A vacation to Pennsylvania offers lots of things to do in Philadelphia for families or couples.
Phillie has a lot of attractions that will appeal to every member of the family.
You can very easily spend a full week here and still not see all the attractions that the area has to offer.
Be sure to budget your time wisely so you can get in as many sights as possible.
From museums to historic buildings and serene parks, you’ll find an attraction here that will appeal to all members of the family.
Academy of Vocal Arts
1920 Spruce Street
Philadelphia PA 19103
215-735-1685
They offer 4 opera productions/performances each year.
Athenaeum of Philadelphia
219 S 6th Street
Philadelphia PA 19106
215-925-2688
http://www.philaathenaeum.org
Mon-Fri 9 AM-5 PM, 1st Saturday of month 10 AM-2 PM
Special collections library related to American history and housing American decorative and fine arts.
Awbury Arboretum
One Awbury Road
Philadelphia PA 19138
215-849-2855
http://www.awbury.org
Open all year sunrise to sunset
24 historic houses all on the National Register of Historic Places in East Germantown
Betsy Ross House
239 Arch Street
Philadelphia PA 19106
215-686-1252
http://www.betsyrosshouse.org
Daily 10 AM-5 PM
- House tour
- Store
- Programs
Carpenter’s Hall
320 Chestnut St
Philadelphia PA 19106
215-925-0167
http://www.carpentershall.com
Tues-Sun 10 AM-4 PM. January and February closed Mondays and Tuesdays
- Georgian architecture
- Historical relevance – First Continental Congess held here as well as home to an early bank
Cathedral Basilica of SS Peter and Paul
18th & Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia PA 19103
215-561-1313
http://sspeterpaulcathedral.catholicweb.com
- Beautiful stained glass and mid to late 1800’s architecture
Chestnut Hill
8426 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia PA 19118
215-247-6696
http://www.chestnuthillpa.com
Walk the cobblestone streets and browse art galleries, a variety of shops and eat at one of the restaurants in this historic district. They have events throughout the year.
Chinatown
Philadelphia PA
http://www.ushistory.org/tour/chinatown.htm
- Friendship Arch is located at 10th and Arch Streets
- Nice variety of restaurants
Christopher Columbus Memorial
Columbus Blvd and Dock St
Philadelphia PA 19106
- The memorial is lighted at night
City Hall
Center Square
Philadelphia PA
215-686-1776
City Hall tours Mon-Fri 12:30 PM
Tower tours Mon-Fri 9:30 AM-4:30 PM
- Great French architecture style
- Marble sculptures/carvings
- Bronze statue of William Penn sits atop the tower
- Observation deck with great panoramic views
Congress Hall
598 Chestnut St
Philadelphia PA
215-965-2305
http://www.ushistory.org/tour/congress-hall.htm
Daily 9 AM-5 PM
- Housed the US Congress from 1790-1800
- Tours
Declaration (Graff) House
7th and Market Streets
Philadelphia PA
- Where Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence
Edgar Allan Poe National Historical Site
532 N 7th Street
Philadelphia PA 19106 215-597-8780
http://www.nps.gov/edal/index.htm
Hotels in Philadelphia PA
Wed-Sun 9 AM-5 PM
Fairmount Park
Philadelphia PA
http://www.fairmountpark.org
The Park has historic buildings, museums, events, fountains, sculptures. There are also 5 squares: Center, Franklin, Logan, Rittenhouse and Washington.
The park sits on 9,200 acres and offers outdoor recreational activities including walking, jogging, rowing, horseback riding, hiking, biking and golfing. There are also picnic sites.
Lemon Hill, Mount Pleasant, Laurel Hill, Sweetbriar Mansion, Strawberry Mansion and Woodford Mansion are historic homes located in the Park.
The furnishings and different architectural types are of interest when seeing these homes and estates.
