Things to do in Philadelphia
- Philadelphia was the first World Heritage City in the United States, designated by the Organization of World Heritage Cities in 2015.
- The city's nickname, the 'City of Brotherly Love,' is derived from the Greek words philos (love) and adelphos (brother).
- It contains the highest concentration of public art in the United States, a legacy of the city's Percent for Art program.
- The Benjamin Franklin Bridge, connecting Philadelphia to New Jersey, was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it opened in 1926.
- Philadelphia was the only American city to serve as the capital of the United States before the permanent establishment of Washington, D.C.
About Philadelphia
Philadelphia serves as the birthplace of the United States, famously housing the Liberty Bell and serving as the site where the Declaration of Independence was signed. The city maintains a distinct grid plan designed by William Penn that centers around green spaces like Rittenhouse Square. Visitors can scale the Philadelphia Museum of Art Steps to reenact cinematic history or explore the mosaic-covered walls of Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. As a major urban center, it blends dense historic districts with a robust modern cultural scene.
Highlights of Philadelphia
The places our editors single out — and why they're worth your time.
Historical places
View the iconic cracked symbol of American independence and constitutional governance.
Museums
Run up the grand stone staircase to overlook the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Parks
Relax in this historic urban square surrounded by high-end dining and architecture.
Museums
Explore an extensive collection of medical oddities and anatomical specimens in a historic setting.
Museums
Walk through an immersive, labyrinthine space decorated with thousands of handcrafted tiles and mirrors.
Museums
View an unparalleled collection of Post-Impressionist and Early Modernist paintings in a purpose-built gallery.
Parks
Enjoy seasonal waterfront lounging with hammocks and local food vendors along the Delaware River.
Parks
Visit the site of the famous Robert Indiana sculpture located at the western terminus of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Top things to do in Philadelphia
The 280 highest-rated places in Philadelphia, ranked by travellers.
1
Historical places
The Liberty Bell is a 2,080-pound bronze bell housed in a dedicated pavilion within Independence National Historical Par...
2
Zoos
Established in 1874, the Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest zoo in the United States and holds a charter from the Commonweal...
3
Parks
JFK Plaza, widely known as Love Park, serves as the ceremonial entrance to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The plaza is d...
4
Museums
The Philadelphia Museum of Art Steps gained international fame as the training site for the title character in the 1976...
5
Venues
Lincoln Financial Field is an open-air stadium primarily serving as the home turf for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. Ope...
6
Parks
Spruce Street Harbor Park is a seasonal waterfront oasis located along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. It features a...
7
Parks
Wissahickon Valley Park encompasses 1,800 acres of protected woodland surrounding the Wissahickon Creek in northwest Phi...
8
Parks
Rittenhouse Square is one of the original five urban open spaces planned by William Penn in the late 17th century. Locat...
9
Museums
The Please Touch Museum is housed within Memorial Hall, a National Historic Landmark originally constructed for the 1876...
10
Museums
The Mütter Museum houses one of America's most significant collections of medical history, pathology, and anatomical spe...
11
Museums
Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is an immersive, 3,000-square-foot mosaic environment created by artist Isaiah Zagar. The s...
12
Museums
The Barnes Foundation houses one of the world's most significant private collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionis...
13
Parks
FDR Park is a 348-acre regional park in South Philadelphia originally designed by the Olmsted Brothers in the early 20th...
14
Museums
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is the oldest natural history research institution in the Americas,...
15
Museums
The Museum of the American Revolution focuses on the political and social legacy of the American Revolutionary War. It h...
16
Historical places
The Wanamaker Building is a historic 12-story commercial structure occupying an entire city block, originally built to h...
17
Venues
The Keswick Theatre is a historic venue originally built in 1928, serving as a landmark in Glenside, Pennsylvania. It is...
18
Parks
Morris Arboretum is the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, spanning 92 acres of historic gardens an...
19
Zoos
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum is the largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania. It funct...
20
Museums
The Penn Museum, part of the University of Pennsylvania, houses over one million objects spanning human history from the...
21
Parks
Red Bank Battlefield Park is the site of the 1777 Battle of Red Bank where American forces successfully defended Fort Me...
22
Parks
Clark Park is a 9-acre urban green space located in the West Philadelphia neighborhood of Spruce Hill. Established in 18...
23
Venues
The Walnut Street Theatre is officially recognized as the oldest continuously operating playhouse in the United States,...
24
Parks
Fairmount Park is a massive municipal park system in Philadelphia spanning over 2,000 acres, divided into East and West...
25
Museums
Eastern State Penitentiary is a former U.S. prison famous for its radial floor plan and the introduction of the 'Pennsyl...
26
Temples
The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul is the largest Roman Catholic church in Pennsylvania and the mother chur...
27
Parks
Schuylkill River Park is a multi-use recreational green space stretching along the western edge of Philadelphia's Center...
28
Parks
Bartram's Garden is the oldest surviving botanical garden in North America, established by John Bartram in 1728. The 50-...
29
Historical places
Shofuso is a 17th-century style Japanese wooden house originally built in Nagoya, Japan, in 1953 using traditional techn...
30
Museums
The Rodin Museum in Philadelphia houses one of the largest collections of Auguste Rodin's works outside of Paris. The si...
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Philadelphia on the map
Top attractions plotted across the city.
Plan your visit to Philadelphia
Spring (April to June) and fall (September to October) offer the most temperate weather for walking between historic sites.
3-4 days to sufficiently cover the historic district, major art museums, and local neighborhoods.
The city is highly walkable in the center, complemented by the SEPTA transit system including subways, regional rail, and trolleys.
Center City provides the best access to major landmarks, while Old City is ideal for those prioritizing proximity to the historic district.
Mid-range; while luxury accommodations exist, the city offers a wide variety of affordable dining and free public parks.
Frequently asked
Aventuro lists 280 curated attractions in and around Philadelphia, ranked by traveller ratings.
Liberty Bell is the highest-rated place to visit in Philadelphia right now.
The largest category is parks, with 67 places to explore.
Travellers also explore Bayonne, New Jersey, Downtown Los Angeles, Washington, D.C..
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