Top Things to do in Philadelphia, PA, USA
Travelers looking for a new destination should consider Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The city is well-known for being the home of the Declaration of Independence, with many historical sites around it.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the seventh-largest city in the United States and a top-rated travel destination. Philadelphia is known for its historical significance, rich food, and art scenes. With about 1.5 million people, it’s easy to see why so many tourists flock to this exciting city.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a beautiful city, full of history, and perfect for a long weekend trip (or a week-long trip if you’re feeling extra ambitious).
Four reasons to visit Philadelphia:
- It’s affordable
- It offers historical sites
- It has scenic vistas and attractions
- It provides different experiences for the whole family
Philadelphia is home to many firsts, including America’s first public library, hospital, business school, and zoo. The American Philosophical Society Library was founded by Benjamin Franklin and is still open to visitors today. In addition, Franklin and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business founded the Episcopal Hospital.
The 20 best tourist attractions in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1-10
Reading Terminal Market
Reading Terminal Market is a bustling Philadelphia food market housed in an early 20th-century train station. The market features over 150 vendors selling local produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, and other specialties and prepared foods to eat on-site or take home. A new generation of foodies will discover the magic of Reading Terminal Market while longtime fans continue to come back again and again.
It has a warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable. The people are great and always smiling, there is always something new to see or do, and it’s just an enjoyable place for people of all ages.
Plenty of seafood is available at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, if you like seafood. Many different types of food are also available at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For example, you can try some authentic Italian food or maybe some Chinese food.
Independence National Historical Park
Independence National Historical Park has many historic buildings and sites, but my favorite is the Second Bank of the United States. The architect William Strickland designed this building, which was built in 1824. The Second Bank of the United States is one of my favorite buildings in all of Philadelphia because of its impressive Greek Revival design and beautiful interior spaces.
I also enjoy seeing Franklin Court, which was the home of Benjamin Franklin from 1763 to his death in 1790. Although you cannot go inside Franklin’s house at Franklin Court, you can tour a building originally built as a printing shop for Benjamin Franklin’s grandson but was converted into an office by an insurance company in 1812.
The Declaration House is another interesting site at Independence National Historical Park. This house was where Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Another essential building at Independence National Historical Park is Congress Hall, where the U.S. Congress
Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo in the United States. It was opened in 1874 and is home to more than 1,300 animals. The zoo is on 42 acres and has more than 300 species of animals, many of which are endangered. The Philadelphia Zoo is open year-round and hosts several special events, including daily keeper talks where visitors can learn more about their favorite animals.
The Philadelphia Zoo has a Children’s Zoo, a great place to visit with the kids. The zoo also has a PECO Primate Reserve. Here you can see monkeys in their natural habitat. There is also a separate attraction called Zoo 360 which allows the animals to move around the zoo freely.
Visitors to Philadelphia Zoo can expect to see a variety of exhibits featuring animals such as lions and tigers in the Big Cat Falls exhibit; the Zoo360 trail system where guests can view animals above and below them as they move throughout the park; unique primate species in Primate Reserve; adorable penguins at Penguin Point; and so much more!
Liberty Bell Center
The Liberty Bell Center is the first stop for many visitors to Philadelphia, and with good reason. It’s a great introduction to American history, and it’s easy to walk around to see the Liberty Bell and other artifacts.
One of the most iconic symbols of the United States, the Liberty Bell is a must-see when visiting Philadelphia. Unfortunately, the bell looks rather dull from afar, with its deep green color and crack running down the side. However, once you step foot inside the Liberty Bell Center, you’ll learn about the importance of this bell and how it became what it is today.
The Liberty Bell itself is in a large room with lots of information about its history. There are no barriers; you can walk up to it and read the inscription. You can also access an ample exhibit space with information about the role of slavery and abolition in Pennsylvania’s history. The exhibits continue into a tunnel underneath Market Street (please note that this exhibition portion is not accessible by wheelchair).
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the world’s largest and most visited art museums. It houses more than 240,000 objects around the globe, encompassing over 2,000 years of human creativity. The museum’s vast collections are presented in expansive galleries that span many styles and genres, including works by Cézanne, Titian, and Rembrandt. In addition to its renowned European and American collections, the museum also boasts significant holdings of African, Asian, and Latin American art.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is an art museum chartered in 1876 for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The main museum building was completed in 1928 on Fairmount, a hill located at the northwest end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at Eakins Oval. The museum is also one of the largest art museums in the world based on gallery space. The museum also administers the historic houses of Mount Pleasant and Cedar Grove, two 18th-century mansions in Fairmount Park.
Located in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rocky statue is an iconic sculpture of a boxer installed in 1982. The figure portrays Sylvester Stallone as the character Rocky Balboa from the movie series. The stairs leading to the Philadelphia Museum of Art were used for the climactic scene in Rocky II and have become known as the “Rocky Steps.”
Adventure Aquarium
Adventure Aquarium on the Camden Waterfront is just 2 miles from downtown Philadelphia and features one-of-a-kind exhibits throughout two million gallons of water. In addition, the Aquarium is home to the most extensive collection of sharks on the East Coast, including the only great hammerhead shark on exhibit in the United States and the only shark tunnel on the East Coast.
