Photo: Kevin Burkett · CC BY-SA 2.02 Days in Philadelphia: Liberty Bell Mornings, Cheesesteak Nights
A two-day Philadelphia weekend built around the country's birthplace and its food scene: Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell on day one, the Reading Terminal Market food crawl and a South Philly cheesesteak pilgrimage on day two, with the art museum steps and Rittenhouse Square in between. The plan re-plans itself around how you travel - your style, pace, and budget.
Pick a style, a budget and a pace — the route and days below re-plan themselves.
6 stops · 4 meals · 1 hotelThis is the editor’s pick.
2 days
Each day takes one part of Philadelphia, kept close so you walk more than you ride. The map shows the whole route — pick a day to zoom in.
A cobblestoned 1720s lane of 32 Georgian houses. Walk it slowly and look up at the shutters and boot scrapers. Most houses are private homes, so treat it as a street, not a museum.
- The street is free and open 24/7, but 29 of 32 houses are private residences.
Family-run Old City sandwich shop since 1947. Classic cheesesteaks, hoagies, and roast pork, plus vegan and gluten-free options. Official cheesesteak of the Flyers.
An early-1910s-style soda fountain on Market St: elaborate sundaes, phosphates, and homemade ice cream in a lovingly recreated period room. A sweet break from the historic sites.
Start here. This is the room where the Declaration and the Constitution were signed. Take the ranger-led tour of the Assembly Room, then stand in the corridor and read the timeline on the wall.
- The 9:00-9:50am open house needs no ticket; tours run every 20 minutes from 10am.
The cracked bell sits in a glass pavilion with exhibits on abolition and civil rights. It is free and takes about 20 minutes. Go first thing, when the line is shortest.
- Arrive before the 9am opening to beat the longest lines.
- Tour the Hall, then cross the street to the Bell pavilion. Both are free or nearly so, and the 9:00-9:50am open house needs no ticket.
Farm-to-table New American in Old City from the White Dog Cafe and Metropolitan Bakery crew. Lively Farm Bar, half-price happy hour Tue-Fri 5-7pm.
Design-forward boutique aparthotel: six apartment-style suites with full kitchens, laundry, and self check-in. No front desk, just 'invisible service.' Romantic and central.
- Self check-in/out with electronic access; full kitchens and in-room iPad concierge.
America's first penitentiary (1829): a brooding Gothic ruin with Al Capone's plush cell, Death Row, and the Steve Buscemi-narrated audio tour. By night, the Halloween Nights festival.
- Daytime admission includes the Steve Buscemi-narrated audio tour plus guide-led tours.
A stretch
Frank Gehry-designed restaurant on the ground floor of the Art Museum. Seasonal New American under a sculptural Douglas-fir ceiling. Eat here on your museum day.
- Open for lunch Tue-Sat and brunch on Sunday; reservations recommended.
Neighborhood coffee house on Fairmount Avenue: specialty coffee, homemade baked goods, full lunch menu. Takeout available.
- Full lunch menu alongside coffee and baked goods; takeout available.
The iconic encyclopedic museum at the end of the Parkway: 240,000+ works, the Rocky Steps, the Rocky statue photo. Run the 72 steps for the skyline view.
- $30 adult admission, valid two consecutive days and includes the Rodin Museum.
- Lunch at Stir, the Gehry-designed restaurant on the museum's ground floor. No extra trip needed on your art museum day.
The iconic boathouse row on the Schuylkill, home of the Schuylkill Navy's rowing clubs. Go after dark: 6,400 LED lights outline the houses from sunset to sunrise.
- The 6,400-light LED system runs from sunset to sunrise; best seen after dark.
Cozy Danish-inspired brewpub on Fairmount Ave, home of Brewery Techne. House-brewed beers, the Hygge burger, bison tartare, shareable Hygge boards, weekend brunch.
Stay put: ~22 min by taxi back from Boathouse Row tonight, ~18 min by taxi to Eastern State Penitentiary in the morning.
Where to stay in Philadelphia
Ranked for first-timer travelers on a comfortable budget. The places this plan sleeps in come first.
