Philadelphia Ben Franklin Tour: A Customized School Trip

This engaging 3-day Philadelphia Ben Franklin tour was designed by our tour planning team for a school group of 6th-8th grade students from Ohio. The school group studied  Ben Franklin specifically in class and wanted to extend their learning beyond the classroom. By tangibly experiencing the life of Ben Franklin, these students have returned with  positive memories of their class and a more refined understanding of one of our founding fathers.

Philadelphia Ben Franklin Tour: Day 1

Travel from Ohio to Philadelphia, PA. It is time to start your Philadelphia Ben Franklin Tour!

Enjoy dinner upon arrival in Philadelphia.

Then, retrace the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin and his fellow patriots in an evening Franklin’s Footsteps Colonial walking tour. Start at Independence Hall . Then, visit Carpenters’ Hall , where the first Continental Congress met and voted to support a trade embargo against England.

See Christ Church, where Ben Franklin, George Washington,  and John Adams worshipped  and the Christ Church Burial Ground, the final resting place of Ben Franklin and four other signers of the Declaration of Independence. Also, visit the Betsy Ross House where the first American flag is believed to have been made. In addition, you’ll learn about the National Constitution Center,a hands-on museum, national town hall, and civic education headquarters.

After, check into your hotel accommodations for the evening.

Philadelphia Ben Franklin Tour:  Day 2

Start with a nourishing breakfast before departing for touring.

Begin the day at the Franklin Institute Science Museum. Don’t miss the electricity exhibit! Browse through an electronic copy of Ben Franklin’s book Experiments and Observations on Electricity.  See authentic artifacts, such as Franklin’s lightning rod, his Electricity Tube, and a Franklin Electrostatic Generator;. Then,  generate enough power to light the room by dancing on the Sustainable Dance Floor!

After working up an appetite on the dance floor, enjoy lunch at a restaurant of your choice.

Then, make a visit to the Germantown White House. President George Washington resided here on two different occasions. The first was to escape the 1793 Yellow Fever epidemic in Philadelphia. Later, Washington moved his family to the home as a precursor the “White House”.

After, go to  the Liberty Bell Center.  After being cast in the Whitechapel Foundry in the East End of London, the bell now known as the Liberty Bell was sent to the Pennsylvania State House (now called Independence Hall), in 1753. It is 12 feet in circumference! Unfortunately, the 44-pound clapper cracked the bell on its first use. Take a photo of this iconic object.

Next, go to  Franklin Court to see the site where Benjamin Franklin’s home once stood.  Be sure to visit Franklin’s Print Shop, a hand-operated 18th-century printing press, and watch rangers give demonstrations of the labor-intensive process of turning out a daily newspaper. Remember that Ben Franklin made a name for himself as a printer before his kite-flying adventures! Ben Franklin took over publication of The Pennsylvania Gazette, which soon became the most successful newspaper in the colonies.

Then, fast forward to modern day and eat like a rock star at Hard Rock Café.

Switch musical styles, it’s time to experience a performance of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Did you know that Ben Franklin played the guitar, violin, harp, and cello?  It is said that he studied music as a Science and practiced it as an Art.  He even built his own glass armonica,  a simple musical instrument  played by touching the edge of the spinning glass with dampened fingers.

After the show, return to your hotel for the evening.

Philadelphia Ben Franklin Tour:  Day 3

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Then, depart for the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site. In this home, Edgar Allan Poe penned several famous works including, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Black Cat, and The Gold Bug.

Explore the many amazing animals and exhibits of  Adventure Aquarium. See hippos, loggerhead turtles, African penguins, hammerhead sharks, and many more. Don’t miss the Jules Verne Gallery, where you will find some of the strangest creatures on the planet!

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