Several of APT’s corporate members are offering the opportunity for APT members to shadow their guides on their public tours. These opportunities will be available for a limited time and are either free or at a discounted rate. This is a great chance to learn more about guiding, to see other guides in action, and to brush up on your Philadelphia history. Many thanks to these corporate members for their generosity!
Before heading out, be sure to read our shadowing etiquette guide. Corporate members interested in offering shadowing opportunities should contact Marianne Ruane president@phillyguides.org. Most of the opportunities will run from mid-March to mid or late April, so sign up today! If your experience is a good one, a glowing review would be much appreciated.
— AMERICAN VEGAN CENTER (AVC)
Shadowing options are a 90-minute Veg History tour whose components overlap with stories and personages from the more mainstream “Founding Fathers”-style tourism, but the focus is on vegetarian and vegan achievements in Philadelphia history. Another option is a new shorter tour debuting this year, “The Redemption of Ben Franklin,” which takes place within steps of the AVC and lasts 20 minutes. The content focuses on Franklin’s friendship with Benjamin Lay and Anthony Benezet, vegetarian abolitionists who historians say are the proximate cause of enslaver Franklin evolving into an abolitionist himself. Tours are only offered when other bookings have been made for that date and time. Check the schedule and watch the APT Tour Talk newsletter for announcements of available dates or contact Vance directly.
Dates: March 14-May 3
Cost: Free
To sign up: Contact AVC Director Vance Lehmkuhl directly vance@americanvegan.org or 267-665-7753
— GURU WALK: HISTORY SWIFTLY
Guides have the opportunity to join the tour “Essentials: The Best Free Highlight Tour of Philadelphia and More.” This tour runs on the weekends (including Easter weekend) and starts at 10:15 am.
Dates: March 14-May 3 (weekends)
Cost: Free
To sign up: Contact Owner and Tour Guide Tom Swift directly history.swiftly@gmail.com
— JIM MURPHY
As Jim Murphy doesn’t do public tours, he offered to share his years of experience as a guide with APT members on a special free tour. This tour will begin promptly at 12:01 pm, rain or shine, on Sunday, March 29. The tour will begin in front of the Independence Visitor Center (IVC) at 6th and Market Streets. No need to register in advance – just show up. It will last 2-4 hours and participants are free to leave whenever they wish.
The tour will include: Independence Visitor Center, Penn & Ben, OY/YO statue, President’s House, window of Liberty Bell, front of Independence Hall, “Dream Garden” Tiffany mosaic, Washington Square, back of Independence Hall (Lincoln & John Barry), Carpenters’ Hall, Franklin Court, Market Street, Tamanend statue, outside of Christ Church, possibly Elfreth’s Alley, front of Betsy Ross House, Arch Street Meeting House, and more. Possible bonus items (depending on how far we get): Penn’s Plan, Flemish bond, Belgium block and cobblestones, privy passages, busy bodies, fire marks, star bolts, Philada, Acadians, street memory aid, greenways in Society Hill, and more.
— PHILADELPHIA HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE TOURS (PHAT)
APT members can review the website phillyPHAT.com, find a tour that interests them, and contact owner Reid Addis. Once a public tour is scheduled which matches the tour indicated by interested members, he will email them the tour information. If they can’t join that tour, he will keep them in mind for future tours. Weekends only.
Dates: April 1-June 30 (weekends)
Cost: Free
To sign up: Contact Owner and Tour Guide Reid Addis directly phillyphattours@gmail.com
— PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY HILL WALKING TOUR
This tour, dedicated to APT members and their guests, is given by Kyle Jenks, in character as Congressman James Madison. The year is 1795. George Washington is President of the United States and the national capital is Philadelphia. James Madison is newly wed to the widow Todd. Matters of a personal and professional nature will be shared in a casual, conversational style during the tour. Contact Kyle directly with any questions or concerns: jaktar773@aol.com; he reserves the right to cancel a tour due to extenuating circumstances.
Dates/Times
- Saturday, March 28, 3 pm
Registration deadline: Saturday, March 21 - Sunday, April 12, 3 pm
Registration deadline: Sunday, April 5 - Monday, May 11 , 6:30 pm – sunset 8:05 pm
Registration deadline: Monday, May 4
Details
- Duration: 2 hours, except for Monday, May 11 as the sun sets at 8:05 pm
- Tour will only run with a minimum of six people, booked no less than a week in advance
- The tour will begin and end in front of Independence Hall on Chestnut Street.
- Cost: $32 per person, VENMO @grimtourguide
— STEP INTO PHILLY TOURS
Visit www.stepintoPhilly.com to see our tour offerings. APT members can take any tour except the kids’ tour. Advance notice appreciated.
Dates: March 15-May 3
Cost: Free
To sign up: Contact Owner and Tour Guide Wendy Stanley directly at this email or via text 610-704-4550.
— TOURS BY TR
Tom Rosenberg, of APT corporate member Tours by TR, is offering guides the opportunity to shadow his weekend tour free of charge as long as there are other reservations for the tour.
Dates: March 15-June 30 (weekends)
Cost: Free
To sign up: Contact Owner and Tour Guide Tom Rosenberg directly at info@toursbytr.com
— AMERICA’S RISING SON
APT members are welcome to shadow tours at a discounted rate of $15. Go to americasrisingson.com to find the schedule of tours.
Dates: March 15-May 3
Cost: $15
To sign up: Contact Owner and Tour Guide Stephen Pierce directly at letitbeginhere101@gmail.com or 484-802-1846.
— TRICORNER TOURS LLC
Each of our tours is about 2 hours, includes 12-15 stops, and is an average of 18 city blocks walking. Tours start and end at the Independence Visitor Center (IVC). We offer five Philadelphia tours:
- Famous Founders In Philadelphia
- Female Founders and Black Founders Tour
- Military Tour: Army, Navy, and Marines Tour
- Religion in Philadelphia
- Benjamin Franklin Tour
Please visit our website at Tricornertours.com for full details and many beautiful illustrations! The usual fee of $45 is discounted to $17.76 (get it?) payable by cash or Venmo.
Dates: March 15-May 3
Cost: $17.76
To sign up: Contact Owner and Tour Guide Martin Lotito directly at Tricornertours@gmail.com
— WeVENTURE
WeVenture is offering a 90-minute Old City history tour for APT members to shadow. This tour is offered for a discounted price of $10 from mid-March to mid-April. Discounted tours will only be offered when other bookings have been made for that date and time.
Dates: March 14-April 14
Cost: $17.76
To sign up: Contact Destination Director Adam Clements directly at info@we-venture.com or 215-280-3746