Sightseeing
IconicIndependence Hall
No admission feeStand in the room where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed, American history's ground zero.
Transit: reachable by public transit
City guide · Pennsylvania, USA
Things to do in Philadelphia
America's birthplace, served with a side of cheesesteak
- Sightseeing
- Museums
- Eat & Drink
- Attractions
Start here
Three to see first in Philadelphia
Museums
IconicPhiladelphia Museum of Art
$25–$50Run the Rocky Steps, then wander one of America's greatest art collections behind that famous neoclassical facade.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Eat & Drink
Foodie FavoriteReading Terminal Market
No admission feeA century-plus-old market hall packed with roast pork sandwiches, Amish baked goods, and pure Philadelphia flavor.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Top picks
In Philadelphia
Filter by the kind of day you want. Tap a card to open the place, or a dot on the map to find it in the list.
Sightseeing
IconicIndependence Hall
No admission feeStand in the room where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed, American history's ground zero.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Sightseeing
IconicLiberty Bell Center
No admission feeSee the world's most famous cracked bell up close, free, iconic, and just steps from Independence Hall.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Museums
IconicPhiladelphia Museum of Art
$25–$50Run the Rocky Steps, then wander one of America's greatest art collections behind that famous neoclassical facade.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Museums
Family FavoriteThe Franklin Institute
$25–$50Walk through a giant beating heart at Philly's hands-on science playground, a guaranteed hit with kids of every age.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Museums
Local GemBarnes Foundation
$25–$50Renoirs and Matisses hung floor-to-ceiling exactly as Dr. Barnes arranged them, an art experience unlike any other.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Museums
History BuffMuseum of the American Revolution
$25–$50Washington's actual war tent headlines this immersive museum, telling the Revolution's story blocks from where it began.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Eat & Drink
Foodie FavoriteReading Terminal Market
No admission feeA century-plus-old market hall packed with roast pork sandwiches, Amish baked goods, and pure Philadelphia flavor.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Attractions
Quirky FunEastern State Penitentiary
Under $25Wander the eerie, crumbling cellblocks of the world's first true penitentiary, Al Capone's surprisingly posh cell included.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Attractions
Family FavoritePhiladelphia Zoo
$25–$50America's first zoo, where the Zoo360 trail system lets big cats and primates travel right over your head.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Attractions
Family FavoriteAdventure Aquarium
$25–$50Come face-to-fin with sharks, hippos, and thousands of aquatic animals right on the Camden waterfront.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Tours
Family FavoriteBig Bus Tours Philadelphia
$25–$50Hop-on, hop-off double-decker loops linking the Liberty Bell, Rocky Steps, and 20+ stops, with live guides on board.
Transit: reachable by public transit
Tours
Date NightSpirit of Philadelphia
$50+Skyline dinner cruises on the Delaware River with buffets, DJs, dancing, and front-row sunset views.
Transit: reachable by public transit
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Day trips
Day trips from Philadelphia
Sports & Outdoors
IconicLongwood Gardens
$25–$50One of the world's great gardens: 1,100 acres of fountains, conservatories, and seasonal spectacle in the Brandywine Valley.
Kennett Square, PA
Sports & Outdoors
Outdoor AdventurePocono Whitewater
$50+Guided whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River near Jim Thorpe, with trips for families and thrill-seekers alike.
Jim Thorpe, PA
Sightseeing
Local GemChester County
No admission feeRolling Pennsylvania countryside known as the Brandywine Valley, home to Longwood Gardens and historic Revolutionary War sites.
West Chester, PATransit: reachable by public transit
Museums
Family FavoriteDelaware Museum of Nature & Science
Under $25Natural history museum near Wilmington with dinosaur, shell, and bird exhibits plus a planetarium.
Wilmington, DETransit: reachable by public transit
Sightseeing
Local GemWilmington & the Brandywine Valley
No admission feeDelaware's largest city and the du Pont family's Brandywine Valley estates, gardens, and museums.
Wilmington, DETransit: reachable by public transit
Attractions
Family FavoriteLost River Caverns
Under $25A family-run natural limestone cavern in the Lehigh Valley with five rooms of stalactites and stalagmites on guided walking tours.
Hellertown, PA
Museums
History BuffMorven Museum & Garden
Under $25A National Historic Landmark mansion in Princeton that once served as New Jersey's first governor's residence.
Princeton, NJTransit: reachable by public transit
Museums
History BuffOld Barracks Museum
Under $25A restored 1758 colonial-era barracks in Trenton that housed soldiers, prisoners, and a Revolutionary War hospital.
