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Philadelphia is a destination that often gets underestimated by travelers. Although we know that it’s affiliated with a number of important moments in the history of America, most of us don’t realize the sheer number of monuments and landmarks there are to see in this city. More importantly, most of us don’t realize that the growth of modern Philadelphia has led to the creation of numerous other attractions and activities that shouldn’t be missed by the traveler. This is something to take into consideration when planning a trip to Philadelphia with a group. In fact, you may want to plan on booking an organized tour through Philadelphia so that you can see all that there is to see without going crazy trying to make your plans.
Types of Group Tours in Philadelphia
Whether you plan to book your tour of Philadelphia through an agency or you just want to create a solid itinerary for your group, you should probably plan to focus on specific ways of seeing the city. Here are some of the most popular types of group tours in Philadelphia:
• Art and architecture tours. Philadelphia is an interesting city because it has a lot of historic architecture but also has terrific modern art. It’s known as the city with the most murals so people of all ages can appreciate a tour of the art here. These tours may combine trips to the city’s best art museums with treks through neighborhoods of historic homes.
• Bicycle tours. Philadelphia is a city that offers great weather during many months of the year. If you’re visiting and it’s nice out, get out of your car and take a bicycle tour of the city. Your group will be able to see anything it wants and will also get an up-close-and-personal look at Philadelphia’s streets and neighborhoods.
• Cultural and religious tours. There are a lot of important landmarks in Philadelphia that are based on religious or ethnic history. If you’ve got this kind of group then you may be interested in this type of tour. They combine cultural museums, historic landmarks and neighborhood tours into one niche tour.
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• Film tours. You’d be surprised to learn how much of Philadelphia you have probably seen in the movies. If you do your research, you can set up a group tour that sees some of Philadelphia’s best landmarks as well as some of its hidden gems by designing your itinerary around spots in the city that can be spotted in films. Some of the movies to look at are obvious (Philadelphia and Witness, for example) and others are less so (12 Monkeys, Sixth Sense and In Her Shoes).
• Free tours. Believe it or not, there are actually a lot of different free things that you can do in Philadelphia. If you get organized about your planning then your group can go see a bunch of things for free throughout the city. You’ll experience a hodge-podge of events and attractions which is ideal for a group that has lots of different interests.
• Historic landmarks in Philadelphia. The most popular type of tour in Philadelphia is the historic landmark tour which will provide your group with a look at America’s past. Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the Edgar Allan Poe Historical Site are just a few of the places you’d stop on a trip like this. Make sure to include the city’s many history museums if you’re planning the itinerary yourself.
• Neighborhood tours. There are many different unique and interesting neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Some groups find that the best way to see the city is to visit the best spots in each of their favorite neighborhoods.
• Sports tours. Baseball, football, basketball and hockey are all popular sports in Philadelphia. If you’re with a group that loves professional sports then you might find that your tour can be comfortably centered on the arenas where these sports are played. Sports-themed restaurants and local sports stores can be added to the list to create a truly sporty Philadelphia vacation.
• Wine and food tours. There are several wineries in the Philadelphia area which can be the focus of a tour if your group is a wine-drinking group. Orrtanna, Chalfront and Cherry Hills are all wine towns located near Philly. Combine this with a tour of the city’s most well-known restaurants and you’ve got a gastronomical tour to write home about.
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Booking Group Tours to Philadelphia
Those people who don’t want to have to organize their Philadelphia group tour on their own can select from a variety of different tour providers including the following:
• Big Bus Tours. If you’re part of a group that likes to really do the tourist thing then you’ll want to book a tour of the city on a double-decker sightseeing bus. This is the best way to see all of the famous tourist destinations in one fell swoop.
• Feeladelphia. This group provides tours around the city that are designed to show you what it was like in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. They do both day and night tours and can make special accommodations for persons in the group with disabilities or who have difficulty walking.
• Great Adventure Tours. This group is known for bringing history to life with tours that hit all of the most important landmarks in different destinations. Their historic tour of Philadelphia covers spots like the Liberty Bell, the Barnes Foundation and the first zoo in the United States.
• Philadelphia Bike Tour. People who want to tour the city on either a bicycle or a moped will find that they can do so at this place. You can also just rent your own bike or moped and take off with your group.
• Philadelphia USA. This tour group offers a range of different types of tours for different people. They cover many of the aforementioned tour types (including sports tours and film tours) but they also offer niche tours like tours for Red Hat Ladies members.
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• Ride the Ducks. This is one of those tour groups that you find anywhere where there’s a lot of water; it combines both land and sea into one trip. You’ll travel on a vehicle that can trek through the city streets and then get into the water and give you the local seaside tour.