Franklin Court
- Benjamin Franklin’s home was here
- Has a Benjamin Franklin museum with interactive displays
- Also in the court: 18th century printing shop, a postal museum
Historic Bartram’s Garden
54th Street and Lindbergh Blvd
Philadelphia PA 19143
215-729-5281
http://www.bartramsgarden.org
- John Bartram’s 18th century home
- 45 acres include the stone house, historic botanic garden, wildflower meadow, wetland
- Tours
- Store
- Educational programs
Horticulture Center
Fairmount Park
N Horticultural Drive and Montgomery Ave
Philadelphia PA 19131
215-685-0096
http://www.fairmountpark.org/hortcenter.asp
Display house – 9 AM-3 PM daily
Grounds – Nov-March 8 AM-5 PM, April-October 8 AM-6 PM
Contains an arboretum, greenhouse with tropical plants, and demonstration gardens. Also has a reflecting pool and a butterfly garden.
There are places to picnic on the grounds.
Japanese House and Garden
4301 Lansdowne Drive
West Fairmount Park
Philadelphia PA 19131
http://www.shofuso.com
215-878-1373
Wed-Fri 10 AM-4 PM, Sat-Sun 11 AM-5 PM May to September
- House tour
- House has Japanese furniture, art murals and architecture
- Events
- Programs
Independence Hall
Chestnut St
Philadelphia PA 19106
215-597-8974
http://www.nps.gov/inde/independence-hall-1.htm
- US Constitution written here
- Declaration of Independence adopted here in 1776
- Georgian style architecture
Independence National Historical Park
143 S Third Street
Philadelphia PA 19106
800-537-7676
http://www.nps.gov/inde/index.htm
9 AM-5 PM
Includes:
- Includes:
- National Constitution Center
- Liberty Bell Center
- Independence Hall
- Carpenters’ Court
- Franklin Court
- The City Tavern
- Declaration House
- Washington Square
- Free Quaker Meeting House
- Todd House
- Bishop White House
- Presidents House Site
- Second Bank
- Independence Living History Center
Independence Square
550 Chestnut St
Philadelphia PA
- Declaration of Independence was read here
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge
86th St and Lindbergh Blvd
Philadelphia PA
215-365 3118
http://www.fws.gov/heinz/index.html
Grounds open daily sunrise to sunset
Education Center – daily 8:30 AM-4 PM
- 10 miles of trails. Bicycling allowed on some only
- Wildlife include hundreds of birds, deer, fox, raccoons, reptiles, amphibians
- Fishing
- Canoeing and canoe tour
Liberty Bell
http://www.nps.gov/inde/index.htm
Security screening
Across from Independence Hall
- Bell is bronze with the words “Proclaim Liberty” on the top
Lights of Liberty
Historic Philadelphia
215-629-4026
http://historicphiladelphia.org/night/lights-of-liberty
Outdoor light show with sound focusing on the American Revolution and historic buildings in the area. Music by the Philadelphia Orchestra.
LOVE Park
16th St & John F Kennedy Blvd
Philadelphia PA
The Park has a red sculpture with the letters L, O, V, E and a fountain. It’s located across the street from City Hall.
Mann Center for the Performing Arts
5201 Parkside Ave
Philadelphia PA 19131
215-893-1999
http://www.manncenter.org
- Outdoor amphitheater located in Fairmount Park
- Philadelphia Orchestra and other shows/concerts throughout the year
Masonic Temple
1 North Broad St
Philadelphia PA 19107
215-988-1900
http://www.pagrandlodge.org
Library – Tues-Fri 9 AM-5 PM, Sat 9 AM-12 PM
- National Historic Landmark
- Tours available
Morris Arboretum
University of Pennsylvania
100 E Northwestern Avenue
Philadelphia PA 19118
215-247-5777
http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/arboretum/index.shtml
April-October Mon-Fri 10 AM-4 PM, Sat-Sun 10 AM-5 PM
June-August open until 8:30 PM Thursdays
November-March 10 AM-4 PM daily
92 acres with 13,000 plants, trees, flowers from Asia, North American and Europe, streams, landscaped garden, fountains
- Various sculptures and buildings located on the grounds
- Tours
- Educational programs/classes
National Archives
900 Market Street
Philadelphia PA 19107
215-606-0100
http://www.archives.gov/midatlantic
Mon-Fri 8 AM-5 PM, 2nd Saturday of month 8 AM-4 PM
- Federal records from 1790s to 1980s for the states of PA, MD, DE, VA, WV
- History workshops
- Educational programs
- Exhibits
National Shrine of St John Neumann
1019 N 5th Street
Philadelphia PA 19123
215-627-3080
http://www.friendsofsjn.com
A redemptorist priest who was a Bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in the 1850s.
