Top 17 things to do in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

If you’re looking for your next trip to the states, be sure to check out the city of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, often referred to as Philly, is the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania.

Notable for its rich history, and being home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the nation’s first library as well as many other National Historic Landmarks.

Philadelphia is also home to five sports teams making the city a great location for passionate sports fans to enjoy a game or two.

Philadelphia is a City of Culture and has a vibrant food scene with a large selection of microbreweries to choose from.

Grab a pint of craft beer along with a Philly Cheesesteak or a Soft Pretzel and see where the night takes you!

Philadelphia is a fun city to explore with loads to do, so be sure to check it out on your next visit to the states.

Here is my travel guide to the Top 17 things to do in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA:

1. Stay at the centrally located Philadelphia Cambria Hotel

If you’re looking for a place to stay in the city, Philadelphia Cambria Hotel offers a perfect central location overlooking Philadelphia City Hall.

A modern hotel with a stylish interior inspired by the local art, they also offer many upscale amenities such as a rooftop restaurant for all guests to enjoy.

The great downtown location puts you within walking distance from all the top attractions of Philadelphia making it a perfect base for your trip.

2. Go for dinner and a flight at Victory Tap Room

For your first night in Philadelphia, head to the Victory Tap Room for an awesome dining experience.

The victory Tap room is a newly built modern taproom and brewery located in Philadelphia’s Logan Square.

They offer a wide selection of beer as well as a beer-inspired menu to pair perfectly with your beverage of choice.

To kick off your trip to Philadelphia, why not try a flight of beer so you can try a different selection of all the different styles and seasonal beers they have on tap at the Victory Tap Room.

I’d highly recommend ordering one of the freshly baked soft pretzels which come with cream cheese and mustard dip and pair well with a refreshing pint of locally tapped beer.

My recommendation if they have it on tap would be the Brotherly Love Hazy IPA which has a lovely crisp Hoppy taste to it that goes down delightfully well after a long day of walking around Philly.

3. Stop off for breakfast at Reading Terminal Market

Start your day off well by heading out for a hearty breakfast at the Reading Terminal Market.

The historic Reading Terminal Market is home to over 80 merchants offering many of Philadelphia’s famous dishes.

This is a great spot to start your day in Philadelphia and to watch the daily early morning commute of the locals having breakfast before heading off to work.

For Breakfast, I would recommend the Dutch Eating Place, run by a local Armesh community offering Pennsylvania Dutch fare.

Expect large hearty portions crafted with freshly prepared ingredients to put together an incredible breakfast menu for you to enjoy in the morning.

The Blueberry pancakes were fluffy and stacked high and go incredibly well with a splash of heavy cream or a stack of crispy bacon.

I would recommend going for the omelette which was almost the size of half an American Football, good luck trying to finish that!

4. Take a Guided Tour of Eastern State Penitentiary

Take a Guided Tour of Eastern State Penitentiary, America’s most historic prison.

I wouldn’t usually recommend a visit to a prison on your holidays, but the Eastern State Penitentiary is steeped with history and every wall and cell tells a story.

Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world.

As it stands, visiting Eastern State Penitentiary is like visiting a living museum.

See the crumbling cellblocks, once home to infamous convicts such as Al Capone and Slick Willie Sutton.

The building itself is mostly kept in a state of preserved ruin but bit by bit the prison is being restored over time in sections to open up more space to visitors.

5. Go for a walk around Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

Take a tour around Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. Bask in the reflections of Philadelphia’s living mosaic.

this mesmerizing labyrinth is the largest work to date by mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar.

This attraction is Half indoor, half outdoor, and completely out of the ordinary.

Be sure to pass by and have your camera ready to explore this unique attraction.

6. Philly cheesesteak Lunch at Campo’s

A trip to Philadelphia wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a Philly cheesesteak sandwich for lunch.

I could recommend either of the famous spots that are Pat’s or Geno’s, but rivalry aside, a safe bet would have to be Campo’s.

Campo’s has been serving Philly specialities since 1947, located on 215 Market Street, Philadelphia.

Campo’s also offers many vegetarian options as well as other specialities such as a hoagie, and roast pork, amongst other favourites.

Enjoy a famous Philly cheesesteak and be sure to have it fully loaded with onions, mushrooms and peppers for the ultimate experience.

7. The Constitution Walking Tour of Historic District

Want to walk around on a guided tour through the historical streets of Philadelphia? Then look no further than the Constitution Walking Tour of the Historic District.

Compared to some other cities in the United States, Philadelphia has a lot of US history to explore amongst its streets.

Having a walking guide can help point out some of these locations and bring the history of Philadelphia and the United States to life.

The Constitutional Walking Tour starts and ends at the National Constitution Center and will take a few hours to complete.

8. Book a tour of Independence Hall

Philadelphia is home to many iconic locations, and one of them is Independence Hall.

The Independence Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where America’s Founders signed the Declaration of Independence.

Make sure you book your ticket online before visiting the Independence Hall as you will need to book an assigned time in advance.

9. Stop off at the Yard’s Brewing Company

Stop off for a pint at the Yard’s Brewing Company, located in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties district.

