Philadelphia

The city where America was founded, home to Independence Hall (a World Heritage Site), the Liberty Bell and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, plus cheesesteaks and Reading Terminal Market.

Philadelphia sits in the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania in the northeastern US, between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, about 150 km from New York and 220 km from Washington, D.C. The Declaration of Independence was signed here in 1776, and the city once served as the nation's capital, earning it the title "Birthplace of America."

Key areas: Old City and Independence National Historical Park are home to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the National Constitution Center, the Museum of the American Revolution and Franklin Court, all walkable in half a day. Center City revolves around City Hall, with LOVE Park, Reading Terminal Market and Rittenhouse Square. To the northwest, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is the museum district, lined with the Philadelphia Museum of Art (and its "Rocky Steps"), the Barnes Foundation, the Rodin Museum and the Franklin Institute. South Philly has the Italian Market, Philadelphia's Magic Gardens and classic cheesesteak joints. The top day trip is Longwood Gardens, and Valley Forge National Historical Park is also nearby.

Getting around: Regional Rail takes about 25 minutes from Philadelphia International Airport to downtown; Amtrak from New York takes about 1.2 hours. Downtown is easy to explore on foot combined with the subway and buses. Allow 2–3 days.

Climate: Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct are the most pleasant; summers are hot and humid, and winters are cold but bring Christmas markets and the holiday light display at Longwood Gardens. From March to December, Independence Hall requires free timed tickets reserved in advance.

Top sights

• Independence Hall – The Declaration of Independence was signed here in 1776, and the United States Constitution in 1787. It is a World Heritage Site and a symb…
• Liberty Bell Center – The famous Liberty Bell, with its well-known crack. It is a symbol of American independence and the abolition movement. Entry is free, and…
• Philadelphia Museum of Art – One of America's top art museums. The 72 steps at its main entrance are famous from the film Rocky, and a bronze statue of Rocky stands at…
• Reading Terminal Market – An indoor food market that opened in 1893. It is home to cheesesteaks, Amish desserts and Philadelphia soft pretzels.
• Barnes Foundation – A private collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, with many paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse. The displays follow…
• Eastern State Penitentiary – A radial prison that opened in 1829 and once held the gangster Al Capone. It is now a historic ruin and museum.
• Elfreth's Alley – One of the oldest continuously inhabited streets in the United States, with 18th-century red-brick rowhouses and flagstone paving remarkabl…
• Longwood Gardens – One of America’s most celebrated horticultural gardens, with giant greenhouses, an Italian water garden, and a summer-night fountain show…
• Museum of the American Revolution – A museum on the War of Independence, opened in 2017. Its treasure is George Washington’s campaign tent.
• National Constitution Center – An interactive museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution. Its Signers’ Hall features life-size bronze statues of the 42 framers of the Cons…
• Franklin Court & Benjamin Franklin Museum – The original site of Benjamin Franklin’s house, outlined by a white steel-frame “ghost structure,” with the Franklin Museum underground.
• Betsy Ross House – The house of the seamstress said to have sewn the first Stars and Stripes. This 18th-century building features costumed actors who give tal…
• Christ Church, Philadelphia – An Anglican church where the nation’s founders worshipped. Its Georgian steeple was once the tallest building in North America, and its gra…
• Philadelphia City Hall – The largest city hall in the United States, with a bronze statue of William Penn atop its tower. Visitors can ride up to the observation de…
• LOVE Park – The plaza home to Robert Indiana’s red LOVE sculpture, and Philadelphia’s most popular photo spot.
• Rodin Museum – One of the museums with the largest collections of Rodin’s works outside Paris. Out front stand *The Thinker* and *The Gates of Hell*.
• The Franklin Institute – One of the oldest science centers in the United States. Walk through a giant heart model, and enjoy a planetarium and temporary blockbuster…
• Italian Market (9th Street) – One of America’s oldest open-air markets. Along both sides of 9th Street, you’ll find produce stalls, cheese shops, Italian delis, and Mexi…
• Philadelphia's Magic Gardens – A labyrinthine mosaic garden by artist Isaiah Zagar, assembled from broken tiles, glass bottles, and mirrors.
• Penn's Landing & Spruce Street Harbor Park – A waterfront along the Delaware River. In summer, the harbor park with hammocks, string lights, and floating bars is a popular hangout for…
• Boathouse Row & Fairmount Park – A row of 19th-century rowing club boathouses along the Schuylkill River. At night, their lit outlines reflect on the water, making this a c…
• Philadelphia Zoo – America’s first zoo, opened in 1874, famous for “Zoo360,” an aerial walkway that lets big cats and primates pass overhead.
• Valley Forge National Historical Park – The winter encampment of George Washington’s Continental Army in 1777–1778. Cabins, memorial arches, and the headquarters are scattered acr…
• Mütter Museum – A medical curiosities museum run by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, with human specimens, pathology models, and slices of Einste…
• Rittenhouse Square – Philadelphia’s most elegant pocket park, surrounded by luxury homes, restaurants, and cafés. Ideal for strolling and picnicking.
• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts – The first art school and museum in the United States, founded in 1805. Its Gothic Revival building houses American art.
• Penn Museum – The archaeology museum of the University of Pennsylvania, home to North America’s largest sphinx and two Zhaoling steed reliefs from China.
• Pat's King of Steaks & Geno's Steaks – Two long-established cheesesteak shops facing each other across a South Philadelphia intersection. They are the birthplace of the Philly ch…
• Princeton University – An Ivy League university with a Gothic Revival campus, Nassau Hall, and the University Chapel. A classic day trip from Philadelphia or New…
• Mercer Museum – A concrete “castle” museum in Doylestown, whose six-story atrium hangs tens of thousands of pre-industrial American tools and objects. Wond…

