Things To Do
Our favorite restaurants!
Fitler Square: Ambrosia (Italian/homemade pastas), Pub & Kitchen (American) Rittenhouse Square: Via Locusta (Italian/homemade pastas, brunch), Parc (French), The Love (Southern American, brunch), The Dandelion (British pub, brunch) Center City/Midtown: El Vez (Mexican), Harp & Crown (Gastrobar), Barbuzzo (Mediterranean, brunch), Green Eggs Cafe (brunch) Old City: Amada (tapas), Fork (American, brunch), Talula's Garden (American, brunch), Zahav (Israeli pre-fixe), Buddakan (Asian), Las Bugambilias (Mexican) Northern Liberties/Fishtown: Cafe La Maude (French-Lebanese brunch), Laser Wolf (Israeli) We recommend Dalessandro's Steaks and Hoagies or John's Roast Pork to satisfy your Philly cheesesteak fix! Angelo's Pizzeria in South Philly has both great cheesesteaks and some of the best pizza in the city- there is no seating and usually a crowd, but it is worth the wait!
Schuylkill River Trail
A 30-mile trail good for walking, running, and biking. The trail starts at the Schuyllkill River Park (300 S 25th Street). About 1.5 miles down the path you will come across the Philadelphia Museum of Art and about another mile from there is Boathouse Row. We walk down at least a portion of this trail nearly every day!
Rittenhouse Square
Arguably our favorite square in the city. Rittenhouse Square is full of benches so you can waste the hours people/dog watching and admiring all the street performers. There are high end and boutique stores as well as plenty of alfresco dining. On Saturdays, there is a large farmers market. Nearby, you can hit up some of our fave local spots- The Bakeshop on Twentieth for breakfast or 1-900-ice-cream for some soft serve!
The Bakeshop on Twentieth
Our FAVORITE bakery with homemade muffins, loaves, poptarts, croissants, cookies, and more! The scones are a must-try; they have six different flavors at a time. Our favorites are the lemon poppy, cherry or apricot almond, and orange creamsicle.
The Mütter Museum
The Mütter Museum highlights the mysteries of the human body. Notable exhibits include Albert Einstein's brain, a tumor removed from President Glover Cleveland's mouth, and the death cast and livers of famous Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker. It only takes 1-2 hours to go through this entire museum. Tickets need to be purchased in advance.
Eastern State Penitentiary
A prison that opened in 1829 and closed in 1971 after 142 years in use. It has since been named a National Historic Landmark. The experiment, to reform criminals through strict isolation, soon became a model for prison design worldwide. You can purchase tickets for a guide-led tour or for a self-guided audio tour.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
See the Rocky statue and climb the "Rocky Steps" before escaping to the air conditioned museum. Your ticket gets you two consecutive days at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rodin Museum. Look for "pay what you wish" tickets on Fridays from 5 PM-8:45 PM. If this is not enough, we recommend the Barnes Foundation for more art!
Philadelphia Zoo
America's first zoo! You must buy tickets in advance.
Reading Terminal Market
With more than 70 vendors, there is no shortage of things to eat!
JFK Plaza (AKA Love Park)
The famous Robert Indiana sculpture is in John F. Kennedy Plaza — better known as LOVE Park — just northwest of City Hall.
Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
An immersive mixed media art environment that is completely covered with mosaics. The creator, Isaiah Zagar, used handmade tiles, bottles, bicycle wheels, mirror, and international folk art to chronicle his life and influences. The space is made up of two indoor galleries and a bi-level outdoor sculpture garden. We strongly advise buying tickets ahead of time.
Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell
Admission to Independence Hall is by tour only. Timed entry tickets (only $1) are required from 9am to 5pm. Reserve ahead of time on recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777 from 10AM to 12 Midnight. No tickets are required to visit the Liberty Bell, but expect to wait in line!
Elfreth's Alley Museum
Elfreth's Alley is one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in the United States. The public road is open for a stroll any time or visit the museum for $3.
Spruce Street Harbor Park
Hammocks, a beer garden, an arcade, lawn games, food vendors, and a boardwalk on the Delaware River. This urban park gets illuminated at night.
Franklin Square
There is something for everyone at Franklin Square! Ride on the colorful Parx Liberty Carousel, play a round of mini-golf (Philly style!), or attend the seasonal Chinese Lantern Festival (open 6-11 PM; buy tickets ahead!). Afterwards, walk over to China Town for some dinner!
The Franklin Fountain
Bow-tie-wearing staff dispense classic ice cream parlor/soda fountain treats in an old-timey space. We recommend the honeycomb flavor!
Longwood Gardens
For a day trip if you have a little extra time, Longwood Gardens is a botanical garden that consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows about an hour outside of Philadelphia in Kennett Square, the Mushroom Capital of the World. If you go, don't miss seeing a stunning fountain show! Buy timed tickets in advance.