Top Day Trips For Under $100 In The Philadelphia Area

Taking a day trip does not have to be expensive. There are many interesting, exciting and fun destinations within a two-hour drive of Philadelphia that can be toured on a budget of $100 or less. Of course, gas prices are always an unpredictable factor, but there are many ways to reduce costs for a fun trip, such as packing a picnic meal, going to destinations that offer free admission and keeping things simple by setting an expense allowance for each member of the family.

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
2750 Hugh Moore Park Road
Easton, PA 18042
(610) 923-3548
www.delawareandlehigh.org

Easton, PA is the home of the Martin Guitar Company, as well as the home of international car racing family, the Andrettis, and it's one of the nearby destinations that offer a true slice of Americana. In early August, the Appalachian Fiddle & Bluegrass Association's Annual Bluegrass Festival is held at Mt. View Park in Wind Gap. In nearby Jacobsburg, check out the historic district and the architectural heritage common to the area. Or head over to the Jacobsburg State Park, which features an environmental education center and provides outdoor recreation facilities.

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Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
4000 Dorney Park Road
Allentown, PA 18104
(610) 395-3724
www.dorneypark.com

Get away from the city and enjoy an exciting day at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown. With roller coasters, nightly fireworks, live entertainment, family rides, Planet Snoopy, Dinosaurs Alive and more, the summer celebration at the park opens June 29. This year, the All Wheel Sports show features the group that made the finals on "America's Got Talent." After enjoying the water at Wildwater Kingdom, take in the evening show at the Party in the Plaza with the characters from "Peanuts."

Keansburg Amusement Park & Runaway Rapids Family Waterpark
275 Beachway Ave.
Keansburg, NJ 07734
(732) 495-1400
www.keansburgamusementpark.com

Newly reopened after recovering from the damages of Hurricane Sandy, the Keansburg Amusement Park & Runaway Rapids Family Waterpark is an excellent place to enjoy the beach, the thrill of an amusement park ride and get wet on a wild water ride. The park provides nightly fireworks displays, and the amusement park has been voted the "Best of New Jersey" by NJ Monthly Magazine. There is no admittance charge to the amusement park, either.

Frenchtown
29 2nd St.
Frenchtown, NJ 08825
(908) 996-4524
www.frenchtownboro.com

A small, colorful town situated on the Delaware River across the river from Bucks County, Frenchtown features numerous art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and other attractions. Each year, the small town of about 1,500 people sponsors Riverfest, Bastille Day and plays host to the annual Delaware Valley Poetry Festival. For a small town, Frenchtown has a surprising variety of dining spots, such as Bridge Cafe, Eat Cake, Bamboo House, Galasso's Italian Restaurant and the Frenchtown Cafe, to name a few.

Ocean Grove
45 Pilgrim Pathway
Ocean Grove, NJ 07756
(732) 774-1391
www.oceangrovenj.com

Ocean Grove, NJ began in 1869 as a camp meeting location during the Victorian Era of America. Known as one of the towns with the highest number of examples of Victorian architecture in the country, it is located on a beautiful beach. There are parks, a boardwalk, an historic district, restaurants, boutiques, taverns and more. In addition to beach activities, there are free band concerts in the Boardwalk Pavilion, flea markets, walking tours and more.

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Jeffrey B. Roth, has won numerous state and national news and feature-writing awards during his career. A well-known crime writer, investigative reporter and a feature writer, Roth writes for a number of magazines and newspapers. Listed in the Locus Index of SciFi and Fantasy authors, Roth is the author of a number of published short stories and poetry. His work can be found on Examiner.com.