The Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT), a civic partner of The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, will host its third annual “Great Twelve-Hour, River to River, Vine to Pine, Rain or Shine Tour” of Philadelphia on Saturday, September 8, 2012.
The Great Tour is a celebration of Philadelphia and the hundreds of museums, cultural venues, sites and organizations that it offers tourists and residents alike. Moreover, “it showcases the talents, expertise and commitment of our hard working tour guides and the pride they have in their city,” according to APT President, Bob Skiba.
This FREE guided walking tour encompasses some 200 city sites and attractions as it progresses from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill.
The tour is organized into four phases or launch sites, with each phase covering one of four major sections of the City. Each launch site features a staging area where participants can sign in and take advantage of rest rooms and food vendors. Tour goers can join in at any phase of the tour. Every year a few hardy participants manage to complete the entire tour.
The four tour launch sites and times are:
- 8 a.m. at the National Constitution Center
- 11 a.m. at The Bourse at 5th Street
- 2 p.m. at the Independence Visitors Center
- 5 p.m. at City Hall Courtyard
Nearly 400 people from the Delaware Valley, as well as visitors from across the country, have participated in the past two annual tours. All of the professional guides leading the tour are certified by the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT).
Reservations are encouraged – to ensure an adequate deployment of guides for each phase of the tour – and can be made on line at APT’s website, http://www.phillyguides.org/greattour2012.aspx, which includes full information about the tour. Registrations also are accepted at http://2012aptgreattour.eventbrite.com/
The Great Tour’s co-sponsors include ushistory.org, The Philadelphia Neighborhood Consortium, and The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.