Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley in 2 Days: Penn, Villanova, Swarthmore and Lehigh

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents taking a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, on a first look at four quite different Pennsylvania schools: Penn's urban campus in West Philadelphia; Villanova, an Augustinian Catholic university on 371 suburban acres along the Main Line; Swarthmore, in the borough of Swarthmore, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia; and Lehigh's hilly Asa Packer Campus in Bethlehem.[S2][S5][S17][S10][S13][S14]

All four ask you to register ahead, and every campus has its own visitor-parking rules, which are below.[S3][S6][S9][S13]

Why this order

• Penn and Swarthmore are about 11 miles apart, so they pair on Day 1. Penn's program (an information session, then an outdoor tour) lasts about 2 hours, and Penn usually offers a morning and an afternoon session, so take the morning one.[S22][S1]
• Villanova and Lehigh go on Day 2. Villanova is a 5-minute drive from the hotel and its walking tour takes about an hour; Lehigh is about 67 minutes north, so it fits in the afternoon.[S22][S5]

2. The suggested 2-day route

• Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing. Philadelphia rush-hour traffic will be slower.[S22][S23][S24]
• Our recommendation, not a school rule: allow at least 60 minutes between the end of one visit and the start of the next on Day 1, and 90 minutes for the drive to Lehigh on Day 2. Penn asks visitors to arrive 15–20 minutes early to find parking.[S2]

3. Campus by campus

Campus

University of Pennsylvania

Official tour sign-up: Penn: On Penn's Campus (leads to registration) ↗

Where visits start

• The Undergraduate Admissions Visitor Center is on the ground floor of Claudia Cohen Hall, 249 S. 36th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104. Open weekdays 9 am–5 pm, with select Saturdays. Arrive at least 15 minutes early to check in.[S2]
• Enter from the east, ground-floor entrance facing Penn Commons and the Penn Shield; from 36th St., the entrance is on the opposite side of the building. For wheelchair access, enter via 36th and Spruce Streets.[S2]
• Individuals register separately; groups of 10–50 students email grouptours@admissions.upenn.edu. Campus tours directly follow each information session.[S1][S3]
• School-specific programs, as Penn says they're typically offered: College of Arts and Sciences sessions Mondays and Fridays; Engineering tours Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; Nursing visits Wednesdays and Fridays; Wharton sessions and coffee chats Mondays and Fridays (the coffee chats are for students only).[S1][S3]

Visitor parking

• Penn doesn't validate parking. Metered street parking may be available; read the signs closely.[S2]
• Spruce 38 Garage, 3801 Spruce St. (enter from 38th St.), requires a reservation through ParkMobile. Walnut 38 Garage, 119 S. 38th St. (enter from 38th St.), offers reserved parking through ParkMobile. With a reservation, the QR code works at entry and exit. Check ParkMobile for current rates.[S2]

Nearest transit

• 30th Street Station is a 20-minute walk. From there Penn suggests the 49 bus (toward 29th–Snyder), the 36 trolley (to 37th Street Station) or the Market–Frankford Line (to 34th Street Station).[S2]

What to know

• Tours are entirely outdoors because most buildings require key-card access. They run rain or shine, in English only, and end back at the Visitor Center. In thunderstorms, heat advisories, or ice and snow, a student panel replaces the tour.[S2]
• A self-guided tour needs no registration: print the campus map or pick one up at the Visitor Center. Wheelchairs and ASL interpreters can be requested; service animals are welcome, pets are not.[S1][S2]

Contact

info@admissions.upenn.edu[S1][S2]

Last checked Oct 22, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Penn: Preparing for Your Visit

Campus

Villanova University

Official tour sign-up: Villanova Campus Visits ↗

Where visits start

• 800 E. Lancaster Ave., Villanova, PA 19085.[S7]
• All visitors must pre-register. There's no waiting list for full sessions, but cancellations are common, so check back. Residence halls aren't on the tour.[S5][S6]
• If tours aren't offered on your date, a self-guided tour is available seven days a week, for both the Villanova and Cabrini campuses.[S6]

Visitor parking

• Registered admission visitors get a permit for complimentary parking. Print your parking pass.[S7]
• Other weekday visitors (including admission visitors who didn't register or print the pass) can use Ithan Garage I-1: free for the first hour, $2 for 1–2 hours, $5 for 2–4 hours, $7 for 4–6 hours.[S7]

