Your Guide To An Epic Weekend in Philadelphia
For years we always talked about spending a weekend in Philadelphia, since NYC is only about 2 hours away. Well, we finally made it happen, and Philly has officially made it to my bucket list cities to visit!
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the city of Brotherly Love has so much to offer. From a rich history, amazing food, cute streets, and awesome art, you won’t be short on things to do!
Below, I am covering how to spend an epic weekend in Philadelphia that is perfect for 2 or 3 days.
If you love searching for photogenic places, I list the Most Instagrammable Places in Philly here!
View From the Rocky Stairs: Weekend in Philadelphia
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links where I may make a small commission at No cost to you.
Top Places To Visit In Philadelphia for a Weekend
While Philadelphia is a decent-sized city, you can easily see the top Philly attractions in a weekend! Philly is very walkable and I highly suggest doing it! If your legs start getting tired, however, Uber is everywhere. Philly is also a top vacation spot on the east coast.
Now let’s get to the top things you will definitely want to see during your weekend in Philadelphia!
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens
Philly’s unique Magic “Garden” is made from handmade tiles, bottles, bicycle wheels, mirrors, and international folk art creating incredible mosaics. The artist, Isaiah Zagar, said the garden was designed as a chronicle of his life and influences.
The space is really incredible and should be on the top of your list for places to visit in Philly! You will need to buy your ticket a few days in advance to claim a time slot. They are not too expensive, and totally worth it!
Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM CLOSED on Tuesdays
Address: 1020 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19147
Walking through Magic Garden
Famous Elfreth’s Alley
Next, make your way down to Elfreth’s Alley. Believe it or not, Elfreth’s Alley is the oldest inhabited residential street in America dating back to the 1700s! The alley is even considered a National Historic Landmark.
The homes are brightly colored and so cute! Many compare it to Boston, but I believe it’s much nicer.
The alley is popular throughout the day, but if you are looking to take photos, the morning will be best. Please remember these are people’s homes, so be especially respectful and keep your noise level down.
Address: 124-126 Elfreth’s Alley, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Philly Mural Mile
Mural Mile is another really interesting and fun thing Philly offers to their community and visitors! For over 30 years Philadelphia has been uniting local artists to paint the city. The murals are dedicated to the belief that art ignites change.
With a full weekend in Philadelphia, make sure to see a couple of murals while touring the city. You can even check this map that will show you where you can find them!
Liberty Bell & Independence Hall
If you are a United States history buff, you can’t visit Philadelphia without seeing the famous cracked Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.
You can visit the Liberty Bell for free and tour the small museum. I would suggest going early to avoid long wait times.
Liberty Bell
Next, make your way to Independence Hall. According to the National Park Service website:
- Tickets are required March through December.
- No tickets are required in January and February, or after 5pm during summer hours.
- No tickets are required on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve (December 24) or Independence Day (July 4).
- Open 11am to 4pm on Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day. Open 9am to 3pm on Christmas Eve. Closed Christmas Day.”
Update: Please confirm hours due to ongoing closures.
If you know what time you want to visit, it is best to get your ticket ahead of time. This way you get a time slot that works best for you. The tickets are actually free unless you reserve your time slot. Doing it in advance costs $1 USD.
If you are like me and totally forgot to do this, they also hold a lottery for tickets the day of. You can get them from Independence Hall Visitors Center. Go when they first open for tickets at the Independence Visitors Center.
Address: 520 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
View in Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed
Betsey Ross House
Make a stop at the Betsey Ross House, which is where the American Flag was born. You can tour the house and learn more about Betsey Ross, check out the gift shop, or hang in the courtyard.
During our time in Philly, the house was closed, so we didn’t get to tour the inside. Walking past it was good enough for us though.
Address: 239 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Front of the Betsy Ross house
Rocky Stairs
This one is for all my movie buffs! I feel like you can’t spend a weekend in Philadelphia without climbing the Rocky stairs and chanting out loud (or secretly) the Rocky theme song!
