Best Places to Walk Around in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Skyline and Schuylkill River Banks

Being able to walk around in a city makes you feel connected to it; gives you the sense of belonging. Among its many attractions Philadelphia is a city where you can count on your own two feet to commute to work or school everyday, shop, dine and explore. It is one of the top ten walkable cities in the United States. Philadelphia boasts to be the first American city that was designed on a grid street plan that is now 300 years old. The wide streets run at right angels to each other crisscrossing the smaller streets forming a grid.

University City district - Home of Drexel and UPenn

Waking up in 19th century home, going out for a walk along the Schuylkill River, passing by people walking dogs, pushing their babies in strollers, construction workers taking a break on the porch saying hello to you as you pass by, then on your walk back home you grab a coffee from the corner café . To many people this is how an average morning starts in Philadelphia downtown or if you are living in the west in University City.

On a lazy afternoon you can take a stroll through Independence Park; at the heart of the Park is Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was adopted, the US Constitution was debated, drafted and signed. Across the Independence Hall you will find the famous Liberty Bell, symbol of American freedom, the First Bank of the United States and Benjamin Franklin museum. The park has been nicknamed "America's most historic square mile" because of its richness of historical landmarks.

Elfreth's Alley in the Old City

Walking a bit farther down will take you to Elfreth’s Alley in the Old City. This historic Alley was built in 1703 and is the nation’s oldest continuously inhabited residential street. 32 row houses that line the street used to be homes of 18^th century artisans and traders.

Mural of Philadelphia

More Mural

As you walk around Philadelphia you’ll notice murals everywhere around the city. If you want to dive deeper to satisfy your hunger for arts then you can go to the city’s Museum of Arts. The Museum is a Parthenon styled impressive building that has a collection of 240,000 works spanning 2,000 years including pieces from the ancient times to modern day.

Philadelphia Museum of Art and its Impressive Parthenon Entrance

Boathouse Row Lights on the 4th of July

Just on the west of the Museum on the bank of Schuylkill River is the Boathouse Rows which are boathouses made in the early 19^th century and owned by the local boating clubs. At night the lights outline one of the city’s loveliest views.

A walking tour of Philadelphia will never be completed without a visit to the Reading Terminal Market, which is farmers market but also One of America's largest and oldest public markets. It offers something for even the most diverse taste-buds. From Amish bakery, noodles, to Middle Eastern cuisine, pick your craving but when you are there don’t forget to try the city’s specialty sandwich, the famous Philly Cheesesteaks. Now head to Bassett’s Ice cream, America’s oldest ice cream company and try one of their cones sitting in the pew where Ben Franklin sat when he went to Reading Terminal for lunch only a few century ago.