Philadelphia travel guide
Philadelphia Tourism | Philadelphia Guide
You're Going to Love Philadelphia
With a population of 1.53 million, Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania, United States by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Philadelphia deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Activities & attractions in Philadelphia
Food, Drinks, & Nightlife
Where to Eat in Philadelphia
Center City is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Philadelphia. These include popular favorites such as Pumpkin BYOB (1713 South Street), Bellini (220 South 16th Street) and Talula’s Garden (210 West Washington Square). If you’re looking for affordable options, Zahav (237 Saint James Place) and Sampan - Philadelphia (124 South 13th Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Cheu Fishtown & Nunu (1416 Frankford Ave) and Blondie (4417 Main St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Philadelphia.
When to visit Philadelphia
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Philadelphia in July, when the average temperature is 78.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 24.8 °F, with an average temperature of 33.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 4.4″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Philadelphia, with an average rainfall of 2.7″.
How to Get to Philadelphia
Plane
When flying to Philadelphia, you’ll arrive at Philadelphia Airport (PHL), which is located 7 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Philadelphia include American Airlines, Air France and ITA Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Philadelphia departs from Cincinnati and takes around 1h 40m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Philadelphia. The train journey from Philadelphia to Newark takes 0h 33m and costs around $5 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Baltimore, expect to pay about $19 for a 1h 28m trip. Located 1.5 miles from the city center, Philadelphia 30th Street Station is the busiest station in Philadelphia. Another popular train station is Philadelphia North, located 3 miles from the center.
Car
Another option to get to Philadelphia is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 83 miles from Philadelphia. You’ll find branches of Ace and Kyte, among others, in New York.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Philadelphia, including Megabus, Bus and OurBus. From New York, the bus ride to Philadelphia takes 95 miles and will cost you around $6. From Washington, D.C., the ticket costs about $12 for a journey of 175 miles. The most popular bus station is Philadelphia Independence Hall Visitors Ctr - 601 Market St, located 0.3 miles from downtown Philadelphia. Philadelphia Jfk & Broad is also a commonly used station, and is 0.5 miles from the city center.
Airlines serving Philadelphia
Where to stay in Philadelphia
From 5-star hotels such as the The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia to great affordable options like the Lokal Hotel Old City, Philadelphia offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $197 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $356 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hampton Inn Philadelphia/Airport and Sleep Inn Center City. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Philadelphia, with prices from $83 to $811 per night. Center City is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Philadelphia are about 15% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Center City - In Philadelphia’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Morris House Hotel, Element Philadelphia and The Rittenhouse Hotel.
Where to stay in popular areas of Philadelphia
Most booked hotels in Philadelphia
Renting a car in Philadelphia
Renting a car in Philadelphia costs $63 per day, on average, or $127 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, National and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Philadelphia is the Dollar branch at 1 Arrivals Road, which is 7 miles from the city center.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in Philadelphia.
Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Philadelphia (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Philadelphia is Intermediate (Chevrolet Bolt EUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Mitsubishi Galant or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.