Top 10 Things to Do in Philly

Our Local Expert Says:

Be prepared to encounter crowds at Philadelphia's most well-known tourist destination. View the Liberty Bell that only rang once, stand where the signers of the Declaration of Independence once stood, and read up on history in the newly built Constitution Center. When you're ready for some peace and quiet, take a horse and buggy ride around the site and through the cobblestone streets of Society Hill.

Description:

Independence Hall, completed in 1753, is known to many as the birthplace of America. This building is where the nation's founders issued the Declaration of Independence; where they drafted and signed the Constitution; and where, oddly enough, the new city's stray dogs were kept (in the basement). Independence Hall is located in the heart of the city's historic district and is an essential stop for anyone visiting the city's historic sites or hoping to learn about the founding of the United States.

Our Local Expert Says:

While you may have to wait in line a bit, this is the essential place for a Philadelphia visit to begin. Learn about Philadelphia history and see some of the most important sites of the colonial era.

Description:

Independence Hall, completed in 1753, is known to many as the birthplace of America. This building is where the nation's founders issued the Declaration of Independence; where they drafted and signed the Constitution; and where, oddly enough, the new city's stray dogs were kept (in the basement). Independence Hall is located in the heart of the city's historic district and is an essential stop for anyone visiting the city's historic sites or hoping to learn about the founding of the United States.

Description:

Opened with tremendous fanfare in December 2001, Rafael Vinoly's dramatic glass-and-steel vault along the Avenue of the Arts encompasses Verizon Hall, a 2,500-seat cello-shaped concert hall built specifically to house the Philadelphia Orchestra; and Perelman Theater, a 650-seat hall for chamber music, dance, and drama with a turntable stage. Other features at Kimmel include an interactive education center; "black box" theater space; a daytime cafe and gift shop in the plaza along Spruce Street; and parking and restaurant facilities. Above all, there is space, acres and acres of it -- space designed to sparkle and amaze, unlike anything else in the area.

With its comfortable mahogany interior, four levels of seating, and excellent acoustics, Verizon Hall is a pleasure. Perelman's design is also nice, with a metal-clad exterior and light woods and warm fabrics within.

Most of the jewels in Philadelphia's cultural crown -- the city opera, orchestra, and ballet companies -- perform either at Kimmel or at the historic Academy of Music (which is affiliated with Kimmel and located 1 block north). Visiting talent in music and dance and an incredible jazz series presented by the Kimmel Center also use the venue frequently. Tickets for both locations are sold during the day only at the Kimmel Center box office. The Kimmel also presents frequent free performances by jazz artists, DJs, singing groups, folk ensembles, and more in its main Commonwealth Plaza, usually in the early evening or afternoon.

Our Local Expert Says:

In his lifetime, Albert C. Barnes gathered one of the most comprehensive collections of art in the world. What is most notable about this museum is the way Barnes arranged paintings and decorative pieces to highlight the forms and colors within the paintings.

Description:

The Barnes Foundation is a remarkable museum that reflects the genius of its founder, Albert C. Barnes. Barnes began displaying his collection in 1922 in order to "promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts." The collection was meant to instruct, with paintings and decorative arts strategically grouped to enhance viewers' understanding of what Barnes believed to be the most important elements of the pieces. The collection focuses on Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, with an impressive number of holdings by Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne, and others. The audio guide to the collection is quite useful, as the narration explains important pieces and the rationale behind Barnes' groupings of pieces.

Our Local Expert Says:

There's never a dull moment at this zoo. Watch sea otters play, giraffes graze, and lion cubs learn from their parents.

Description:

The Philadelphia Zoo, in operation since 1874, is the oldest zoo in the United States. Frank Furness designed the beautiful Victorian gates and gatehouses, still standing grandly at the entrance. The zoo has nearly 1500 animals in various habitats, including a small mammal house, a reptile and amphibian house, a prairie dog field, and "African Plains." Kids and parents will enjoy the children's zoo with animals to pet, a ride on a camel's back in the African Plains, and a trip around the zoo on the monorail.

