One Day in Philadelphia

Let's just start by saying that Philadelphia is more than just cheesesteaks and the Liberty Bell. Yes, it has those too, but it's SO MUCH MORE than that! Recently we road tripped back south from New England and our route took us right through Philadelphia. Originally we hadn't planned on stopping, but because we didn't really have any official schedule, we allowed ourselves to enjoy a day in the city.

Both of us have been to Philly before and have see many of the famous historical sites, so this time around our objective was simple: park the car and walk. We love exploring cities by foot to see what we happen to stumble upon. We're using our past trips as well as this trip to put together the perfect day in Philadelphia for YOU! Keeping reading to get all of our best suggestions.

**Note: We recommend wearing good walking shoes to see the sites more easily. However, if you are more comfortable driving, we'd recommend using Uber or Lyft instead since parking can be a bit difficult, especially around the more touristy areas.

What to See and Do

How do you decide what you should see and do with just one day in Philadelphia? Below you'll find our short list of must-see things in the city!

• Boathouse Row
• Schuylkill River Trail
• Philadelphia Museum of Art ("Rocky Steps" and Rocky Statue)
• LOVE sign
• Declaration House (closed to visitors, but you can see the exterior at 7th and Market)
• Liberty Bell
• Independence Hall
• Christ Church Burial Ground

Something to note: the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Declaration House, and Christ Church Burial Ground are all within a block of each other. Be ready to spend a good bit of time in this area because with in a few blocks there's a lot history!

What to Eat

One day in Philadelphia is not near enough time to get a good taste (pun intended) of the food scene here. We've hit up lots of food spots in the city over the years, and below you'll find the ones that we liked so much that we'd recommend to you!

• Federal Donuts & Chicken - breakfast (does have multiple locations around town)
• Rival Bros Coffee - coffee (has two locations but this is the best one in my opinion)
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters - coffee (flagship store)
• Menagerie Coffee - coffee
• Wm. Mulherin's Sons - brunch
• El Vez - dinner
• Heffe Tacos - lunch/dinner
• Geno's Steak - lunch/dinner
• Pat's King of Steak - lunch/dinner

Something to note: Geno's vs. Pat's is a classic Philly rivalry. Know that you'll probably have to wait in line and that the food will come out look less than beautiful, but it's a Philly tourist tradition. If you want to find THE BEST Philly Cheesesteak, I'd recommend going elsewhere. If it's more of nostalgia thing you're after, give it a go. It doesn't hurt to bring some cash as a backup.

Final thoughts....

Philly made a really great impression on us during our recent visit. We enjoyed our walk and our adventures as well as all the delicious food we ate. This city has so much history and so many really cool, unique places to see and experience. If you're able to give this city more than a day, we'd highly recommend it. If not, you'll still be able to able to experience a lot with just one day in Philadelphia.

Do you have a favorite Philadelphia spot? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!