Philadelphia may be one of the smaller cities in the United States, but it has more history and things to do than most larger cities I’ve traveled. It is one of the most important places in all of US history. Aside from being the place where the US Constitution was written and signed, this is also the place for all the US Revolutionary conceptions. That’s why I have listed here the best and most fun things to do in Philadelphia.
Read more on the history and fun facts about Philadelphia
Fun Things To Do in Philadelphia
When it comes to Philly, one thing is for sure, you will not run out of things to do. It is easy to spend one week here and still not do and see everything.
Historic Philadelphia
Visiting Independence Hall and park, which is also part of the National Park system, in Historic Philadelphia is a must-do.
You can enter Independence Hall for free
Visit Liberty Bell
Go to the Museum of the Constitution
Walk the streets and visit one of the oldest Streets in the US
Local Food and Market
Reading Terminal Market – one of the oldest and best markets in Philadelphia is also one of the best places to visit for local food.
Here you will find fresh meats, cheeses, tons of food stands, and a great place to people-watch.
Philly is home to two traditional dishes that were started here:
Hoagies – an Italian-inspired sub – delicious
Philly Cheesesteak – sliced steak with cheese, hoagie style sandwich
Bike Tours and Bike Share Program
Much to our surprise, Philly is a great city for biking around. You can either rent bikes from bike shops or use the new Philadelphia bike share program run by Indego.
Whichever you chose, this is a great way to see most of Philly.
Philadelphia Art Museum, better known as the Rocky museum, is a must-see. Even if you don’t have time to visit the actual museum, the area is just gorgeous. You can feel triumphant as you run up the famed stairs.
And the view from the top is amazing.
And if you have a chance, take a ride along the bike route in Fairmont Park.
Exploring More of Philadelphia
Just like all cities, there are many different neighborhoods that have their own sense of style and feel. Second Street isn’t really a hood-like place, but it is best known for its cafes, shops, and music scene.
It’s the Bohemian capital of Philly, and also sports some pretty cool murals and art on buildings.
Rittenhouse Square is the more upscale part of Philadelphia. To me, it felt like 5th Ave of Manhattan, with ritzy stores and top-notch restaurants. And in the heart of it all, is the lovely Rittenhouse Square which is great for chilling out and enjoying the local action.
Where to Eat – Unique Restaurants of Philadelphia
The amount of restaurants to choose from in Philadelphia can seem daunting at first. Here’s how we broke it down and ended up enjoying some of the best of all worlds.
We stayed in the Historic District, also known as Old City, Philadelphia. My goal was to be as close to our hotel as possible, so we can walk home after dinner.
Narrowing down our options, I found two that stood out the most and turned out to be just what we were looking for.
Positano Coast – This restaurant is 100% Italian Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant itself is one of the most beautiful places we’ve visited. We truly felt like we were on the Amalfi coast of Italy.
Note: If it’s not raining or cold out, sit in the lounge area.
City Tavern – This is now a tradition of mine to find the most historic, true-to-the-area restaurants. And you can’t get any more authentic than with City Tavern. Chef Walter Staib has made a point to fully preserve the gastronomy of this place as it was during the Revolution era.
The building itself was opened in the 18th Century with patrons ranging from Ben Franklin, George Washington, John Hancock, and many more.
To this day, you can order exactly what they ordered when they dined here.
Including some of their own personal beers and alcoholic drinks.
In my opinion, if you want to really experience Old City Philly, you HAVE to eat here.
Ocean Prime – we are huge lovers of this restaurant, after being introduced to it in Atlanta. And the fact that it was in a totally different area – Rittenhouse Square, we had to come back and enjoy it again.
Besides having some of the best food you can imagine, they make the most unique, exotic and delicious cocktails ever!
Video Fun
Love this! I’m heading to the Tai Chi Gala & Intuitive Arts Retreat ( http://taichigala.com ) in the Poconos in June, and I’m looking for other things to do along the way.