We love Philadelphia, and we hope you’ll spend some time exploring it while you’re here!

From eating delicious food to visiting our museums, there’s so much available to visitors.

To hopefully make it easier to decide what to do, we’ve listed sample itineraries below. We’ve also put together lists of our favorite places to eat, depending on what you’re in the mood for.

Some Philly itineraries

Hit Some Tourist Spots

  • Start out with breakfast at Reading Terminal Market.* For breakfast, we like Dutch Eating Place.

  • Then make your way down the Parkway to the Art Museum or Barnes Museum.

  • Walk through the new Calder Gardens on the way back to your hotel.

    *If you’re going to Reading for lunch or an early dinner, check out John’s Roast Pork, Saami Somi, or Bao & Bun Studio. Also don’t miss Fourth Street Cookies; Sarah loves the S’Mores cookie.

Get Good Cheesesteaks (not Pat’s/Geno’s)

  • Go to South St and go either new school (Woodrow’s) or old school (Jim’s or Ishkabibble’s).

  • If you’d like to walk it off, walk over to Isaiah Zagar’s Magic Gardens, a fascinating mosaicked museum. Tickets can sell out, so we recommend buying them online in advance. Fun fact: you can find mosaics by Zagar all over South Philly!

Stroll or Bike Along a River

If the weather’s nice, check out one of Philly’s rivers:

  • To the west, there’s the Schuylkill (pronounced SKOO-kull). Rent bikes or grab a snack near Lloyd Hall. From there, head north to Boathouse Row, or go south to check out the river’s new boardwalk.

  • To the east, there’s the Delaware River, which has several public piers. Take in the views at the Race Street Pier, or grab food and drinks at Morgan Street or the garden at Cherry Street Pier.

Eat and Shop Around, Option 1

  • Come south to get breakfast. For a terrific breakfast sandwich, head to Middle Child, and for a solid new American brunch, we like Kiddo and Bloomsday.

  • Walk and shop down 4th St between Catherine and South St. You’ll find lots of vintage spots.

  • If you need some lunch, consider Puyero; we love the tequenos and yuca fries. If you’re up for walking a little further, check out the Breakfast Den, which has our favorite banh mi.

Eat and Shop Around, Option 2

  • Explore the Italian Market, a large outdoor market that opened in 1915. (We live a few blocks from here!)

  • Stop at DiBruno’s for a cheese sample and duck into Molly’s Books, Binding Agents, and Fante’s Kitchen Shop.

  • For breakfast, try the incredible kolaches at Pop’s or the panzerotti at Paffuto. For lunch, we like Paesano's and Blue Corn. For a classic dessert, try the Italian treats at Isgro Pastries or Termini Brothers.

  • If you’re up for it, walk further south to the Bok Building, a former school that’s now a makers space. There are two incredible bakeries—Machine Shop and Second Daughter—at Bok, as well as a rooftop bar with great views of the city.

Explore Old City

  • This is the most historic part of town. This is where you’ll find Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and Elfreth’s Alley. Tickets are needed for Independence Hall.

  • There’s also the National Constitution Center and Revolutionary War Museum.

  • If you need a good lunch, try Amada for tapas or Khyber Pass for po boys.

  • Franklin Fountain, an old school soda shop, has some of the best ice cream in the city.

Enjoy Friday Night at a Museum

  • If you’re in town on Friday, head to the Art Museum, which has extended hours (open to 8:45pm) and discounted admission on Friday nights.

  • If you’re hungry, get dinner in the nearby Fairmount neighborhood, where we used to live. Cantina Feliz and Bad Brother are good options.

For little ones…

  • The city has several museums that are kid-friendly (if you’re a fan of Abbott Elementary, you may recognize these!):

    • Franklin Institute: interactive science museum

    • Philly Zoo: small but good zoo

    • Please Touch Museum: as the name suggests, you’re allowed to touch everything!

    • Smith Memorial Playground: a free, historic playhouse

If you have a car and like the outdoors…

  • Head to Longwood Gardens, which has incredible outdoor and indoor gardens. Don’t miss the fountain shows and organ! Longwood is about an hour drive from the city. Check for tickets online before you go.

  • Drive to Wissahickon Valley Park for a hike. About a 30-minute drive from Center City, Wissahickon is a pretty spot for a relatively easy hike. If you’re hungry on your way home, stop at The Landing Kitchen or In Riva.