How to Spend 24 Hours in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My girlfriends and I recently decided to take a trip to the City of Brotherly Love. And although the driving situation would truly have you scratching your head as to the validity of the city motto (I’ve never been honked at so many times in my LIFE), we loved exploring Philadelphia. The city is literally PACKED to the cobblestoned BRIM with American history. After visiting the birthplace of America, I would advocate for every American to make a pilgrimage. It was refreshing to get back to the original state of American politics. And, honestly, my jaw almost hit the floor when I realized Independence Hall still houses the actual chair George Washington SAT IN during meetings.

CUE: The Room Where it Happens (Hamilton).

Now. On to the itinerary.

My girlfriends and I were based out of northern Pennsylvania, so we planned a day trip to Philadelphia. And - after a day’s worth of exploring - here’s how we would recommend spending 24 hours in Philly.

24 Hours in Philadelphia

8:00 AM - Coffee @ La Colombe

Did you know that La Colombe started in Philly? There are multiple locations around Philly. You should be able to pick up a coffee and pastry before heading to the historical area of the city.

9:00 AM - Liberty Bell + Independence Hall

Independence Hall opens right at 9:00AM. Most zealous tourists start arriving around 8:30am. The wait to get in (especially with COVID regulations) can be a bit long. We showed up to Independence Hall ~2:45pm and were one of the last groups to enter. And we waited 1.5 hours. WORTH IT. I promise.

If you’re a major history buff, I’d recommend Independence Hall first and the Liberty Bell second. Both lines can run you up to 2 hours of wait time. If you want to skipsies the Liberty Bell, you can see it through the window from the outside and take a picture. Which is what we did! And then we asked the Park Ranger at Independence Hall for all the fun facts.

Speaking of fun facts … did you know the citizens of Philadelphia once sued the city because the Liberty Bell was ringing TOO MUCH?

10:30 PM - Walk Christ Church Burial Ground to Betsy Ross House and then Elfreth’s Alley

Photo ops all through here!

12:35 AM - Brunch @ Suraya

Located in Fishtown, this will be a bit out of the way from where all the historical sights are located. However, you can also brunch and return to the main attactions! We just would highly recommend making this meal a priority.

1:45 PM - The Rocky Steps (The Philadelphia Museum of Art)

An iconic spot with a GREAT photo op of downtown Philly. And, of course, you can take a picture with the Rocky statue. The parking lot right in front of the museum/steps charges a pretty penny for parking, so I’d suggest metered parking along the side streets.

3:45 PM - Philadelphia City Hall // Terminal Market // Exploring Rittenhouse

Philadephia City Hall might be one of the most impressive government structures I’ve seen outside of Washington DC. If you’re driving from the Rocky Steps, you’ll pass it on the way back to downtown Philly. Just be sure to keep an eye out on the traffic signals while you gaulk at the architectural wonder.

Snag a snack at Terminal Market. Walk around Rittenhouse - a fun Philly neighborhood with tons of great shopping and restaurants.

5:15 PM - Anthropologie @ Rittenhouse

This 4-story Anthropologie was a great stop for a girl’s trip. Did you know that their HQ are located in Philly? Worth a peek if you’re a fan. There are plenty of fun spots around this area!

6:30 PM - Early dinner @ The Dandelion

I received a bunch of my Philly recommendations from my friend, Hollyn, who is a Philadelphia native. She LOVES their sticky pudding.

8:30 PM - Cocktails @ Philadelphia Distilling

This was our favorite cocktail spot of our entire trip. Definitely make reservations! We sat on their side patio and enjoyed tasting all of their craft spirits.

Other spots we had our eye on (so much to do, so little time)…