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Independence Hall

Independence National Historical Park and Visitor's Center, 6th and Market Streets, ☎ +1 215 965-7676, www.independencevisitorcenter.com. The visitor center is open daily 8:30AM-5PM. This national park, covering several blocks of Old City Philadelphia, includes some of the Philadelphia's most famous historic sites, including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin's house and grave, and the house in which the Declaration of Independence was written. The park also includes a modern interactive museum, the National Constitution Center. The Independence Visitor's Center, where you must buy tickets to see Independence Hall, offers a wealth of information on historical sites and other attractions in the area. Costumed interpreters at the Visitor's Center are a great source of entertainment for children. The National Park Service provides a helpful map of the historical sites in the park. Free.

• Independence Hall, Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th Streets, www.nps.gov/inde/independence-hall-1.htm. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa-Su 9AM-6PM. The centerpiece of the park and arguably its most important building. Originally known as the Pennsylvania State House, this is where the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, and where the U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787, among other momentous historical events. Visitors to the park are encouraged to take a tour of the interior of the building, which is furnished with period pieces. Timed tour tickets must be reserved in advance online or at the Visitor's Center in order to enter. Tickets reserved online have a $1.50 processing fee, but are free at the Visitor's Center. Admission is free.

The Liberty Bell

• Liberty Bell Center, Market Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, www.nps.gov/inde/liberty-bell-center.htm. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa-Su 9AM-6PM. The Liberty Bell once rang out public announcements from above the Pennsylvania state house (now Independence Hall). It became a public symbol of freedom when it toured the country after the Civil War to help mend political and social divisions. Returning to Philadelphia in 1915, it is now housed in the Liberty Bell Center where visitors can get an up close look at the 2000-pound bell and its mysterious crack. Admission is free.

• National Constitution Center, 525 Arch Street, www.constitutioncenter.org. M-F 9:30AM-5PM, Sa 9:30AM-6PM, Su Noon-5PM. This brand-spanking new museum, which opened its doors in 2003, bills itself as the most interactive history museum in America. A visit to the museum begins with a performance of "Freedom Rising," a multimedia presentation about the major themes and origin of the Constitution. Afterwards, visitors can experience the democratic process first hand and see exhibits like the 42 life-size bronze statues of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Fun for all ages. Upcoming special events and exhibits are posted on the Center's website. Tickets to the museum are $12 for adults, $11 for seniors, and $8 for children ages 4-12. Active military personnel and children under 4 enter free.

• Carpenter's Hall, 320 Chestnut Street, ☎ +1 215 925-0167, www.carpentershall.org. Tu-Su 10AM-4PM. The delegates from the first Continental Congress gathered in this building, built in 1770, and voted to declare independence from Great Britain. Afterwards, the Hall housed the first and second banks of the United States and was the site of the first bank robbery in America. Free.

The interior of Congress Hall

• Congress Hall, 6th and Chestnut Streets, www.ushistory.org/tour/tour_cong.htm. Daily 9AM-5PM. This smaller building to the right of Independence Hall is where the U.S. Congress met from 1790-1800 when Philadelphia served as the nation's capital. The Bill of Rights was ratified here, and it was the site of George Washington's second inauguration. A tour of the interior is a must, since much of the furniture and decoration is original. Free.

• Franklin Court, 316-322 Market Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets, www.ushistory.org/tour/tour_fcourt.htm. Printing office and underground museum open daily 10AM-5PM; B. Free Franklin Post Office open M-Sa 9AM-5PM. This area contains the remnants of Benjamin Franklin's house (torn down 20 years after his death), the first Post office (still in operation today), a Postal Service museum, an 18th century printing office, and a Franklin museum. U.S. Park Rangers conduct printing demonstrations and performances of Franklin's "Glass Armonica." Great for kids. Free.

• Declaration (Graff) House, www.nps.gov/inde/declaration-house.htm. W-Su 9:30AM-Noon. This is a reconstruction of the house built by Jacob Graff in 1775, where, a year after it was built, Thomas Jefferson rented two rooms and wrote the Declaration of Independence. Today, the first floor of the house contains exhibits and a short film about the Declaration, while the second floor where Jefferson lived has been recreated with period furniture. Free.

• Christ Church and Burial Ground, 20 N. American Street (corner of 2nd Street and Market Street), ☎ +1 215 922-1695, www.christchurchphila.org. Church visiting hours are M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM; cemetery is open M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su Noon-4PM from March-November. Christ Church, the first parish of the Anglican church in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1695 and is still active today; the existing building dates from 1744. Many of the founding fathers worshiped here, such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, as well as Francis Hopkinson and Robert Morris. Seven signers of the Declaration of Independence and five signers of the Constitution, including Benjamin Franklin, are buried in the cemetery, located at the corner of Arch Street and Independence Mall East. The earliest grave dates to 1721. Visiting the church is free, but a $3 donation is suggested; tours of the cemetery are $2 for adults, $1 for students.

• Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, 3rd and Pine Streets, www.nps.gov/thko. W-Su Noon-4PM. The house of this little-known freedom fighter and military engineer who designed fortifications for the colonists during the Revolutionary War is now open to the public. Visitors can watch a video of Kosciuszko's career in Poland and the United States, see his bedroom, and view exhibits commemorating his accomplishments. Audio materials are presented in English or Polish. Free.

Some historic sites in Philadelphia are associated with the Independence National Historic Park but are not located within its boundaries or the boundaries of Old City. These include the Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church in South Philly, the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial at the Franklin Institute in Center City West. and the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site in North Philly.

The Betsy Ross House

• Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street, ☎ +1 215 686-1252, www.betsyrosshouse.org. Daily 10AM-5PM April through October; closed Mondays October through March. This house, more than 250 years old, was the home of Betsy Ross. In 1777, Ross sewed by hand the first American flag, with its distinctive circle of thirteen stars. Visitors may tour the house independently, or purchase an audio guide for $5, and afterwards "meet" Betsy Ross and other colonial craftsmen in the courtyard of the house. A fun, low-key activity for children. $3 suggested admission for adults; $2 children.

• Elfreth’s Alley, off 2nd Street, between Arch and Race streets, ☎ +1 215 574-0560, www.elfrethsalley.org. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su Noon-5PM; closed Monday. Elfreth's Alley is the oldest continually inhabited street in the entire United States. The earliest dated house was built in 1702. The Alley comes alive in the summer, when historical reenactments take place regularly. Each house is privately owned, and visitors are not usually allowed to take a tour of the interior; however, the museum at numbers 126 and 124 is accessible to the public and offers a look at the lives of the houses' earliest inhabitants. Free; admission to the museum $5.

• Fireman's Hall Museum, 147 N. 2nd Street, ☎ +1 215 923-1438, www.firemanshall.org. Tu-Sa 10AM-4:30PM, First Fridays 10AM-9PM. The restored firehouse was built in 1902 and today is a museum of firefighting owned by the city of Philadelphia. The museum exhibits include firefighting equipment, photographs, uniforms and fire marks from the 18th century to the present. Free.

• United States Mint, 151 North Independence Mall East, www.usmint.gov/mint_tours/index.cfm?flash=no&action=philadelphia. M-F 9AM-3PM M-F; summer hours M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM. Taking a self-guided tour of the first and largest US Mint in America is an interesting but often overlooked activity. The tour allows visitors to see how new money is made, and exhibits describe the history and coinage of the Mint. A gift shop sells commemorative and new coins. Please note that visitors will be asked to show government-issued ID before entering. Free.

The Real World House

• National Museum of American Jewish History, 55 North 5th St, ☎ +1 215 923-3811, www.nmajh.org. A museum devoted to the history of Jewish Americans. It has artifacts and films and much more that explores the Jewish culture through America.

• The 'Real World' House, 3rd and Arch Streets. Fans of MTV's "The Real World" will recognize this former bank building, turned living space for the seven cast members of the show's 2005 season. Philly locals were not particularly welcoming, and one episode featured a cast member being assaulted at a nearby bar. Now the building, which stands next to the Betsy Ross House, is a gallery for the Art Institute of Philadelphia.

When it was built, I-95 effectively and disastrously cut off the Delaware river waterfront from the rest of the city. However, the walkways connecting Old City with Penn's Landing make it easy to get to the museums and sights on the water on foot. If you do make it over to Penn's Landing, here are some things to check out:

USS Olympia, still afloat after 110 years

• Independence Seaport Museum, Penn's Landing at the end of the Walnut St. walkway, ☎ +1 215 413-8655, www.phillyseaport.org. Daily 10AM-5PM. This museum has lots of interesting displays regarding the maritime history of Philadelphia, from colonial times through the days of slave-trading to the Industrial Revolution. Admission to the museum, which has some lively, but rather sparse exhibits, includes tours of the USS Olympia, built in 1892 and the oldest steel warship still afloat, and the submarine Becuna, used in the Pacific Ocean during WWII. Other highlights include a mockup of a navigation room and a place where you can view woodworkers handcrafting rowboats. Children will find touring the ships great fun, and adults may find the museum exhibits and the views of the Delaware River and the Ben Franklin Bridge interesting and relaxing. $12 adults, $10 seniors, $7 children/students/military; Pay-what-you-wish admission on Sundays 10AM-Noon.