Philadelphia, Our Nation's First Capital
Suburban Philadelphia is home to us and we’ve lived in and spent a lot of time in the beautiful city of our nation’s birth. As phl.org put it back in 2015, this city “was the meeting place for the 1st Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and became the first capital of the United States.” You can read more about what they had to say about our featured city in their brief article About Philadelphia: A City of Firsts at the link above (retrieved 12 May 2024). While we’re sure other places have their own firsts to claim, we know you’ll enjoy your first adventure in Philly and you’ll want to return to enjoy what you couldn’t fit into your initial visit.
A Guide for First Time Visitors
There’s so much to see and do in Philadelphia, a lot more than you can do in a weekend. So we’re here today to tell you what we would do in Philly if we were visiting for the first time and only had a couple of days. A great place to start is Independence Mall. Independence Mall is also known as America’s most historic square mile. To which we ask, why not take it a step further and call it Independence Mile? It’s defined as the three city blocks bounded by the National Constitution Center on the north and Independence Hall on the south. This is where you’ll see the Liberty Bell after you go to the Independence Visitors Center.
Day One
Start Your Visit at the Independence Visitors Center
The visitors center is a good place to start because you can get lots of info and maps to help you find your way. It may also be a good place to end your afternoon because it’s restrooms are impeccably clean and there’s an awesome gift shop where you can get a magnet for your fridge, for example. And we recommend that you scroll through their website before your trip.
What Els Should You Do in This Part of the City?
After the visitors center you could go to any of the following places in this small section of the city: the National Constitution Center, Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Christ Church Burial Ground. If you have time left or if any of these don’t sound interesting to you, nearby you’ll also find the Betsy Ross House, Elfreth’s Alley and its Museum (on the same street), and the Ben Franklin Museum. Let’s take a glimpse at each of these places, what they have to offer, and how long you need to do them each justice.
The National Constitution Center
Located at 525 Arch Street in Philly is the National Constitution Center. This is one of our favorite places. They have a round theater where they do an interactive “We the People” presentation. It’s a must in our opinion. After that you can wander through the museum where you’ll find the info you might have learned about American history in elementary school and much, much more. Presuming that you'll do the “We the People” presentation, you’ll probably need at least an hour here. If you’re one who reads all of the placards, you’re going to need more time. Check it out before you go and plan accordingly.
Get a Close Up View of the Liberty Bell
From the National Constitution Center, Walk a few minutes south, past the Visitors Center, and you’ll find the Liberty Bell Center where you’ll get to see the famous bell. There might be a line to get in. If there's a wait, it'll be 30 minutes or less. You’ll only spend about five minutes viewing the bell. So, maybe budget 40 minutes for this just to be safe. This is the bell that was originally hung in the tower of Independence Hall. We just learned that there are 57 replicas of the Liberty Bell. While you may have seen one of them, the original is found here. If you want a preview, you could spend hours learning about it online. We haven’t done this but we have visited the Liberty bell, both in its current location and before, and we peek through the window at it whenever we find ourselves at 6th and Chestnut. It’s an enduring symbol of American independence and one you will be delighted to see.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Philly
Just across Chestnut Street to the south is Independence Hall, originally the Pennsylvania State house. This beautiful example of Georgian architecture dates back to 1732. It’s distinguished as the place where both our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were debated, drafted, and signed. You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy this place. We got a little emotional while writing about it. For a virtual preview of this UNESCO World Heritage Site you could watch the movie National Treasure. To see it in person, you’ll need to buy tickets (info at the link above). The tour is about 20 minutes long, but you must arrive half an hour early to clear security.
Explore Christ Church Burial Ground
Another place of interest across South Independence Mall East (we think of it as 5th Street) from the Liberty Bell is the Christ Church Burial Ground. According to the National Park Service, “Christ Church Burial Ground opened in 1719 and remains active today. This is the final resting place of some of our nation’s most prominent founders, including five signers of the Declaration of Independence: Benjamin Franklin, Francis Hopkinson, Benjamin Rush, Joseph Hewes and George Ross.” (retrieved 12 May 2024; their decision to exclude the Oxford comma did not go unnoticed) Your visit may not take much time. But bring a few pennies. Ben Franklin is famous for saying “a penny saved, is a penny earned.” We're frugal. So, we love this quote. In tribute to it, people leave a penny on his grave.
More Sites to See Near Independence Mall
If you have time left, you might also want to check out the Betsy Ross House, Elfreth’s Alley and its Museum, and the Ben Franklin Museum. Betsy Ross was allegedly the seamstress who sewed the first American flag. She was also the first wife of George Ross' half brother John. Her house is now a museum you might want to visit. Elfreth’s Alley is America’s oldest, continuously inhabited street. There’s a museum you can visit if you go. Head here to plan your visit. And if you and your family want to learn more about the life and contributions of Ben Franklin, there’s a museum dedicated to him with artifacts and interactive exhibits. You’ll need about 30 minutes each for the Betsy Ross House and the Elfreth’s Alley Museum and at least an hour for the Ben Franklin Museum. All are just a few blocks east of Independence Mall in Old City.
We Love Reading Terminal Market
With all this sightseeing you’re going to need to eat (and shop). You’re in luck because at some point during your day you can head to the Reading Terminal Market at 12th street between Filbert and Arch. This place is sort of a food Mecca of stalls where you can find everything from flowers, to roasted coffee, to cheeses, cannolis, flavored oils, and various dining options. Think European market with Philly grit. If you were craving a Philly cheesesteak you can get one at Carmen’s or Spataro’s. Apparently the jury is not out on which one has the best “steaks.” In 2016 Philadelphia Magazine chose Carmen’s. We’ve had both and TBH neither disappoints. There’s another popular Philly sandwich you might want to try. It’s roast pork with broccoli rabe. Tommy DeNic’s has them here and they won the best of Philly Magazine in 2013. If you don’t eat meat, there are other options. Frankly, we don’t avoid meat. So, we don’t really know. But Google is your friend.
We'll be writing more about Philly sandwiches in a future article. We also enjoy the Down Home Diner when we're not looking for a cheesesteak. After your sandwich or lunch, make room for a cannoli from Termini Brothers. We like the ones with mascarpone and mini chocolate chips. They only have the large ones and they pipe in the filling while you wait. Divine! This market is just a short six block walk from Independence Mall (or take a cab). So, you can split the day and have lunch there, then walk it off in the afternoon. You'll need to because Philly is a foodie city with many great restaurants covering countless cuisines. After dinner, get a good night's sleep because you'll have plenty more to do the next day.
Day Two (and Maybe Three)
Ben Franklin Parkway Attractions
You'll be spending day two (and maybe day three) along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway between the Philadelphia Museum of Art and City Hall. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is a very large museum with 200 galleries. It’s the place with the famous steps Rocky ran up in the movie. And the Rocky statue is at the street level in front of the museum. There is usually a line to see the statue up close. But if you get there early, you might be able to walk right up. You could spend an hour just exploring the area around the museum, running up the steps yourself, checking out the beautiful statue and hanging out in Eakins Oval in front, or learning about the Waterworks behind the museum.
Get a Photo of Boathouse Row
To the rear of the Waterworks is a large patio overlooking the Schuylkill River where you can get photos of the famous Boathouse Row. Rowing clubs have stored their boats in these boathouses since the 1800s. Of course you could also spend hours seeing the galleries inside the museum. The admission ticket covers two consecutive days and their collection includes works of famous artists from around the world. They have various tours, some of which are free with the admission ticket. But there’s a maximum group size for each and they’re first come first served. Audio guides are available so you can do a self-guided tour. Follow the link above to learn more.
The Ben Franklin Parkway is the wide avenue that runs southeast from Eakins Oval to JFK Plaza (AKA Love Park where you can see the iconic Love sculpture). The parkway is lined with national flags from around the world, with signs indicating the country names. We love just walking along the parkway in the shade of the trees, admiring the architecture and the flags. There is the occasional bench where you can relax and take it all in.
On the north side of the parkway you'll find the Rodin Museum and the Barnes Foundation. The Rodin Museum has the largest collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin outside of Paris. The beaux-arts style building is itself a work of art. A little farther down is the Barnes Foundation, a unique art museum in that the art is displayed in a very special way. It’s a very large collection of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern art in a remarkable modern building.
Then at the end of the block you’ll reach a traffic circle with the large Swan Memorial Fountain surrounded by Sister Cities Park. On the west side across 20th Street is the Franklin Institute, a science museum that’s fun for the whole family. This is one of our favorite museums with its interactive exhibits where adults and kids alike can learn about everything from electricity to the human heart. If you don’t have time to tour the museum, at least step inside the main entrance to see the beautiful dome and impressive statue of Benjamin Franklin.
At the south end of Sister Cities Park is the AMOR sculpture (2015) and a little farther down the parkway is Love Park, home of the iconic LOVE sculpture. According to the Association for Public Art “Robert Indiana is the artist behind the iconic LOVE (1976) sculpture, located in nearby LOVE Park. He created this Latin/Spanish version of the sculpture in response to the changing demographics of the U.S. and his desire to speak to his fellow citizens. As a permanent part of the City of Philadelphia’s public art collection, AMOR serves as a companion artwork to LOVE.”
After you visit the AMOR sculpture, and before you head to Love Park, take a step inside the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul to see the beautiful architecture, paintings, stained glass, altar, and chapels. You won’t be disappointed. It’s truly a wonderful sacred space. Then stroll down to Love Park and get a selfie in front of the LOVE sculpture. Pro tip: since the selfie will be a mirror image, take it from the back side of the sculpture.
If you have more time, take a walk around nearby City Hall. You can read about its history and that of Philadelphia on the placards in Dilworth Park on the west side of the building. The statue of William Penn tops the tower of City Hall. There’s Philly history associated with this statue. We’ll share that and some fun facts with you in a future article.
Steps away from City Hall is the Masonic Temple. It’s a beautiful place and you can take a tour to see it. Per the website, “tours are approximately one hour in length, offered Wednesday – Saturday, 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. No tours on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and major holidays, or when Pennsylvania Masonic functions or special events are happening.”
If you have more than two days to visit Philly, there’s a lot more to see and do. We’ll share many of them with you in future posts. So, find the subscription form on our home page, enter your email and hit the Subscribe button to never miss a post!
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