Sample Sociocultural Field Trips

Some activities and field trips are included in the cost of the program while others require an additional fee.  Contact the Student Services Coordinator for more information.

• Historic districts and sites such as the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed
• Philadelphia Museum of Art with 200 galleries and over 400,000 works of art (museum pictured at right)
• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, with many works by US artists
• Philadelphia Orchestra
• Opera Company of Philadelphia
• Pennsylvania Ballet
• Philadelphia Zoo
• Franklin Institute Science Museum
• Rodin Museum, with the best collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin outside of Paris
• Philadelphia Mint, where engraving for U.S. coins and medals takes place
• Theaters for performances of major Broadway plays
• Weekend homestays with American families
• Sporting events such as baseball, football, ice hockey, and basketball
• Ethnic neighborhoods such as Chinatown and the open-air Italian Market
• South Street (Philadelphia's version of Greenwich Village in New York City)
• New Jersey State Aquarium (30 minutes)
• Longwood Gardens (30 minutes)
• Pennsylvania Dutch countryside, where the Amish population follows a simple lifestyle that includes transportation by horse and carriage (1 hour)
• Atlantic Ocean beaches (1.5 hours)
• Pocono Mountains (1.5 hours)
• New York City (2 hours)
• Annapolis, Maryland, home of the US Naval Academy (2 hours)
• Washington, DC, location of the White House and the museums of the Smithsonian Institution (3 hours)
• Niagara Falls (8 hours)

Throughout the year, there are many events that participants in ELP programs can experience. Some of these are:

• Mummers Parade on New Year's Day.Over 10,000 Philadelphians dress up in elaborate costumes and parade through the streets all day long. This event is Philly's version of Mardi Gras.
• Penn Relays.This is one of the largest track and field competitions in the world. Over 18,000 competitors run in more than 350 races, and nearly 90,000 spectators come to Penn in April to watch them.
• Independence Day Celebration.Philadelphia is where the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed. So, what better place than Philly to celebrate the July 4th holiday? The festivities include a parade, several spectacular fireworks displays, and concerts. The Liberty Medal is awarded each year to a person or organization that has promoted freedom. Recipients include: Lech Walesa, Jimmy Carter, Oscar Arias, Medecins sans Frontieres, F. W. de Klerk, Nelson Mandela, Vaclav Havel, Sadako Ogata, Shimon Peres, and King Hussein of Jordan. In Philly, the Independence Day holiday lasts for an entire week!