Independence Park

All right, teachers. I know everyone wants to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. And I kid you not, they are inspiring, even to someone like me who's seen them over and over again. But these are not the only gems of Independence Park! Far from! The best advice I can give you is to start at the wonderful Independence Visitor's Center at 6th and Market Streets, where friendly, knowledgeable park rangers are practically jumping out of their seats to give you a hand with planning your visit to this world heritage site.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER: The Visitor's center is the ONLY place to get your FREE, TIMED tickets for Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell is free and you don't need a ticket, but you MUST HAVE A TICKET FOR INDEPENCE HALL! They make reservations for large groups, but if you're going on your own you will have to pick up your ticket in the morning, so the earlier you get there the more options you'll have for when you can go.

Also, you'll find a gift shop there, a cash machine (which is NOT free like the WAWA ones I mentioned previously), a cafe, some exhibits, and racks of brochures about other stuff to do. The guides at the desks have great big maps to help you get around the many attractions within a few blocks of the Visitor's center, including:

The National Constitution Center
Betsy Ross House
Ben Franklin's Grave
Ben Franklin House and Museum
The US Mint-- The Mint won't let cell phones into the building. There is no storage for your cell phone at the door. DON'T BRING YOUR CELL PHONE TO THE US MINT!

And more! Start here for your journey into the exciting birth of our nation...