Nearest transit

• SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Regional Rail line stops at Villanova Station, on campus. The Norristown High Speed Line stops at Villanova and Stadium stations. PHL airport is about 20 miles away.[S7]

What to know

• Business-curious students can stop by the Nydick Family Commons in Bartley Hall, where VSB Ambassadors are available weekdays 9:30 am–4:30 pm when classes are in session. Nursing and Engineering run their own sessions.[S5]
• Villanova doesn't conduct admission interviews or track demonstrated interest.[S5]

Last checked Oct 22, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Villanova: Visit · Villanova: Maps and Directions

Campus

Swarthmore College

Official tour sign-up: Swarthmore Campus Tours and Virtual Visits ↗

Where visits start

• The Admissions Office is on the second floor of Parrish Hall (elevator in the central part of the building). Information sessions are in the Admissions Commons, and tours leave from there.[S11]
• Registration is required and space is highly limited. Self-guided visitors should register too, for instructions, directions and safety protocols, using Swarthmore's self-guided tour form. Groups of 10+ use the group-tour sign-up.[S9][S27]

Visitor parking

• Turn from North Chester Road onto Visitor Center Lane and park in the Benjamin West lot. Your printed visit-confirmation email is your parking permit; display it on the dashboard. Parrish Hall is a 5–10 minute walk.[S10]
• The Whittier lot on north campus offers the most direct accessible path and entrance to Admissions. The Benjamin West House, the College's visitor information center, is staffed 24 hours a day.[S11][S10]

Nearest transit

• SEPTA's Media/Wawa line runs from 30th Street Station to the Swarthmore stop: 28 minutes and 11 stops, according to the Inn at Swarthmore.[S19]

What to know

• Pick up a campus map and a list of top spots at the Campus & Community Store, 4 S. Chester Rd.[S9]

Last checked Oct 22, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Swarthmore: Self-guided tour registration · Swarthmore: How to Get Here & Where to Stay

Campus

Lehigh University

Official tour sign-up: Lehigh Visits & Campus Tours ↗

Where visits start

• The Alumni Memorial Building, 27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015: the gothic building with the tall stone tower. A wheelchair-accessible entrance uses the ramped walkway to the left of the exterior stone stair.[S14]
• Check the On-Campus Admissions Events Calendar and each event's description before you register. You can attend just the information session or just the tour: register for the event and email the office about your situation.[S13]

Visitor parking

• Use the visitor entrance to the Arrival Court and Parking Pavilion at Summit St. and Brodhead Ave.; bear right into the Pavilion as soon as you enter. Admissions visitor parking is on the first level.[S14]
• Weekdays 6 am–4 pm: a limited number of free, first-come visitor spaces on the lower levels of the Alumni Memorial Parking Garage, plus metered spaces on level 1, side streets and public garages.[S13]
• Weekends and after 4 pm: levels 2–6 are also open at $1/hour plus a one-time $0.25 service fee, paid at the start of your visit. Text LU11 to 25023 or scan the QR code by the garage stairs and elevator. Parking anywhere else on campus gets a ticket.[S13]

What to know

• The Asa Packer Campus tour takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, with moderate hills and steps. If the University closes or delays opening, visits during the closure are canceled.[S13]

Last checked Oct 22, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Lehigh: Alumni Memorial Building · Lehigh: Asa Packer Campus directions

4. Where to stay: one base for all four

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Both hotels sit near I-476, which runs north to Lehigh (Exit 44, Quakertown) and south past Swarthmore (exit 3).[S18][S15][S19]

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

6. Things for siblings along the route

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7. Practical tips

Parent checklist

• Register for each school before you book travel. Villanova keeps no waiting list.[S6]
• Visiting in December or January? Villanova's tours pause after December 10, 2026 and resume January 14, 2027.[S6]
• Print two things: the Villanova parking pass and the Swarthmore confirmation email.[S7][S10]
• Reserve Penn parking on ParkMobile if you're driving in.[S2]
• If you're bringing younger siblings, ask each school when you register whether they can join the tour.
• After each school, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student before the next one blurs it.