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Philadelphia
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5 Days · in Philadelphia

Five Days in Philadelphia: Icons, Museums & Neighborhoods

Five days is enough to see Philadelphia's icons and still explore the neighborhoods locals love. The first three days cover the essentials: the founding-era Historic District, the museum-lined Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and the creative riverside blocks of Fishtown and Northern Liberties. Days four and five then push west to University City's collegiate Gothic campus and Penn Museum, and south to the Italian Market, South Street, and the Delaware River waterfront. Along the way you'll sample cheesesteaks, roast pork sandwiches, Reading Terminal Market classics, and celebrated neighborhood restaurants. Each day stays geographically focused to limit transit time, and the variety, history, museums, gardens, sports, and food, captures the full breadth of the city.

5 days
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Day 01

The Historic District & Old City

Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Constitution Center, and Elfreth's Alley.

  1. Morning

    Independence Hall

    Start with a ranger-led tour of Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated and signed. Grab free timed tickets early, as they go quickly in peak season.

  2. Late Morning

    Liberty Bell Center

    Cross Independence Mall to see the Liberty Bell up close, tracing its famous crack and its long history as a symbol of abolition and liberty.

  3. Lunch

    Reading Terminal Market

    Walk a few blocks to Reading Terminal Market for lunch, from Tommy DiNic's roast pork to Amish baked goods, a bustling indoor pause before the afternoon.

  4. Afternoon

    National Constitution Center

    Return to the mall for the interactive National Constitution Center, whose Signers' Hall lets you stand among life-size bronze statues of the framers.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Elfreth's Alley

    Stroll through Old City to Elfreth's Alley, the nation's oldest continuously inhabited residential street, lined with preserved 18th-century rowhouses.

  6. Evening

    Cheesesteak dinner

    Close the day with Philadelphia's iconic cheesesteak at Sonny's in Old City or the South Philly rivalry of Pat's and Geno's, ordered wit or witout onions.

Day 02

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway

The Art Museum, the Barnes, and the Franklin Institute along Logan Square.

  1. Morning

    Philadelphia Museum of Art

    Begin at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, one of the country's largest, then run or walk the Rocky Steps out front for the classic skyline photo.

  2. Late Morning

    Barnes Foundation

    Move down the Parkway to the Barnes Foundation, home to an extraordinary trove of Renoir, Cezanne, and Matisse hung in founder Albert Barnes's signature ensembles.

  3. Lunch

    Sister Cities Park

    Enjoy a casual lunch at the café in Sister Cities Park on Logan Square, with fountains and lawns framed by the cathedral and the parkway's flags.

  4. Afternoon

    The Franklin Institute

    Spend the afternoon at the Franklin Institute science museum, exploring the walk-through Giant Heart, the planetarium, and hands-on physics exhibits.

  5. Late Afternoon

    Swann Memorial Fountain

    Pause at the Swann Memorial Fountain in the middle of Logan Square, Alexander Stirling Calder's 1924 tribute to the region's three rivers.

  6. Evening

    Fairmount dinner

    Dine in the Fairmount neighborhood just north of the museum, whose Fairmount Avenue restaurants and taprooms cover everything from Italian to modern American.

Day 03

Fishtown & Northern Liberties

An elevated park, murals, boutiques, and celebrated independent dining north of Center City.

  1. Morning

    The Rail Park

    Walk the quarter-mile Rail Park, an elevated stretch of the former Reading Railroad viaduct planted with grasses and benches above the Callowhill streets.

  2. Late Morning

    Frankford Avenue shops

    Explore the independent galleries, record shops, and boutiques along Frankford Avenue in Fishtown, plus the murals tucked down nearby side streets.

  3. Lunch

    Frankford Hall

    Settle in at Frankford Hall for pretzels, sausages, and a lively beer-garden patio, or choose from Fishtown's many acclaimed casual eateries.

  4. Afternoon

    Northern Liberties

    Wander south into Northern Liberties past its design shops and cafés around the Piazza and 2nd Street, a stylish, unhurried afternoon of browsing.

  5. Evening

    Fishtown dinner

    Head back to Fishtown for dinner at spots like Suraya or Wm. Mulherin's Sons, among Philadelphia's most lauded independent restaurants.

  6. Evening

    Cocktail bar nightcap

    Finish with a drink at one of Fishtown's inventive cocktail bars, soaking up the neighborhood's easygoing creative vibe.

Day 04

University City & West Philadelphia

An archaeology museum, a collegiate Gothic campus, and Frank Furness architecture.

  1. Morning

    Penn Museum

    Spend the morning at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, exploring the Egyptian galleries and the towering granite sphinx of Ramesses II, a highlight for all ages.

  2. Lunch

    University City cafés

    Grab lunch near the University of Pennsylvania campus, where student-friendly cafés and international spots line the blocks around 40th Street and Baltimore Avenue.

  3. Afternoon

    University of Pennsylvania campus

    Wander Penn's collegiate Gothic quadrangles and Locust Walk, then find the Fisher Fine Arts Library, Frank Furness's fiercely original 1890 masterpiece.

  4. Late Afternoon

    Fisher Fine Arts Library

    Step inside the Fisher Fine Arts Library to see Furness's dramatic brickwork, ironwork, and skylit reading room up close, an architecture pilgrimage and National Historic Landmark.

  5. Evening

    Bartram's Garden

    Walk out to Bartram's Garden on the Schuylkill's west bank for a peaceful skyline view across the water before heading back toward Center City.

  6. Evening

    West Philly dinner

    Have dinner along Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia, whose diverse restaurants range from Ethiopian to farm-to-table before you return east for the evening.

Day 05

South Philadelphia & the Waterfront

Ballpark energy, the Italian Market, mosaics, and Rittenhouse shopping to close the trip.

  1. Morning

    Citizens Bank Park

    Visit Citizens Bank Park in the South Philadelphia sports complex, home of the Phillies since 2004. Take a ballpark tour, or catch a day game if the schedule aligns with your trip.

  2. Lunch

    Italian Market

    Lunch along 9th Street in the Italian Market, the country's oldest outdoor market, from a roast pork sandwich at John's to cheeses at Di Bruno Bros.

  3. Afternoon

    Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

    Head to South Street for Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, Isaiah Zagar's immersive half-block of mosaics made from tile, mirror, and found objects, a budget-friendly stop.

  4. Late Afternoon

    Penn's Landing

    Relax at Penn's Landing on the Delaware River, strolling the waterfront and, in warm months, the hammocks and boardwalk of Spruce Street Harbor Park.

  5. Evening

    Rittenhouse Row

    Finish shopping along Walnut Street and Rittenhouse Row, passing the boutiques and the leafy calm of Rittenhouse Square itself.

  6. Evening

    Center City farewell dinner

    End your trip with dinner near Rittenhouse Square, Center City's dense restaurant district; reserve ahead for the city's standout tables and tasting menus.