As one of the most historically important cities in the country, spending a few days in Philadelphia is a highlight of an East Coast city tour.
However, Philadelphia has way more to offer than just museums and monuments – there is a thriving food scene, a hopping sports culture and a lively and exciting energy that makes it one of my favorite cities in the area.
Whether you’re visiting as a stop on a longer itinerary or as a standalone city break, Philadelphia is a city that is incredibly fun to spend some time in – no matter how long you have!
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How Many Days in Philadelphia?
With 2 days – or if you’re planning a weekend trip – you have enough time to see the highlights and historical landmarks before departing.
If you have 3 days in Philly, you’ll have plenty of time to see the best landmarks, eat some iconic local dishes and visit some of the top museums.
I will say that spending even more time is best for those who want a chance to venture beyond the city while still catching the highlights inside it. You can take a day trip via train or bus to a nearby natural site and get a break from the city.
Getting To & Around Philadelphia
Due to its close proximity to New York City, Washington DC, Baltimore, Boston, and other large cities, it’s easy to reach Philadelphia by bus or train.
The shortest of these options takes only one hour (coming from New York City by train) with the longest taking a few hours.
Buses are the more affordable option but both buses and trains will deliver their passengers to the city center. You can view schedules here.
If you’re flying directly into Philadelphia, you’ll arrive through Philadelphia International Airport. It’s located about 7 miles from the city.
You can call a rideshare, organise a transfer or taxi to drive into the city. Taxis charge a flat rate of $32 (with a $1 surcharge per additional passenger) to get to and from the airport from the city center.
You can also reserve a seat on an airport shuttle—some even take you directly to your accommodation. You can also take the underground train from the airport.
The city of Philadelphia is considered one of the most walkable in the country as it is an old city designed before the wide use of cars.
Many of the most popular landmarks are located near each other. The layout of the city is simple—the north/south streets are numbered whereas the east/west streets are named after trees.
There are signs throughout downtown that guide visitors to walk around the city, catching all the main historical sites.
Philadelphia also has an underground public transit system that works well for quickly getting across the city if you don’t want to walk. It’s also easy to call a Lyft or Uber, or hail a taxi.
Otherwise, it can also be very worthwhile to purchase a GoCity Pass for Philadelphia. This includes a hop-on/hop-off bus tour along with entry into a vast array of museums and historic sites – including the majority of those listed on this itinerary.
2 or 3-Day Philadelphia Itinerary
This route allows you to see the highlights of Philadelphia in just a short amount of time. It offers a great mix of historic sites, museums, food and culture and it’s sure to leave you really falling for the City of Brotherly Love.
Day 1 – Old City & Center City Highlights
The first day of this itinerary explores some of the highlights of the Old City and Center City of Philadephia.
If you want to learn more about the history of the city, consider taking this historic walking tour or this cultural tour that explores another of the attractions listed below with a tour guide.
Independence Hall
Along with many of the historic buildings in Washington DC, Independence Hall is probably one of the most famous structures in American history. Here is where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed.
In fact, Philadelphia once acted as the capital of the USA after the Constitution was ratified and was where presidents George Washington and John Adams had official residences.
From March to December, you can only enter Independence Hall with a timed, ticketed tour. In January and February, the Independence Hall entrance is first come, first served, so plan accordingly if you’re visiting during this time.
The tour lasts around 20 minutes. Guides take visitors through the Assembly Room and ground floor of the Hall, providing important context to the rich history of this building.
Liberty Bell
The State House Bell, also known as the Liberty Bell, is an iconic part of Philadelphia’s history. This bell was actually a replica.
The first cracked the first time someone attempted to ring it and a second was promptly made. The bell seen today was originally housed in Independence Hall and intended to call lawmakers and townspeople to gather.
No one knows for certain how the infamous crack occurred. During your visit to the Liberty Bell Center, you’ll learn about the history and lore surrounding the bell. There is a great exhibit and you’ll also find helpful National Park Rangers who give historic talks to give you more context.
You don’t need a ticket to visit and it is free to enter, but make sure you check the center’s hours prior to visiting.
Philadelphia City Hall
After taking in these historic sites, walk about 20 minutes to reach the city hall. However, if you need a little pick-me-up, we recommend stopping for a coffee en route at Passero’s Coffee Roasters.
The Philadelphia City Hall is the largest municipal building in the United States, with over 14.5 acres of floor space, and is an architectural wonder to see both inside and out. Inside, you can take a tour that details the history and creation of the city.
