The Independence National Historical Park includes Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Within walking distance of both hotels!
A classic both in its architecture and its collection. Eric loves the Duchamp installation while Emily has a fondness for the weird looking babies in the medieval collection as well as Chagall's "Purim". You can run (or walk) the Rocky steps and see the famous statue. There's also a beautiful walking trail nearby that takes you along the Schuykill River and Boat House Row.
A phenomenal collection of impressionist masterpieces is here courtesy of Dr. Alfred Barnes.
A one-of-a kind Philadelphia museum that probably isn't for the faint of heart. However, if you can handle a bit of gore, this museum of medical oddities is a great place to waste some time. Emily is a particular fan of the slices of various tissues taken from both assassinated presidents and their assassins. Perfect for a romantic wedding weekend!
Passyunk Square in South Philly is the best place to explore to get a feel for the best of Philly. There's tons of cute shops, great dogspotting, and food that ranges from classic to adventurous. For cheap thrills, Fountain Porter has the best $6 burger anywhere, and Ray's Happy Birthday Bar is the platonic ideal of a dive bar (with karaoke on Fridays, wink wink). You can go more upscale at Gabriella's Vietnam, Ember and Ash...actually, its impossible to get a bad meal around here. Make sure to check out A Novel Idea, the best-curated bookstore in Philly!
One of the best places for lunch! You really can't go wrong with any of the stands - try DiNic's for sandwiches, Miller's for Pennsylvania Dutch pretzels or the Dutch Eating Place for breakfast or lunch (and of course Bassett's for ice cream)!