What to see when you can’t even spend one day in Philadelphia

Many will tell you that spending one day in Philadelphia is not enough. But what if you don’t even have a day to spend in this City of Brotherly Love? And it’s your first time in the city? What can you see?

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Here are three things we did and saw when we stopped in Philadelphia for about 3-hours two days before the end of the year. It was our first visit to Philadelphia, and it was also raining and cold when we got to the city. Then, there was a road construction on Market Street by the Liberty Bell. It didn’t sound like an ideal condition to visit, but we made the best out of it.

Not even one day in Philadelphia: What to do and see

1. Lunch at Pat’s King of Steaks

As a first-timer in the city, you must eat at Pat’s King of Steaks, the originator and inventor of the famous steak and cheesesteak sandwich. Some people will tell you that this or that Philly cheesesteak sandwich is better, but in my opinion, you must try the original cheesesteak sandwich, founded in 1930 by Pat Olivieri.

As I mentioned above, it was raining and cold, and we had to drive around the area two times before we got a parking spot. It was way past our lunchtime, so we had to make it here no matter what. Hehe. 

Line was long, but it moved quickly. When you stop here, you must be ready with what you want and know how to order it at the window. But don’t you worry. You can read the tips on the wall on how to order your cheesesteak before you get to the window.

With (wit) or without (wit-out) onions, and what kind of cheese you want for your steak. For example: Wit Whiz means Cheez Whiz with onions, witout Prov means provolone cheese without onions. We ordered Wit Whiz, and they were so good. Portion was huge, so I skipped dinner that day.

Pat’s only takes cash. You order the steak at the first window and drinks and fries at the second window. Their fries are also good, but I prefer mine without the cheese. There are several tables available around Pat’s, but we ate in the car because it was too cold to sit outside.

Pat’s King of Steaks is open 24/7 and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. They only operate in one location since the beginning, and right across them is Geno’s, their number one competitor.

Address: 1237 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia (at 9th and Wharton St.), PA 19147.

2. Visiting The Liberty Bell

As an iconic symbol of American Independence, a visit to the Liberty Bell is a must! Everyone will suggest that when you ask for places to visit during your first time in Philadelphia.

Located in a high-traffic area, you must prepare for the unexpected when visiting this world’s most recognizable symbols of freedom. When we were there, it was raining, cold, and there was road construction. So, traffic was not good at all.

A long line to enter the Liberty Bell Center is expected. There’s also a security screening before you enter the center. The parks recommend that you bring only small bags, if necessary. Admission is free, and entrance is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Open daily, 9 am to 5 pm, 11 am to 4 pm on Thanksgiving Day, 9 am to 3 pm on Christmas Eve, and closed on Christmas Day.

Ideally, you go through the exhibits on the left side of the Liberty Bell Center to learn more about the bell. Then there are the temporary exhibits on the right side that you can’t miss. But it was almost 3 p.m. when we got there, and we still had to visit the Independence Building in the Independence Square across the street. Both places closed at 5 p.m. and had long lines of visitors.

Once we entered the center, we walked through the exhibit to the famous bell. I was shocked when I saw the bell. All this time, I thought it was big. At least it’s not as small as it is. We wish we could hear the explanation of the crack on the bell during the visit.

The Liberty Bell Center is part of the U.S. National Park Service and an Independence National Historical Park. So don’t forget to bring your National Park Passport and get it stamped while visiting.

Address: 526 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

3. Visiting Independence Hall

Independence Hall is the birthplace of America. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and signed inside this building. It’s another must-see on your short list of things to do when spending less than one day in Philadelphia.

Like the Liberty Bell, the line to Independence Hall is also long. There’s no admission fee to enter the building, but you need timed entry tickets between the peak months of March-December to tour the Independence Hall.

It is free, and you can obtain the tour tickets at the Ranger’s Desk in the Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market Street. The same-day tickets are available at 8.30 a.m. and distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. To check the same-day ticket availability, call 215-965-2305.

However, you can always reserve the tickets in advance with a handling fee of $1.50 per ticket. With this tour ticket, you will join the guided tour led by National Park Rangers to the Assembly Room on the first floor, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both signed. If you don’t have tickets, you can still tour Independence Square, but not inside the Independence Hall.

When we went there, we didn’t book the tickets in advance (not sure when we would arrive in Philly), and from the website, I found out there were no more tickets available. So, we’re ready to tour the square only.

After we passed the security screening, the ranger asked for our tickets. I said we didn’t have any and we would look around only. I think the rainbow that appeared after the rain for a brief moment brought luck to us. The tour ahead of us had rooms for four more people, so we could get in.

Hours of operation and entrance rules for the Independence Hall are the same as the Liberty Bell Center. It is also part of the U.S. National Park Service and an Independence National Historical Park. One other thing, Independence Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Address: 520 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

A few things you should know about Philadelphia before your first visit:

– One day in Philadelphia is not enough, but you can always make the most of your time even when you only have 3 hours to spend like us. Ideally, stay at least two days in Philadelphia.

– The road in the city is narrow, not wide like in Texas, where we came from. 

– The Liberty Bell and the Independence Hall locations are in a high-traffic area. Plan a place to park by looking online before you visit the city. We parked at the Park America parking garage at 615 Chestnut St., across the street from the Liberty Bell Center.

– It’s better to get the Independence Hall guided tour ticket in advance to secure you a spot.

– Dogs are not allowed inside the Liberty Bell Center and the Independence Hall.

– If you need of a cup of coffee or something to bite during your visit, there’s Wawa, the Philadelphian favorite convenient store, at the corner of S 6th St. and Chestnut St., right across the parking garage.

We stopped in Philadelphia after spending a few days in Washington, D.C., for a Christmas Break. If it wasn’t raining between D.C. and Philadelphia, we could have visited 1 or 2 more places in the city. But, I would say that this less than one day in Philadelphia visit went well. We could do the top things to do in the city. Save the rest for the next time in the city.

Have you been to Philadelphia? Was it a day trip, or you just spent one day in Philadelphia like us? What do you think about the city? Let me know by leaving your comment below.