New Ways To Tour Old Philadelphia in 2004

Last year, visitors to Philadelphia had a big decision to make: which city tour to take while in town. Ride the Ducks - a fleet of land-to-water vehicles - turned heads and sold tickets for wacky, quacky rides from Independence Hall into the Delaware River. London’s famed Big Bus Tours also came to town, offering double-decker, all-day service between the sights and hotels. And, PHLASH, the city’s hard-to-miss purple mini-buses, had a brand new route to go with their brand new price tag.

In 2004, the touring scene will broaden even more. Ride the Ducks aims to multiply; the Big Bus has big plans; and Phlash is getting a makeover. In addition, Penn’s Landing will begin water taxi service, and favorites like the Philadelphia Neighborhood Tours are adding blue-collar visits to breweries and mills.

Here’s a look at the best of the new and old in touring options:

New

Beginning on Memorial Day weekend, and continuing each weekend and on holidays, new passenger-only water taxis will cruise the Delaware River between Festival Pier, Cavanaugh’s Riverdeck, Philadelphia Marine Center, the Great Plaza and the marina. All-day and single-trip passes will be available for the Water Shuttle at Penn’s Landing: from departure points along the river. Friday, 6 p.m.-2:30 a.m., Saturday and Sunday, 12 noon-2:30 a.m., (215) 922-2FUN.

The Neighborhood Tourism Network, hosting popular ride-and-walk adventures through some of the city’s most vibrant ethnic neighborhoods, ups the ante with new thematic tours in 2004. Planned Philadelphia Neighborhood Tours may include "Roll Out the Barrel," a visit to Northern Liberties’ old and working beer breweries, and a mill tour of the historic and working textile mills of East Falls and Manayunk. Tours take place on weekends from May through June and September through October. (215) 599-2295.

Ride the Ducks, retired amphibious Army vehicles turned into fun sightseeing vessels, offer some of the most popular tickets in town. Beginning March 20, 2004, the Ducks will add two more to their current fleet of six, and continue to quack, disco and ride from land - through Old City and South Street - and water - Delaware River at Penn’s Landing. Tours depart from 6th & Chestnut Streets, (215) 227-DUCK.

Made famous in London town, Big Bus Tours continues its service on the streets of Philadelphia with multiple stops at city sights and hotels, plus new covered bus service and specially priced package ticket deals with attractions such as the National Constitution Center. The two-floor coaches depart from 6th & Market Streets. (866) 3BIG-BUS.

Beginning this spring, PHLASH will put a new fleet of vehicles on the streets. Instead of touring town on purple mini-buses, visitors will be whisked around on new trolleys, taking them from Benjamin Franklin Parkway attractions such as the Rodin Museum and the Franklin Institute Science Museum to the Independence Visitor Center and Old City. These speedy vehicles have air conditioned luxury, convenient stops and very affordable tickets: $1 per ride, $4 all-day pass, free to seniors (except between 4:30-5:30 p.m.) and children under six, discounted to families. Daily service from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; pickups every 10 minutes from appointed stops.

Twenty-two luxury liners will set sail from the Cruise Terminal at Pier 1 between April and August 2004, with several more planned port-of-call visits for passing-through vessels. Vastly successful at its outset in 2003, CruisePhilly has added a headhouse terminal with remote luggage facility, an escalator and an elevator. Ships scheduled to depart from Philadelphia for Bermuda include Celebrity and Norwegian lines. 5100 S. Broad Street, (856) 968-2045.

Classic

There’s no easier way to get from the Philly waterfront to the many attractions on the Camden side of the Delaware River than on the RiverLink Ferry. In service from April 3-September 12, 2004, the Ferry offers a 12-minute picturesque view of the bustling waterfronts. On concert nights at the Tweeter Center and game nights at Campbell’s Field, the Ferry’s express service is available two hours before events and a half hour after events. In Philadelphia, visitors can board the Ferry at Penn’s Landing, Columbus Boulevard & Walnut Street; and in Camden at the New Jersey State Aquarium, (215) 925-LINK.

Philadelphia Trolley Works’ Victorian-style jitneys take riders on 90-minute tours of the essentials of Center City, led by clever guides capable of endlessly quoting amazing and fun historic and contemporary local facts. Tours depart from 5th & Market Streets. (215) 925-TOUR.

Stepping aboard a horse-drawn carriage just feels right in a city as historic as Philadelphia. These old-fashioned cabs may be reserved in advance, but most takers just summon their ride from the handsome selection lined up each day at 5th & Chestnut Streets, next to Independence Hall. (215) 22-6840.