossing Historical Park, since…read moreI didn't have time to visit the main section! Washington Crossing Historic Park is more than 500 acres, and it has several sections.) The Thompson-Neely Section includes the Thompson-Neely Bridge, the Thompson-Neely House, the Thompson-Neely Grist Mill, and a memorial cemetery (graves of Washington Crossing soldiers). The Thompson-Neely House and grounds served as an encampment site for part of the Continental Army in December 1776. So there's a lot of history here, and you can walk along the Delaware Canal Towpath to each of the sites in this section. It's perhaps not as organized as the main section of the park; there's no visitor center in this section, but it's not too complicated - there's parking near the General Sullivan Pavilion and the house and grist mill, and then you can wander to each of the sites. (I don't recall a map of the section anywhere, but each site is on Google Maps, and that's what I used to make my way between them.) I was at the park in the late afternoon, and I don't think the house or grist mill was open, but I enjoyed walking along the towpath to the memorial cemetery, the bridge, and to see the exterior of the house and grist mill. New Hope has a lot to offer, but Washington Crossing Historical Park is great to include on your itinerary for exploring the area if you want to take in a little local/regional/American history!

On a cold, snowy Christmas night in 1776, the Continental Army changed the course of history. Led…read moreby George Washington, they braved the rough Delaware River to land at Johnson's Ferry in NJ and march on to victory against the British. Operated by the Friends of Washington Crossing, my partner and I visited the site on the PA side this morning where their departure was preserved at Washington Crossing Historic Park. Reservation was easily made yesterday on their website for the 10:30am tour. Between the Upper Section that has the Thompson-Neely House and Revolutionary War Soldier's grave. The Lower Section has the Visitor Center and the Old Village right at the site of the crossing. This encompasses 500 acres, which represents much more than a single event. Upon arrival, we had time to walk around the perimeter of the Visitor Center. When the building opened at 10am, we entered and were greeted by the staff. Inside had a wonderful auditorium and exhibit hall that featured the canon Marquis de Lafayette gave to the Continental Army. Our tour started by watching a short film about the history of the crossing. We further followed our tour guide David Price outside to the large white barn to view a Durham boat, similar to what George and his men used during the crossing. He led us along the Delaware River among the fall foliage to talk about the war leading up to and following the December 26 Battle of Trenton. He was able to make history come alive for us at $7 per person. The park also has wonderful historical homes but were closed while we were there. It's an ideal spot for picnicking, hiking, and bird watching. The well-maintained trails and scenic overlooks allow visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. They do reenactments of the crossing on Christmas Day and one earlier in December. It's recommended to check their website. It's a remarkable place offering a unique blend of American history and natural beauty, making it a must-visit destination for history buffs and nature lovers alike, which we can recommend.

Philadelphia, PA - this is a review for the City Hall Tower Tour. I'm irresistibly attracted to…read moreobservation decks and old towers, so when I discovered that Philadelphia's City Hall doesn't just offer building tours but also a panoramic Tower Tour from atop its clock tower, I didn't question whether I really NEED to see the bird's eye view of yet another city. Located just a short walk from my hotel and something I can squeeze in before check-out, well that sealed it. The tour is very intimate, as each group maxes out at four people, owing to the tower's narrow dimensions, so you're basically on a private tour. There are plenty of time slots however, as the tour departs every 15 minutes, but booking in advance is highly recommended if not imperative (isn't everything these days!). It is only available Monday-Friday from 10am-2:45pm cos, government building. The experience was wonderful from top to bottom. The ladies in the visitor center were so nice and chatted with us as we waited for the tour to begin, and even gave my kiddo a pair of binoculars which he clutched onto with excitement and didn't put down for the rest of the day. Our guide Kim was genuinely warm, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. She took our photos, kept things interesting, and capped it all off with an awesome list of insidery tips about what to do and see - places I hadn't even known about. I've done several dozen observation towers around the world and they never get old. This one's a departure from the usual glossy skyscraper presentation with a slick immersive elevator ride (in fact the elevator ride's pretty rickety), but if you like history and high places, and the luxury of zero crowds, this is a cool hidden gem.

