Philadelphia Day Trip

The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall are the two most important symbols of American independence — and both are free to visit. The Liberty Bell, with its famous crack, hangs in the Liberty Bell Center on Chestnut Street, where you can walk right up to it and photograph it with Independence Hall visible through the glass walls behind it. The bell was rung to mark the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and has been a symbol of freedom ever since. Across the street, Independence Hall is the building where both the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the United States Constitution (1787) were debated and signed — the room where American democracy was born. The ranger-led tours of Independence Hall are free but require timed-entry tickets (available online at recreation.gov or at the Independence Visitor Center on the morning of your visit). Standing in the Assembly Room where Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams argued for independence is a profoundly moving experience.

Reading Terminal Market is one of America's oldest and largest public markets — a vast, bustling food hall operating continuously since 1893 in a former railroad terminal. Over 75 vendors sell everything from Amish baked goods and fresh produce to Philly cheesesteaks, Pennsylvania Dutch specialties, and international cuisine. DiNic's roast pork sandwich (once named the best sandwich in America by the Travel Channel) is the market's most celebrated item — slow-roasted pork with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe on a long roll. Beiler's Doughnuts draws morning lines for their hand-cut, old-fashioned doughnuts. The Pennsylvania Dutch vendors sell shoofly pie, soft pretzels, and scrapple. The market is located at 12th and Arch Streets, a short walk from Independence Hall, making it the perfect lunch stop during a Philly day trip.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the largest and most important art museums in the United States — a Greek Revival temple overlooking the Schuylkill River that houses over 240,000 works spanning 2,000 years, from medieval European painting to contemporary American art. The museum's collection includes works by Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, Duchamp (the largest collection of Duchamp's work in the world), and a magnificent collection of armor and arms. But the museum is equally famous for its 72 stone steps — the "Rocky Steps" that Sylvester Stallone ran up in the 1976 film, fists pumping, in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history. A bronze Rocky statue stands at the base of the steps, and running (or walking) to the top for the panoramic view of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Center City skyline is a Philadelphia rite of passage. The museum is a 20-minute walk from Center City along the Ben Franklin Parkway or a quick Uber ride.

Old City is Philadelphia's most historic neighborhood — a compact, walkable district of cobblestoned streets, colonial-era buildings, and the key landmarks of American independence. Elfreth's Alley, dating to 1702, is the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in America — a narrow lane of Georgian brick houses that looks almost exactly as it did 300 years ago. Christ Church, where Washington and Franklin worshipped, has a beautiful colonial interior. The Betsy Ross House (disputed as her actual home) tells the story of the American flag. The First and Second Banks of the United States represent early American financial architecture. Old City is also Philadelphia's gallery district, with dozens of galleries along 2nd and 3rd Streets that open for First Friday events. The neighborhood is compact enough to explore in 1-2 hours of walking.