There are so many things to do and attractions in Philadelphia and it has got to be one of our most favourite city in the United States! You can find history, a modern city and best of all good food all right here in Philadelphia!
What to do in Philadelphia, USA?
Philadelphia is the bed rock of American History. Follow the heritage trails and you will be able to visit world renowned attractions such as the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. But if you prefer modern buildings, a few blocks down and you’d be in the Comcast Center. And if food is your thing, Reading Terminal Market boasts of some of the best foods in the city. So there is definitely no lack of things to do in Philadelphia!
1. Heritage Trail / Historic District in Philadelphia
The best thing we liked about Philadelphia is that its history is intertwined with its modernity. The heritage trail (and Historic District), located near to the modern buildings boasts of the most significant monuments in American history. The Independence Hall and Liberty Bell tells of the story of America’s road to freedom while the Betsy Ross House flew the first flag of the United States of America!
Independence Hall PhiladelphiaThe Liberty Bell PhiladelphiaBetsy Ross Flag with 13 stars
2. Philadelphia – A Modern City
Besides being rich in history, Philadelphia is also a modern city in its own rights. An excellent example is the Comcast Center which boasts of screens on its walls that look as though it is painted in the same colour as the rest of its wall…
Comcast Centre Screen as part of the wall….Animation at Comcast Center Philadelphia
What to eat in Philadelphia
If food is your thing, look no further than the Reading Terminal Market! It boasts of the best French-dipped sandwich and ice cream with a rich (in both sense of the word) history! While you’re in Philadelphia, dont miss out on the best nachos ever @ Elvez! Last but not least, what would a visit to Philadelphia be without trying its world famous Philly Cheesesteaks!
Dinic’s Roast Pork and Beef @ Reading Terminal MarketBeef Sandwich topped with Roasted Pepper and Pork Sandwich with Spinach @ DiNic’sBassetts Ice Cream – America’s Oldest Ice Cream CompanyPeanut Butter Swirl with Rum and Raisin @ Bassetts Ice CreamChocolates Galore at Reading Terminal Market PhiladelphiaOriginal Elvez Guacamole NachosPhilly Cheese Steak
Other Attractions in Philadelphia
There are other attraction in Philadelphia such as the City Hall, Rocky Statue & Museum of Art (Rocky ran up and down the steps here at Museum of Art).
Another view of the City Hall PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Museum of ArtRocky Statue Philadelphia
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There are indeed so many things to do and attractions in Philadelphia! Do take your time to enjoy these attractions and unforgettable photo moments the next time you visit these attractions in Philadelphia!
To round up our list of things to do and attractions in Philadelphia, we are going to cover Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross and the American Flag as well as all the yummy stuff at Reading Terminal Market!
We start our historical trail at the independence hall and it all starts here, at the independence square…
Picture of the Independence Square Philadelphia
While we were there, the independence hall was under renovation…
Independence Hall Philadelphia (under reconstruction)
We were led into the hall where the declaration of independence was signed…
Hall where the declaration of Independence was signed
We were told by the tour guide (who by the way is very very knowledgeable) that there are currently 2 actual pieces of articles from George Washington’s time. The rest of the tables and chairs re-modeled to resemble what it was like during that time. So the two articles were…
The painting seen here taken with our Philly Bear from Radisson Hotel
Painting from George Washington’s time
and the chair which George Washington sat on…
Chair with a sun that George Washington sat on
We were told by our guide that George Washington often questioned whether the sun was a rising sun or a setting sun. The answer was obvious…a rising sun…
Next, we were told a piece of information that even most Americans would not know. The declaration of Independence was actually completed on the 2nd of July 1776! Then why was the declaration of independence only signed on 4th of July 1776? According to our guide, it was time taken to amend from the version that Thomas Jefferson had originally drafted. Some of the things like abolition of slavery as well as the mention of the tyranny of the king were removed from the final version…
Next we were led upstairs…
Going upstairs of Independence Hall
The long room upstairs of Independence Hall Philadelphia
Other stuff upstairs…
Piano Independence Hall PhiladelphiaStudy Table Independence Hall PhiladelphiaThe arms in the Ammunition Room @ Independence Hall Philadelphia
The signer was fashioned to commemorate the fore fathers who signed 2 important documents in the history of America – The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
The statue of the Signer PhiladelphiaPlaque of the Signer Philadelphia
What we really like about Philadelphia is that life in the city is so delicately interwoven and intertwined with its history. Just a few blocks away, we are along the historical trails where we arrived at the Betsy Ross House. We were just in time for the daily flag raising ceremony at about 10am.
