Finding things to see in Philadelphia isn’t hard; deciding what you’ll do will be a challenge. Philadelphia is worth visiting because it’s, in many ways, the birthplace of the United States, where the founding fathers formed a new country. It’s also a UNESCO-designated World Heritage city.

I spent several days rambling around during my nearly two-year road trip as a solo nomad, and each location in Philadelphia brought a new fascinating historical fact to add to my quickly increasing bank of Philadelphia historical knowledge. If you’ve ever thought about the American Revolution, constitution, politics, or governance, chances are the visual image in your mind includes Philadelphia.

Start in Independence National Historical Park

There are 62 National Historic Parks and 83 National Historical Sites in the U.S. Of those, 19 are in Philadelphia. This park spans sites around Philadelphia, including historic buildings, artifacts, structures and landscapes any American school student will be familiar with. If you’re looking for things to do in Philadelphia, you can’t miss these sites.

The National Park Service has spectacularly preserved and reconstructed Philadelphia’s history around the city.

1. Go Inside Independence Hall

Independence Hall is sometimes called Constitution Hall because it’s where the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were signed. At that time, it was called the State House. This building is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its importance in American history.

As an American, I’ve heard of and seen illustrations of these places so many times I have an impression of them fixed in my mind, so it was a must place to see in Philadelphia.

The Assembly Room in Independence Hall is one I’ve seen depicted so many times; it was hard to believe it still existed, yet it is exactly as described. As flawed as they were, these men did a fantastically bold and brave thing there. It still crackles with that energy.

If you want to go inside, ensure you get your tickets online at least the day before. Same-day entry is not an option. Find it at 520 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA.

2. Visit Liberty Bell Center

Before it was the “Liberty Bell,” it was just the state house bell that called sessions to order and rang out for news readings. Whenever there was news to share or they called the state house to order, the Liberty Bell rang in the tower of the Pennsylvania Independence Hall.

It wasn’t until 1835 that the abolitionist publication “Anti-Slavery Record” first referred to it as the Liberty Bell due to its inscription: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof.” The quote comes from the King James Bible and refers to instructions to the Israelites to free enslaved people every 50 years.

Here, you can view the exhibits, see a film, and learn why the bell cracked. No tickets are required. Find it at the corner of 6th and Market Streets.

3. Find the First President’s House

The first presidential home’s recovered foundation is beneath the Liberty Bell, across the street from Independence Hall. In the 1790s, the President’s House was at Sixth and Market Streets, where Presidents George Washington (1790–1797) and John Adams (1797–1800) lived and worked.

City officials demolished the house, but archeologists discovered the foundation and many artifacts.

You can still see the stone foundation walls of the original President’s house, the bow window (a large extension with curved walls installed by Washington that was the inspiration for the oval rooms within the modern White House), the kitchen/washhouse root cellar, and an underground passageway between the kitchen and the main house. Find it at 6th and Market Streets.

4. Pay Homage at Christ Church and Ben Franklin’s grave

It was a happy accident that I parked in front of a wall that looked like there might be a cemetery on the other side. As a taphophile, I often visit cemeteries, and it’s as if they seem to find me sometimes. This one was the Christ Church Burial Ground.

Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia is the final resting place of Declaration of Independence signers Benjamin Rush, Francis Hopkinson, Joseph Hewes George Ross and Benjamin Franklin. Franklin’s grave draws crowds, and yes, I mean crowds.

When Franklin died in 1790, he was buried in a family plot in the corner of the grounds. It’s easy to spot because it’s the only part of the wall with a metal fence instead of brick. The was installed so tourists could see his grave without entering the cemetery.

Fun fact: Franklin’s grave is often covered in pennies. Visitors leave them in honor of Franklin’s famous words, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

It costs $5 if you’d like a look around the small cemetery and another $2 for a map of famous graves. The map is handy since many of the stones eroded and are challenging to read, plus the fees help fund the preservation. The cemetery features several unusual “table tombs” with a flat slab elevated off the ground by six pillars or legs. It’s an old style, prone to breaking and rarer every day. Find it at 340 N 5th St, Philadelphia, PA.

5. Stroll down Elfreth’s Alley

Elfreth’s Alley is the oldest continuously inhabited American colonial street in America making it a unique thing to see in Philadelphia. The alley wasn’t part of the original plans for Philadelphia, but because of street crowding in 1703, two men who lived nearby opened the alley as a cart path, which has stood the test of time.

Now, residents and local historians preserve the colonial street. It’s reminiscent of a street in “A Christmas Carol” with small brick homes on the bottom and businesses on top along a narrow cobblestone street. These Georgian and Federal-style houses are called “trinity houses” with one room on each story with a narrow, winding staircase connecting the floors.

Today, 32 historic houses, once belonging to artisans and tradespeople, line the alley and make it a National Historic Landmark. The Elfreth’s Alley Museum is at houses 124 and 126. Inside, visitors will learn more about the alley, see many historical images and experience the interior of these homes.

Fun fact: City officials named Elfreth’s Alley after Jeremiah Elfreth, a blacksmith and land developer who built and rented many homes there. It was previously named Cherry Street.  