Our Local Expert Says:

As one of the East Coast's premiere museums, the PMA is certainly worth a visit. Whether or not you have children with you, be sure to check out the vast collection of medieval armor.

Description:

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is notable for both its collection and its architecture. The museum's original home was a building in Fairmount Park, built in 1876 as part of the Centennial celebration in Philadelphia (the space is now home to the Please Touch Museum). The museum's current home was built in 1928. The grand staircase leading to the entrance offers a fantastic view of City Hall and the Ben Franklin Parkway. It also offers many tourists the chance to run up to the top in imitation of Rocky Balboa. The Museum's collection is extensive; highlights include Asian decorative arts, Rodin sculptures, Picasso and Duchamp paintings, and an extensive collection of medieval armor, which was donated to the Museum by Carl Otto Kretzschmar von Kienbusch.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Franklin Institute is an ever-popular science museum for people of all ages. Its biggest draws are the Tuttleman Omniverse Theater (an IMAX theater), the newly renovated Observatory, and the room-sized replica of a human heart. Walk through the heart to get an educational and visual experience you will never forget.

Description:

The Franklin Institute is one of the country's premier science museums, with informative exhibits and activities for children and adults. The Institute's biggest draws are the model of the human heart, through which visitors can walk, the IMAX theater, and the Fels Planetarium, where visitors can study the night sky and get a lesson on constellations. Visitors can also learn about mechanics, trains, airplanes, Franklin's study of electricity, and other aspects of science that comprise the modern world. The Institute also offers an educational outdoor play space and an observatory. Check the website for temporary exhibits and IMAX films.

Our Local Expert Says:

This beautiful landmark on Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts is worth visiting just for the interior architecture and décor. If you're visiting in December, check out The Nutcracker, performed by the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Description:

This has been the jewel of the Philadelphia culture scene since it opened in 1857. The simple brick Federalist exterior opens into an ornate interior - art deco lamps, velvet cushions, and possibly the largest chandelier on the East Coast. The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Pennsylvania Ballet, the opera and the occasional pop show have performed at the academy. There is some criticism about the acoustics and sight lines, but none of this matters. This is where the big shows are.

Our Local Expert Says:

This is an educational museum with ever-fascinating exhibits to entertain people of all ages. Dinosaur Hall on the first floor has been a hit with children for decades.

Description:

The Academy of Natural Sciences is Philadelphia's natural history museum, founded in 1812. The Academy offers entertainment for children and adults, with information and live animals that instruct and entertain all visitors. The dinosaur hall, located right near the entrance to the museum, is its most famous draw. The large motorized skeletons will awe and amaze. The Academy often has fascinating temporary exhibitions as well, so be sure to visit the website before you plan your trip.

Our Local Expert Says:

Valley Forge National Park is a wonderful place for some Revolutionary War history, a challenging bike ride, or a relaxing picnic.

Description:

Valley Forge, 22 miles northwest of Philadelphia, was the site of George Washington's army's winter camp in 1777-1778. The army camped here as they prepared to fight the British, who were threatening to march on Philadelphia, the colonial capital. Visitors can enter the log cabins that sheltered Washington and his men, imagining the cold and wet winter that the army spent there; bike or walk the trails that wind their way through the Park; or enjoy a picnic in the scenic hills of the Park.

Our Local Expert Says:

While the famous lights of Boathouse Row can only be seen from across the river, the east side of the Boathouses provides an ever-popular path for joggers, bikers, strolling families, picnickers, and others. Half a mile past the boathouses lies a mid-century sculpture garden depicting the history of the U.S. For some exercise (and a view of the lights), follow the Kelly Drive path all the way to the Falls Bridge and head back on West River Drive, completing an 8-mile loop that ends in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Description:

The lights that illuminate the boathouses on Boathouse Row are a classic Philadelphia scene. Numerous painters have painted these lights, which even native Philadelphians stop to marvel at. The only difficulty is getting to a place where you can see the lights; they're on the river side of the boathouses, so they can only be seen from West River Drive or the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), and only at night. If you have access to a car, try driving West River Drive, crossing the Falls Bridge, and coming back to the city on Kelly Drive. Alternately, the boathouses are quite lovely from Kelly Drive, even without the famous lights. Kelly Drive, which begins at the Art Museum and extends four miles northwest, is an ever-popular place for bikers, joggers, and picnickers.

