JP and I spent a day exploring Philadelphia as part of a larger road trip around the US.
I had driven through Philadelphia once before, but never had the opportunity to explore anywhere.
So this was really the first time either of us got to explore the city.
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To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Philadelphia.
You can see our full experience of our day in Philadelphia on our YouTube Channel.
Philadelphia One Day Itinerary
Philadelphia has more than just historic sites and museums.
It’s also a great city for foodies.
If you’re driving, there’s a garage you can park in for the first half of the day, then the second half of the day you’ll have to drive outside of the city.
The best way to get around the city in a short period of time is the Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour.
You can book a pass just for the day.
Click Here To Book Your Philadelphia Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour Today!
Morning: Historic Sites
We’ll start right off with the most iconic sites in Philadelphia that pretty much everybody comes here for.
Independence Hall
Independence Hall is where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and signed.
If you love the National Treasure movies, you’ll love this area of Philadelphia.
Benjamin Franklin’s Burial Site
Benjamin Franklin’s burial site is located in the Christ Church Burial Ground.
It’s just across the lawn from Independence Hall.
Betsy Ross House
The Betsy Ross House is known for being where Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag.
In the photo below, it’s the skinny little house with her version of the American Flag hanging outside.
Lunch: Try The Best Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia
We wanted to taste for ourselves which cheesesteak is the best in Philadelphia.
Before we visited, we found that it’s really a competition between two places in particular.
So we decided to try them both and decide for ourselves who has the best cheesesteaks in Philadelphia.
Pat’s King of Steaks
Pat’s King of Steaks dates back to 1930 and claims to be the original home of the Philly Cheesesteak.
We ordered a regular Philly Cheesesteak here.
Geno’s Steaks
Geno’s Steaks claims to have the best Philly Cheesesteak as well.
We ordered a regular cheesesteak here too so we would have an even comparison.
Now for our expert opinion:
After trying both Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks, we think that if you take the meat and onions from Pat’s and the bread and cheese from Geno’s, you’d have the perfect Philly Cheesesteak!
Afternoon: Valley Forge National Historical Park
Valley Forge National Historical Park is just outside of Philadelphia and is a battlefield from the Revolutionary War.
It’s known for being the location of a particularly harsh winter that the militia endured, many of which didn’t even have shoes, and many became sick.
The great thing about this park is that it is completely free and there is a self guided driving tour you can do to see the park.
There are many spots along the way to get out and walk around.
It’s a very scenic park and was somewhat busy in certain areas.
We were here almost 2 hours.
Dinner: J Alexander’s
This is a chain that used to be pretty well known in the Midwest back in the day, but they don’t have too many locations left.
They also used to be known for their honey butter croissants, similar to Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, but apparently that has been discontinued (or at least it was at this location).
When we visited, it happened to be restaurant week, so they had many special menu items.
As an appetizer, we tried their Cheeseburger Egg Rolls.
As our entree, we shared an order of a Filet Mignon with a side of a Baked Potato and a side of Baked Mac N Cheese.
For dessert we enjoyed an amazing slice of Key Lime Pie!
Where to Stay: Home2 Suites King Of Prussia
This hotel is just a few minutes outside of Valley Forge.
It’s much cheaper than staying in the city and there’s free parking.
Staying here also saves you time from having to drive back into the city.
Check out the complete walk-through room tour of our standard room on our YouTube Channel.
Click Here To Book Your Stay At Home2 Suites By Hilton King Of Prussia / Valley Forge Today!
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Conclusion: Philadelphia One Day Itinerary
Philadelphia has so many historic sites that are in close proximity, making it an easy place to visit on a day trip.
When we visited, we were on a longer road trip we’ve dubbed our “Ultimate US Road Trip“.
I highly recommend pairing your day trip to Philadelphia with a longer road trip visiting other historic sites like Washington DC, Williamsburg, and Boston.
Other Destinations In Pennsylvania
– Gettysburg Day Trip Itinerary
– United Flight 93 National Memorial
– Poconos Itinerary
– Club Wyndham Shawnee Village Review
