Holiday Staycation in Philadelphia

Now that the December holidays are approaching [holiday decor everywhere is a great reminder] I was thinking about what to do with my family this year, and then I began thinking of what we did last year. We visited Philadelphia, a not-so-bad two hour drive from home, and had some nice, quiet downtime enjoying the holiday atmosphere in the city. Because December is the priciest time to do any kind of vacationing, planning a nice, affordable staycation is a great way to unwind and get some quality time with the family.

Where we stayed 

Hilton Home2 Suites 

I chose this hotel because of its proximity to the city attractions, but also because on a time like the holidays, I paid less than $150/nightly for a double queen suite. There is additional fees for parking, but the price of the room and free hot breakfast made up for it. It’s a great place to stay with the family, very comfortable and great location.

Some of the activities we enjoyed…

Reading Terminal Market 

The Reading Terminal Market was right across the street from our hotel, which was very convenient. It’s basically a maze of a market filled with local treats, eateries, meat, coffee shops and a charming miniature train exhibit at the very back.

Macy’s Center City 

This Macy’s is located in the heart of the city, and beautifully decorated for the holidays. There’s a beautiful light show played routinely throughout the day, a must-see. And on the third floor, they recreate Dicken’s Village with lots of figurines. Macy’s is closed on Christmas Day.

Franklin Square

This charming park was a great night for us, because it had a carousel for my daughter to ride, a musical light show and a cozy tent coffee shop serving up fresh donuts and hot cocoa. The tent also offered a gingerbread house decorating kit activity for young ones.

Dilworth Park /Rothman Rink

On Christmas day, not a lot of businesses were open, so we decided to visit Dilworth Park before heading to a relative’s house for the evening. They had a skating rink open for families, but we didn’t use it because our daughters were too young. We walked around the garden, which was so ethereal and enchanting.

Kabul Afghan Cuisine 

We had dinner at an Afghani restaurant called Kabul. It was a busy night, all the tables were full and we were sort of a large party, so we were seated at the far back where they have sectioned off an area where you can sit on the floor. Yes, we had a nice, traditional experience, but after the long wait for service, our knees and back were aching! Nonetheless, the food was delicious!

We had a wonderful time in Philadelphia, and now looking back at everything, I would love to go again for the holidays.

What’s your favorite staycation or holiday trip? Comment below 🙂