A family trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I promised myself when I moved to the East Coast more than a decade ago, that I'd take full advantage of being in such close proximity to so many fantastic cities. One of my favorites is Philadelphia. We saw enough of it - but not so much so - to know that we want to go back again soon.

City Hall 

City Hall is the largest municipal building in the US – it’s even bigger than the nation's Capitol building. Originally it was intended to be the tallest building in the world, but eventually the Washington Monument and Eiffel Tower surpassed it. Interesting, huh? It's a beautiful building.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

If you’ve seen Rocky, you might recognize these steps from a big scene in the movie. At the time we were visiting, there was a special Frida Kahlo exhibit at the museum. That was the reason we went to Philly in the first place. Frida's my favorite artist. This museum is definitely worth visiting!

LOVE Park

Also called JFK Plaza, this was a nice park to walk through. The fountain is dyed different colors throughout the year, to celebrate certain events. Pink in October for Breast Cancer awareness, for instance, but I’m not sure what the purple symbolized.

How to buy a Philly cheesesteak

I couldn’t leave the city without having a genuine Philly cheesesteak! It was hard to decide on a place, but we went with Pat’s King of Steaks in South Philly, since it’s said that they are the creators of the Philly Cheesesteak.

Boy, was I surprised when I learned that there is a certain protocol for ordering! The guys behind the counter would actually send customers to the back of the line if they hesitated.

I took a moment to read the rules board, so I wouldn't look like a fool. I was going to order two sandwiches: it took me a minute or so to figure out that I wanted “one whiz wit” and “one provo wit.” One with Cheese Whiz and fried onions, the other with provolone and fried onions. So, so good.

Other Philadelphia attractions I'd like to visit one day: 

• Independence Hall - where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed
• Liberty Bell - a symbol of American freedom (plus it's free to get in!) 
• Philadelphia Zoo - America's oldest zoo
• Please Touch Museum - a fun, hands-on children's museum
• The Franklin Institute - a science museum

Mariana Perez blogs about life as a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful little girls over at Riding With No Hands. Follow her daily adventures on Twitter @ohMariana.