Yards Brewing Company has been brewing in the City of Brotherly Love since 1994 and offers a more traditional lineup compared to others in the city as well as a few experimental brews chucked in for good measure such as the Star Jockey.

Yard’s Brewing Company offer 20 different beers on tap, as well as a beer-friendly pairing menu to match your food with a drink.

my favourite was the more traditional Philadelphia Pale Ale which went down a treat.

10. Grab Lunch at McGillin’s Olde Ale House

Opened in 1860, McGillin’s Olde Ale House is the oldest continuously operating tavern in Philadelphia.

Named one of the most authentic Irish Pubs in America McGillin’s has 30 beers on draft and serves a wide selection of regional microbrews as well as a delicious menu with the house specialities.

If you’re feeling brave, you can head here in the evening and you might bump into one of the legendary Karaoke nights.

What I would recommend is heading to McGillin’s Olde Ale House during the day for a spot of lunch. A wonderful selection of pub classics can be found on the menu to enjoy from French onion soup to the club sandwich, every choice is a good one.

My wild card selection from the lunch menu would be the Philly cheesesteak spring rolls which are incredible and have to be tried.

11. Visit the Mütter Museum

Out of respect for the individuals in the Mütter Museum collection, no photography or video of any kind is permitted in the main museum.

For this very reason, you have to visit to see the Mütter Museum for yourself.

The Mütter Museum is home to the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the oldest private medical society in the United States.

Featuring a collection of medical oddities, wax models, antique medical equipment, anatomical and pathological specimens, and more.

Also on display at the Mütter Museum are slides of Albert Einstein’s brain and a conjoined liver of twins.

the Mütter Museum helps the public understand the mysteries and beauty of the human body and is worth visiting on your trip to Philadelphia.

Photos are not allowed inside

12. The Liberty Bell, A symbol of American Independence

Just across the street from Independence Hall is the Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell is a symbol of American Independence.

You can visit the Liberty Bell Center during opening hours and is free to enter.

If you prefer to view the Liberty Bell from the outside, you can visit the viewing window which has an audio guide in multiple languages.

13. Philadelphia City Hall

One of the largest municipal buildings in the world, Philadelphia City Hall is the government’s seat built in the centre of the city.

The architecture of this building has a striking resemblance to Second Empire European architecture.

The building was designed by John McArthur Jr. and Thomas Ustick Walter.

It was built 30 years within Penn Square, making it one of the most iconic buildings in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia City Hall also makes for a good central landmark to help with your navigation around Philly.

14.Check out the Love sculpture in Love Park

No Philly experience is complete without first snapping a selfie in front of one of The City of Brotherly Love’s best-known landmarks, the Love sculpture in Love Park.

The famous sculpture was created by Robert Indiana and is located in John F. Kennedy Plaza, which is better known as Love Park, just northwest of City Hall.

First Installed in 1976, the Love sculpture was briefly removed in 1978, but by popular demand, it was brought back to where it belongs.

In conjunction with the renovation of John F. Kennedy Plaza, the sculpture was restored, repainted and reinstalled to its original location in 2018.

15. Explore Philadelphia one pint at a time with City Brew Tour

Located in the historic district of Philadelphia, City Brew Tour offers an all-inclusive beer-focused tasting and tour experience, with access to the top breweries and beers in the area.

Join your City Brew Tour guide as he walks you through the stories and history of the breweries that you visit along the way and the beers they serve.

On our City Brew Tour, we visited Dock Street, Tripple Bottom Brewing, and Love city, all local microbreweries offering a great way to explore the Philly beer scene.

16. Jog to the top of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Steps and check out the Rocky statue

No trip to Philadelphia would be complete without first running up the iconic 72 stone steps leading up to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Made famous by actor, Sylvester Stallone in the 1976 movie Rocky.

Visitors often mimic Rocky’s famous climb to the top of the newly dubbed “Rocky steps”, a metaphor for an underdog rising to a challenge.

So why not relive your favourite movie scene and rise to the top offering great views of Philly?

Also worth checking out close by is the Rocky statue which is perfect for a photo opportunity.

17. Don’t miss out on a Dinner and Show at Chris’ Jazz Café

For your last night in Philadelphia, treat yourself to a late-night Dinner and Show at Chris’ Jazz Café.

Chris Jazz Café is the longest continuously operating jazz club in the history of Philadelphia.

They host a variety of national and international jazz superstars as well as an outstanding soulful Southern-influenced menu for you to enjoy.

The truffle mac and cheese was a good dish to start with!

Shows will go late into the night and will keep you entertained until the early hours of the morning.

What a great way to end your trip to Philadelphia with some good company, some great food and some awesome jazz.

Thank you for reading my blog post about what to do in Philadelphia

Thank you for reading my article about Philadelphia and appreciate you stopping by.

I hope you found all the information about Philadelphia useful in planning your next trip to the city.

Have a wonderful time visiting Philadelphia!

This article was put together in collaboration with the Philadelphia Convention and Visitor Bureau.

Don’t forget to watch my video about Philadelphia

I’ve also put together a YouTube video about my trip to Philadelphia. Feel free to give it a watch:

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