Adventure Aquarium has aquatic and terrestrial animals totaling more than 15,000, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. In addition to the animal habitats, exhibits, and programs, Adventure Aquarium offers daily live shows, including a comedy diving show, sea lion, and parrot shows. In addition, the Adventure Aquarium underwent a significant expansion completing four new exhibits in the summer of 2011.
The expansion offers visitors an opportunity to get within inches of sharks in Shark Realm; come nose-to-beak with endangered African penguins; touch bamboo sharks; see nearly 400 exotic plants in the new rainforest garden; learn about the importance of coral reefs; see thousands of colorful fish from around the world in Reef Encounter, and crawl through a 250-foot transparent tunnel as sharks swim overhead in Shark Tunnel.
Love Park
Love Park is one of Philadelphia’s most prominent public spaces and is a popular tourist destination. Due to its location at the heart of Center City, Love Park is surrounded by some of the city’s tallest buildings, including One Liberty Place, Two Liberty Place, and the BNY Mellon Center. In addition, the park serves as a venue for special events and rallies.
Love Park has so much to offer if you want a great park to visit or enjoy the outdoors. This one-of-a-kind park has lovely city views, great activities for the whole family, and unique events year-round. When you want to go on vacation, there are many places to visit in Philadelphia, but Love Park is one to add to your list.
When visiting this park, you will first notice how peaceful it is. There are some great places to sit down and enjoy a good book or the sights and sounds of the city. You can also find some great places for kids to play outside and some beautiful areas where you can picnic. Once you have seen everything this park offers, you will be ready to move on to other attractions in the city. It’s a great place to spend a day or take your family on a trip because something about being outside in the fresh air makes it so enjoyable.
The Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a science museum and educational institution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It promotes science and technology literacy throughout the region and beyond. Founded in 1824, it is one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States. The institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.
On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughan Merrick and William H. Keating founded the Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania to promote the Mechanic Arts. This organization has since played a vital role in developing science and technology in America. The Franklin Institute was also home to America’s first workshop for the blind.
The Franklin Institute is a premier science education and development center in the United States. Consistently rated as one of the five best science museums in the country, it features numerous fascinating exhibits relating to all aspects of technology and science. One particularly famous exhibit is a walk-through heart that allows visitors to experience what it’s like inside human nature. Other popular exhibits include a planetarium show about space exploration, an IMAX theater, and an exhibit about Benjamin Franklin’s life.
Dilworth Park
Dilworth Park is built on what was formerly Dilworth Plaza on the west side of City Hall in Center City Philadelphia. It was opened to the public on September 4, 2014, by the Center City District. The centerpiece of Dilworth Park is its expansive lawn that features interactive fountains, seasonal gardens, and cafe seating that allows visitors to relax outdoors in an urban environment.
The park has been built to cover the entrance to SEPTA’s trail station at Suburban Station. The construction includes a large fountain, a lawn area for passive recreation, and an ice skating rink during winter. The fountain spans the width of the plaza and utilizes water jets that can dance to music. The lights under the water jets can change colors with each performance. In addition, the fountain can be deactivated and converted into an event space with tables, chairs, and umbrellas.
Dilworth Park serves as an outdoor living room for Center City that connects visitors to local culture and amenities, including underground concourses and public transportation. The fountain in Dilworth Park attracts children, especially during the summer months. Unfortunately, the rush is on a timer, so it’s always during the day (and sometimes at night). There is no water during the winter, and the area turns into an ice skating rink.
Spruce Street Harbor Park
Spruce Street Harbor Park is a popular, urban waterfront park along the Philadelphia Delaware River. The park attracts residents and tourists, and travelers from around the country. Many parks sit on a pier that juts out into the river. You’ll find restaurants and food trucks from this pier offering various cuisines. In addition, there are plenty of Adirondack chairs for lounging and hanging out and colorful hammocks where you can relax and take in the view. Philadelphia is considered one of the best places to visit for foodies.
The Spruce Street Harbor Park is open from May through early October each year and is free to visit. In addition, this park hosts several events throughout the summer, such as movie nights, music concerts, and festivals.
Visitors of the city flock to Spruce Street Harbor Park, located on the Delaware River Waterfront. The park has a beach, playgrounds, hammocks, and a boardwalk with food trucks and picnic tables. It’s also to a beer garden and floating barges serving everything from pizza to shaved ice. In Philadelphia, other things to do include the Magic Gardens, a tiled mosaic art installation that covers an entire city block; Eastern State Penitentiary, where Al Capone was once incarcerated; and Independence National Historical Park, which includes Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
Summary
Historical sites, museums, parks, gardens, and vibrant urban areas abound in Philadelphia. The City of Brotherly Love is home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial — all popular attractions for visitors and locals alike. Historic Philadelphia is also a great place to shop, dine and enjoy the nightlife.
After the sunsets, you’ll find things to do, catching a live performance or taking in some of Philadelphia’s nightlife. Philadelphia’s restaurant scene offers delicious dining options for every palate. The city is also known for its great coffee houses and many bars, clubs, and pubs.
Philadelphia is known for its arts and culture. The cheesesteak and soft pretzel are emblematic of Philadelphia cuisine, shaped by its ethnic mix. In addition, the city has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city.
Philadelphia is one of the greatest cities in the world and has a lot to offer everyone.
