If you’ve grown up anytime in the past five decades, it’s likely that Sesame Street was a part of your childhood. So, after being on my radar for many years, I was excited when I finally had the chance to check out Sesame Place Philadelphia with my daughter.
Sesame Place is a Sesame Street-themed amusement park located in Bucks County in southeastern PA, about 30 minutes northeast of Philadelphia and 15 minutes west of Trenton, New Jersey. The park first opened in 1980 and has expanded several times over the years (including to a second location in San Diego, California that opened in 2022).
At only 14 acres in size, Sesame Place is definitely on the small side. In fact, as best I can tell, it is only 40% of the size of the second-smallest amusement park in PA (Waldameer in Erie). This creates a compact park that is easy for families to navigate, but also means that there isn’t as much to do here as at some parks, and it likely can feel crowded more easily.
The park can be divided roughly in half between the waterpark and more traditional amusement park rides. Not surprisingly, most of the rides in the park are similar to the kiddie rides you’d find at other amusement parks. However, adults can also ride these rides, and they all have Sesame Street theming.
There are also two rollercoasters on the property that provide some minor thrills for those looking for something more exciting.
The rides here are a lot of fun for kids and kept my seven-year-old daughter entertained, though it’s worth noting that most are some form of just going in circles, whether on or above the ground, so adults and older kids might find the experiences a bit repetitive after a while (or in my case, a bit dizzying). Fortunately, slightly older kids, like my daughter, are allowed to ride many of the rides by themselves if the adults need a bit of a break.
In addition to the rides, you’ll also find typical theme park activities such as carnival games (for an additional fee), food, shopping, and more. There are also a few fun playground and climbing apparatuses sprinkled throughout the park as well that can help kids burn off some energy.
There is also some fun entertainment here including shows and character meetings that can help break up the day.
The best of these was the mid-day parade, which features all of your favorite Sesame Street characters dancing down the street. The parade does several choreographed routines throughout the experience, so there’s more to see than just characters walking by like at some theme park parades.
Make sure to stand near the season pass members section so that you don’t miss any of them.
The waterpark at Sesame Place takes up rough half of the parks space and, as an adult, I definitely enjoyed this part of the park the most.
The waterpark consists of several large waterslides, some smaller slides, a very long and fun lazy river, splash pads, and a large water playground. While it’s not as large as some other dedicated waterparks or waterparks at other amusement parks in the state, it’s definitely very well done and a lot of fun.
However, while I enjoyed this part the most, it’s still worth noting that the park is primarily for kids, so, for example, the wave pool reaches a maximum depth of less than two feet.
Changing rooms throughout the park make this a great way to spend half the day at the park, and you can carry around your other clothes in a bag or simply return them to your car when you’re done.
During the summer months when the park is open, having the waterpark and the amusement parks open together makes for a fun day with younger kids, especially if you take in the parade and some shows. However, outside of that time, I think the park is too small for to be an all-day activity for most families.
If the park charged less when the waterpark was closed that would be fine, but for the same price, it’s hard to recommend this park outside of the summer season.
It’s also worth noting that while there are some great ticket deals to be had (I personally bought up second-day free tickets), the parking fee here is quite high, even by amusement park standards. Add into that that they only take credit cards and charge a 5% convenience fee on top of the prices despite not offering another way to pay, and it does feel like the park nickel and dimes you a bit during your visit.
Because of that, the park isn’t all “Sunny days, Sweepin’ the clouds away”. However, if you can score a good deal on admission tickets and can visit during the summer when the waterpark is open, I do think this is a fun spot for families with younger kids to visit. I know my seven-year-old had a blast and was excited to revisit on our free second day.
Ultimately, I do give Sesame Place Philadelphia a qualified recommendation based on the points noted above, and it is a fun walk down memory lane for adults that grew up watching this iconic show.
For more information, including hours and ticket prices, visit the website for Sesame Place Philadelphia.
Looking for more things to do in the area? Check out the Bucks County Children’s Museum, the best things to do in Philly with Kids, and the Please Touch Museum.
"
