Best Things to Do in Philadelphia: A Local's 13 Picks

At a glance

• Where: All 13 picks are inside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, across Old City, Center City, Fairmount, Bella Vista, Callowhill and University City
• Free picks: Liberty Bell Center, Cherry Street Pier and The Rail Park have no admission charge
• Ticket needed: Independence Hall guided tours use timed tickets with a $1.00 per-ticket fee; check the NPS site for ticket-free open-house times
• Days to watch: The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rodin Museum close some weekdays; check each official site

The best things to do in Philadelphia start with Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Reading Terminal Market, Eastern State Penitentiary and Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. Add a few Center City, Old City and University City stops and you have a strong three-day visit, all inside the city limits. Short on time? Bell in the morning, market at lunch, museum steps by sunset.

This is the answer we give a friend who texts, "What should I do in Philly?" Each pick says what to do, how long to allow and one local tip. Hours and prices change, so check each official site before you go.

How we chose

We picked places that are open, inside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and worth a visitor's limited time. Each one was checked against its own official site in November 2026. We left out anything we couldn't confirm is open, and anything outside the city limits.

We also mixed free and paid stops, indoor and outdoor ones, and different neighborhoods, so a rainy day or a tight budget doesn't wreck the plan.

Old City: where the country's founding documents were signed

Old City is the walkable historic district east of Center City, home to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Start here, then browse the Old City area page.

1. Independence Hall

Independence Hall, at 143 S. 3rd Street in Old City, Philadelphia, is where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed, per the National Park Service. Guided tours run on timed tickets, and some mornings open with a ticket-free open house, so check the NPS hours page for the day you go. Allow about 1 hour including security.

Tour tickets are free apart from a $1.00 per-ticket fee, per the National Park Service ticket page. Reserve on Recreation.gov up to 30 days ahead, and arrive about 30 minutes before your tour time for screening. Local tip: some next-day tickets are released at 5 pm the day before, so a missed booking isn't always the end of the plan.

2. Liberty Bell Center

The Liberty Bell Center, at 526 Market Street in Old City, Philadelphia, is typically open daily from 9 am to 5 pm and free, with no tickets needed. Allow 20 to 30 minutes.

Entry is first-come after security screening. Local tip: there are no restrooms inside, so use the ones at the Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market first. Pair it with Independence Hall on the same morning.

3. Cherry Street Pier

Cherry Street Pier, at 121 N. Columbus Boulevard on the Delaware waterfront, is a free, open-to-the-public pier with art and markets, typically open daily from noon to 8 pm. Allow 45 minutes to an hour.

Local tip: it's a good sunset stop after the historic sites, when the hall tours are over and your feet are done with cobblestones. Check the official site for market days.

Center City: food, art and oddities

Center City is the downtown core, and its Benjamin Franklin Parkway is lined with museums. Read more on the Center City area page.

4. Reading Terminal Market

Reading Terminal Market, at 1136 Arch Street in Center City, Philadelphia, is the city's indoor market, typically open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. Come hungry and plan 1 to 2 hours.

There is no admission fee. Local tip: walk the whole market once before buying anything, then go back to the stand that looked best. Go on a weekday morning if you hate crowds. See more food ideas in our food and dining listings.

5. Philadelphia Museum of Art

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is the city's flagship art museum, typically open Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm and Friday from 10 am to 8:45 pm. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Allow 2 to 3 hours.

Children 18 and under are always free, and the first Sunday of each month is Pay What You Wish, per the museum's press office. Adult prices change, so check the official visit page. Local tip: the museum's Friday late hours make it a great evening plan.

6. Rodin Museum

The Rodin Museum, at 2151 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is a small sculpture museum run by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It is typically open Monday and Friday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, closed Tuesday through Thursday, and closed for part of January and February. Allow about an hour.

Suggested admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors and $7 for students, with children and teens 18 and under free, per the official page. Local tip: it's an easy add-on after the Art Museum, or a calm break between bigger stops.

7. Barnes Foundation

The Barnes Foundation, at 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is an art museum known for its dense collection, typically open Thursday through Monday from 11 am to 5 pm. Allow 2 hours.

Local tip: it's closed Tuesday and Wednesday, so the Barnes pairs with the Art Museum on days when only one of them is open. Check the official site for current exhibitions and prices.

