Visit the City of Brotherly Love Without Breaking the Bank

Families looking to tour Philadelphia but are on a budget can save money using the Philadelphia CityPASS. This pass gives one admission to six attractions including The Franklin Institute, the Adventure Aquarium, the Phila Trolley & The Big Bus Company, the Philadelphia Zoo and option tickets that allow admission into The Academy of Natural Sciences or the National Constitution Center and the Please Touch Museum or the Eastern State Penitentiary.

Start the day by hoping on the Phila Trolley & The Big Bus Company where a CityPASS ticket includes 24 hours of on/off privileges (from time of validation) during normal operating hours. From here one can access all the CityPASS attractions except for the aquarium. Log on to their website for tour times as well as pick-up and drop-off locations.

Science and technology buffs will want to take in The Franklin Institute, an organization that continues the innovative inquisitive nature of Benjamin Franklin. Admission to the 3D theater and some special exhibitions are not included in the CityPASS ticket.

Then choose between the Academy of Natural Sciences and the National Constitution Center. Unless one is a serious science buff, consider going to the National Constitution Center for an interactive history look at the U.S. Constitution. Located two blocks from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, this museum experience will inform and entertain those interested in learning about the history of the United States. Special exhibits are included with CityPASS and self-guided audio tours are available for a small fee.

Then check out the Philadelphia Zoo in the morning to avoid the crowds. Bear in mind some exhibits are only open from April to October. There's an additional fee to ride the Channel 6 Zooballoon, the Amazon Rainforest Carousel, PZ Express Train, Swan boats, and Camel, draft horse and pony rides.

For more family fun, stop by the 200,000-square-foot Adventure Aquarium holds more than 2 million gallons of water. Try to come by after 2pm when the school crowds have gone and the hippos are more active than usual. 4D theater shows cost $5.00 extra.

Finally, choose between the Please Touch Museum and the Eastern State Penitentiary. Those with children ages 7 and younger will want to be stop by the Please Touch Museum . The museum tends to be quieter on Mondays and afternoons when groups are not scheduled. Those with older children can check out the Eastern State Penitentiary, a structure designed to resemble a medieval or gothic castle. Tours include the cellblocks, , Al Capone's Cell, Death Row, solitary punishment cells and the Alfred W. Fleisher Memorial Synagogue. Admission includes an audio tour narrated by Steve Buscemi.

Philadelphia CityPASS tickets cost $59 for adults and $39 for children aged 2-12 and are valid from 9 days of first issue.