#78: Independence National Historical Park (Page 702, 2nd Ed pg 861)

Update: June 16, 2011. It has been 3 1/2 years since I last visited Philadelphia and about 3 1/2 decades since my parents had, so we decided to head to Phili for a day trip during their visit out here last week and there were a few things I learned. First of all, I would definitely visit Congress Hall. This was a building Dave and I saw from the outside during our 2007 visit, but never bothered to go inside for the tour. It's about a 20-30 minute free tour that doesn't require tickets. It was very interesting and I found it very cool to be sitting in the building where the original Congress and Senate for the United States met for the first 10 years of our country's existance.
Something else we only saw from the outside during our 2007 visit was the Betsy Ross Home. This time, we paid the $4 admission (for adults; only $3 for Seniors age 55 and over) and did the self-guided tour. Worth the $4, in my opinion, especially if Betsy Ross happens to be home making one of her flags!
And another thing we missed the first time around was the Philisophical Society, housed right next to Independence Hall. There is a requested $1 donation. At first, it seemed a little boring when I walked in, but then this document was pointed out to me. The document in and of itself is not important. It is just a letter describing an intended journey of a researcher, which never actually occurred. However, several prominent men signed this document along with the amount of money they pledged to help fund the trip. Four of those men were George Washington, Jon Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. It is the only document in the world that exists with the signatures of the first four Presidents of the United States. And the original document is in the Philisophical Society Building. Pretty cool.

Another Tip: In 2007, we just walked right into the Visitors Center, got our free ticket for Independence Hall and went on our way. I checked out a current Fodor's Guide from the library right before this trip. It haphazardly mentioned that the free Independence Hall tickets were available at the Visitors Center as well as by calling a toll free number or going online. They did not suggest getting the tickets in advance or make any mention of tickets "selling out." So, I didn't worry about it. Big mistake. We got to Phili by 11:30 and all the tickets had already been distributed for the day. The woman told me they were all distributed by 10:30 that day and that is fairly common. So....... my advice to you is this: Get your tickets in advance! They can be reserved up to a year in advance.

October 2007: Dave, Lacey and I traveled to Philadelphia and saw all the sights. Here I am with Lacey in the Bjorn in front of Independence Hall, the place where the Declaration of Independence was voted on and signed on July 4, 1776. This is also the place where the Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1778. You do need to get tickets to tour this building, but tickets are free of charge.
The Betsy Ross House

Benjaman Franklin's burial site

George Washington Monument

Verdict: If you're American, this is an absolute must. Just to be in the same places where all these great men, our founding fathers, lived, conversed and laid the foundation for this great nation is an amazing experience.