You can also climb to the top of the tower for excellent views of the city.
City Hall is home to the office of the city mayor and the chambers of the Philadelphia City Council. Entrance to the museum, tower, and building itself is free, but make sure you check the opening times for when you’re there.
Before you leave the area, head to the iconic LOVE statue that sits just northwest of City Hall in JFK Plaza (also known as Love Park). It was installed in 1976 and has since become an icon for the City of Brotherly Love.
Reading Terminal Market
After a morning of sightseeing, it’s likely you’ve worked up a bit of an appetite. And if you’re hungry, go no further than Reading Terminal Market.
As one of the oldest public markets in America, Reading Terminal is chock-full of local vendors and food stalls.
There are over 80 merchants that specialize in preparing food from all over the world – we were surprised to find a Georgian restaurant (Saami Somi) here that serves an array of modern Georgian Dishes that would be at home at a hip restaurant in Tbilisi.
We can also recommend grabbing a sandwich from Hershel’s, a Jewish deli that serves up all the classics – from pastrami to whitefish salad!
If you’re looking for the perfect souvenir, this might be the place. Along with food, there are artisans selling handmade crafts to American quilts.
Chinatown
Winding your way back to the Old City, make a detour to explore Philadelphia’s Chinatown. This is a vibrant neighborhood that really celebrates the diversity of Philadelphia and particularly it’s East & Southeast Asian populations.
Spanning a few city blocks, there are lots of bakeries, tea shops, dumpling houses and more to take in. Hopefully, you still have a bit of an appetite while wandering through this area because there are a number of incredible foods to sample here.
If you do want to have a meal in Chinatown – either for dinner later or as part of this little exploration, we can highly recommend Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House. They pull their own noodles in-house and the soups are absolutely incredible. It’s cash only, but there is an ATM on site.
Museum of the American Revolution
Continue your exploration of the history of the American Revolution with a visit to the Museum of the American Revolution. This huge collection of art and artefacts from the country’s path to achieving independence is a perfect crash course of the time period.
The galleries of the museum are organized in chronological order, so you’ll walk through history during your visit. You’ll be able to enjoy excellent storytelling and fascinating artefacts from a pivotal time in American history. You can pre-book tickets here. Plan to spend about an hour going through the museum.
And if you want to dive even deeper into this era of history, make sure to visit the nearby Betsy Ross House – home to the woman who sewed the first American flag. You can also see Benjamin Franklin’s Grave just around the corner from the museum.
Elfreth’s Alley
Philadelphia is a city filled with many landmarks that are the oldest of their kind. Elfreth’s Alley is no exception. Here is the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in the country. It’s a narrow stone street with brick buildings on either side.
Greenery and colorful window shutters bring the street to life. In its earliest years, Elfreth’s Alley was the home of 18th-century artisans and tradespeople who helped build Philadelphia from the ground up. 300 years later, the stretch of untouched homes was named a National Historic Landmark.
Franklin Fountain & Liberty Beer Garden
Especially if you’re visiting in the hot summer months, it’s likely that you’re exhausted and overheated after a long day of sightseeing! If this is the case, make sure to head over to the Franklin Fountain.
This is an old-school soda fountain that has a great vintage feel. They make an array of homemade sodas, milkshakes and sundaes and also sell ice cream by the scoop. They even have a variety of vegan flavours and seasonal specialities!
Something for the adults, consider wandering over to the Liberty Garden which overlooks the park near the Liberty Bell. They have several beers and drinks available along with some good happy hour deals if you make it there in time!
Day 2 – Museums, Society Hill & South Street
Spend your second day exploring vibrant South Philly, visiting some more interesting museums and eating some fantastic local favorites!
Weitzman National Museum of Jewish American History
Begin your day at another museum – this one being the Weitzman Jewish American History Museum. Even if you are not Jewish, you are sure to find this museum incredibly informative and very well-done. It’s also free to enter, which is another bonus!
Set over a number of floors, this museum outlines Jewish history in America from the country’s founding to the present day. It’s an excellent way to learn about Jewish-American history, immigration and about American Jewish contributions to arts, culture, politics, science and more.
Because of how much there is to see, plan to spend 2-3 hours here to get the full experience. We visited one hour before closing and it wasn’t enough time, so we returned the following morning to finish going through the museum.
If this museum doesn’t interest you, then you should also consider heading to the African American Museum of Philadelphia, which exhibits a lot of history and culture about African Americans.
