How to Spend One Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I know, I could spend a lot longer in Philadelphia, but with just one day, we made the best of it. On our way from Nashville to Rome, we had a one-day layover in Philadelphia. Instead of spending the day at the airport, we hopped in an Uber, dropped our bags off at a luggage storage location near Elfreth’s Alley, and went on our merry way.
Philadelphia is extremely rich in history. As a non-history buff but someone who is learning history through traveling, it truly felt like everywhere you turn there is something to learn (kind of like Boston!). Now, I’m well aware there is so much more to do than what I have on my list. So just let this be a little guide of things to add if they match your preference!
Just as an FYI – we did all of this by foot! So, below are 7 things to see and do in Philadelphia along with 3 honorable mentions:
Elfreth’s Alley
This was my sister’s favorite stop of the day, and it was our first stop of the day! Again, I’m not going to attempt to be a history buff, but Elfreth’s Alley was preserved as a way to show a typical colonial street.
Surprisingly with the amount of foot traffic of tourists, it is still a residential neighbor. This being said, they have “quiet hours” for the residents. In this alley, there is a museum that is open 4 hours a day, Friday-Sunday, from April to October.
When the museum isn’t open, you can walk through the street, take pictures of the architecture, and admire the history behind it all. It is a cobblestone road, where the houses have shutters and flower boxes, so it definitely takes you back in time – or at least to a place that doesn’t feel like a major metropolitan city.
Elfreth’s Alley is located very close to the river (this ties into the history). If you’re nearby and have time to spare, you can walk to the river and visit the many piers, parks, or restaurants. For more information about Elfreth’s Alley including the history and museum times, click here: Elfreth’s Alley.
Independence Hall
No, Nicolas Cage was nowhere to be found sadly. But yes, visiting this area made me want to National Treasure. And now I turned it on while writing this post. Now, we didn’t do the tour, but we walked around the Independence National Historic Park, which is where Independence Hall is located. The building honestly looks pretty pristine.
For tours from March-December, you have to get a ticket!! This ticket gives you access to see where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution was signed, and it only takes 15-20 minutes, per their website. It’s always a good thing to learn more about history and culture of a place, even your own country. It is even more powerful to stand in a place where something so significant took place.
Definitely book your ticket in advance! They have timed entrance for the tour, so to make sure you get in when you want, it’s best to reserve a ticket. While I didn’t see if there was a line for Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell had a SUPER long line, so just know these are going to hot spots. If you get a ticket in advance for anything, let it be this and the Liberty Bell. For more information on tickets and history, click here: Independence Hall.
Liberty Bell
Ah, the Liberty Bell. This is located right next to Independence Hall. Like I said earlier, this line gets LONG. Visiting the Liberty Bell and the Liberty Bell Center is free. This being said, the line appeared to move somewhat regularly. If you want to ensure a shorter line, the morning times will be your best bet.
Going into the Liberty Bell Center, you will learn all about the history surrounding the Liberty Bell as well as get to view the Liberty Bell up close. This is a great free way to get a tour in at Independence National Historic Park, especially if you are just showing up like we were.
Across the street from the Liberty Bell Center is Independence Visitor Center. This is a large airy-looking building with a cafe, more exhibits, BATHROOMS!!, and a shop with gifts of all kinds. This is great if you’re looking to take home a fun souvenir or just get some fun merch. For more information about the Liberty Bell, click here: History of the Liberty Bell. For more information about visiting the Liberty Bell, click here: Visit the Liberty Bell Center.
Reading Terminal Market
This place was so fun!! But also very busy and very crowded, so if you get overwhelmed or anxious in busy environments, this may not be the place for you. Reading Terminal Market is located just right outside of Chinatown in Philadelphia. Chinatown is also a very fun place to walk through if you have the time.
Since we were walking everywhere we went, our journey took us right through all of Chinatown. There are tons of shops and restaurants to visit, so you can definitely make an afternoon out of it. My aunt even got herself a new suitcase here since her’s broke!
Anyway, Reading Terminal Market is full of shops, fresh produce and meat, and food stands/restaurants. There is VERY limited seating here, so be prepared to either eat standing up OR have someone go grab a table while someone else grabs the food. As you’ll read next, this is a great place to grab a Philly cheesesteak.
And yes, I am very aware there are likely tons of other great authentic places to get one too!! This was just an easy place to get one on our DIY walking tour of the city. We didn’t have to sit down at a restaurant and we got to see a bustling market full of locals.
You can also get all types of food here, including TONS of desserts, as well as local gifts and souvenirs in the various shops. This was probably my favorite stop of the day. For more information about the merchants or events, click here: Reading Terminal Market.