8. The Franklin Institute

The Franklin Institute, at 222 North 20th Street in Logan Square, Philadelphia, is a science museum typically open daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm. Allow 2 to 4 hours.

General admission starts at $23 per person and includes exhibits and Fels Planetarium shows. Local tip: it's the rainy-day answer for anyone traveling with kids. Details are on the official site.

9. Mütter Museum

The Mütter Museum, at 19 S. 22nd Street in Center City, is a medical history museum, typically open Wednesday through Monday from 10 am to 5 pm and closed Tuesdays. Allow 1 to 2 hours.

Local tip: it closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Book tickets on the official site. It is the right choice for a friend who says they've seen enough paintings.

Fairmount and Callowhill: a prison and a park in the sky

The Fairmount area page covers the Art Museum's neighborhood. Two more stops are worth the walk or ride.

10. Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern State Penitentiary, at 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, is a former prison, typically open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Allow 2 hours.

Admission online is typically $21 for adults, $19 for seniors and $17 for college students and youth ages 7 to 17, and a little more at the door. Local tip: there's no on-site lot, but free parallel parking is available on 22nd and Brown Streets. See the official visit page.

11. The Rail Park

The Rail Park, at North Broad and Noble Streets in Callowhill, Philadelphia, is a free elevated park on old rail infrastructure, typically open daily from 7 am to 10 pm. Allow 30 to 45 minutes. See the Callowhill area page.

Local tip: the Noble Street entrance is wheelchair accessible, while the Callowhill Street entrance is a staircase.

South Philadelphia and University City: mosaics and mummies

Two last picks pull you off the tourist track. Read more about Bella Vista and University City.

12. Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, at 1020 South Street, is a mosaic environment by artist Isaiah Zagar, typically open Wednesday through Monday from 11 am to 6 pm. Allow 45 minutes to an hour.

It is closed Tuesdays, and adult general admission is typically $15, per the official hours and admission page. Zagar spent more than 50 years making art environments and mosaicked more than 200 public walls, according to Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. Local tip: look up as well as around, because the mosaic covers walls on several sides, and arrive at least 15 minutes before closing for last admission.

13. Penn Museum

The Penn Museum, at 3260 South Street in University City, is an archaeology and anthropology museum, typically open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Allow 2 to 3 hours.

Admission is typically $23 for adults, $21 for seniors and $14 for youth and college students, with ages 5 and under free. See the official site. Local tip: combine it with lunch on Baltimore Avenue.

How should you spend three days in Philadelphia?

This three-day Philadelphia route groups the picks by neighborhood so you walk less.

1. Day one, Old City: Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall (book ahead), then Cherry Street Pier at sunset.
2. Day two, Center City: Reading Terminal Market for breakfast, the Parkway museums (Art Museum on Friday for late hours), Mütter Museum if you have energy.
3. Day three, outside the core: Eastern State Penitentiary, The Rail Park, then Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, or Penn Museum for a West Philly day.

Is Philadelphia walkable for visitors?

Philadelphia's Old City and Center City are walkable, and the Parkway museums are a longer walk or short ride from City Hall. Use SEPTA for the rest. See Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority for the transit network.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Philadelphia?

The best things to do in Philadelphia are Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Reading Terminal Market, Eastern State Penitentiary and Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. Add the Barnes Foundation, The Franklin Institute and Penn Museum if you have more time.

Do you need tickets for Independence Hall?

Yes, guided tours of Independence Hall in Old City, Philadelphia, use timed tickets that are free apart from a $1.00 per-ticket fee, reservable on Recreation.gov up to 30 days ahead. Some mornings open with a ticket-free open house, so check the National Park Service hours page.

Is the Liberty Bell free?

Yes, the Liberty Bell Center in Old City, Philadelphia, is free and needs no ticket. Entry is first-come after security screening.

What can you do in Philadelphia for free?

The Liberty Bell Center, Cherry Street Pier and The Rail Park are free to enter. Reading Terminal Market has no admission charge either, though you will want money for food.

How many days do you need in Philadelphia?

Three days covers the main sights in this guide at a comfortable pace: one for Old City, one for Center City and the Parkway, and one for Eastern State, The Rail Park and South Philadelphia or University City.