When It Rains In Philly: A Short Weekend Adventure Guide
Many times when I write about vacations and other adventures, I’m experiencing things in an error-free vacuum. I often have people who take care of me at each location, everything is planned out well, and the sun somehow seems to be shining. Sometimes travel is just not that predictable or beautiful. Case and point: My recent family visit to Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, a suburb 20 minutes outside of downtown Philly.
The Clouds Rolled In
My cousins and I texted back and forth all week as we prepared to make the haul. We had plans to visit Rittenhouse Row for a festival, hit up Retrospect Vintage while we were there, and explore more of in the scenic and historical East Coast city. As the rain fell in Richmond, I departed and met my family in Arlington to carpool. The rain followed us all the way to our destination. In fact, it rained nearly the entire weekend until we left on Sunday. After we realized our outdoor time would be limited, we regrouped and came up with a new plan. I wanted to share some of my group’s creative ideas with you to inspire your next trip to the Philadelphia area. I hope it also sparks your adventurous side next time the weather isn’t cooperating on vacation. Open mindedness and positivity are key.
Throwing Axes
First up on our indoor adventure list: throwing axes. This indoor fun house called Bury the Hatchet has a very simple concept: they give you and your friends a bunch of axes. You bring your own booze. A personal attendant helps you and your crew learn how to throw and then walks you through different games and contests you can play together. I was hesitant about this one because I hate competitive sports. Once I threw the ax and hit the board, I only had fun from there. We laughed, we cheered and I now know I have a pretty good throw. A quick Google search pulled up other places like this in the Philly and DC area. This indoor activity is athletic, adventurous and an uncommon bonding opportunity with family and friends.
Take Your Time at Brunch
You don’t have to be outdoors to have a killer brunch. We enjoyed a morning and afternoon at Southern Cross Kitchen. The Restaurant is connected to a cocktail bar called the Gypsy Saloon. The restaurant has an impressive morning happy hour and we all downed some Bloody Mary’s and mimosas for a very low cost. The decor felt high end, but had a low country character. The staff were helpful, hilarious and attentive. I had a satisfying vegetarian omelette. Other plates on the table made me drool including the Short Ribs Benny and a Fried Chicken Sandwich.
Stop In For A Cup of Joe
I’ve written before that I think coffee shops are a peak into the culture of a neighborhood more than any other retail or dining place. Locals frequent coffee shops on a daily and weekly basis. Each one has its own character, atmosphere and specialities. It’s a must when I travel to new places, especially cities. When it’s raining outside, there’s nothing quite like a warm espresso, latte or matcha to keep your energy high and your bones warm. After brunch, we made our way to coffee shop and artisan chocolatier Tradestone. It was a gem to find in the Conshohocken neighborhood. I added a truffle to my order. It was so rich I had to share it with my brother.
Why Not Shop
A short walk down the street from Tradestone will take you to a boutique called Obvi. I picked up a new ring, but touched and examined racks and racks of cute rompers, dresses, necklaces and more. My cousin regularly shops here because she lives in the area. We both fell in love with a striped romper, which I found online here. It’s next door to an ice cream shop called Scoops if you’re still wanting something sweet.
The Great Escape
After we were fueled up, we headed to the latest trend in group activities: an escape room. Expedition Escape is rated as one of the best escape room experiences in the Philly area. You can find this new concept in cities all over the country. I hadn’t had a chance to try one yet. Leave it to a rainy day and an ambitious group of family members to push me into my first experience. Once we stepped into our room and received our mission to rob a bank, we started having fun together in no time. We all felt accomplished after after the hour-long puzzle.
Tip: There are different levels to these sorts of experiences, so it’s helpful to ask questions when you’re on the phone making the reservation. There are days when you’d rather have a laid-back experience. There are days when you’re rolling with the kids and you want them to join in. Then there are days you want to invite some of the smartest people you know and you want to dig deep. We picked an advanced level and got a little worn out by it, but we did really well.
Small Plate Central
After a day in Conshohocken, we went home, showered and got dressed to head into city for the night. Our first stop was Butcher Bar. The menu is heavy on small plate items, which helps you experience more in one sitting. Here, we shared possibly 10 different small plates (I lost track) and enjoyed dirty martinis and craft beer. My favorite items were the Italian meatballs. Tuna tartare, bone marrow, and duck confit wings were other crowd favorites. I think the Trough (Big plate of all the things for $300) would be a good move if you’re with a big group. The service felt customized and friendly. We really enjoyed talking with our servers and they made sure we were happy from our first drink order to the checks.
Butcher Bar is located on Chestnut Street, which is home to bars, boutiques, and other restaurants. On a sunny day, I’d love to waste an afternoon walking around. As you walk down the streets and alleys, you’ll catch glimpses of the large historic buildings and towering sky scrapers. It’s an inspiring cityscape to saunter in.
Get your Dance On
After we were good and fed and a little buzzed, we took a walk over to Concourse. Concourse has one of the largest dance floors I’ve been on in a while. It was the perfect cure for a day full of rain. The dance club is really well known for its ball pit. Unfortunately, it was closed the night we visited. We didn’t get any killer photos for the gram. I plan to give it a try next time I visit. We linked up with more friends from the area. We took on another dance floor called Pulse. The major plus at Pulse is that it’s open until 3 a.m., which is perfect if your with a group who wants to keep goin.
Of course, the sun always eventually comes out.
So, when it does, make yourself a drink and head out into light. It can be as simple as parking your put on your front lawn.
