Philadelphia packs a founding era historic core, a world class museum row, and serious market food culture into a city you can mostly cross on foot. Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell sit a few blocks from Reading Terminal Market and the Delaware River, while the Benjamin Franklin Parkway lines up art, science, and the Rocky Steps in one straight run. This list covers the places that appear on nearly every credible Philly itinerary, plus a few that reward a second day.
The top 15, ranked
Ranked by how consistently each pick appears across official Philadelphia sources, the local destination marketing organization, and recent independent roundups.
- Top pick
#1Best for First timers · #1 of 15Independence Hall
Historic siteOld CityOpen dailyFreeThe Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were both debated and signed in the Assembly Room of this Georgian brick statehouse, which is why UNESCO added it to the World Heritage list. Rangers lead short guided tours in small groups, so the visit is less about wandering and more about standing in one furnished room while a ranger explains what happened at each table.
Local tipReserve a timed entry ticket through the National Park Service in advance, then arrive early because everyone passes through airport style security screening.
- Top pick
#2Best for Quick history stop · #2 of 15Liberty Bell Center
LandmarkOld CityOpen dailyFreeThe cracked bell sits at the end of a glass walled hall with Independence Hall framed behind it, so the photograph most people want is built into the room. Exhibits along the approach trace how abolitionists and later civil rights movements adopted the bell as a symbol, which gives the object more weight than the crack alone suggests.
Local tipNo ticket is needed, and the line moves fastest in the first hour after opening or in the last hour before closing.
- Top pick
#3Best for Lunch · #3 of 15Reading Terminal Market
MarketCenter CityOpen dailyFreeMore than seventy vendors trade under one roof in a former train shed, covering Pennsylvania Dutch baked goods, roast pork sandwiches, oysters, dumplings, and produce. It is the most efficient way to eat well in Philadelphia without booking anything, though it gets loud and crowded around midday, and several Amish stalls keep their own limited weekly schedule.
Local tipEntry costs nothing and you pay stall by stall, so go before 11am or after 2pm for a seat and carry cash since a few long running counters still prefer it.
-
#4Best for Art lovers · #4 of 15Philadelphia Museum of Art
MuseumBenjamin Franklin ParkwayClosed Tuesdays and Wednesdays$25 to $50The collection runs from a reassembled Japanese teahouse and a medieval cloister to Duchamp, Cezanne, and a strong American wing, and a Frank Gehry led renovation opened up the core circulation so the building itself reads better. Outside, the east steps are the Rocky Steps, and the plaza at the top gives you the long view straight down the Parkway to City Hall.
Local tipOne ticket also covers the nearby Rodin Museum on the Parkway, so pair the two if you have a spare hour.
-
#5Best for Something different · #5 of 15Eastern State Penitentiary
Historic siteFairmountOpen daily$10 to $25This 1829 prison pioneered solitary confinement as reform, and the state left the cell blocks to decay after it closed, so you walk through peeling vaulted corridors and Al Capone's restored cell. An included audio tour narrated by Steve Buscemi carries the history, and a permanent exhibit on mass incarceration connects the ruin to present day US prison numbers.
Local tipMuch of the route is unheated and open to the sky, so dress for the weather and wear shoes that handle uneven stone floors.
-
#6Best for History depth · #6 of 15Museum of the American Revolution
MuseumOld CityOpen daily$10 to $25Opened in 2017 two blocks from Independence Hall, this museum tells the war story through objects, life size tableaux, and short films rather than long walls of text. The centerpiece is George Washington's field headquarters tent, shown on the hour in a purpose built theater, and the galleries deliberately include Native, Black, and Loyalist perspectives that older Philadelphia sites skip.
Local tipCheck the posted showtimes for the Washington tent presentation when you arrive and plan the rest of your route around it.
-
#7Best for Families · #7 of 15The Franklin Institute
MuseumBenjamin Franklin ParkwayOpen daily$25 to $50A hands on science museum where the signature exhibit is a two story walk through human heart that children have been climbing since 1954. Other floors cover flight, electricity, the brain, and space, and there is a planetarium plus a giant screen theater, so a rainy afternoon here fills itself without much planning.