In the alley, you will notice old-fashioned flower boxes, ornate, colorful doorways and shutters, Flemish bond brickwork and other architectural details, including fire marks.

Ben Franklin’s Colonial Fire Mark

On some houses, you’ll notice a symbol on the second story of four hands holding four wrists. This historic symbol dates to 1752, when Benjamin Franklin created the Philadelphia Contributionship Insurance Company. The “Fire Mark” symbol was “proof of insurance” for insured homes, alerting firefighters to put the fire out.

Fun Fact: Ben Franklin created the first fire department in 1736.

Find it starting at 126 Elfreth’s Alley, Philadelphia, PA.

6. Visit the Betsy Ross House

Right down the street from Elfreth’s Alley, the Betsy Ross house is a great thing to see in Philadelphia. You’ll spot it by the big flag hanging out front. My public school history books taught me that Betsy Ross made the first American flag but failed to mention there was a debate about whether it was actually her!

The only proof Betsy Ross sewed the first flag is that she had sewed for George Washington before and that her family had sworn it was her. There are no official records that prove it, however.

According to the oral history, in 1776, Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross visited Betsy in her upholstery shop and showed her a sketch of a flag with thirteen red and white stripes and thirteen six-pointed stars. Washington asked if she could make a flag from the design.

“I do not know, but I will try,” Betsy is reported to have said. This line was used in the sworn statements of many of Betsy’s family members, suggesting that it is a direct quote. Alas, and alack, we may never know the truth.

It costs $8 to go inside the 300-year-old house, but the courtyard, including Betsy Ross’s grave, a seasonal medicinal herb garden, and a gift shop are free. Find it at 239 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA.

7. The Rocky Steps

The steps leading up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art are an iconic thing to see in Philadelphia. These are the ones Robert Balboa, aka “Rocky,” ran up in a movie after the same name in 1976. Today, almost 50 years later, people are still running up them.  

There are 72 steps leading up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art entrance. These are informally known as the “Rocky Steps.” In the movie, running up the stairs was part of Rocky’s exercise regime. Today, tourists do it for the photo op; if you’re walking by, you sort of have to, don’t you? I did, though granted by step 50; it was more of a slog than a jog. Hey, done is better than perfect!

You can also take a picture with the nearby Rocky statue, arms raised in victory. A solid half of these people I saw wouldn’t have been born when the movie came out. It’s one of the most popular things to see in Philadelphia.

8. Philadelphia Museum of Art

This world-class museum has an excellent modern art section, making it among the best in the country. It is also filled with stairs, so you’ll get your workout one way or another; just embrace it. Inside, the prominent architectural feature is a Great Stair Hall. At the top, a golden “Diana” by Augustus Saint-Gaudens balances upon a ball and holds an arched bow and arrow.

Fun fact: Diana used to have pride of place as a weathervane at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where she was, for a time, the highest object in Manhattan.

My favorite part of the museum was the world-famous Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works by Renoir, van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Degas, and Cézanne, among others. A few highlights:

• “The Large Bathers” by Paul Cézanne has a significant area and pride of place.
• Vincent van Gogh has five paintings in a central gallery and several drawings.
• Henri Matisse has over 100 drawings and paintings in an entire section.
• Claude Monet has 23 paintings featuring lovely flowers and landscapes.
• Pablo Picasso has many excellent works on display – perhaps more than any museum outside of Barcelona.
• Diego Rivera has a few paintings and an excellent collection of drawings
• Pierre Augusta Renoir captures the light in his signature style in over a dozen paintings.

Find it at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA.

9. Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern State Penitentiary is America’s most historic prison. It started as the brainchild of Dr. Benjamin Rush and other well-known society members like Benjamin Franklin not too long after the revolution. It was created in an attempt to reform prisoners and house them in a safe environment.

This prison is also significant from an architectural standpoint with vaulted ceilings, decorative ironwork, and efficient design. Still, the central heat, running water, and flush toilets made it unique. Even the White House didn’t have those amenities at the time.

Some say the prison is haunted – and you can find out for yourself. Self-guided tours are available for $19 per person and it was one of my favorite things to see in Philadelphia.

Find it at 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA.

Read a post about Eastern Penn here.

10. Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site

Unable to find work in the late 1830s, Poe moved from Baltimore to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and lived for six years in various rentals around town. His only surviving residence is a small house within walking distance of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Today, the National Park Service maintains the home as the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site.

This home has been preserved as it was when he lived there. One fun feature the guides point out is the original floorboards are loose and creaky, and historians speculate it may be where Poe got the idea for “The Tell-Tale Heart” story about a man who hides the body parts of a victim under his floorboards!

Find it at 532 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia.

Read more about Edgar Allan Poe sites on the east coast here.

Other Things to See in Philidelphia

There are dozens more sites and things to see in Philadelphia. The great thing I loved about this city is that while exploring one thing led to another and it wasn’t hard to find unique things to see and do. The difficult part was decided with ones.

Read more stories about Pennslyvania here.

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