Eat a Philly Cheesesteak
Okay, I’m just full of hot takes in this post, but I am not a big fan of Philly cheesesteaks. I know, I know, I said it. I’m just not a steak person!! But my mom absolutely LOVES them, and she thought it was great. We got our Philly cheesesteaks from By George! and we also got the Philly cheesesteak loaded fries while we were at it. Trust me, the portions were HUGE. We got 2 Philly cheesesteaks and the loaded fries between 4 of us. We hadn’t eaten pretty much all day and still couldn’t finish it all.
No matter where you decide to stop, it is pretty much a rite of passage to eat a Philly cheesesteak while in Philadelphia. Pretty much anywhere you look, you will find a restaurant, a food stand, or a shop serving these. Stop in wherever you want and grab one, or ask a local to tell you where you should go.
The most famous place to get Philly cheesesteaks, though, is closer to the outside of the city. It is Geno’s Steaks and Pat’s King of Steaks. These 2 stores are located caddy corner from each other, and they are said to have the best Philly cheesesteaks in the whole city.
If you have time, definitely drive or take an Uber to this location. If you have even more time, you should get one of each and see for yourself which one is the best. For more suggestions on where to get one, click here: Visit Philly: Where to Find the Best Cheesesteaks.
LOVE Park
If you want that iconic photo with the signs in Philadelphia, head on over to LOVE Park. Here you will find the LOVE sign and the I (HEART) PHILLY sign. This “park” is full of sculptures and art.
LOVE Park has all kinds of game pieces as sculptures, places to sit and relax, or it’s just a fun place to go for a stroll while wandering through the city. It is also right next to the next stop (Philadelphia City Hall), so you might as well stop here too!
There isn’t much more to say about this stop. It’s mostly a concrete park, but it does have grassy areas and a fountain to play in if you are going with kids! For more information, click here: Visit LOVE Park.
Philadelphia City Hall
Next up, like I said, we have Philadelphia City Hall. When we were there in early October, they had what is called “Harvest Weekend” going on. This was located in what’s called Dilworth Park, which is right in front of City Hall.
After stumbling upon Harvest Weekend, I looked it up and they have several events and activities at Dilworth Park all throughout the year. These events include things like ice skating, movies, or music, for example. Oh, and there is a Starbucks that my sister greatly appreciated.
If you haven’t seen Philadelphia City Hall before, it is absolutely incredible architecture. Just take a look at the pictures. Also, they have public bathrooms too!! If you are like us and doing a DIY walking tour, it’s always important to know where you can find a bathroom. The inside of the building is both old yet grand. It’s unlike any of the buildings we have in Nashville.
Seeing Philadelphia City Hall definitely reminds you of the rich history of this city. For more information about City Hall, click here: Philadelphia City Hall. For more information about Dilworth Park and its events, click here: Dilworth Park Philadelphia.
Honorable Mentions:
What’s some travel recommendations without some places we didn’t get to see and some places we stumbled upon?
Rocky Steps and Statue
First, we have the Rocky Steps and the Rocky Statue. As someone who has never seen Rocky (yes, I know, this whole guide is embarrassing), we just didn’t make time to visit here. But, if you’ve seen the movie or if you’re going to Philadelphia, it’s one of the main tourist attractions.
Running up the Rocky Steps is something you should do if you have time! It’s not easily walkable from the other places listed here and we were running out of time, so that’s why we didn’t make it there. But next time I get a longer trip, it’s definitely on my list! For more information, click here: Rocky Steps and Statue.
Betsy Ross House
This is the birthplace of the American flag! If you didn’t know, Betsy Ross was the first person to sow the original American flag. Now, this house serves as a museum with a courtyard and souvenir shop. You can take a tour if you have time, and it’s very affordable ($8 for a self-guided tour or $10 for an audio tour).
Here you will learn about the life of Betsy Ross, and you can buy some fun souvenirs if you don’t like the ones at Independence Visitor Center! Click here to learn more or to buy tickets: Visit Betsy Ross House.
Race Street Cafe
By the end of our day, we had walked all over the city. All we wanted was a place to rest our feet and get something to drink. After wandering around for a little bit on our way back to the luggage storage place, we found Race Street Cafe.
They have a bar and a very American menu, so we enjoyed a nice beer after a long day of walking. We didn’t get to try the food, but honestly the place was such a good environment that I bet it’s great. They open the windows on nice days, so you feel like you are sitting outside! For more information and to see the menu, click here: Race Street Cafe.
To read more about destinations around the United States, click here: Domestic Destinations.
For a one-day itinerary of things to do in Chicago, click here: Top 10 Sights in Chicago in 1 Day.
To read more about things to do in New York City in 1 day, click here: 5 Things to Do in NYC in 1 Day.
