The best trip within about five hours of Philadelphia for each of the next 6 weekends, chosen for kids under 6. Every event links to the official page we checked it on. After the weekends there are 3 day trips that work any weekend.
6 weekends
2 cities
Closest: 2hLast checked against official pages. How we choose
Each ring is one hour of driving from Philadelphia. Under two hours is an easy day trip; past three, pack the pajamas.
Orange dots are picks on this page. Drive times are normal driving times without traffic.
We don't post event listings for these places, so check the official page for hours and what's on. The numbers match the map.
Billed as America's Favorite Family Vacation, with a boardwalk along the beach.
A county zoo with free admission and free parking, open every day except Christmas.
Trails and bridges link a series of eight waterfalls in the Pocono Mountains, known as the Niagara of Pennsylvania.
Over 200,000 acres of waterfalls and wooded hollows shelter deer and black bears, just 75 miles from Washington, DC.
Luray Caverns are the largest caverns in the eastern United States.
Beluga whales are the stars here, and the aquarium also keeps African penguins and California sea lions.
We couldn't verify a dated event within a few hours of Philadelphia that's worth the trip this weekend. The day trips below work any weekend, and this week in Philadelphia has the local list.
We couldn't verify a dated event within a few hours of Philadelphia that's worth the trip this weekend. The day trips below work any weekend, and this week in Philadelphia has the local list.
2h
about 2 hr from Philadelphia
The Holiday Train Show opens Saturday at the New York Botanical Garden, with model trains running past New York landmarks built from bark, leaves and other plant parts.
Leave after lunch, nap in the car, stay until dark.
Opens 11/14; runs through 01/10. Model trains run past New York landmarks built from bark, leaves and other plant parts. Evening hours run 5–8pm on Nov 27–29 and select December dates.
Sat Nov 14 · Garden hours; evening hours on select nightsNew York Botanical Garden
Timed tickets; see the event page
0 min
Philadelphia is our pick for the whole region this weekend. Christmas Village is free at LOVE Park and City Hall, and Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo runs 5 to 9pm with Santa's Workshop inside.
Opens 11/20; runs through 12/23.
Fri Nov 20 · 5–9pmElmwood Park ZooWith Wild Lights admission (adults $27.95 online, kids 3–12 $24.95 online)Opens 11/20; runs through 12/30. Closed Nov 26 and Dec 24–25. Cookie decorating is $10 on select dates.
Fri Nov 20 · 5–9pm; last entry 8:30pmElmwood Park ZooAdults $27.95 online, kids 3–12 $24.95 online, 0–2 free; $18.95 after 7:30pmOpens 11/20; runs through 01/10.
Fri Nov 20 · Daily 10am–11pmLongwood GardensAdults $45–$52, youth 5–15 $25–$32 by date; 4 and under freeOpens 11/21; runs through 12/27. Open 9am–5pm on Thanksgiving and noon–5pm on Christmas Eve. Kids under 12 ride SEPTA free.
Sat Nov 21 · Sun–Thu noon–8pm, Fri–Sat noon–9pmLOVE Park and City HallNo admissionGlow Hartford opens Friday inside the Connecticut Convention Center, an indoor light festival with a trackless train, and kids 3 and under get in free.
0 min
Philadelphia is our pick for the whole region this weekend. Jingle and Mingle with Santa in Franklin Square on Friday, 5 to 7pm, and Christmas Village at LOVE Park is open all weekend.
Opens 11/27; runs through 12/19. Santa photos on select evenings during Holidays in Franklin Square.
Fri Nov 27 · 5–7pmFranklin SquareSee the event page0 min
Philadelphia is our pick for the whole region this weekend. A Longwood Christmas is open daily 10 a.m.–11 p.m., and kids 4 and under are free.
Opens 11/20; runs through 01/10.
Fri Dec 4, Sat Dec 5, Sun Dec 6 · Daily 10am–11pmLongwood GardensAdults $45–$52, youth 5–15 $25–$32 by date; 4 and under freePlaces outside the city that are worth the drive on any weekend. Hours and prices are what the official pages showed when we checked.
A 45-minute steam train ride through Lancaster County farm country, about nine miles round trip with a narrator along the way.
about 1 hr 30 min from Philadelphia · Ronks
Departure days and times on the train schedule pageKids 2–11 $26.62, adults $32.40Hands-on crayon and color attractions on Centre Square in downtown Easton. Plan on three to four hours. The elevator is out through November 8, so it's stairs only until then.
about 1 hr 30 min from Philadelphia · EastonFall hours Mon–Fri 10am–4pm, Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 10am–5pm$30.99 plus tax at the door, $3 less online; 2 and under freeThe free Chocolate Tour ride takes about 30 minutes and ends with a sample. Strollers are parked outside the rides, and Saturdays are the busiest day.
about 2 hr from Philadelphia · HersheyOpens 9am every day; closing times on the Chocolate World calendar
Free entry and free tour ride; other attractions are ticketed; first two hours of parking free
Car snacksPack more than you think you’ll need.
StrollerZoo paths and light trails are long for little legs.Time the napLeave right before nap so the drive does double duty.
Overnight bagPast three hours, pajamas beat a 9pm drive home.
Parking cashFree admission days often still charge for parking.
Rain planPick one indoor backup, like a museum, before you leave.Over the next 6 weekends our picks from Philadelphia are New York City. Each one is chosen for what's on that weekend, with the dates, times and prices checked on the official pages.
Strasburg Rail Road in Ronks (about 1 hr 30 min), Crayola Experience in Easton (about 1 hr 30 min), Hershey's Chocolate World in Hershey (about 2 hr). Hours and prices are on each card, checked on the official pages.
Lehigh Valley (about 1 hr 30 min), Lancaster–Harrisburg–Hershey (about 2 hr), New York City (about 2 hr), Baltimore (about 2 hr 15 min), Washington, DC (about 3 hr), Fairfield County (about 3 hr 15 min). Times are normal driving times without traffic.
Ocean City (about 1 hr 30 min), Cape May County Park & Zoo (about 1 hr 45 min), Bushkill Falls (about 2 hr 45 min), Shenandoah National Park (about 4 hr 15 min), Luray Caverns (about 5 hr), Mystic Aquarium (about 5 hr). We don't post event listings for these, so check the official page for what's open before you go.
Sometimes one city really does have the most going on two weekends in a row, like a holiday lights opening followed by a show. We don't rotate cities just for variety.
They're what each official page showed on Oct 29, 2026. Tap through to the official page before you go.