Philadelphia is a city known as the birthplace of the United States and home to the famous Liberty Bell. For this reason alone, I highly recommend you visit Philadelphia. Other reasons to visit include to see many famous Rocky filming locations including the Rocky stairs. Below I list several Philadelphia landmarks and top Instagram spots you must add to your bucket list. Firstly, before we go through the Philadelphia landmarks, let me quickly share how to plan your trip independently through KAYAK.
Why Use KAYAK to Plan Your Philadelphia Trip
Philadelphia is a one of the biggest cities in the US with almost 3000 hotels. As you’d imagine, this can make choosing a hotel quite a task. Some deals are better than others and KAYAK will help you filter out these great deals. Try the KAYAK hotel search which enables you to find the best value hotels on your dates. Upon entering your dates and searching, KAYAK will list the hotels alongside their rating and price. From this list, filter out your desired hotel according to price, rating and location to find the best offers in Philadelphia. Do you plan to take an east coast road trip afterwards? Are you flying in and out of Philadelphia? Search hotels, cars and flights below to discover better deals than you ever thought possible.
Rocky Stairs and Statue – My Top Philadelphia Landmarks
My top pick for the Philadelphia landmarks and top Instagram spots are the Rocky Balboa statue and stairs. If you’ve seen the Rocky Balboa movie, you’ll remember him running up a flight of stairs during his training. This flight of stairs is in fact the entranceway to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. As you walk up these it’s not uncommon to see other tourists recreating this historic scene for their Instagram feeds.
Philadelphia City Hall
For me, Philadelphia City Hall is one of the most aesthetically pleasing buildings in the US. As a photographer, I love how the streets lead up to it. This is a very French way of showing off buildings and the architectural style is in fact, Napolean III style. Another interesting fact about the Philadelphia City Hall is that it’s the largest free standing masonry building in the world. Today, it’s home to the Mayor of Philadelphia and weekday tours of the grand interior are available. Finally, Philadelphia City Hall is an iconic filming location which has featured in Rocky, Philadelphia, 12 Monkeys and National Treasure.
Independence National Historic Park
All first time visitors to Philadelphia must visit the Independence National Historic Park. When I mentioned above that Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States, here you’ll learn all about it as well as see important pieces of history. Independence Hall is a UNESCO site where the Declaration of Independence was signed in the 18th century. In addition to the Declaration of Independence, there are several other important parts of US history here including the Liberty Bell.
Liberty Bell
As you explore the Independence National Historic Park, one important piece of history you cannot miss is the Liberty Bell. See the Liberty Bell close up and view the infamous crack for yourself. If you’ve ever seen the Nicolas Cage movie, National Treasure, you may have a feeling of dejavu as you explore this part of Philadelphia.
Reading Terminal
If you love markets then the Reading Terminal farmers market is a must for you. As a matter of fact, foodies will especially love this place with several different freshly made food options available. It’s not a bad place to try out the famed Philly cheesesteak either. Dating back to 1893, this is one of the oldest public markets in the US.
Love Park
Love Park is a large green space located in downtown Philadelphia. It’s named after a reproduction of Robert Indiana’s love sculpture which is always on public display in the park. Additionally, it’s also this sculpture which makes Love Park a top Instagram spot in Philadelphia. Pose for your photo with a loved one under the red love letters.
Benjamin Franklin Bridge
As you explore Philadelphia you’ll see a lot about Benjamin Franklin. In addition, you’ll instantly recognise him as he’s on the one hundred dollar bill. In fact, that’s why they’re often nicknamed Benjamin’s. One fine piece of architecture named after this former president is the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The Benjamin Franklin Bridge crosses the Delaware River and connects the state of Pennsylvania with New Jersey. Finally, this bridge makes an excellent backdrop for your photos.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
I mentioned the Philadelphia Museum of Art earlier as the stairs leading up to it are the famous Rocky stairs. Many will argue with me that this is in fact a more significant Philadelphia landmark than something from a Rocky movie! What is the Philadelphia Museum of Art famous for? Famous art found inside include works by Van Gogh, Renoir and Picasso as well as thousands of other pieces. Lastly, the museum interior is quite impressive too.
Tallest Philadelphia Landmarks
We cannot discuss Philadelphia landmarks without talking about the tallest buildings in the city. Firstly, at 1,121 feet tall, the Comcast Technology Center is the tallest building in Philadelphia. This is followed by the Comcast Center, One Liberty Place, Two Liberty Place and the BNY Mellon Center. Finally, to view Philly from the top, I recommend the observation deck at One Liberty Place.
Stay in the Four Seasons, Comcast Center.
Elfreth’s Alley
Elfreth’s Alley is one of the oldest streets in the US. In fact, it dates back to 1703. Quite frankly, it looks more like Europe than America. As a result, this is one of the top Instagram spots in Philadelphia. The Elfreth’s Alley Museum celebrates the working class of that era.
Philadelphia Zoo
There are many reasons to visit Philadelphia Zoo. For me, I love wildlife photography so a zoo makes this incredibly easy for me. What’s more, there are a huge amount of animals to photograph here. Lions, tigers, leopards, sloths, pandas and monkeys to mention a few. Then, you’ll see animals you didn’t even know existed! And that’s before you start observing the birds. Enjoy.
Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field is the largest stadium in Philadelphia with a capacity of around 70,000. It’s home to the Philadelphia Eagles football team. Check if there’s a game on when you’re in town. Alternatively, visit for a Lincoln Financial Field stadium tour.
Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary claims to be America’s most famous prison. With previous inmates such as Al Capone, it’s hard to argue. Although, many would say the famous San Francisco landmark, Alcatraz is America’s most famous prison. Eastern State Penitentiary served as a prison from 1829 until 1971. Today it no longer serves as a prison but as a tourist site. That’s right, you can explore this prison and learn what life was like here as an inmate. In fact, you can even see Al Capone’s former cell.
Philly Cheesesteak
The famous food of Philadelphia is of course, the Philly cheesesteak. As you explore the city no doubt you’ll pass many places selling freshly prepared cheesesteak. Some are better than others therefore choose carefully and bon appetit.
Enjoy Your Visit to the Philadelphia Landmarks
As you discover Philadelphia landmarks and top Instagram spots for yourself, you’ll realise there are literally thousands in this huge city. The best way to discover them is to visit independently and walk the street of Philadelphia at your own pace. When you book your trip through KAYAK it gives you the freedom to stay in your preferred part of the city and to stay as long as you wish. Enjoy Philadelphia.
Visiting the USA? Explore the landmarks of Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Dallas, New Orleans, New York and Boston.
Leave A Comment