Old City Philadelphia
http://www.oldcitydistrict.org
One of the things to do in Philadelphia for history buffs.
Historical district in Phillie with restaurants, shops, events and entertainment.
Penn’s Landing
Between Vine and South Sts
Philadelphia PA
215-928-8801
Hotels in Philadelphia PA
Located along the banks of the Delaware River.
One of the things to do in Philadelphia for water lovers.
Take a boat tour, enjoy concerts over the summer and festivals. Visit the Seaport Museum and the many restaurants located along the piers.
Philadelphia Italian Market
9th Street
Philadelphia PA
http://www.phillyitalianmarket.com
Tuesday-Saturday 9 AM-5 PM, Sunday 9 AM-2 PM
One of the things to do in Philadelphia for the foodie.
Outdoor market with 100+ merchants. Food items include meats, cheeses, fish, pasta, fruits, vegetables. Cookware is also sold. There’s also bakeries, cafes, delis, spice houses, coffee and tea shops plus other shops including jewelry and sporting goods.
Philadelphia Stock Exchange
1900 Market St
Philadelphia PA 19103
http://www.nasdaqtrader.com/homepage.aspx
One of the things to do in Philadelphia for finance buffs.
Philadelphia Waterfront
Along the Delaware River with restaurants, entertainment, events and attractions. Hop on board a trolley for a tour.
One of the things to do in Philadelphia that offers something for everyone.
- Benjamin Franklin Bridge crosses the Delaware River and is lit up at night
- Penn’s Landing has events and programs for families. You can see historic ships that are moored here.
Reading Terminal Market
51 North 12th Street
Philadelphia PA 19107
215-922-2317
http://www.readingterminalmarket.org
Mon-Sat 8 AM-6 PM, Sundays 9 AM-5 PM
- One of the things to do in Philadelphia that has a farmers market with a large variety of food items including meats, seafood, baked goods
- Restaurants
- Also has pottery, crafts, cookware
- Events
- Live music
- Cooking classes
- Tours
Society Hill Historic District
Includes:
- Physick House
321 South 4th Street
Philadelphia PA 19106
215-925-7866
One of the things to do in Philadelphia open all year with tours Thurs-Sat 12-4 PM, Sundays 1-4 PM
Dr. Philip Syng Physick was the “Father of American Surgery”. Federal style architecture and period furnishings are in the house.
- Powel House
244 South Third Street
Philadelphia PA 19106
215-627-0364
Tours: Thurs-Sat 12-4 PM, Sundays 1-4 PM
Samuel Powel’s house with Georgian architecture. Former mayor of Philadelphia.
St Augustine’s Catholic Church
4th and Vine St
Philadelphia PA 19106
215-627-1838
http://www.st-augustinechurch.com
- historic church
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Washington Square
Revolutionary War memorial honoring those who died in the war. The monument has an eternal flame and a George Washington statue. One of the things to do in Philadelphia for history buffs.
Swann Memorial Fountain
Logan Square
Philadelphia PA 19103
215 963 1500
http://www.visitphilly.com/music-art/philadelphia/swann-memorial-fountain
One of the things to do in Philadelphia over the summer.
Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
Independence Visitor Center
3rd & Pine Streets
Philadelphia PA
http://www.nps.gov/thko/index.htm
Wed-Sun 12-4 PM
He was a military engineer in the American Revolution. His Georgian architecture home is the museum.
United States Mint
151 North Independence Mall East
Philadelphia PA 19106
http://www.usmint.gov/mint_tours/?action=philadelphia
Mon-Fri 9 AM-4:30 PM tours
Need photo id
- One of the things to do in Philadelphia with exhibits
- Watch coin production
Enjoy the things to do in Philadelphia on a fun getaway!