Top 15 Day Trips around Philadelphia for Families

Families in the Philadelphia area have it good. Point the car in almost any direction and within a couple of hours you can reach a beach, a mountain trail, a working farm, a famous garden or a piece of American history. The hard part is picking just one.

This guide ranks 15 of the best day trips from Philly for families, sorted roughly by the kind of day you want and how far you are willing to drive. Every pick works for a range of ages, so the whole crew gets a good day out.

1.Lakeland Orchard & Cidery (about 2 hours)

Lakeland Orchard & Cidery in Scott Township near Scranton is our top pick for a full family day. Kids can pick their own fruit, ride the carousel and the Lakeland Express train and meet the animals in the Barnyard, while the grown-ups sample house-made hard cider. A rotating calendar of festivals runs across the seasons, with the Tulip Festival in spring, Blooms & Berries in August and the Apple Harvest Festival in fall. A one-day pass covers the rides and attractions, and a season pass also covers sister property Roba Family Farms. Grab a day pass and make a proper day of it.

2. Valley Forge National Historical Park (about 45 minutes)

Valley Forge is where the Continental Army camped through the hard winter of 1777 and 1778, and it is one of the best places near Philadelphia to walk straight into American Revolution history. Families can tour historic buildings, see the monuments and walk or bike the multi-use loop that runs about ten miles through the park. Entry is free. Plan a visit through the National Park Service.

3. Longwood Gardens (about 45 minutes)

Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, in the heart of Chester County, is one of the great public gardens in the country. Kids love the fountains and the giant conservatory, and the holiday season light display is a regional tradition worth planning around. Bring a stroller for the little ones, because there is a lot of ground to cover.

4. Sesame Place (about 45 minutes)

Sesame Place in Langhorne is a theme park built entirely around younger kids, with rides, a water park and daily parades featuring the Sesame Street characters. It is the rare day trip aimed squarely at toddlers and early grade-schoolers, so it suits families who find bigger parks too much. Go on a weekday in summer to skip the longest lines.

5. Brandywine Museum of Art (about 45 minutes)

Just up the road in Chadds Ford, the Brandywine Museum sits along the Delaware River watershed and holds a strong collection of American art, including work by the Wyeth family. It pairs neatly with Longwood for a full day in the Brandywine Valley, and the setting along the water is an easy walk for kids between galleries.

6. New Hope and Peddler's Village (about 1 hour)

New Hope is a riverside town on the Delaware River in Bucks County, known for its specialty shops, galleries and ice cream on a warm afternoon. A few minutes away, Peddler's Village in Lahaska is a walkable cluster of shops and restaurants that runs special events throughout the year, and it is a favorite during the holiday season.

7. West Chester (about 45 minutes)

The county seat of Chester County, West Chester is a lively small town with a walkable historic district, handsome historic architecture and plenty of dining options if you want a sit-down lunch. It makes an easy half-day on its own or a lunch stop on the way to Longwood or Brandywine.

8. Adventure Aquarium (about 15 minutes)

Right across the Delaware River in Camden, Adventure Aquarium is close enough to be a half-day. Sharks, hippos and penguins make it a reliable win with younger kids, and you can pair it with a walk along the Camden waterfront. Being 15 minutes out, it is the easiest pick on this list for a short outing.

9. Lancaster County (about 90 minutes)

Lancaster County is Pennsylvania Dutch country, with working farms, farm stands, markets and small towns spread across rolling farmland. It is a slower, scenic day that kids tend to enjoy more than their parents expect. Add a stop at one of the family attractions near Bird-in-Hand or Strasburg to round out the trip.

10. Hersheypark (about 90 minutes)

Hersheypark in Hershey is a full amusement park with roller coasters for older kids, gentler rides for the young ones and ZooAmerica next door. It is a longer drive and a full-day commitment, so plan an early start and build in time for the water rides in summer. This is the pick when the family wants a big day out.

11. The Jersey Shore (about 1 to 1.5 hours)

The classic Philly summer trip is a run to the Jersey Shore. Ocean City is the family favorite, with a clean beach and a boardwalk built for kids, while Atlantic City brings a bigger boardwalk and an amusement pier. Both make an easy day when the weather is right, so watch the forecast and leave early to beat the shore traffic.

12. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware (about 2 hours)

A little farther south, Rehoboth Beach pairs a wide, clean beach with a boardwalk and tax-free shopping. It is a longer drive, so treat it as a full day and leave early. The boardwalk food and the gentle surf make it a comfortable choice for families with younger kids.

13. The Pocono Mountains (about 90 minutes)

The Pocono Mountains trade the shore for lakes, hiking trails and family resorts, plus a cluster of waterparks. Many of those waterparks run indoors year round, which makes the Poconos a solid rainy-day backup when the weather rules out a beach or an orchard.

14. Philadelphia's Historic District (in the city)

Some of the best family outings do not require leaving the city at all. Philadelphia's historic district puts Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell within a few blocks of each other, a straight path into American history and the world of the founding fathers. Reading Terminal Market is a favorite lunch stop, and older kids love running the Rocky steps at the Art Museum in Center City.

15. New York City (about 2 hours)

For an ambitious outing, New York City sits about two hours out. Families can walk Central Park, visit a museum and take in the sights, and bus tours make the trip easy without a car. If you would rather stay closer, Baltimore is a similar drive and its Inner Harbor offers the National Aquarium and a walkable waterfront. Both are long days, so an early start helps.

Make Lakeland Orchard & Cidery Your Next Family Day Trip

Fifteen options is a lot of good Saturdays. Match the destination to the ages in your car and the weather on the calendar, and you have a plan the whole family can get behind.

If you want one stop that does it all, make it Lakeland Orchard & Cidery. Pick your own fruit, ride the rides, meet the animals and catch a festival while you are there. Grab a day pass and turn an ordinary Saturday into the kind of family day everyone remembers.