Came here for a tower tour and my guide was so helpful! The tour is pretty short and because the…read moreage and usage of the building is scattered, it's a little rough around the edges but the guides know their stuff and you can tell they enjoy their jobs. Beautiful views from the top!

It's a tiny state forest in comparison to other places in America, especially out west and in New…read moreEngland, but for NJ citizens it is a nice respite from the congested areas of the state. I've been here multiple times whether driving through on my way down the shore, or hiking the Batona Trail, or most recently, camping at the lone campground close to the park HQ. We had campsite #60 which is on the edge of the campground so it's a little more secluded. The best and most secluded spots in my opinion are 66, 59 and 58. The campground has indoor flush toilets and showers, as well as several hand pumped water wells throughout. Each campsite has a picnic table, a fire ring, and a hook to hang trash bags from. Brendan T Byrne State Forest is a small part of the Pinelands which is a U.S. Biosphere Reserve due to its biodiversity and was designated as the country's first National Reserve by Congress in 1978. The Pinelands is a beautiful area of New Jersey and well worth exploring, and this state forest is a great spot to do it, with its many trails, ponds, streams and dirt roads.

Update 2026- the single-lane bike trail was "paved" with the mini gravel, which chews up tires and…read moreis hard to ride on, unless you have a mountain bike I guess. However the regular car roadways are still a pleasant bike ride and few cars.

The total package! Valley Forge National Historic park offers the history, the scenery, its hands…read moreon and educational, the photo opps, and it's great for work outs with biking running/walking or hiking. Can't ask for more as you're able to spend a perfect day at this park. The welcome center is a great start as they offer a great orientation video in a large theater that runs often. Then you can tour the museum for little bit of more history to absorb in! Gift shop offers great souvenirs! The park is clean and easy to get around as you may go at your own pace in your own car touring the park stopping at attractions. The map is easy to use and follow. Or you can purchase an audio tour or rent bikes. Love the history and the information provided. Great attractions that makes you feel in the moment when visiting. Love George Washington's quarters and the barracks around the park along with the artillery park. Hands down one of the best major attractions that you must visit when in the area.

The Valley Forge National Historic Park is well worth a visit. I've been twice. The Visitor's…read moreCenter has great displays, and there is a compelling movie that sets the stage for the drive around the park. I purchased the driving tour and thought it enhanced our visit. So much history!

Spend an hour or 3 or 4 :) what a gem! Walking hiking…read morebirding is fantastic especially at dawn and dusk!

This place is awesome. So serene and peaceful. It is easy to get to and well marked with signage…read more It is also known as the Great Swamp Visitors Center. They have a huge parking lot and it was so easy to park there. They have a pavilion on with picnic tables, two small educational trails behind the pavilion (less than 1/2 a mile each) and a larger trail (White Oak Trail) directly across the street. The trails are nice and very calming. They have benches along the route where you can take a break. I really liked the White Oak Trail, but all of them are really good for walking, as a more scenic alternative to walking on a track. All of those trails are circular-ish, meaning you will end up where you started, so there is no need to turn around. They are also pretty well maintained, especially considering that we are in the middle of a pandemic. Word to the wise. Don't forget your bug spray. They are not too bad and I survived without it, but it is one less thing to worry about. During the pandemic the visitor center and the restrooms are closed but this place is still awesome.

Opens at 6 am. Clean and easy. It also has a place to ask questions about Easy Pass but that opens…read morea bit later.

Signs say you can only be here for 2 hours before your car gets towed. I believe that This is…read moreafter paying a toll. Also, there are no available restrooms here. I am sure rest areas are having their issues but is it really a true rest area if you can truly rest? Thankful it is open at all but it seems a bit much of an unnecessary restriction