During our visit, it was actually quite comical watching everyone doing it and trying to get the perfect video.
If you have additional time, you can also check out the Philadephia Museum of Art, which is located at the top of the steps.
Address: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Take A Stroll Through Rittenhouse Square
If you have time, take a stroll through Rittenhouse Square. This green space is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century.
The surrounding Rittenhouse neighborhood is also one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Philly.
Address: 210 W Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Rodin Museum
Take a step into Paris at the Rodin Museum. Philly’s Rodin Museum houses one of the most comprehensive collections outside of Paris.
We were lucky to see tons of Rodin’s original work in Paris, but if you can’t make it to Paris, you have the next best thing!
The garden area is also lovely to hang on a sunny day and have lunch.
Address: 2151 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Honorable Mention: Eastern State Penitentiary
Ton’s of people mention visiting the Eastern State Penitentiary on their list of things to do in Philadelphia, however, we skipped it. Mainly because I personally have little interest in touring through an old prison.
Yes there is history and yes, some famous criminals were held there, but it’s not my cup of tea. But just because it’s not my cup of tea, doesn’t mean it might be yours.
So, with that being said, I still wanted to add it to my Philadelphia weekend guide, just in case you have extra time or you wanted to swap something out since it is still a very popular activity in Philly.
Where To Eat In Philadelphia For The Weekend
Philly has an amazing food scene not to be missed! Here are some of the top restaurants that make our list for a weekend in Philadelphia! As with all my food recommendations, all these Philly restaurants have both meat and vegetarian options (except Jim’s on South St.).
Reading Terminal Market
Reading Terminal Market (pronounced Ree-ding) is a must when in Philly! This unique market has tons of food vendors to try and is considered a Philadelphia experience! I can especially recommend Bassetts Ice Cream. Just be prepared for a line!
Address: 51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Jim’s on South St.
It’s been said you can’t visit Philly without having a Philly Cheesesteak. I don’t eat meat, but Alex does so I did extensive research to find where the locals ate!
On most lists, you will hear about Genos and Pats for Philly cheesesteaks. However, these are known to be more for tourists and locals will never go here!
So, if you are looking for an authentic and local experience, make your way to Jim’s on South Street. They only accept cash and you can expect a line way out the door. Alex said his cheesesteak was amazing, so I will have to believe him!
Address: 400 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Green Eggs Cafe
Get ready for the best brunch of your life….seriously! Breakfast is my favorite meal and wow does Geen Eggs Cafe deliver. We had to wait an hour for a table (didn’t call in advance), but my Creme Brûlée french toast was like eating heaven on earth! I can’t recommend this place enough!
Address: 212 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
The Continental Restaurant and Martini Bar
This up-scale diner (not open 24/7) is a cute spot to come for dinner and drinks. It’s located in the Old City which was our favorite place to walk around. The food was good and the staff was friendly.
Address: 138 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Lucha Cartel
Need your Mexican fix? This funky restaurant has amazing drinks and food! Lucha Cartel is also located in the Old City.
Address: 207 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Jim’s on South
Where to Stay in Philadelphia
During our short weekend in Philly, we opted for an Airbnb. It was right in the Old City across the street from Elfreth’s Alley! After walking all around Philadelphia, we really did love the Old City area so I can highly recommend staying in the area. Check hotel prices here | Airbnb
Getting to Philly
Depending on where you are located, you can either drive (like us), fly, take a Greyhound bus or the Amtrack train. If you drive to Philadelphia, I would suggest finding a garage to park your car since it’s very hard to find parking.
We used Spot Hero ahead of time and were able to lock in a pretty good rate for the weekend in a secure garage!
Check SkyScanner for the best flight prices!
Weekend in Philadephia Wrap-up
This concludes some of the best things to do in Philadephia for the weekend. I hope you found this guide helpful and have the best time in Philly! We know we will be back to this awesome city again.
