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Philadelphia
Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania, on the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, with a historic district around Independence Hall.
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Where to stay, by what matters to you
- Places to stay in Philadelphia that work without a car
- Quiet places to stay in Philadelphia: few bars nearby
- Lively places to stay in Philadelphia: bars and clubs close by
- Within 30 minutes by car of Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rocky Steps
- Within 30 minutes by car of Eastern State Penitentiary
- Within 30 minutes by car of Philadelphia International Airport
- Within 30 minutes by car of Valley Forge
- Within 20 minutes of Philadelphia City Hall
- Within 20 minutes of Liberty Bell
- Within 20 minutes of Independence Hall and Independence National Historical Park
- Within 20 minutes of Barnes Foundation
Best things to do in Philadelphia
The one thing not to miss
Start with the Liberty Bell, which is free to see in the Liberty Bell Center, then book a timed ticket for the Independence Hall tour just across the street.
Liberty Bell1. Liberty Bell
An icon of American independence, now displayed in the Liberty Bell Center across the street from Independence Hall. It was originally hung in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House. A wide repaired crack from 1846 is visible on it.
The National Park Service says entry is free and no ticket is needed. Opening hours vary by season, so check before you go.
20,578 readers a month
Camera Operator: PH3 BRYANT, Public domain 2. Battleship New Jersey (Camden)
An Iowa-class battleship, now a museum in Camden, New Jersey, across the river from Philadelphia. The ship earned more battle stars than the other three completed Iowa-class battleships. Tour routes run from about 5 to 45 minutes each.
The museum site lists fall hours of Thursday to Monday, 10am to 5pm, with last tickets at 4pm, and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Hours change by season, so check first.
18,494 readers a month
John Ward Dunsmore, Public domain 3. Valley Forge
The site of the Continental Army's winter camp under George Washington, from December 1777 to June 1778, on the Schuylkill River in eastern Pennsylvania. The national park protects about 3,500 acres of meadows, woodland and monuments, including Washington's Headquarters and the National Memorial Arch.
The National Park Service page we read does not say whether entry is free. Check its fees and hours pages before you go. A trolley tour of about 90 minutes leaves from the visitor centre.
14,896 readers a month
4. Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rocky Steps
A museum chartered in 1876 whose main building opened in 1928 on the Fairmount hill. Its collections hold over 240,000 objects. The 72 steps up to its east entrance are known as the Rocky Steps after the 1976 film.
The sources we read do not give ticket or opening details. Check the museum's own site before you go.
14,661 readers a month
5. Independence Hall and Independence National Historical Park
The building where the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were debated and adopted, a World Heritage Site since 1979. It is the centrepiece of a 55-acre park nicknamed America's most historic square mile.
Independence Hall tours need a timed ticket from recreation.gov, with a $1 handling fee per ticket, and run every 20 minutes from 10:40am. Everyone is screened before entering Independence Square. Check the NPS page for current times.
13,942 readers a month
6. Philadelphia City Hall
The seat of Philadelphia's city government, built in the ornate Second Empire style between 1871 and 1901. Its tower, topped by a 37-foot bronze statue of William Penn, rises 548 feet.
Whether the tower observation deck is open to the public was not confirmed in the sources we read. Check before you plan a visit.
8,733 readers a month
7. Eastern State Penitentiary
A former prison in the Fairmount area that operated from 1829 until 1971. It is now a historic site. Most visitors spend about two hours, and the main audio tour takes about 40 minutes.
Tickets are sold online or at the door, subject to availability, and online is $2 cheaper. Open daily 10am to 5pm. Not recommended for children under seven, and the site warns the building can pose hazards.
8,596 readers a month
8. Barnes Foundation
An art collection and educational institution that moved in 2012 from Merion to a new building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Its arboretum remains at the original Merion site.
We could not read the Barnes visitor page, so check its own site for tickets and opening days.
4,390 readers a month
Sources
Apollo900, Public domain 9. Longwood Gardens
A public garden of more than 1,100 acres of gardens, woodland and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, open year-round. It holds events and seasonal displays.
The garden's site says entry needs a timed admission ticket. Autumn and Christmas hours differ and it is closed on Tuesdays through early November, so check the current calendar.
4,117 readers a month
10. Elfreth's Alley
A street in the Old City neighbourhood dating back to 1703, with 32 houses built between 1703 and 1836. It is a National Historic Landmark. The Elfreth's Alley Museum is at numbers 124 and 126.
Museum hours were not confirmed in the sources we read, so check before you go.
2,923 readers a month
Sources
Just missed the list: The Franklin Institute (11th by readers; a science museum); Fairmount Park (12th by readers; a large city park system)
How we ranked these
By how many people read about each place on English Wikipedia in a typical month, measured October 2026. It is a popularity measure, not our opinion. Liberty Bell leads with about 20,578 readers a month. Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; the author and licence are on each photo.
Research required. Area notes for this destination are not written yet. The top 10 above is sourced; the rest of this page is an outline.
Affiliate disclosure: Booking links on this site are partner links. Once our partnership is active we earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what we recommend. How this works.