Philadelphia. At first thought, you may think of the Fresh Prince. Or cheese steaks. Or cream cheese. Or even my man, Rocky. But if you dig a little deeper you may be surprised to find there is quite a lot to this little city. We thought we could fit it into one day but it was a struggle! To borrow from my Gen Z friends, Philadelphia is, in itself a vibe! Philadelphia has an amazing urban eclectic-ness that is intertwined with the prominent undertones of this city’s historical foundation. There is a vibrant art scene in Philly which contributes to this fantastic energy that radiates from street corner to corner. I feel as if Philadelphia is often overshadowed by the bigger cities of New York and Miami, but Philly really does have a lot to offer. Continue reading for the deets on our one day adventure in Philadelphia. This page has affiliate links and if you purchase something from this page I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. I donate 5% of this blog’s revenue to the Environmental Defense Fund, so you help donate to a great cause if you click on any affiliate links or ads that may be on this page.
See the Sights in Philadelphia
Philadelphia Museum of Art
We started off at the Philadelphia Museum of Art mostly because my first plan was to run up the steps like the iconic scene in Rocky. But unfortunately I was greeted by a large burley security guard who informed me that the steps were closed because Jay Z had a concert in the area. Try as I did to explain that I was a little Italian girl from Florida who journeyed to Philadelphia to carry out her dream of channeling The Italian Stallion, it was a bust. This man wasn’t having it. I will have to carry out my Rocky dreams another day! The museum itself is stunning and I absolutely recommend taking the time to visit if you can.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s main building was completed in 1928 at the northwest end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. You’ll find works by Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dalí and Constantin Brâncuși, as well as contemporary artists Agnes Martin, Cy Twombly, Jasper Johns, and Sol LeWitt, among many others.
Rodin Museum
The Rodin Museum is administered by the Philadelphia Museum of Art and at nearly 150 objects by Rodin, it is one of the largest collections of Auguste Rodin’s work. The Rodin Museum opened in 1929 and contains bronzes, marbles and plasters created by the artist. The best-known of Rodin’s works, The Thinker (1880–1882), sits outside the museum in the entry courtyard. We enjoyed the beautiful courtyard and took some shots with this prominent sculpture and continued on!
Schuylkill River Trail
We took a small detour to check out the Schuylkill River Trail, we were on a schedule but my curiosity got the best of me when I saw this path leading to the city. The Schuykill River Trail is 75 miles of paved and crushed stone open to the public, built over abandoned railroad lines. The riverside path is 15-feet wide and includes four scenic overlooks to take in spectacular waterfront views of the Philadelphia Skyline.
Love Park
You can’t go to Philadelphia without getting a photo of the infamous LOVE sculpture. Nestled in John F. Kennedy Plaza, better known as LOVE Park, you can hop in a quick line and get some gram worthy photos! The famous Robert Indiana sculpture was installed in 1976 in John F. Kennedy Plaza, just northwest of City Hall.
Philadelphia City Hall
Philadelphia City Hall is an iconic landmark to the city constructed from 1871 to 1901 at a cost of $24 million. Its a gorgeous structure that surely is a must-see if you are visiting Philadelphia, as it was voted #21 on the American Institute of Architects list of Americans’ 150 favorite U.S. structures in 20007. The building is topped by a 37 ft. bronze statute of city founder William Penn, the tallest statute atop any building in the world and is one of 250 sculptures that adorn the building. Philadelphia City Hall was designed to be the world’s tallest building and by terms of a gentlemen’s agreement that forbade any structure from rising above the hat on the Penn statue, Philadelphia City Hall remained the tallest building in the city until it was surpassed by One Liberty Place in 1986.
The observation deck is located below the base of the statue, on the 57th floor of One Liberty Place. You will be treated to a 360 degree panoramic views of the city.
Philadelphia Mural Arts Program
The City of Philadelphia started the Mural Arts Program in 1986 in an effort to combat the graffiti movement that was taking over the city. The program employs prosecuted graffiti artists and professional artists as well as bringing education to children on the arts and involving them in the process of the creation of these murals.
Philadelphia has such a strong artistic community, I highly recommend looking out for these murals as you explore the city. You can book a walking tour or explore them on our own time with the help of the mural arts map.
Elfreths Alley
Elfreths Alley is a National Historic Landmark that is known as the oldest continually inhabited residential street in the United States. This quaint little cobblestone alley is hands down worth seeing on a visit to Philadelphia. The 32 homes were built between 1703 and 1836 and the street was named for blacksmith and property owner Jeremiah Elfreth. During the eighteenth century, most businesses operated out of the first floor of people’s private residences, which was the case on Elfreth’s Alley, as it was home to grocers, shoemakers, cabinet makers, tailors and others.
Two adjacent houses, built in 1755, now function as a museum and gift shop and visitors can explore the historic alleyway on their own or join a 45-minute guided tour.
Ben Franklin Court
We had packed so much into the day that we weren’t able to make the Betsy Ross House before it closed. But Ben Franklin Court is an open courtyard that visitors can explore all hours. It comprised of a steel “ghost structure” that outlines the location of the house before it was demolished 22 years after his death in 1812. There are viewing portals that allow you to look down “into the house” to see artifacts from the home at that time. Accompanying plaques describe the room and artifacts that are being viewed below. There’s not much to it, but its a neat little display that provides an interesting window to this historic site.
Liberty Bell
Of course, a visit to Philadelphia would not be complete without making sure to visit The Liberty Bell. Previously called the State House Bell, it once rang in the tower of what was called the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. Philadelphia’s city bell had been used to alert the public to proclamations or danger since the city’s 1682 founding. The original bell hung from a tree behind the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall) and was said to have been brought to the city by its founder, William Penn. The Liberty Bell has been made famous throughout the years as its been featured on coins and stamps, and its name and image have been widely used by corporations.
Food and Drinks in Philadelphia
Independence Beer Garden
Independence Beer Garden (IBG) is a 20,000-square-foot outdoor retreat overlooking the Liberty Bell Center and Independence National Historical Park and is one of the most popular summer destinations in Philadelphia’s Historic District. Its a great place to hang out, enjoy a beautiful evening and grab a few drinks.
I hope this helps you plan your trip to The City of Brotherly Love! If you found this helpful please leave a comment below! And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram at @amanda_meets_world_ 🙂