Explore Society Hill
Head south toward South Street from the Old City and you will find yourself in the Society Hill neighborhood, a historic district that is one of the most upscale in the city.
Set along cobbled streets, you can take in beautiful townhouses dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries along with lots of other historic sites.
Take the time to zig-zag through the pleasant streets here and see where your feet take you. One thing that is great about this neighborhood – and all of Philadelphia – is that there are plaques all over the city in front of important buildings and monuments with their historic significance explained. It is really like spending time in an open-air museum.
South Street & Italian Market
After a foray through Society Hill, you will have arrived on South Street, a vibrant thoroughfare in South Philly. This leads into the Italian Market area of Philadelphia, which is – unsurprisingly – home to a large portion of the city’s Italian community.
South Street is also packed with interesting bars, restaurants and filled with murals and street art. It’s a great place to stroll along.
The Italian Market neighborhood is home to countless different fresh produce stands, butcher shops, cheesemongers and more. Though it is less chaotic, it has the feel of wandering through street markets in Sicily.
Cheesesteaks, Tomato Pie & Water Ice
No visit to Philadelphia is complete without eating a Philly cheesesteak. The most authentic cheesesteaks have thinly sliced ribeye steak, cheese (American, provolone or Cheez Whiz), fried onion, mushrooms, or bell peppers all tucked into a hoagie roll.
While you can get a cheesesteak all over the city, one of the best areas to get a great one is in the Italian Market area – we particularly recommend Angelo’s Pizzeria.
The sandwiches are huge – we recommend splitting one between two people – but they’re absolutely delicious with high-quality ingredients and great bread. Though you have your choice of cheese, we really think they’re best with the classic Cheez Whiz.
While in this area, take your time to indulge in some other local culinary specialities. For instance, while you’re waiting for your sandwich at Angelo’s, consider heading to Sarcone’s Bakery to get a tomato pie. This is simply a piece of focaccia covered with a flavourful tomato sauce – and it’s super delicious!
And if you’re looking for a refreshing dessert, then make sure to head over to John’s Water Ice. Water Ice is similar to granita and it is super delicious. John’s is a historic spot for this local treat and they have a lot of fresh, natural flavors – and seasonal specials. We particularly loved the mango and pineapple flavors!
If you want to take in more of Philly’s unique cuisine, you can take a food tour to learn more about the city’s food scene.
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens
You might’ve seen photos of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens online. These intricate indoor and outdoor mosaics make for beautiful photo ops.
The gardens began when a local artist, Isaiah Zagar, started hanging tiles on South Street in the 1960s. Today, the mosaics are constructed out of tiles, bottles, ceramic shards, bicycle spokes, and other pieces of art supplies.
Over the years, the garden has gained public support that preserved the windy corridors of art. It’s worth adding to your itinerary, especially if you’re looking for something that is uniquely Philly and isn’t another historical landmark.
Attend a Sporting Event
What better way to round out your day than by enjoying another of Philadephia’s institutions? And by that, we mean heading to a sporting event. Philadelphia is a sports-mad city and you’re going to find something on no matter what season you’re visiting.
From football (Eagles) to basketball (’76ers) to hockey (Flyers) to baseball (Phillies), attending a sporting match is a quintessentially Philadelphia experience.
All of the stadiums are conveniently located in the south of the city and are easily reached on the metro. Otherwise, it’s just as easy to take an Uber or Lyft to the area.
One thing to note is that when we purchased tickets to a Phillies game is that we did have to call to get our seats, as online ticket sales were reserved for PA, DE or NJ residents. It was not an issue to book tickets over the phone.
If you’re not interested in heading to a sporting event, then wind out your day enjoying the nightlife on South Street, instead!
Day 3 – Philly’s Top Museums
If you’re fortunate enough to have three days to spend exploring Philadelphia, spend the third day enjoying some more of the city’s top museums. It’s tough to visit all of them listed below, but pick a couple and you’ve got a day well spent.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Nearly every major city has an art museum for its visitors and locals to enjoy. Philadelphia boasts one of the largest in the country, making it a must-see for guests.
The building towers at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on the banks of the Schuylkill River and houses a huge collection of work. More than 240,000 pieces of art from 2,000 years of history live here. You’ll find suits of armor, a complete 14th-century Buddhist temple, and works from Picasso all under one roof.
The building was expanded as recently as 2021, allowing the museum to open new exhibits and extend its permanent collection. Of course, the stairs leading to the museum are also famous and known as the “Rocky Steps” – so-called after the 1976 film.
