January 2023


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experience of making cheesesteaks. The food was out of this world and the cheesesteak is now a firm favourite with the NInja. After lunch we shuffled over to Philadelphia’s Museum of Illusions. This is a one-of-a-kind attraction where you can lose yourself in the wonderful world of illusions!! There are more than 60 visual, educational and interactive exhibits featuring holograms, optical illusions, and immersive rooms that are designed to tease the senses and trick the mind. This is a great place to spend an hour or so – especially if you’ve got kids. Returning to the real world, and a trip


to the National Constitution Center was just the ticket. Here we learnt about the greatest vision of human freedom in history – the American Constitution. Our favourite exhibit was Singers Hall which allows you to mingle with 42 life-size bronze statues of the Founding Fathers before signing the Constitution. We wrapped up our time here with a 360-degree live theatrical performance that told the story of the U.S. Constitution and the American quest for freedom. Our final historical trip of the day was to


bell, with its huge crack, is an important symbol of American freedom - historians believe it was rung in July 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was read – making it part of the first ever 4th of July celebrations! It’s free to visit, and the Liberty Bell Centre provides detailed information of the fascinating history of the bell. A visit to Philly wouldn’t be complete without sampling the world-famous Philly Cheesesteak! Our eatery of choice was Campo’s – a deli with over 75 years of


the Museum of the American Revolution. The exhibitions housed here offer an inclusive picture of the American Revolution, including stories of enslaved and free Africans, Native Americans and women – in addition to the Founding Fathers and the Revolutionary War soldiers. The highlight of the tour was a multimedia experience which ended with a viewing of George Washington’s ACTUAL War Tent from the American Revolution! It was in this tent Washington slept and made world-changing decisions. It is extremely unusual for such an artefact to have been so well preserved. We decided to finish our afternoon with a


stroll along the Delaware River. This includes an area known as Penns Landing which is home to


year-round attractions


Independence Seaport Museum and lively outdoor spaces such as Cherry Street Pier


like the


GO EXPLORE: CANADA & THE USA | 33


and Race Street Pier. The area is packed with bars, restaurants and street vendors and offers unrivalled views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and Camden Waterfront across the river in New Jersey. You’ll also encounter a variety of vessels and ships, including warships and a submarine. Our visit was made even better when we stumbled across a FREE tour of the Gazella. This ship was originally built in 1901 but has fallen into disrepair. However, she is currently being restored to her former glory by a group of hardworking volunteers. Those on board were only too eager to share stories of the ship and their hopes for her future. For dinner, we visited the elegant (and delicious!) Dolce Italian Restaurant at W Hotel. The staff were really attentive, and we thoroughly enjoyed our Crab Risotto and Rib-Eye Steak. The cheesecake for dessert was one of the best I’d ever tasted. Highly recommended NInja eatery!


Then it was off to the notorious Eastern


State Penitentiary, which once housed the infamous gangster, Al Capone. The Penitentiary closed in the 1970s but it has now been restored as a tourist attraction during the day… but every night during October & November it is home to the renowned “Halloween Nights”. This is an


experience featuring


interactive five


haunted houses, themed bars and live entertainment. The haunted houses all have different themes (Delirium, Big Top, Machine Shop, Nightmares


and The Crypt) and use Hollywood- quality sets, props, special makeup, custom soundtracks and over 200 talented performers per night! The haunted houses are home to a variety of monsters, ghouls, the undead and goodness knows what else, who will literally scare the life out of you! NInja Tip – for an even scarier experience


make sure you “opt-in” for the interactive experience by wearing one of the readily available glow necklaces (no cost). Anyone wearing a glow necklace may be grabbed, sent into a hidden passageway or separated from their group! This was a truly unique experience, yet


still had time after for some “relaxation” and, as we had purchased the VIP tickets, we were able to enjoy a drink at Al Capone’s Speakeasy and listen to some (un)live singing from the ghoulish residents. We enjoyed a show from some very energetic dancing skeletons and the NInja lost his soul in a game of spooky Black Jack. This was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the trip, and if you visit Philadelphia around Halloween, please don’t


miss it.


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