Explore the Best of Philly: A Guide for a Perfect Day
If you have ever found yourself with only one day to explore Philadelphia, you probably know just how much the city offers. It is quite overwhelming when you do that initial Google search! Philly is a much older city than really anywhere else on the west coast (where I am from) and even most places on the east coast. It was founded in 1682 and was our country's capitol before D.C. was. Due to its age, it has an immense amount of history. Now, I do not enjoy history. In fact I failed the Advanced Placement U.S. History test back in high school and have been traumatized since. Even I enjoyed learning about history in Philly! Below I will share what I got to enjoy during a spontaneous day with my mom and the tricks I learned from locals in the process.
For starters, there is no need to stay directly in Philly. The train system is a breeze, even for those of you like me that are not accustomed to public transportation. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you're unsure of the right train. Despite its proximity to New York, we found that people were incredibly friendly! I doubt that everyone has the same experience, but anytime we needed help we received it and more. Plus, by taking trains you can avoid traffic, which Philly appeared to have a plethora of.
We began our day at Independence Hall, also known as the birthplace of the United States! This is literally where the Declaration of Independence was signed all the way back in 1776. When we visited, tickets had to be reserved online. As I mentioned early this trip was spontaneous, so there were no tickets available online. We took a chance and arrived early to ask if any tickets were available in person. We were greeted by a very short man with quite a memorable smile. He made a few jokes with us and eventually handed us tickets with an entrance time about 30 minutes away! We got the feeling it'd be pretty easy to get in anytime throughout the day. Once you're in the building, it is exactly as all your history books depicted! Yes, the floors creaked and the chairs were made of wood. You could almost see all the men in curly white wigs discussing politics in a room far too large and covered in art. The tour is short but packed with fun facts, I highly recommend it, even if just to say you were in the same room as Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin once were.
A quick walk down the street will lead you to the Liberty Bell. It no longer rings due to many years of repeated breakage but it does still stand strong as a symbol of American freedom. This was also a quick attraction full of history, of course, and worth the visit. Philadelphia proved to be a lot of walking even by this point in our day. In the picture below, don't judge me, but I am wearing Crocs. I was grateful because they are supportive, comfortable, waterproof and great for a hot, humid day especially. You don't have to rock Crocs but please wear good shoes!
For our next experience we wanted to take the short walk to the Betsy Ross house, again nearby. Before I get to that, remember I mentioned Benjamin Franklin earlier? He signed the Declaration of Independence, so of course he was in Philadelphia. We were pleasantly surprised on our walk to run into a museum dedicated to him. We decided we had other preferences for the day and simply viewed some of the free exhibits outside before heading back to our route. However, if you are interested, this seemed very convenient. Outside showed us where his house used to be located, and since it is technically underground in modern days, we got to look down at where his kitchen and similar was. At the end of the day it's, frankly, a bit of concrete and dirt that roughly resembles a home, but cool nonetheless!
Anyways, Betsy Ross is said to have sewn the first American Flag ever. There is not enough proof to say it was definitively her, due to laws back in those times she had to hide it. The house is much larger than it looks on the outside and has been preserved extremely well. You learn a lot about how people lived back then and how Betsy Ross came up with the stars and strips - I won't give it away! Another short walk will take you to Elfreth's Alley, a historical landmark known as the oldest continuously inhabited street in America. The homes are quaint and the colors are vibrant, it is a great photo spot.
By now we were starving, obviously that meant cheesesteaks! Fair warning, you are going to be bombarded by Pat's and Geno's recommendations. These are the two most famous cheesesteak places in Philly. I spoke to a few locals and each one said they are overrated! One even said to avoid both at all costs. I was told they are just long lines and that there are better options taste wise. We decided to try Reading Terminal Market. This walk was not as short as the others, although it still only took us 22 minutes. The subway may be a better option for those that would like to avoid more steps in their count, the station is very close. The market is a tad overwhelming when you first walk in, there are so many places to choose from. I think taking a slow lap in an effort to list your options before deciding is a great plan of action. My mom and I had a great cheesesteak lunch which was very authentic from Spataro's. They have been in business since 1948. The cashier rushed us impatiently just like we hoped she would, in true Philly fashion. We told her we will have whatever the best one is, which obviously included spray cheese, and thank goodness for that! The locals recommendation certainly stood up to the challenge.
We chose this itinerary due to the close proximity of the things we got to see. It seemed the best way to fit the most into our short single day. We enjoyed running into little surprises along the way and having no set schedule. Keep in mind Philly is loaded with other things to see, such as the famous Rocky stairs and statue at the Museum of Art. Hopefully my experience in Philly helps you narrow your list. Let me know your favorite part of Philly in the comments!