I really want to post my impressions of both BlogOrlando and Ohio LinuxFest, but they're taking a long time to concoct, primarily because there was so much that happened. So for now, I would like to pose a question to all the locals and see if anyone's got some good recommendations for me.
This weekend, three of my wife's sisters and their husbands (plus one 1-year-old nephew of mine) are coming to stay for the weekend. This leads to the inevitable question: What will we do to entertain them?
Everyone coming is from out of town, at least 200 miles away, so they are not familiar with the area. It would be nice to take them to places that they would not normally see around home, to maybe give them a sense of the greatness that we experience living around here every day. There are a few nice hyperlocal spots.
We live very near to Marsh Creek State Park, where you can go canoeing/sailing/paddle-boating, but I'm not sure if that's open this time of year, and I'm pretty sure we've taken all of them there once already. We also have taken them on trips to the Philadelphia Zoo and the Franklin Institute, which I don't mind as a return trip, but it would be nice to take this group to somewhere completely new. Longwood Gardens is nearby, but I've had my fill of flowers, really. I think it would be fun to show them a little bit of local life, or even what the city has to offer, but I'm not sure what, specifically.
What I would like to do is have a nice, prepared list of year-round or seasonal activities that happen in this area, and then I can let them pick what they want to do. Of course, I would remove from that list (assuming it's long enough, which I do assume) anything I didn't really want to do.
It would also be neat to have some activities we could do as separate groups. For example, something I had thought about doing was taking the husbands out to some bars in the city, and maybe seeing the city sights at night. That would give the girls some time on their own to do whatever it is that sisters do when they gather in the October night. Yes, I imagine cauldrons, too.
So, there's the question. What do we do? Have any suggestions for the eight of us, plus our three kids? Know of any sites with such a list of "must-see Philly attractions for weekend visitors?"
Hey Owen, the Chili Cookoff is this Sunday, and yours truly is finally a contestant!
There is the traveling Smithonian "First Ladies" at the Constitution Center in Philly, Hopewell Furnace Apple Festival in Elverson,Tagging migrating monarchs in Gladwyn, Local farms for hay rides and apple cider donuts!) Battleship NJ, Valley Forge, the Zoo, the annual Philadelphia Shell Show (Academy of Natural Sciences) and even though you've had your fill of flowers, they haven't seen Longwood; there's pumpkin carving this weekend with Cider Press Demonstrations and free tasting - Saturday there are strolling Musicians and Sunday Strolling Puppets... There's lots of stuff to do!
That's always the tough decision when people come here, too, and lately I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to ideas.
Good luck - it all sounds great, including the separating of the sexes for a while. ;-)