Those wanting even more art can also visit the nearby Rodin Museum – or add it to the itinerary if they’re spending more than 2 days in Philadelphia. Alternatively, begin your day at the Eastern State Penitentiary Museum where you can learn about some famous inmates (including Al Capone) and go through a haunted house.
Barnes Foundation
Lovers of art should make time for the Barnes Foundation – it’s one of the best things to do in Philadelphia.
Here is one of the world’s most respected collections of French Impressionist and post-impressionist paintings. Here, visitors will find 181 pieces of art by Renoir, 69 pieces of Cezanne, and an exquisite collection of African Art.
Along with the permanent exhibit, the Barnes Foundation has a rotating series of temporary exhibits that include works from major artists throughout history. It was established in 1922 and is a charming way to spend an afternoon.
The Franklin Institute
Named after the highly revered inventor and founding father Benjamin Franklin, the Franklin Institute is one of the most treasured science museums in the country. The museum specializes in interactive displays that walk visitors through several areas of science.
The earliest iteration of the Franklin Institute opened in Independence Hall in 1824 to showcase the inventions of Benjamin Franklin. Today, it’s one of Philadelphia’s most-visited landmarks.
During your visit, don’t forget to stop by the museum’s trademark: a 20-foot tall marble statue of the museum’s namesake, Benjamin Franklin. After the museum, you could opt to take a stroll to Rittenhouse Square, a nearby lovely park, or simply make your way to the next stop on this itinerary.
Fairmount Park
If you’re keen to spend some time outside, then head away from these museums and visit the lovely Fairmount Park. This is a vast green space along the Schuylkill River and it’s the perfect area to wile away your time.
The park actually spans both sides of the river, so you can go across the bridge and explore the other side, if that’s something you’re up for!
Have More Time?
If you happen to have a bit more time to devote to your trip to Philadelphia, these are some great suggestions for how to spend your days:
Longwood Gardens
If you’re short on time in Philadelphia and want a taste of nature during your visit, head to the Longwood Gardens. Located just about an hour outside the city, the gardens are a great way to spend a quiet morning or afternoon during your last day in the area.
The garden houses over 9,000 species of plants across 1,000 acres. There are walking paths to enjoy the area as well as a botanic garden with fountain shows and stunning landscapes.
Make sure you see the Italian Water Garden, Flower Garden Walk, and Pierce’s Woods. While exploring, don’t be surprised if you come across a variety of wildlife. A visit here is a relaxing way to conclude your visit to Philadelphia.
The quickest way to reach Longwood Gardens is by Amtrak. From there, you can reserve a shuttle service 24 hours in advance to reach the gardens or call a rideshare. There are also four bus lines that run from Philadelphia to Longwood.
If you have a car during your visit, it will take you around 45 minutes, depending on traffic, to reach the gardens. You can also take an organised tour. You should plan to spend 3 to 4 hours there.
Philadelphia Zoo
Before you leave Philadelphia, pay a visit to America’s first zoo: the Philadelphia Zoo.
As one of the best-designed zoos in the country, exploring these exhibits is simultaneously relaxing and engaging.
Over 1,300 animals, many rare or engaged, call this zoo home. Make sure you visit some highlights like Big Cat Falls, the McNeil Avian Center, the PECO Primate Reserve, and the interactive wildlife exhibits aimed at kids.
The zoo opened in 1874 and has since rehabilitated countless animals. Here is a great stop if you’re traveling with kids or if you just love spending an afternoon learning more about wild animals.
Where to Stay in Philadelphia
Alexander Inn – This quaint, boutique bed and breakfast is an excellent option for mid-range visitors. They have several great rooms to choose from, a central location for exploring the city and breakfast available each morning.
The Notary Hotel – This luxury hotel has a range of plush rooms to choose from, an excellent location for exploring all the highlights of the city and plenty of great amenities for guests to enjoy.
The Windsor Suites – If you’re looking for a luxurious stay while also having some self-catering facilities, then these suites are a great option. All suites are fully furnished and equipped with a kitchenette, along with an on-site restaurant/bar and other fantastic amenities.
Apple Hostels – They have a range of both dorms and private rooms to choose from along with good common areas and self-catering facilities for guests to use.
Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Philadelphia hotels!
Philadelphia is the perfect place to visit if you’re looking for a seamless blend of old and new – if you like to spend mornings in incredible museums and your afternoons taking in street murals and eating iconic sandwiches.
Are you planning to visit Philly? Have any questions? Let us know in the comments!