Lokal Hotel
Design-forward boutique aparthotel: six apartment-style suites with full kitchens, laundry, and self check-in. No front desk, just 'invisible service.' Romantic and central.
The Maj Hotel
Tech-savvy boutique on Spring Garden Street in the Art Museum District. Smart mirrors, phone check-in, 24/7 front desk, Maj Cafe. About 0.3 miles from the Art Museum.
HI Philadelphia Hostel at City House
Budget hostel in a historic 19th-century building two blocks from the Liberty Bell. Shared or private rooms, open kitchen, nightly guided events. 18+; kids not accepted.
Flights to Philadelphia
Fly into PHL (PHL)
Flight results via Travelpayouts — we may earn a commission on bookings.
Getting around Philadelphia
How to actually move around the city — transit, rideshare, bikes, and taxis.
Public transit
SEPTA runs Philadelphia's buses, trolleys, two subway lines (the Market-Frankford L and Broad Street B) and Regional Rail. Everything is tap-to-pay: a contactless credit/debit card, phone or watch works on all modes, with the same fares as the SEPTA Key card.
- SEPTA contactless pay
Tap a contactless bank card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay on buses, the L and B subways, trolleys and Regional Rail. Base fare is $2.90; bus and subway rides include two free transfers within 120 minutes when you use the same payment method.
Tip: For Regional Rail, tap in before boarding and tap out at your destination so you're charged the right zone fare.
- SEPTA Key card
The reloadable SEPTA Key card ($4.95) holds Travel Wallet funds and weekly ($31) or monthly ($116) TransPasses for unlimited bus, subway and trolley rides. Buy one at station fare kiosks, SEPTA sales locations or retailers.
Tip: Register the card at SEPTAKey.org so you can recover your balance if it's lost.
Rideshare
Uber and Lyft both operate across Philadelphia and are the easiest way to reach the airport or late-night destinations. At PHL, follow the signs to the designated TNC/rideshare pickup area on the arrivals roadway.
- Uber
Uber operates citywide in Philadelphia, including UberX, Comfort and XL. At Philadelphia International Airport, request your ride after collecting luggage and meet the driver at the marked rideshare pickup zone; airport pickups carry a small surcharge.
Tip: Center City to PHL typically runs $25–40 depending on traffic and surge.
- Lyft
Lyft runs throughout Philadelphia with standard, XL and scheduled rides. Works the same as Uber for airport and downtown trips; compare both apps at peak times since surge pricing differs.
Tip: Schedule airport pickups in the app the night before an early flight.
Bikes
Philadelphia's city-owned bikeshare is Indego, with stations across Center City, University City, South Philly and along the Schuylkill River Trail. The Schuylkill River Trail and Kelly Drive are the best car-free rides in the city.
- Indego bikeshare
City-owned bikeshare with classic and electric bikes at hundreds of stations. A single ride costs $4.50 for 30 minutes on a classic bike; a 24-hour guest pass is $15, monthly Indego30 is $20 and annual Indego365 is $156. E-bikes add 30¢ per minute on single rides. Unlock and pay in the Indego app.
Tip: Dock the bike firmly at the end of every ride to avoid extra 30-minute charges.
Taxis
Philadelphia's roughly 1,500 medallion taxis are regulated by the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Hail one on the street in Center City, find them at hotel and station taxi stands, or summon one with the Curb app.
- Curb taxi app
The Curb app hails licensed Philadelphia taxis with upfront pricing shown before you book, plus in-app payment and no surge pricing. It covers the city's medallion fleet regulated by the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
Tip: Upfront fares are distance- and time-based, so they're often cheaper than rideshare during surge.
- Street-hail taxis
Metered taxis can be hailed on the street, especially in Center City, Old City and around 30th Street Station. Fares are set by the Philadelphia Parking Authority; tipping 15–20% is the norm.
Tip: Cabs take cards, but confirm the card reader works before the ride starts.
Keep exploring
More itineraries for this trip.
- Photo: Kevin Burkett · CC BY-SA 2.03 days
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