Cheap Trips: Shopping, Movies, Bridges and Helicopters

Looking to save money?

Try one of these four trips you can enjoy on just one tank of gas -- Suburban Square in Ardmore, the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center in West Chester, the Ambler Theater and the Lehigh Valley Covered Bridge Tour.

1. Suburban Square Shopping Center

Address: 34 Parking Plaza, Ardmore, PA
How Far From Nazareth Patch? About an hour and a half

Admission Fee:

• There is no admission fee and parking is free.

Hours:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursay and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Summary: Opened in 1928, Suburban Square is considered the first shopping center in the United States, but parts of it feel more like a town square than a modern mall.

The courtyard in front of Macy’s leads into a pretty, urban setting with large trees as old as the square itself. There are benches to sit on, a fountain to enjoy, and even food carts during the summer months.

Work is currently underway for a new courtyard, an opened-up street (St. James Place) for concerts and other performances, more outdoor seating, new “concept” stores and a new high-end restaurant. Construction is expected to be finished by Thanksgiving.

There are many retailers, such as Ann Taylor, Barbour, Anthropologie, J. Crew, Victoria's Secret, Urban Outfitters, Apple and an expanded City Sports -- to name a few. And let's not forget Ardmore Farmer’s Market, which is located on the eastern end of the Square -- as is Trader Joe’s.

Links:

• Suburban Square Website

2. American Helicopter Museum & Education Center

Address: 1220 American Boulevard, West Chester, PA
How Far From Nazareth Patch? About an hour and a half

Admission Fee:

• Adults -- $10
• Seniors -- $8
• Students and children -- $7
• Children 2 and younger -- Free
• Parking -- Free lot

Hours:

• Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
• Monday and Tuesday, by appointment only.

Summary: The American Helicopter Museum & Education Center, which opened in 1996, is considered by many to be the nation's premier aviation museum that is devoted exclusively to helicopters. The museum chronicles the role helicopters played in history and in the modern world. The facility even maintains a library and restores helicopters.

Summer camps and educational programs for preschoolers through adults are also offered.

Links:

• Patch Place Listing
• Museum Website

3. The Ambler Theater

Address: 108 E. Butler Avenue, Ambler, PA
How Far From Nazareth Patch? About an hour and 15 minutes

Admission Fee:

• Adults -- $8.50
• There are student and matinee discounts

Hours:

• Monday through Sunday -- go to www.amblertheater.org for showtimes

Summary: The Ambler Theater continues to delight moviegoers with that old-time charm. The building, opened in 1928 by Warner Brothers, has undergone a number of changes in its time, but lives on today as a non-profit entity. There are daily showings of independent and international films.

The Ambler Theater’s ownership has done quite a lot to draw patrons, including hosting weekly events such as throwback films and special viewings. In addition, the building has kept many of its original features, including its iconic vertical neon sign, and box seating in its main theater.

Links:

• Theater Website
• Showtimes

4. Lehigh Valley Covered Bridge Tour

Address: Tour starts at Oxford Drive (24th Street), Allentown, PA
How Far From Nazareth Patch? About 30 minutes

Admission:

• Free

Hours:

• Daytime is best.

Summary: Journey back to a more idyllic time in this self-guided tour of seven of Pennsylvania's covered bridges. You can visit all seven, which is a 50-mile tour, or just a few. Two of the covered bridges can be found in South Whitehall and are a stone's throw from each other: Wehr's Covered Bridge, built in 1841, and Manasses Guth Bridge, built in 1858.

The bridges have a romantic quality, and the two in South Whitehall frame Covered Bridge Park, where you take a walk, have a picnic lunch and enjoy the scenic beauty.

German immigrants brought the bridge design to the United States. Often the bridges were named after local residents, their builders or the grist mills that operated along the nearby creeks.

Covered Bridge Tour signs will guide you along the route. The tour starts at Bogert's Bridge in Allentown, then takes you to South Whitehall and other municipalities.

Links:

• Self-Guided Tour Information
• More On The Tour From Discover Lehigh Valley