Photo: Kevin Burkett / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.05 Days in Philadelphia: History, Food & Neighborhoods
Five days in Philadelphia goes deeper than the highlights: two days in the historic core — Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Museum of the American Revolution and cobblestoned Old City — then the Parkway's museum mile, a full South Philly food day from the Italian Market to East Passyunk, Rittenhouse and Center City, and Penn's museums across the Schuylkill. Expect Revolutionary history, world-class art and serious eating. 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.
15 stops · 10 meals · 2 hotelsThis is the editor’s pick.
5 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.
- Day 1Old City & Independence: Independence Hall & the Liberty Bell
- Day 2Old City & Independence: Christ Church & Carpenters' Hall
- Day 3Museum District & Fairmount: The Philadelphia Museum of Art & Boathouse Row
- Day 4South Philadelphia: The Italian Market & the American Swedish Historical Museum
- Day 5Rittenhouse Square & Center City: Philadelphia City Hall & the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
The 2,000-pound cracked bell, in a glass pavilion with exhibits on its journey from State House bell to symbol of abolition and civil rights.
- Arrive before the 9am opening to beat the longest lines.
The room where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated and signed. Go for the ranger-led tour of the Assembly Room — this is the single most important stop in the city.
- Open house 9:00-9:50am needs no ticket; tours run every 20 minutes 10am-4pm.
- The two signatures of Independence National Historical Park sit two minutes apart — tour the Hall, then walk over to the Bell. Both are free.
Family-run Old City sandwich shop since 1947 — classic cheesesteaks, hoagies and roast pork. The Flyers' official cheesesteak, with vegan and gluten-free options.
Early-1910s-style ice-cream saloon on Market St — elaborate sundaes, phosphates and homemade ice cream in a lovingly recreated period room.
A cobblestoned 1720s lane billed as America's oldest continuously inhabited residential street — 32 Georgian and Trinity houses, most of them private homes.
- The street is free and open 24/7 — remember 29 of 32 houses are private residences.
Old City farm-to-table New American spot emphasizing local, organic producers — lively Farm Bar with half-price happy hour Tue-Fri 5-7pm.
Closer: Fork, 10 min out of your way
Design-forward boutique aparthotel in Old City — apartment-style suites with full kitchens and in-room iPad concierge, run on 'invisible service' with self check-in.
- Just six apartment-style suites with self check-in — book early.
Georgian 1727-44 church where Washington sat in Pew 56 and Franklin in Pew 70 — the Second Continental Congress worshipped here as a body.
- Tours are free with a suggested donation; guides are available throughout the day.
Independent roaster since 1985 — tiny-batch 100% Arabica, 25+ varietals plus 20 teas and light fare.
Georgian 1770 guild hall where the First Continental Congress met in 1774 — free self-guided visits in the assembly room.
- Free admission; open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm.
Fast-casual stir-fries, salads and honeybar desserts made to order — vegan and gluten-free options.
- Open daily 10:30am-10pm.
One of America's oldest public markets (opened 1893) under the old Reading Railroad train shed — 70+ merchants from Amish doughnuts to DiNic's famous roast pork.
- DiNic's roast pork was called 'America's Best Sandwich' by the Travel Channel; Bassett's Ice Cream has been here since 1893.
Stephen Starr's bright, boisterous Mexican bistro — margaritas, guacamole trio, baja shrimp tacos, macho nachos and weekend brunch with outdoor seating.
Closer: High Street, 6 min out of your way
Stay put: it's a 4-minute walk to Christ Church.
America's first penitentiary (1829) — a brooding Gothic ruin with Al Capone's plush cell, Death Row and the Steve Buscemi-narrated audio tour.
- Daytime admission includes 'The Voices of Eastern State' audio tour narrated by Steve Buscemi.
Neighborhood coffee house on Fairmount Avenue — specialty coffee, homemade baked goods and a full lunch menu.
The iconic encyclopedic museum at the end of the Parkway — 240,000+ works from European masters to contemporary art. Run the 72 Rocky Steps for the skyline view.
- $30 adult admission; the ticket is valid two consecutive days and includes the Rodin Museum.
A stretch
Frank Gehry-designed restaurant inside the Art Museum — seasonal New American under a sculptural Douglas-fir ceiling.
- Open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday and brunch Sunday; reservations recommended.
- Lunch without leaving the museum — Stir serves lunch Tuesday-Saturday and brunch Sunday under the Gehry-designed Douglas-fir ceiling.
The iconic row of historic Schuylkill rowing-club boathouses — come after dark, when 6,400 LED lights outline them against the river.
- The 6,400-light LED system runs from sunset to sunrise.
Pan-Asian BYOB in Fairmount a block from the Art Museum — sushi and Asian-influenced plates, dinner nightly.
- Dinner served daily; kitchen closes 9:30pm Mon-Thu, 10:30pm Fri-Sat.
Switch bases tonight. Tech-savvy boutique on Spring Garden in the Art Museum District — smart mirrors, phone-based check-in, 24/7 front desk and the Maj Cafe.
- About 0.3 miles from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The oldest continuously operated open-air market in the U.S. — South 9th Street's awning-covered stalls of produce, butchers, cheesemongers and taquerias.
- Free to wander; the annual Italian Market Festival in May features the famous Grease Pole Climb.
Old-school Italian espresso bar in the heart of the Italian Market — cappuccino and espresso alongside cannoli, sfogliatelle, bomboloni, gelato and house chocolates, with outdoor seating overlooking 9th Street.
Oldest Swedish museum in the U.S. (founded 1926) inside FDR Park — 12 galleries from the Viking age to today, plus a recreated Swedish farmhouse and Dala horse collection.
The self-proclaimed originator of the cheesesteak (since 1930), across from Geno's — order 'wit or wit-out' at the walk-up window under the neon lights.
Isaiah Zagar's half-block indoor-outdoor mosaic art environment — labyrinthine tunnels and walls of tile, mirror and found objects on South Street.
- About $15 adults, kids 5 and under free; timed tickets recommended.
- After the mosaics, cross to Anthony's for an old-school espresso and cannoli on 9th Street.
Casual taco bar between the Schuylkill River Trail and Rittenhouse Square — tinga and al pastor tacos, margaritas and a Taco Tuesday deal.
Stay put: it's ~19 min by taxi to the Italian Market.
The largest municipal building in the U.S., topped by the William Penn statue — free courtyard entry, with a paid observation deck near the top.
- Tower tours run $10-16 per person; building tours $20-26.
Classic Rittenhouse raw bar and seafood house — oysters on the half shell, lobster rolls and crudos for a lighter lunch or dinner.
Closer: McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks, 4 min out of your way
The first and oldest art museum and school in the U.S. (founded 1805) — American art in the ornate Furness-Hewitt Historic Landmark Building.
- General admission $15 ($10 advance); members and children under 12 free.
The 'Grand Old Lady of Locust Street' — the oldest opera house in the U.S. still used for its original purpose, home of Pennsylvania Ballet and Opera Philadelphia.
- Built 1855-57 and opened 1857; designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962.
Nautical-themed sports tavern a block from the Academy of Music — crab fries, burgers and dozens of TVs showing Philly sports.
Stay put: it's ~12 min by taxi to Philadelphia City Hall.
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 in Old City — apartment-style suites with full kitchens and in-room iPad concierge, run on 'invisible service' with self check-in.
The Maj Hotel
Tech-savvy boutique on Spring Garden in the Art Museum District — smart mirrors, phone-based check-in, 24/7 front desk and the Maj Cafe.
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 and nightly guided events.
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.
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