Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

This morning Noelle, Sierra, Mom, Dad and I took the train into Center City to see the Liberty Bell and the Magic Gardens. I've long been obsessed with what some people call "art environments" and the Magic Gardens have been on my bucket list. Sierra enjoyed making friends on the train.

We got off at Market East and then headed over to Independence Mall. There was a long line to see the Liberty Bell,

but luckily the line moved pretty quickly. We got a family photo at the famed icon of freedom

and then headed to the park behind Independence Hall to feed Sierra her lunch. There was a band playing across the street from the park and Sierra seemed to enjoy listening to the music. She even danced with Pop-Pop for a little while.

After Sierra's lunch it was time for ours. We headed to South Street where we stopped in at Jim's Steaks.

Back when I was in high school and college I spent a lot of time down on South Street and ate at Jim's quite often. The steaks are still excellent, though it seems the lines are longer now. From Jim's we walked west on South to the Magic Gardens. The Magic Gardens did not disappoint. While the $7 admission is a bit high, especially considering there is no admission fee to such art environments as the Concrete County Park and Wegner Grotto in Wisconsin, I feel the money goes to a good cause in promoting folk art. Dad decided to stay outside,

but the rest of us enjoyed visiting all the little grottoes and traveling the corridors.

Even Sierra really seemed to enjoy her visit!