Our Local Expert Says:

This is not a museum for the squeamish. Enjoy all sorts of medical oddities here that will leave you wondering and talking for days.

Description:

The Mutter Museum is the prime spot for anyone looking for a unique and possibly disturbing museum experience. The Museum houses a collection of medical oddities that are sure to surprise visitors. It was started in 1858 by professor Thomas Dent Mutter, who hoped to use his collection of specimens to educate future doctors. Among other oddities, the collection includes thousands of objects extracted from people's throats, a plaster cast of Siamese twins joined at the liver, and the cancerous tumor extracted from President Grover Cleveland. Located at the northwestern edge of center city, the Museum offers a perfect – if unusual – start to a day of walking through center city.

Our Local Expert Says:

Philadelphia is famous for its murals. Take an informative walking or trolley tour for a sampling of the city's nearly 3,000 murals.

Description:

Philadelphia may be the world's mural capital, with over 2500 outdoor and indoor murals, most of them done since 1989, when the city's Mural Arts Program began. Mayor Wilson Goode began the program, then called the Anti-Graffiti Network, as an effort to dissuade graffiti artist from tagging and instead encourage them to create murals that would beautify the city. The program took off in the ensuing years, and its artists have painted Philadelphia's walls into modern history. The Mural Arts Program offers trolley tours of different neighborhoods of the city and the murals that beautify those neighborhoods.

Tours and Prices:
Trolley tour: Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays at 10 am. Prices are as follows: Adults - $25, Seniors - $23, Children (under10) - $15. There is a daily walking tour at 11:30 priced at $17.

Our Local Expert Says:

This square is one of the best places in the city for people-watching. Grab an outdoor table at one of the upscale bar/restaurants lining the Square, and you'll be set for hours. Jane Jacobs even cited this Square as one of the most successful urban green areas in her classic book, The Death of Life of Great American Cities.

Description:

Rittenhouse Square was one of five squares (only four of which exist) in William Penn's original plan for the city, and it has always been the busiest and most happening square. Jane Jacobs wrote about it in The Death and Life of Great American Cities as an example of a truly successful urban green space. There is hardly a time of day or night when Rittenhouse Square isn't packed with nine-to-fivers taking a lunch break, loungers reading a book or newspaper, people watchers, children, dogs, squirrels, and sometimes a juggler or acrobat. Fashionable restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores, and high-end hotels surround the Square; a visitor to Philadelphia will have much to look at and explore in and around the Square.

Our Local Expert Says:

This is an excellent way to view the historic sites of old Philadelphia. Tour guides will lead you through the distinctive sites and beautiful cobblestone streets of Philadelphia's most historic neighborhood.

Description:

There's no better way to see historic Philadelphia than to see it from a horse-drawn carriage, operated by 76 Carriage Company. Drivers wait for passengers at 5th and Chestnut Streets, right by Independence National Historic Park, and offer tours of varying lengths. Carriage drivers are well versed in Philadelphia history. They'll take you down the cobblestone streets, of Society Hill, pointing out and explaining important historical sites as they go. The carriages operate year-round, with blankets to keep you warm in the winter.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Liberty Bell stands out as one of the most important symbols of American freedom. Its prime location in Independence National Historical Park makes it an easy stop on a tour of historic Philadelphia.

Description:

The Liberty Bell, located in Independence National Historical Park, rang in 1776 as a summons to Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was to be read publicly. What started as a small crack became an irreparable chasm, and the Liberty Bell never rang out again. While the Bell initially symbolized America's independence from Britain, abolitionists adopted it in the mid-19th century as a symbol of freedom for all Americans, no matter their race. Today, it represents different things to different people, but it is inarguably one of the most important symbols of our nation, and well worth a visit.