• The Constitutional Walking Tours of Historic Philadelphia. This is a walking tour through the historic landmarks and neighborhoods in the city. They offer self-guided journeys but many people prefer the guided tours which allow you to interact with a knowledgeable tour guide to really gain information about the impact of certain historic events on the area and on America as a whole.
Tips for Enjoying Philadelphia Group Tours
The key to enjoying a group tour to Philadelphia is to make sure that you take care of all of the details in advance. Determine whether you’re going to be designing the group tour or taking one offered by a tour company. Figure out what type of tour you want to take so that you can narrow down the sights that you are going to see. Factor in time for relaxation, dining and spontaneous entertainment. With the details figured out in advance, your group can see all that it wants to see in Philadelphia without the headache that can accompany group travel.
Want to get away for a weekend with your girlfriends, but don’t know where to start? Consider these options:
If everyone lives nearby, look for trips that are a short flight, or an easy drive, away. No one wants to spend one day of their getaway weekend getting there. There are a number of online travel sites to turn to for inspiration. You don’t have to buy one of the packages offered, unless you want to. This is is just a way to get ideas.
Hawaii used to be a romantic destination for couples. This beautiful island that we’re lucky to call a part of the United States is still a terrific place for honeymooners and others who want to enjoy a sensual time-for-two. However, Hawaii has also become a favorite destination of families, business travelers and others who aren’t looking for a romantic good time. That means that it’s harder than it used to be to find the romance in this romantic destination. From the accommodations to the attractions, here are the locations in Hawaii that will help you find all of the romance that this hot spot has hidden within: Romantic Hotels in Hawaii: You can’t find romance if you’re staying in a hotel that’s designed for the people who are doing business in the state. And you can’t find it if you’re staying in accommodations that are filled with families seeking to stay somewhere on a budget. To immerse yourself in the magic of Hawaii, you have to start by staying in hotel or spa designed for the honeymooner (even if you’re just there for a wild affair).
Romantic Landmarks and Attractions in Hawaii: There are many famous attractions in Hawaii. You’ll want to see only a few of them since they’re not all conducive to romance. Skip the ones that aren’t about love; you can always come back later with your family and experience them.
Romantic Hawaiian Spots that Aren’t So Well-Known: To truly find Hawaii’s magic, you have to not only explore the famous romantic landmarks in the state but also to find the hidden gems that others aren’t aware of. That’s where the real magic is.
Romantic Restaurants in Hawaii: Your accommodations will set the stage for romance and the landmarks will help seal the deal but if you stop and grab a burger you’re letting the magic slip away. Continue the romance with every meal by indulging in some of the most romantic meals in Hawaii.
Romantic Views of Hawaii: There’s no doubt about it – Hawaii is beautiful. That’s a big part of why this state is such a draw for people seeking romance. But you’re not going to see all of the beauty if you’re just standing on the ground. Here are the places in Hawaii where you can see the city in a way that shows off its sweeter side:
There is plenty of romance filling Hawaii. You just have to know how to find it amidst the other tourist attractions that can be found in the state. Make sure that you plan for a romantic rendezvous from the hotel to the nighttime views of the state and you won’t be disappointed by the Hawaiian experience of love.
I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite parts of travel is the food. But satisfying your whole group isn’t the easiest task, since everyone seems to have different tastes and palates. One way to alleviate your stress and make everyone happy is to frequent a place with fantastic food and an even better view.Sunset Magazine has come up with a list of the 10 best mountaintop restaurants, sure to please anyone and everyone for both the food and the views.
If you’re group is headed to Europe, you’ll want to see the standard sights, but your vacation will be even more memorable if you seek out a couple of these offbeat destinations.
One of the biggest headaches of group travel is luggage. The most common problem faced by groups with too much luggage are delays, from the long wait at the baggage claim to lost luggage, one person’s luggage problem can put the whole trip on hold. That’s why you should establish the one-bag rule.
Inevitably, of course, you will have people who insist that they can’t fit everything into one bag. Carefully consider what their concerns are before booting them from the group. For example, someone who needs to bring a laptop to get work done during the trip or someone who needs to bring an extra bag for a newborn should be accommodated. Other than the obvious exceptions, the group should commit to this rule. It’ll make everyone’s trip go more smoothly.
There are also other benefits to the “one bag” rule that you should let your group know. These include not only physical transportation benefits but also emotional benefits, like the fact that you’ll gain some spiritual insight about your attachment to material things when you don’t have them around. Check out Brave New Traveler for a full list.