Where to eat

• Zahav – The pioneer of modern Israeli cuisine in Philadelphia, named America's Best Restaurant in 2019, famous for its tasting…
• Kalaya – Chef Nok brings the flavors of her hometown, Trang, to Southern Thai cuisine, winning the James Beard Award for Outstan…
• John's Roast Pork – An iconic South Philadelphia counter-service joint operating since 1930, highly praised by locals for both its roast po…
• Dalessandro's Steaks – A Roxborough classic operating since 1960, featured as a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and a top local recommendation for chee…
• Pho 75 – A legendary pho spot on Washington Avenue known for lightning-fast service, called Philly's most legendary Vietnamese j…
• South Philly Barbacoa – Chef Cristina Martinez's famous Capulhuac-style slow-roasted lamb spot, where weekend early mornings are the most rewar…

Itineraries

• New York, Philadelphia & Washington D.C. by Rail – Travel along the Northeast Corridor via Amtrak to connect New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. without renting a…
• Boston to Washington D.C. & Niagara Falls – Travel south by rail through four historic East Coast cities, then fly to Buffalo to end your trip at Niagara Falls.
• US & Canada East Grand Loop – A cross-border long-haul route from New York via Washington, D.C., Niagara Falls to Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City.
• New York City, Philadelphia and Hudson Valley Day Trips – Five days covering Manhattan's main landmarks, and two days by train to Philadelphia, Sleepy Hollow and Cold Spring.
• Pennsylvania Cross-State: Philadelphia to Pittsburgh – Head west from Philadelphia through Amish Country, Hershey, and Gettysburg to Fallingwater and Pittsburgh.
• Amish Country & Hershey Family Road Trip from Philadelphia – Drive from Philadelphia to Lancaster for a steam train ride, then head to Hersheypark and Hershey's Chocolate World.
• Poconos Waterfalls & Jim Thorpe Mountain Town – Depart from New York, drive through the Delaware Water Gap to see waterfalls, then visit historic Jim Thorpe and the Wo…