Area Attractions

First, spot the vaulted glass ceiling of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, home to the 2,500-seat Verizon Hall. Named for philanthropist Sidney Kimmel, it hosts regular concerts by the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra.

The Franklin Institute Science Museum is a great place for visitors of all ages; escape rooms, virtual reality experiences, and educational exhibits provide dynamic science lessons. It’s built around the 20-foot tall marble Benjamin Franklin Memorial.

Justly famous for its collections of impressionist and post-impressionist works, it’s a world-class art museum with a sideline in horticulture. Masterpieces by van Gogh, Picasso, Cézanne, and Renoir hang on the walls of the ultramodern building, while rare plants and Japanese maples grow in the surrounding green space.

No visit to Philadelphia is complete without dashing up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to recreate a famous film scene. Tour the museum, which includes the world’s largest collection of work from Duchamp; paintings by van Gogh and Monet; and lively artwork spanning American history.

If you prefer an old Hollywood-style steak house, Butcher and Singer serves cold water lobster and steaks that range from 8 ounces to a 50-ounce tomahawk rib-eye.

Want to try a little bit of everything? Head to Reading Terminal Market, with an eclectic variety of cuisines in a farmers market setting. Pick up a donut at Beiler’s, artisanal cheeses from Downtown Cheese, or a Reuben sandwich from Hershel’s East Side Deli.

For international flavor, head to Old City. Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar is one of the city’s most notable tapas spots. Enjoy the small plates alongside Cuban specialties like vaca frita flank steak.

Don’t leave town without picking up breakfast from the city’s homegrown donut empire, Federal Donuts, which has garnered acclaim from visitors and locals alike.

Independence Hall stands just behind the 2,000-pound Liberty Bell. This Georgian-style structure hosted colonial delegate debates that led to the adoption of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Don’t skip the Great Essentials exhibit, which houses surviving copies of the Declaration and Constitution.

The modern Philadelphia Mint stands in the northwest corner, featuring regular tours that lead 40 feet above the factory floor.

Pay a visit to the nearby Benjamin Franklin Museum with artifacts & exhibits detailing the life of the historic figure, including a steel "ghost house."

Close out your Old City tour with a stop at the Philadelphia History Museum. Housed in a Greek Revival building dating back to 1823, the museum brings together more than 100,000 artifacts spanning the 1680s to the present.

If you’re in Philly over the holiday season, be prepared for a one-of-a-kind visit. After you ring in the new year at The Bellevue Hotel, you’ll wake to a packed street outside on New Year’s Day. Discover the Mummers Parade—one of the nation’s oldest folk festivals—on its annual march down the Avenue of the Arts. Glimpse artistic scenery, vivid costumes, comic skits, and string bands pass by as local clubs compete in an hours-long song and dance spectacle. The event dates back to 1901, and these days, nearly 10,000 participate. City Hall is the place to catch the most elaborate performances and skits, but the streets outside The Bellevue Hotel also provide a prime view.

In September, the city turns to a more highbrow performance—Opera Philadelphia’s season-opening Festival O, which includes shows at venues like the Philadelphia Museum of Art as well as an Opera on the Mall event that takes over Independence National Historical Park. Previous years have seen an energetic take on “The Magic Flute” and modern works such as “The Wake World.”