Local tipBuy timed tickets online for weekends and school holidays, and note that the planetarium and special exhibitions are usually separate add ons.
-
#8Best for Photos · #8 of 15Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
LandmarkSouth PhiladelphiaClosed Tuesdays$10 to $25Isaiah Zagar spent decades covering a South Street lot and two adjoining buildings in mirror shards, bicycle wheels, bottles, and folk art tile, creating a half indoor, half outdoor maze you can walk through. It is small, so treat it as a focused stop rather than an afternoon, and look for Zagar's other murals on nearby blocks once you leave.
Local tipBook online because walk up capacity is limited, and go on a bright day when sunlight sets the mirrored surfaces off.
-
#9Best for Art lovers · #9 of 15Barnes Foundation
MuseumBenjamin Franklin ParkwayClosed Tuesdays and Wednesdays$25 to $50Albert Barnes assembled one of the deepest private holdings of Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, and Picasso anywhere, and hung them in dense symmetrical ensembles mixed with ironwork and furniture. The Parkway building reproduces those original room arrangements exactly, so you get an unusual, opinionated way of looking at pictures instead of a conventional chronological hang.
Local tipReserve a timed entry slot ahead since the galleries cap numbers, and allow extra time because the ensembles reward slow looking.
-
#10Best for Food walks · #10 of 15South 9th Street Italian Market
MarketSouth PhiladelphiaOpen most daysFreeAwnings, curbside produce crates, and open fire barrels in winter mark the stretch of South 9th Street that has worked as an immigrant food corridor since the 1880s. Italian butchers and cheese shops still anchor it, but Mexican taquerias, Vietnamese cafes, and Southeast Asian grocers now share the blocks, which makes a slow walk here the best value food tour in the city.
Local tipCome in the morning when vendors are fully stocked, and check individual shop schedules because many close early Sunday and some close Monday.
-
#11Best for Photos · #11 of 15Elfreth's Alley
Historic siteOld CityStreet open daily, museum open weekendsFreeThirty two brick houses line a cobbled lane that has been continuously occupied since the 1720s, which gives it a claim as the oldest residential street in the country. People still live behind those doors, so the alley itself is a quiet two minute walk rather than an attraction, and the small museum house at number 126 supplies the context.
Local tipThe alley is a public street open at any hour, but the museum house keeps limited weekend heavy hours, so check before you count on going inside.
-
#12Best for Families · #12 of 15Philadelphia Zoo
ZooFairmountOpen daily$25 to $50The first zoo chartered in the United States sits on a Victorian landscaped campus at the edge of Fairmount Park, with big cats, primates, a reptile house, and a recently opened bear habitat. Its distinctive feature is Zoo360, a network of mesh trails overhead that lets tigers, lemurs, and other animals travel above visitor paths instead of staying in fixed enclosures.
Local tipParking fills early on weekends, so take a bus or rideshare, and buy dated tickets online because daily entry is capped.
-
#13Best for Rainy days · #13 of 15Penn Museum
MuseumUniversity CityClosed Mondays$10 to $25The University of Pennsylvania's archaeology museum holds material from its own excavations, including a monumental sphinx of Ramses II, Mesopotamian goldwork from Ur, and one of the strongest Maya collections outside Central America. Renovated Egypt and Africa galleries make it feel current rather than dusty, and the campus setting means it is rarely as crowded as the Parkway museums.
Local tipRide the Market Frankford Line or a trolley to University City, then pair the museum with a walk across the Penn campus.
-
#14Best for Runners and cyclists · #14 of 15Schuylkill River Trail and Schuylkill Banks
TrailCenter CityOpen dailyFreeA paved riverside path runs from Center City past Boathouse Row toward the Art Museum and beyond, and the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk carries it out over the water for a stretch near Locust Street. It is the easiest way to earn a skyline view on foot, and rental bikes, kayak trips, and benches make it flexible for whatever pace you want.
Local tipStart at the Walnut Street or Locust Street access points and head north for the classic Boathouse Row and skyline photograph at dusk.
-
#15Best for With kids · #15 of 15Franklin Square
ParkOld CityOpen dailyFreeOne of the five squares William Penn laid out in 1682, now rebuilt as a family park at the foot of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. A restored carousel, an eighteen hole mini golf course themed on Philadelphia landmarks, a burger stand, and a fountain that runs a nightly light and music show give younger travelers a real break from museums.
