What: Philadelphia Flower Show 2016: Explore America
Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia. PA
When: March 5 – March 13, 2016
Why: This year’s show celebrates the 100th anniversary of America’s National Parks. The extravaganza, presented by The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the National Park Service, will feature acres of trails that mirror our national landscape, including a rainbow of wildflowers, desert blooms, coastal flora, fragrant pinelands and ancient redwoods. It’s all enhanced with Native American art, floral totems and a dazzling waterfall. Spectacular imagery spanning the breadth of the park system will come to life on multiple overhead screens, as sounds of thundering bison and songbirds transport visitors into the wild. Guests will climb a mountain, ford a stream, hike trails, and pitch camp in the interactive exhibits. Kids will marvel at the vast display of model locomotives and rail cars rumbling through the familiar sites of a miniaturized American landscape. A butterfly garden and hands-on activities will keep tots-to-tweens smiling.
Cost: $27 for adults when purchased online by March 4 or $34 at the door. Children ages 2-16 pay $15.
Stay: Many hotels are offering special rates, so enjoy Philly’s multitude of charms when you stay the night.
Get there: Philly is easy to reach without a car. See our Philadelphia Transportation Guide.
Learn what’s happening in Philadelphia when you read Five New Reasons to Visit Philadelphia. For additional information, head to visitphilly.com
Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributes travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She is fluent in Italian and Spanish and laughably adequate in French. Her background as an Early Childhood Educator gives her an added understanding of what it takes to travel with kids in tow. She firmly believes that the most important part of education takes place outside of the classroom, on the road, around the world. She never misses a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. Follow Allison at @gourmetrav.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram