These Day Trips to Philadelphia: Come Highly Recommended

No matter what time of year you take a Day Trip to Philly, theses popular Philadelphia locations make an awesome family Trip. So you’ll want to add this to your favorite must-see places around Philly list.

We grouped them in separate categories, for you to find easier by what type of activity you desire to do, when you’re seeing Philadelphia in one day.

Recommended Museums: Day Trip to Philadelphia

Museums are always a good option, and Philly has lots of them. If you’re going to Philadelphia during the summer, winter or around the holidays, museums are always a perfect indoor and outdoor activity. This activity makes for a good for a one day trip to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Widely known as Rocky, the Museum of Art in Philly features a world-class art collection of pieces of art, which date back from medieval relics to seminal Impressionist. Of course, if you are passionate about modern art, you can also admire some of the most colorful wonders from the Modern era too.

Never seen a Picasso before? Luckily, the permanent collection of the Museum of Art has a must-see piece from all around the globe, which belongs to Brancusi, Kahlo, Van Gogh, Picasso, and many more. There is a pleasure to have a walkthrough of these special exhibitions and discover a little piece of art from all around the globe.

When it comes to tickets, you will get two-day access to PMA, which includes the chance to go to the Rodin Museum, Cedar Grove, and then to Perelman Building. The Art Museum has a special section of fashion and textile collection, where people can admire drawings, modern design, and many other pieces of modern textiles.

Mütter Museum

This is actually an out-of-town museum that guests love to go to. This museum is definitely one of a kind, as it has a truly rich collection of medical weirdnesses. For instance, you can see odd human organs floating in jars or anatomical specimens in wax models.

If you enjoy seeing some of the oddest things in the world, like slices of Albert Einstein’s brain, a 200-year-old conjoined liver from some Siamese twins, or the famous “Soap Lady”, go to the Mutter Museum. If you love horror movies and stories, don’t miss the interactive exhibit which offers you the experience of having an arm amputated.

Philadelphia Magic Gardens

An outdoor museum, the Philadelphia Magic Gardens are on the South Street of the city, and it is unique due to the surrounding building, which is covered in colorful glass and shards, as well as broken ceramics that add the uniqueness of this place. Inside you will see mosaicked hallways, and glistening courtyards.

Da Vinci Science Center

If you are looking for the perfect activity to do on a rainy day in Lancaster, PA, consider going to the Lancaster Science Center. Add it to your list, as it is a great source of fun for both adults and kits.

The Da Vinci Science Center is a special place, a hands-on exhibit, with lots of programs and exhibits for both adults and children. There are lots of partnership initiatives, which concentrate on science, engineering, technology, and mathematics too.

Since entering the Science Center, you have lots of educational labs, shows, weather station exhibits, and snack machines if your hunger is huge.

The possibilities are endless, and we don’t want to spoil anything, so visit the Da Vinci Science Center for exciting experiences.

The Franklin Institute

If you love numbers and maths, you should go to the Franklin Institute. Here you will understand how numbers are present all around in nature. In addition, this Institute is featuring a special exhibit, which is called “A Mirror Maze: Numbers in Nature”.

It is amazing to see how different number patterns are surrounding us in nature. Although these patterns are present there since the beginning of the world, people have rarely had the time and patience to stop and notice them.

But as soon as we take our time to admire a rich tree or forest, this inspires us to create great buildings or solve some problems that give us headaches.

The Franklin Institute is the best proof of how math is used to unlock the mysteries of the world.

Adventure Aquarium

It’s impossible for a child not to love the animals of the ocean. And what other better way to learn more about these spectacular creatures than going to the Adventure Aquarium?

Here you will have the chance to see one of the largest collections of Little Blue penguins, sharks from the East Coast, and many more aquatic animals, somewhere around 8,500. The ticket for entering the Adventure Aquarium is somewhere around $30, and $22 for children.

Outdoor activities: Day Trip to Philadelphia

Penn’s Landing

This is a very popular place in Philly, and it is located all along Philly’s waterfront. Here is the place where there are lots of children’s programs, cultural festivals, as well as many other fun events and fireworks shows. The view all along the Delaware River is so beautiful, you cannot miss them. You go take the ferry and see other outdoor attractions too.

Indego Kensington

This is the bike-sharing program of Philly, which was initially designed to help the citizens of Philly and kids navigate the streets of the city. Right into the Center City, the Indego program makes traveling from point A to point B way easier, by purchasing a bike ride per hour or per month.

If you come to Philly, take advantage of this program there’s no reason to take public transportation, when you have a more eco-friendly way to visit the city.

Philadelphia Zoo

If you are going to Philly with your kids, you cannot miss the special Zoo here, There are over 1,300 types of animals, many of them very rare and endangered. As such, you can admire the hippos, giraffes, or cheetahs and also enjoy the great atmosphere from the Philly Zoo.

You’d never know that you’re right in the middle of the city while exploring this Philadelphia location. Needless to say this destination receives over 1.2 million visitors per year. We totally recommend this as being the perfect outdoor activity with children.

Fairmount Park

Will you go to Philly with your partner? Then it is crystal clear you should spend some romantic times here. The Fairmount Park is one of them, and nothing will beat the Smith Civil Memorial Arch or the Whispering Benches.

There is a unique feeling when you come here, so if you will sit on one of the long stone benches, whisper something and wait, the person at the other end of the wall should clearly hear what you said. The site of Fairmount Park is pleasant, and it is the perfect place to sit and have a nice picnic on the green space.

Historical Places: Day Trip to Philadelphia

If you love to go to the historical sites of the city you are visiting, then you cannot miss these ones in Philly:

The Liberty Bell Center

This is definitely one of the most important, yet iconic symbols in U.S. history. The Liberty Bell weighs 2,080 pounds and it is the symbol of Independence.

Elfreth’s Alley

Have a walk on one of the nation’s oldest inhabited residential streets. Admire the buildings and take your time to read about each of them.

Independence Hall and Congress Hall

This is a monumental stopping point on Independence Mall, and it was the creation of some visionary moments in the creation of the American nation.

Recomended Art: Day Trip to Philadelphia

If you love art and art galleries, here is what you can visit during your stay in Philly. There are lots of pioneering art spaces, as such, Philly is a hotspot for contemporary art. There are lots of galleries and eclectic exhibitions you can go to, so keep scrolling down to see what art activities you can have.

The Pentimenti Gallery

This gallery is specialized in content-driven contemporary art, so there are lots of exhibitions of international artists and other emerging talents. The first opening of this gallery took place in 1992, and since then, there have been lots of innovative works and unconventional materials that have been displayed in this gallery.

The Pentimenti Gallery works with lots of artists, in a process-based work, this is why this place is so unique. Wherever you go, there will be lots of figurative aesthetics and innovative works you can admire.

Wexler Gallery

This Gallery is very eclectic and versatile, as it gathers lots of artistic works from the worlds of design, decorations, crafts, and fine art. This gallery is not that old, as it was firstly opened in 2000, but it brings together some functional and non-functional pieces from all the artistic worlds.

The works you will see here are unique, some are really one-off productions, so it’s mandatory to go and visit the gallery if you are passionate about arts.

Gallery ML

The walls of this gallery are unusual too, so don’t be surprised to see them decorated with inspirational art and some human body parts painted on a beautiful canvas. This gallery is celebrating and promoting the fine art of body painting, and it was opened only in 2010. The ML gallery is one of the only two galleries in the world dedicated to this special form of art.

Recommended Music: Day Trip to Philadelphia

You can listen to some great music once you participate in these nice events:

Alternative Music Venues: District N9NE
Bars with Live Music: Boot & Saddle, Bourbon & Branch
Jazz Spaces: Chris’ Jazz Cafe, Paris Bistro & Jazz Caffe, Philadelphia Clef Club
Mid to Large Music Venues: Franklin Music Hall, The Fillmore Philadelphia

Recommended Where to Eat: Day Trip to Philadelphia

When going to Philly, you should try the specific, local food here.

Hottest Restaurants

Do you want to have a nice experience? Then go to one of the hottest restaurants in town, like Forsythia, which is placed in the historic district. Right some block away from the City Hall, you will find Condesa, which is serving the best tacos in town.

The home-made tortillas are a bliss. Right there, just head up to the 11th floor and try the atmosphere of a bar with a retractable roof. You cannot miss the local recipes either, so go to South Philly’s River Twice and try the meals made all with local ingredients.

Specialty Restaurants

Philly is very friendly with each of its visitors, as such, there are 38 essential restaurants, with different specifics for everyone. We won’t mention all of them, but few you might be interested in.

If you are vegan, go to Vedge, in Center City, and you will enjoy delicious vegan food. In Fishtown, you can go to Suraya, which is a Lebanese destination, where you can have kebabs, arak cocktails, rose-pistachio, even grilled fish. Right next to the popular Italian Market, there is Kalaya, which is a restaurant specialized in spicy Thai dishes.

Bars

Coming to Philly should be a great time to spend with my loved ones. Go and celebrate your vacation here in one of the best cocktail spots in the city. If you love beer and you wish you had a great selection to drink, then go to Monk’s.

Here at Monk’s you will find an abundance of beers to choose from and this place is ranked on the list of best bars in America.

If you are in the mood for excellent cocktails, the perfect place to go to is Hop Sing Laundromat. If you are going to Philadelphia during the summer, you can try the outdoor drinking on a rooftop or a beer garden. Cool yourself down with a nice cocktail. On the other hand, if you are going during winter, make yourself cozy in a nice bar with a fireplace.

Recommended Places to Stay: Day Trip to Philadelphia

Having a nice accommodation should not be so hard during your stay in Philadelphia. Here are the best areas in the city where visitors can stay. We grouped them in special categories, for you to be able to make a clear overview.

Center City: if you are ok with whichever budget, then go to the center. Hotels here are more expensive, but you will be just a walk far from the main attractions in Philly
Old City: Do you go to Philadelphia for the very first time? Then choose the Old City, it will be such a great experience.
Fishtown & Northern Liberties: are you a cool person looking for cool accommodation? This area of the city is for you.
Midtown Village: For those who are going to Philadelphia with their family, Midtown Village is the nicest place to be.

Last Thoughts

Museums are always a good option, and Philly has lots of them. If you’re going to Philadelphia during the summer, winter or around the holidays,they are a perfect indor and outdoor activity, when you’re on a dat trip to Philadelphia.