Trenton, NJTransit: reachable by public transit
Sightseeing
IconicValley Forge
No admission feeThe Revolutionary War encampment site where Washington's Continental Army wintered in 1777-78.
Valley Forge, PATransit: reachable by public transit
Sightseeing
Outdoor AdventureDelaware County
No admission feeA Philadelphia-suburb county nicknamed 'America's Garden County' for its public gardens and historic estates.
Media, PATransit: reachable by public transit
Sightseeing
History BuffMontgomery County
No admission feeA Philadelphia-suburb county blending Revolutionary War history with the region's largest shopping mall.
Norristown, PATransit: reachable by public transit
Museums
History BuffWinterthur Museum, Garden & Library
$25–$50A former du Pont estate holding the world's top collection of American decorative arts, set in a 1,000-acre naturalistic garden.
Winterthur, DE
Museums in Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- The Franklin Institute
- Barnes Foundation
- Museum of the American Revolution
- National Constitution Center
- Penn Museum
- Mütter Museum
- Please Touch Museum
- Edelman Fossil Park & Museum, Mantua Township
- Rodin Museum
- Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
- Delaware Museum of Nature & Science, Wilmington
- Morven Museum & Garden, Princeton
- Old Barracks Museum, Trenton
- Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, Winterthur
- New Jersey State Museum, Trenton
- Burlington County Prison Museum, Mount Holly
- Brandywine Museum of Art, Chadds Ford
- Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington
- Grounds For Sculpture, Hamilton
- Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington
Sightseeing in Philadelphia
- Independence Hall
- Liberty Bell Center
- Philadelphia
- South Jersey, Mount Laurel
- Pennsylvania Wine Country, Pennsylvania
- Discover Catholic
- Boathouse Row
- Elfreth's Alley
- LOVE Park
- Parkway Central Library
- Independence National Historical Park
- Benjamin Franklin National Memorial
- Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
- Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
- Chester County, West Chester
- Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley, Wilmington
- Valley Forge, Valley Forge
- Delaware County, Media
- Montgomery County, Norristown
- Central New Jersey, Central New Jersey
- First State Heritage Park Welcome Center and Galleries, Dover
- New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, Trenton
- Fort Delaware, Delaware City
- Nemours Estate, Wilmington
- Princeton University, Princeton
- Paoli Battlefield, Malvern
Stay in Philadelphia
- Best Western Plus Philadelphia Convention Center Hotel
- Four Points by Sheraton Philadelphia City Center
- Holiday Inn Express Philadelphia Penn's Landing
- Holiday Inn Philadelphia-Cherry Hill, Cherry Hill
- Philadelphia Marriott Old City
- Residence Inn Philadelphia Center City
- Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown
- Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District
- Valley Forge Casino Resort, King of Prussia
More places in Philadelphia
More guides in Pennsylvania
Upcoming events in Philadelphia
Articles about Philadelphia
- Visit the City of Brotherly Love
- Get Hands On with The Please Touch Museum
- Imprisonment and Penance in Philadelphia
- Best Sandwich In America is in Philly
- Visit 16 Historical Sites in a Day
- Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Place
- The Mother of the American Flag
- Axe Throwing in Philly
- Family Fun in Philly
- Explore the Nation's Largest Battleship
- Philadelphia's Tastiest Tour
- The Most Historic Square Mile in the United States
- Experience Philadelphia’s Greatest Sports Spectacles
Nearby
More of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Lancaster & Amish Country
Buggy rides, farm-to-table feasts, and slow-lane charm
Transit: most places here are reachable by public transit
Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh
Steel-city grit turned riverside renaissance
Transit: most places here are reachable by public transit
Pennsylvania
The Alleghenies
Pennsylvania
More of Pennsylvania
Maps
Visitor maps for Philadelphia
Stories
Reading about Philadelphia
- Visit the City of Brotherly Love
- Get Hands On with The Please Touch Museum
- Imprisonment and Penance in Philadelphia
- Best Sandwich In America is in Philly
- Visit 16 Historical Sites in a Day
- Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Place
- The Mother of the American Flag
- Axe Throwing in Philly
- Family Fun in Philly
- Explore the Nation's Largest Battleship
- Philadelphia's Tastiest Tour
- The Most Historic Square Mile in the United States
- Experience Philadelphia’s Greatest Sports Spectacles
About
About Philadelphia
Philadelphia packs more history per square block than anywhere in America, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and cobblestone Old City are all walkable in an afternoon. But this city is far more than a founding-fathers field trip: world-class art museums, a legendary market hall, a hauntingly beautiful abandoned prison, and a lively riverfront keep the fun going long after the history lesson ends. Come for the Constitution, stay for the roast pork sandwich.
Visitor info
In an emergency, call 911.