Pennsylvania · United States
Philadelphia travel guide
Philadelphia is a city in Pennsylvania, United States, home to about 1,604,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- PHL11 km · Philadelphia International Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/New York
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( FIL-ə-DEL-fee-ə), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States. Its population was 1.60 million at the 2020 census and estimated at 1.57 million in 2025.
Philadelphia, often called the "Birthplace of America", is the birthplace of the country's modern democracy. Philly was founded by William Penn in 1681, and assumed its present-day shape and size in 1784 when Montgomery County was split off from Philadelphia. The city's name translates to "City of Brotherly Love" and it has been a seat of freedom since its inception; founded by Quakers, the colony promoted religious freedom among its residents in stark contrast to the England of the time. The definition of "Philadelphia" changed in 1854.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Philadelphia
See
Travelers planning to visit multiple attractions may benefit from Philadelphia CityPASS, which grants admission to 6 Philadelphia attractions within 9 days of first use for a much reduced rate and includes expedited entry in some cases. The included attractions are: THE Franklin Institute; Adventure Aquarium; Phila Trolley & the Big Bus Company, 24 hours of on-off privileges; Philadelphia Zoo; Option Ticket One with choice of either the Academy of Natural Sciences or the National Constitution Center and Option Ticket Two with choice of Please Touch Museum or Eastern State Penitentiary. A Weekend in Philly offers a detailed itinerary that includes several of these attractions.
Do
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Philadelphia Union
- Temple Owls
- Villanova Wildcats
- Saint Joseph's Hawks
- Penn Quakers
- La Salle Explorers
- Drexel Dragons
- Paddle Penn's Landing
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Philadelphia to stay in
For most visitors, the focal point will be Center City and Old City, which comprise the downtown section of Philadelphia. It is bounded by Vine St. to the north, the Delaware River to the east, South St. to the south, and the Schuylkill River to the west. The 2010 Center City residential population of 57,000 makes it the third most populated central business district in America, behind New York City and Chicago. Other popular districts to visit are West Philly and South Philly.
Philadelphia is home to two hostels within the city limits, both are affiliated with Hostelling International USA: Apple Hostels in the Old City is less than 3 blocks from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall; and HI — Chamounix Mansion Hostel in West Philly, which sits on a scenic bluff above the Schuylkill River and is 45 minutes to downtown Philadelphia's cultural and historic attractions. There is a wide variety of hotels located in Philadelphia. Prices usually range from $100 to $200 a night, excluding weeks with major trade conventions.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Philadelphia
Philadelphia has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; July is the wettest, with about 122 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Philadelphia: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), about 11 km from the city centre in a straight line; Trenton Mercer Airport (TTN, 47 km) and Wilmington Airport (ILG, 49 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Philadelphia International Airport is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley. Alternatively, you can fly to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) or Baltimore-Washington International Airport] (BWI), each of which is connected by Amtrak to 30th Street Station (1 hr from EWR; 80 min from BWI). Other New York and Washington-area airports are less convenient.
Getting around
There are plenty of public transportation options to get around the downtown core of Philadelphia. Buses, trains, and trolleys gather at 30th St. Station and the 69th St. Transportation Center. Most services are operated by SEPTA, see Fares below for their ticket system. Absolutely no smoking is allowed in any SEPTA Transit Station. SEPTA Staff, transit police officers, and even fellow riders will ask you to extinguish/dispose of tobacco before entering. Violators may be subject to fines, arrest, or even community service. Walking or biking are also viable options for getting around.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
PHL · Philadelphia International Airport
TTN · Trenton Mercer Airport
ILG · Wilmington Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Philadelphia
Eat
See the Districts articles for specific listings. No trip to Philadelphia is complete without trying the cheesesteak, Philly's most famous homegrown food, a sandwich made of a fresh roll filled with grilled shaved beef and cheese (as well as onions, mushrooms, and other optional sides). The spiritual homes of the cheesesteak are Pat's King of Steaks, where the cheesesteak was invented, and Geno's Steaks, where they claim to have improved on Pat's version. They are across from each other in South Philly at the intersection of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue. There are many ways to order a cheesesteak.
Drink
Because of the state of Pennsylvania's complicated liquor laws, most supermarkets are not able to sell beer or spirits, although some neighborhood stores might and certain locations of grocery stores sell beer and have limited-selections of wine. State-run liquor stores called Fine Wine and Good Spirits are all over the place but don't sell beer, and beer distributors sell beer only in bulk and are scattered in inconvenient locations, and neither will be open late. In part because of this complicated setup, Philadelphia has a visibly strong, public beer culture, celebrated in events such as the annual summertime Philly Beer Week or the Philly Craft Beer Festival in March.
Stay safe
Philadelphia has a major crime problem. As early as the late 1980s it was bestowed the notorious moniker of 'Killadelphia'. Even to this day the city suffers from some of the worst crime rates in the USA. However, as a rule of thumb, the places visitors are likely to spend time in are safe and well policed, so be informed about places that are popular with tourists. Center City and surrounding neighborhoods have very low crime rates (some of the lowest in the country). Wealthier neighborhoods like Rittenhouse Square, Old City, and Society Hill, are safe, as are Northeast Philadelphia (for the most part), Northwest Philadelphia, the Art Museum Area, Chinatown, the Parkway, and Bella Vista.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Philadelphia: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Philadelphia?
Philadelphia has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; July is the wettest, with about 122 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Philadelphia?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), about 11 km from the city centre in a straight line; Trenton Mercer Airport (TTN, 47 km) and Wilmington Airport (ILG, 49 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Philadelphia?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Philadelphia
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.