Local tipEntering the square costs nothing and you only pay for the carousel and mini golf, so it works as a low cost breather between Old City sites.
Where things cluster
A quick orientation so you can group stops instead of crossing Philadelphia twice.
- Old CityIndependence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Museum of the American Revolution, Elfreth's Alley, and Franklin Square sit within a few walkable blocks of the Delaware River.
- Center CityCity Hall, Reading Terminal Market, Rittenhouse Square, and the Schuylkill Banks trail. This is where hotels, department store era architecture, and the transit hubs cluster.
- Benjamin Franklin ParkwayA tree lined boulevard modeled on the Champs Elysees, holding the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation, the Rodin Museum, and The Franklin Institute in one straight run.
- FairmountEastern State Penitentiary anchors a low rise neighborhood of corner bars that runs straight into Fairmount Park, Boathouse Row, and the Philadelphia Zoo.
- South PhiladelphiaThe 9th Street Italian Market, Philadelphia's Magic Gardens on South Street, the cheesesteak corners near Passyunk Avenue, and the stadium district further south.
- University CityAcross the Schuylkill, home to the Penn and Drexel campuses, the Penn Museum, 30th Street Station, and a dense run of inexpensive international restaurants.
Make it a day
Historic core to museum row
Start at the Liberty Bell Center at opening, take your timed tour of Independence Hall, then walk two blocks to the Museum of the American Revolution. Detour up Elfreth's Alley, then head west to Reading Terminal Market for lunch. Finish along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at either the Barnes Foundation or the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and climb the Rocky Steps at dusk for the view back down to City Hall.
Two days, two halves of the city
Give Saturday to the historic core and the Parkway using the one day route. On Sunday, walk the 9th Street Italian Market in the morning, cut over to Philadelphia's Magic Gardens on South Street, then choose between Eastern State Penitentiary in Fairmount or the Penn Museum in University City. Close on the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk for skyline views over the river.
Map
Best time to visit
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Late spring and early autumn give Philadelphia its most comfortable walking weather, with mild days and long light down the Parkway. July and August turn hot and humid, so book indoor museums for midday and save the riverfront, the squares, and the Italian Market for early morning or evening. Winter is cold but quiet, and the historic sites have almost no queue.
Philadelphia things to do FAQ
Parking, timing, cost, and weather answers for a smoother visit.
How many days do you need in Philadelphia?
Two full days covers the historic core, the Parkway museums, and one neighborhood such as South Philadelphia. One day works if you stay tight to Old City and Reading Terminal Market.
Is Independence Hall free to visit?
Yes, entry is free, though for most of the year you need a timed tour ticket, which you can reserve online through the National Park Service or collect the same day at the Independence Visitor Center.
What is the best area to stay in Philadelphia?
Center City puts you within walking distance of Reading Terminal Market, City Hall, and the Parkway museums, with Old City a quieter alternative right beside Independence Hall and the waterfront.
Is Philadelphia walkable?
The visitor core is very walkable, since Old City, Center City, and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway line up in a rough straight run. For the zoo, University City, or South Philadelphia, use SEPTA buses, the subway, or a rideshare.
Where do you get the best cheesesteak in Philadelphia?
There is no settled answer. Pat's and Geno's face each other in South Philadelphia and are the tourist landmarks, while locals more often point to smaller neighborhood counters or the stalls inside Reading Terminal Market.
What is free to do in Philadelphia?
The Liberty Bell Center, the Independence Hall grounds, Elfreth's Alley, Franklin Square, the Schuylkill Banks trail, and the 9th Street Italian Market all cost nothing to enter, and several museums run pay what you wish sessions.
Keep planning
Use these nearby guides to extend your Philadelphia trip with a different pace and a clear next stop.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons. Credits: Jeffrey M. Vinocur, Rdsmith4, Toadspike, Bruce Andersen, Wikimedia Commons contributor, Davidt8, GordonMakryllos, bdesham's mother, sashafatcat, Smallbones, Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, Photo: Mr. Kjetil Ree., Derek Ramsey.