So you have a few days to spend in the City of Brotherly Love and want to make sure you at least hit the highlights? We’ve got you covered. In today’s blog, we’re going to provide you with a list of musts that will help you do just that.
We have been to Philadelphia a few times now. (I, Courtney, went in the sixth grade with a school group and we toured all the historical places that Philadelphia hosts as our nation’s former capitol.) As adults, we have been once for a convention and once to watch the Braves take on the Phillies. So all together, we’ve spend more than a few days in the city, but all of our trips have been short and have given us insight into the best way to spend limited time here.
Visit a few historical sites.
Philadelphia is a city full of history. You could definitely spend multiple days visiting all of the sites and museums. But if you only have time for a few, these are our suggestions.
You will find Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed, along with the Liberty Bell, the famous cracked bell that once rang inside Independence Hall, close together on Independence Square. Tours at Independence Hall are on a first-come, first-serve basis and run every 15 minutes. When we visited, we had to have tickets for our specific time but, as of today, they are no longer requiring tickets. Tours of the bell are also first-come, first-serve. Both of these sites are free to visit.
A few blocks away, you will find Betsy Ross’ House, where she famously sewed the first American flag. Here you can take a self-guided tour through the house and interact with staff (dressed appropriately in 1700’s attire). Currently, the house is only open Friday-Monday from 10AM-5PM. Tickets are $5 each for adults.
If you’re like us and have a morbid fascination with seeing the final resting places of famous figures, check out Christ Church Burial Ground, where Benjamin Franklin is buried. Admission is $5 per person for adults. You will also want to head over to the Benjamin Franklin Museum to check out some artifacts and interactive displays. At the time we are writing this blog, both of these locations are closed, but they are expected to reopen in spring 2021.
Now, depending on when you go to Philly you may encounter more or less wait times at some of the more popular attractions (especially with potential COVID precautions). School groups may be taking a hiatus from field trips right now but, if and when they start back, they will most likely contribute even more to your wait time. Keeping that in mind, you can still probably visit several landmark sites in one day.
Catch a baseball game.
If you’re a fan of baseball, and you’re in town on game day, head over to Citizen’s Bank Park to watch a Phillies’ game. As previously stated, our last trip to Philly was to watch the Braves play, so we actually went to two games. As Braves fans, we were hesitant to go to a Phillies game because we had heard that they had the worst fans in baseball and the Phillies are one of the Braves’ biggest rivals. But not to worry, we had no issues with anyone nor with getting in and out of the park. (Don’t believe all the rumors!) They have convenient ride share places to get picked up and dropped off.
Though not one of our favorite stadiums overall, the park was nice and we had a good time. (To be fair, Truist is only one of our favorites because it’s our home park so we kinda have to love it.) Tickets are reasonably priced and you can, at least pre-COVID, purchase tickets on game day with no problems.
Grab some ice cream!
If you don’t eat anywhere else in Philadelphia, you have to stop in at The Franklin Fountain. What do they have there, you ask? Ice cream of course! Can you survive on ice cream alone? Yes… and if not, it’s worth the risk. We discovered the Franklin Fountain on the Food Network, but we tried it for ourselves when we went for Wizard World Comic Con… and then we got it every day that we were there. Then, we went back when we were there for baseball. They have so many delicious flavors and toppings. Some of our faves are honeycomb and pistachio. SO GOOD!
Eat cheesesteak because when in Philly…
Unless you’re a vegetarian/vegan, you simply cannot visit Philadelphia without trying an authentic Philly Cheesesteak. We have actually tried two different places, Cleavers and Jim’s South St. Both of these restaurants were suggested to us as having the best cheesesteak, so we had to see for ourselves. Jim’s seems to be more well-known, as the line wrapped around the building, but it moved quickly since they really only serve classic cheesesteaks and sling steaks. Cleavers was still new when we tried it and had a bit more variety. At the end of the day, it is hard to say which was better. They were both very good in our opinions and worth a shot. If you have to pick only one, we would suggest the one with the shortest lines. Also, plan to eat and go during busy times because seating is limited and it can be challenging to find a table.
Have more time to spend? Check out VisitPhilly.com for more ideas.
Hopefully this post helped you plan your trip to Philly!
Our McTravels 