There are many different ways for a book group to plan a trip together, but one of the most overlooked ones is to head to a famous bookstore. From California up to Washington, the West Coast is dotted with bookstores that are destinations of their own for readers of all kinds. Here are the three that should catch your attention:
Costa Rica offers naturalists a dream vacation, with both lush rainforests and pristine beaches. There is truly a Costa Rican vacation designed for every tourist and finding the right combination just takes a little research and the right travel company.
If you’re willing to roll the dice, how about taking a gambling tour? Almost every larger city has a group that makes regular treks to the local casino and signing up for the next trip is as easy as contacting the casino to find out which tour group they recommend.
The benefits of traveling with a group are many. The first, and most obvious is you don’t have to worry about getting there and getting home, simply show up at the appointed times and you’re ferried around. Another benefit is meeting new and interesting people; you may forge friendships that last a lifetime. And then there’s the money aspect: Casinos offer great discounts to groups and these are distributed to each traveler, usually in the form of free tokens to be used while gaming, but you’ll also often find that you get discounts on meals and gift shop purchases.
Gamblers with deeper pockets may wish to contact their local travel agent to see about a group tour to Las Vegas or Atlantic City. These group tours feature some discounted rates on both travel and hotels and many provide discounts to gamblers to get them at the tables and keep them there for a long time.
Much like honeymoons conjure up images of lazy days in the tropics, bachelor and bachelorette parties bring to mind raucous nights of debauchery. And if you want to stage a party that will be one for the record books, then you’d better plan on taking your crew to Sin City.
For a one-of-a-kind experience for your group, try taking your next vacation at one of the country’s most luxurious hotels. Elegant decor, first class amenities and incredible locations await you these top destinations:
If you’re the person in charge of planning a group vacation, get there before the rest of the party so you can fix any last-minute glitches.
A group vacation can be a terrificexperience … but it can also be exhausting. The whole process of figuring out where you’re going to go, what you’re going to do and how you’re going to get there can infuse stress into a situation that is supposed to be fun. It’s enough to make you come home feeling like you need another vacation.
Well, what if you took one?
If you’re a group traveler you should know about Groople. The website combines social networking with group trip planning to make planning your group travel more efficient. And people in the industry are starting to notice: The site won the 2007 award for the World’s Leading Group Travel Booking Site.
Groople continues to incorporate new technology. Its most recent development is a webpage-making wizard called GroopVine. The wizard makes it simple for you to set up a website to plan and organize your group travel.
It’s become common for kids’ sports teams to travel outside their own city, state and sometimes even country to take their championship title to the next level. If your child is on one of these teams, then careful consideration should be given to travel arrangements.
Cruises offer a special opportunity for groups of any size–from 10 to 200 or more. The sheer size of today’s mega-liners allows all members of a group to find an activity that appeals to them, or they can just relax by the pool and do nothing at all. Group cruises can also be big cost-savers. Consider the following advantages of booking a group cruise.
More and more people are using social networking sites to stay in touch with old friends as well as to meet new people and make business contacts. Another way to utilize such sites is group travel.
Private travel groups, such as families or church groups, can create their own online community to share information, photos, itineraries and other trip details with one another. Solo travelers can join travel groups online to meet other people who are interested in going to the same destinations that they are.
If you’re a member of MySpace or Facebook, you can make that the place where you connect with your travel group. Or you can sign up with one of the social networking sites specific to travelers such as TripUp. You also can start your own group on any platform from Google Groups to Ning to connect with the people that are in your existing group of travelers.
It can be difficult to decide where to travel with your group. Although there are many terrific options for group travel, there are only a few places that are consistently good for all different types of groups. Here are three of those hot spots for your group to consider:
Spa days are becoming increasingly popular and groups can get great discounts on a day at the spa. But before you go, consider the following.
If a vacation with a group of friends sounds like the perfect winter getaway, then maximize your fun and minimize the hassle by taking note of the following tips.
A big step up from Girls’ Night Out, the Girlfriend Getaway is your chance to leave all your responsibilities at home and enjoy some time away with your best friends. From whole foods and yoga to indulging at a beachfront spa, a getaway weekend with your girls could be just what you need.
You’ve got a travel group that is interested in going to a diverse range of places. Instead of arguing month after month about where it is that you want to go next, consider creating a calendar at the beginning of the year that covers the rest of the year’s destinations.
Does the idea of standing in line at the mall waiting for your kids to sit on Santa’s lap sound unappealing? Dress up the annual trip to see Santa by making it a vacation. Gather together all of the kids in the extended family or invite several family friends to join you for a unique winter holiday vacation. You’ll get to relax and enjoy a group trip while the kids still get the chance to let Santa know what they’re hoping to see under the tree this year.
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