The Best Hotels to Book Near Elmwood Park Zoo, Pennsylvania

The Hyatt House – a little northwest of Philly – was built for birthday surprises. Check into a two-bedroom suite so the kids can have their own space to stay up late – don’t worry, pancakes drenched in syrup at the free breakfast will perk them up in the morning. The free shuttle will cruise you all over to the Elmwood Park Zoo and to Legoland Discovery Center, bringing you back to the hotel just in time for cake and presents.

Though the indoor pool at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton is a warm welcome during a winter holiday, the complimentary chocolate chip cookie is our preferred perk at this Plymouth Meeting hotel. If the sun is out, head across the street for a walk around Harriet Wetherill Park with your kids, dog, or just a good podcast. Skies looking gray? Spend hours credit card swiping at Plymouth Meeting Mall and use the extra bed in your room to sprawl out your haul.

Residence Inn by Marriott may be the best lie you’ve ever had in your golf game. Thank goodness this extended-stay hotel has full kitchens and living areas in every room – you’ll need more than an overnight to play the area’s golf courses. Gulph Mills, Philadelphia and Green Valley Country Clubs are within a five-minute drive– with more links only a few minutes farther. The cold beer and juicy burgers at the lobby lounge make it the perfect 19th-hole after every game.

Less than an hour from downtown Trenton and Philadelphia, Hampton Inn and Suites help you slide a city break into your zoo escape. On the days when you’re not hanging around the Delaware River, spend a semi-lazy day lounging around your suite. The fitness center is open if you need a workout, but laps at the indoor pool are a much more laid-back way to get your exercise in for the day.

A holiday that’s fun and educational for the kids yet simultaneously stress-free for mum and dad? Residence Inn by Marriott turns such a daring dream into a relaxed reality. The seasonal outdoor pool and tennis courts will drain your kids’ energy faster than they drain your phone battery. One day of hopping around the amphibian tanks at Elmwood Park Zoo – followed by a day tracing George Washington’s footsteps at Valley Forge National Park – sets the scene for a great weekend under Pennsylvania’s blue skies.