How to have the ultimate weekend in Philadelphia

15.09.2024 - 17:02 / lonelyplanet.com / Liberty Bell / Will Smith

Sep 15, 2024 • 7 min read

Philadelphia is a wildly different town to different people. The City of Brotherly Love is where the Founding Fathers invented modern democracy. Edgar Allen Poe lived here, and so did Will Smith. There’s a sizable Chinatown, an old Italian neighborhood and a long-thriving LGBTIQ+ community. There are 32 colleges, many of them world-class, and the city is a nexus of hip-hop, street art and more than 100 craft breweries.

Even to me, Philadelphia is many cities at once. I used to hit up the nightlife in my reckless youth; I married a Philly girl; and now we return to the city, again and again, to discover monuments and museums with our son. The city is gritty and gorgeous, colonial and cutting-edge, a study in contrasts.

So, how do you navigate this dynamic city of 1.5 million people, let alone with just a weekend? Hold onto your Phillies cap, because here’s the game plan.

Morning: Kick off your weekend at Reading Terminal Market, a former train station-turned-dining hall. The place is packed with eateries, gift shops and vintage-style signs, and it puts you right in the middle of Center City. Walk a couple of blocks and spot City Hall, a gorgeous French-style building with a 548ft clock tower – the tallest structure in the world without steel supports.

How to spend the day: Most first-timers beeline to the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia’s most acclaimed monument. Each visit, I marvel at its size: a lower circumference of 12ft and a total weight of 2080lbs. The famous crack in its bronze cloche looks too perfect to be real. The Liberty Bell hangs in a voluminous glass enclosure in front of Independence Hall, where it was first rung after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Liberty Bell Center is free to visit.

This section of Philly is packed with historic attractions. Head to the African American Museum, a multimedia celebration of the city’s vibrant Black community, from civil rights activists to artists and statesmen. Then, visit the Betsy Ross House, where the legendary seamstress is said to have pieced together the first American flag. Want to ask her about it? A bonneted historic interpreter is ready for your questions.

After a healthy walk down Arch St, you’re basically required to snap a photo in JFK Plaza, better known as “Love Park,” thanks to Robert Indiana’s iconic pop-art sculpture of the word “Love” with the “O” askew. 

Dinner: Philly’s funkiest section is South St, a gauntlet of bars, restaurants and novelty shops. Follow the colorful brick facades until you find a menu that fits your mood. There’s a little bit of everything here, from brunch spots to international fusion, but for local flavor, I recommend Tattooed Mom, the graffiti-covered diner-slash-bar.