How to spend 24 hours in Philadelphia – A 1-Day Itinerary

Posted on November 19, 2025 | Julie J. |

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Written by guest author Anna Robin

I recently got to spend a wonderful weekend in Philadelphia, visiting a friend who lives there. As a local, he was able to show me the best parts of the city and some real hidden gems. So if you only have 24 hours to spend in the city, here are the hidden gem highlights you should prioritise.

Like many US cities, Philly has a useful but sporadic bus service. Cars or Uber are the most convenient way of getting around. However, for this itinerary, you can walk between most of these places once you’re in the city centre.

Philly has a fantastic variety of museums, restaurants, and bars available, as well as accommodation options for every kind of traveller. Honestly, I wish I’d gotten to stay longer! So bear in mind that 24 hours might not be enough to see everything you want to.

1. Museum of the American Revolution

This museum gives a fascinating insight into American history and the war for independence against the British. As a Brit myself, I found it an eye-opening experience as most of what I knew about the American Revolution came from the musical ‘Hamilton.’

The museum is well laid out and immersive, with chronological exhibits taking you through the different chapters of history. My favourite part was seeing Washington’s original preserved war tent, which is on display in the museum. There was also a great little exhibit about the revolutionaries’ teaming up with the native indigenous populations of the land to fight off British forces.

In total, we spent about 2 hours in this museum. There was also a cute little cafe with excellent coffee.

2. Elfreth’s Alley

Only a 10-minute walk away from the Museum of the American Revolution is Elfreth’s alley, a well-preserved cobble-stoned street which is known as the oldest continuously inhabited street in America.

It’s very quaint and picturesque street, making it a great selfie spot. There’s also a little museum on the street if you want to know more about the history of the old houses.

3. Independence Square and the Liberty Bell

You can walk 15 minutes back towards Independence Square and the Liberty Bell, one of Philly’s most famous landmarks.

The square is a nice green space to relax outside and admire the architecture of the Independence Hall. It’s also where many of the free walking tours of the city start if you’re interested in joining one. The Liberty Bell is housed inside a small, free exhibition. It’s a giant cracked bell originally commissioned in 1751. It’s a historic symbol of American freedom and democracy.

Reading Terminal Market, a food hall offering great diversity, is also very close by if all that walking has made you hungry for lunch!

4. Philadelphia Magic Gardens

I absolutely love the Magic Gardens in Philly. It’s not a super touristy place and I would definitely classify it under ‘hidden gem’ territory, but it really made me feel like I’d stepped into a different world.

A 15-minute walk away from Independence Square, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is a small art museum with two indoor exhibits and a large outdoor sculpture garden created by thousands of mosaic tiles. The museum is the life’s work of Isaiah Zagar, who you can learn more about here.

You can tell that each piece added to the garden was chosen with care and thought, and placed there for a reason. The overall effect is stunning. I could have spent hours there admiring the unique individual tiles themselves, then stepping back for the full picture.

The fantasy, otherworldly vibes of the place made me want to stay there all day, though one hour should be enough if you’re on a tight timeline. Just make sure to plan for enough time to take a million photos in this place – it truly is any photographer’s dream.

5. The Mutter Museum

The Mutter Museum is definitely not what you’d expect and you’ll probably leave surprised, maybe a little disgusted, but also with a sense of wonder for the many mysteries of the human body.

This medical history museum, run by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia shows off an impressive collection of anatomical specimens, models, and medical instruments in a 19th-century ‘glass cabinet’ style setting. From a 12-foot-tall human skeleton to a microscopic slice of Einstein’s brain, this eccentric museum is definitely one that will inspire your curiosity.

I was very impressed by the sheer amount of specimens they had and the fascinating stories behind each one. We spent 3 hours there, but even that didn’t feel like enough.

If this doesn’t sound like your thing, however, the Franklin Institute is another great science museum to visit, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art also comes highly rated.

6. Try a Philly Cheesesteak

A trip to Philly wouldn’t be complete without trying the infamous Philly cheesesteak in Philly itself. It’s a truly divine mix of bread, barbecued meat, cheese, onions, and grease. Healthy? Probably not. Delicious? Absolutely.

There are a lot of hole-in-the-wall diner-type places where you can get Philly cheesesteak cheaply if you want the true American experience. Some recommendations include: Oh Brother Philly, Donkey’s Place, and Shay’s Steaks.

Alternatively, if you want to go somewhere fancier, I recommend The Cheesecake Factory. If you’re American, this probably isn’t a novel experience. But for us non-Americans, it’s an exciting, real-life place to visit after watching Penny waitress at the Cheesecake Factory for years during the early days of the Big Bang Theory.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the Cheesecake Factory is actually a very nice, upscale restaurant with posh casino vibes. It offers a huge menu of savoury food in every cuisine imaginable, and an equally impressive menu of 30+ different kinds of cheesecake.

We ended up splitting a pineapple, pumpkin pecan, and key lime pie cheesecake slices. Definitely the American foodie experience I came for.

7. Cocktails with a view

After a long day of museums and sightseeing, I recommend enjoying a beautiful Philly sunset from one of the many outdoor rooftop bars in the city. My favourite that we visited was Bok Bar: a gorgeous outdoor terrace with incredible views of the city skyline, serving up beers, wine, and cocktails.

It’s in South Philly and a little further away from the city centre where the main tourist attractions are located, so I recommend getting an Uber there. Ubers in Philly are pretty easy to get and generally safe.