Day Trips From Philadelphia
4 Weekend Trips To Take From Philadelphia In 2021
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is located close to many major cities and states on the East Coast and we took advantage of that often when we were living there. We’ve laid out some suggestions on where to go for a weekend getaway from the city and what to do when you’re there.
Even though Philadelphia has a lot of parks and squares that are nice to take a break in, sometimes you just need to get out of a city and take a day or two to get a change of scenery and maybe even discover somewhere new. I recommend going to these places multiple times in the year, so that you can experience the changing seasons in each of these towns.
And the best part? All of the cities on this list can be reached in under 3hrs from Philadelphia!
Philly Facts:
Known as the city of “brotherly love”
Sixth most populated city in the U.S.
The famous steps from the ‘Rocky’ movie are located at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were signed at Independence Hall
Table of Contents:
Best destination for beach lovers
Best destination for more excitement
Best destination for when you want to be in nature
Best destination for history and change of pace
1. New Jersey
Did you know that you can get to the beach from Philadelphia in less than 2hrs?
It took us usually 1.5hrs to get to the Atlantic Ocean from the city and for someone who grew up by the beach, this was an important detail for me whilst living there.
There’s so many different places to visit along the coast of New Jersey, our favourite day trip there was visiting Long Beach Island on a warm day in March. We checked out Barnegat Lighthouse and then drove south on the island road to Surf City and then to Beach Haven which is where we spent most of the time just looking out at the ocean!
It was so nice and sunny and we basically had the beaches to ourselves, but if you want things to be a bit more lively, then definitely visit in the summer when the businesses on the island are open (many were closed in the Springtime).
Other suggestions for beach towns in New Jersey:
Atlantic City
Asbury Park
Cape May
Ventnor City
2. New York City
Of course, the Big Apple had to be on this list! Located only 2hrs away New York, NY is a must-visit especially if you’re living or staying so close to it in Philadelphia. New York City may not be for everyone, but I think there’s so much to see and do that most people could find an area of interest to visit. From fashion and broadway to science and history and so much in between, I suggest doing some research before you go so that you know the spots you want to check out the most (places are further away than they seem in this big city).
Another tip for how to take a day-trip here would be to park in Jersey City and take a boat across the Hudson River to have amazing views and also avoid parking and traffic in the city. We’ve done this a number of times and I highly recommend it if you’re going to be driving. You can also use a bus service like MegaBus that can take you right into the heart of NYC.
3. Delaware Water Gap
Next is somewhere still in Pennsylvania that is a great option if you want to go hiking nearby! This usually takes less than 2hrs to get to and has plenty of hiking and running trails to choose from. We did about a 5mile hike on the Appalachian Trail to get up to a nice viewpoint of the water.
Make sure you bring water and check the weather before going. Also prepare for crowded parking on the weekends, especially in the spring and summer.
There’s also so many waterfalls to see in this area!
Waterfalls in the Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area:
Buttermilk Falls
Hackers Falls
Slateford Creek Falls
Adams Creek
Pennel Falls
4. Washington, D.C.
Last on the list, but definitely not least is the U.S. capital which is located less than 3hrs away from Philadelphia! I love this option especially for a weekend trip, because this city has so much to offer. You can visit a ton of times and still have more to see (just like New York).
Despite being a city known for politics, diplomacy, history and law, it has a very creative vibe and big art scene in the area as well.
I recommend trying to check out the different sections of D.C. whilst you’re there, I found it really cool to see the iconic spots but also to see the suburban parts and the vibrant downtown areas.
I think this is one of those destinations that would be cool to see in every season of the year!
Thanks for reading, make sure you pin this to your 2021 Travel Board!
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