Flag raising ceremony Betsy Ross House Philadelphia
You would almost certainly notice that there are only 13 stars on this flag. This was because it represents the number of states then that participated in the movement…
Betsy Ross Flag with 13 stars
Next we visited the liberty bell with its infamous crack…
The Liberty Bell Philadelphia
Well we didn’t exactly catch the crack (because of the crowd) as we took it from the back angle. There were many stories in the hall that leads up to the bell which tells of why the bell cracked what happened when they rang the bell when the declaration of independence was read and so on…
Hallways of stories about the Liberty Bell
There were many recollections and many interesting snippets about the Liberty Bell, do spend some time reading them!
Next we headed to the famous Reading Terminal Market!
Reading Terminal Market Philadelphia
The reason why we were here was because of Man vs Food (MVF)! At that time, we were still having our Starhub Cable TV, so we watched MVF every Wednesday. This episode recounted the French-Dipped Sandwich of DiNic’s!
Dinic’s Roast Pork and Beef @ Reading Terminal Market
We took the liberty of ordering both the Pork and the Beef sandwich topped one with roasted pepper (Jalapeno – chilli pepper) and the other with Spinach.
Beef Sandwich topped with Roasted Pepper and Pork Sandwich with Spinach @ DiNic’s
We didnt regret it! In fact, even as we’re writing this post, we’re feeling hungry!! The roast was tender and flavourful while the peppers really packed a punch (definitely not for those who do not take chilli). The spinach also complimented the sandwich really really well.
Not only was the food good, there was some eye candy for Kate as well…
Handsome Owner of Dinic’s
As we ventured along the walkways of Reading Terminal Market, we stumbled unto another gem…
Walkways of Reading Terminal MarketBassetts Ice Cream – America’s Oldest Ice Cream Company
The ice cream was o so good! It was because of the high content of butter in Bassetts ice cream, so do take note – especially for those who are watching those calories! The ice cream parlour also packs in alot of history, being established in 1861 and serving in this same spot for a long long long time now…
Peanut Butter Swirl with Rum and Raisin @ Bassetts Ice Cream
There was also chocolates galore here in the Reading Terminal Market…
Chocolates Galore at Reading Terminal Market PhiladelphiaChocolates Galore again at Reading Terminal Market Philadelphia
After the delights, we took a walk along the river and caught a glimpse of the USS New Jersey
USS New Jersey PhiladelphiaOlympia Steel Warship and Becuna Submarine Philadelphia
Along the banks, we saw the Olympia (World’s oldest steel warship afloat today, since 1892) and the Becuna Submarine used during WW2.
Olympia and Becuna Comparison
Further on, we walked by other memorials such as these Vietnam and Korean War Memorial…
Vietnam War Memorial PhiladelphiaKorean War Memorial Philadelphia
On the last day as we walked about town, we came by the famous Philadelphia Stock Exchange…
Philadelphia Stock Exchange
Rounding up the trip, there was just one last thing we had to do…that is to enjoy a Philly Cheesesteak!
Philly Cheese Steak
Philly Cheese Steak from the road stalls, the way the locals have them
Road side stall for Philly Cheese Steaks!
Philadelphia has got to be one of our favouritest place in USA. It has got a rich history, modern architecture and great food. It is a must visit place when you are in the USA!
You can read about the other 2 Philadelphia Posts here…
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There are so many things to do and attractions in Philadelphia! Let’s find out what are the things to do right here in Philadelphia!
Venturing on, we passed by the Franklin Institute where we caught a glimpse of Benjamin Franklin seated near its entrance…
The Franklin Institute PhiladelphiaStatue of Benjamin Franklin Philadelphia
There were also tonnes of statues along the way, commemorating different people and events (Philadelphians, care to help us name them?)…
Statue PhiladelphiaGeneral Tadeusz Kosciuszko Statue PhiladelphiaEakins Oval statue philadelphiaClose up of Eakins Oval statue philadelphia
We then saw an iconic structure…the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
It was here where Rocky (in the movie) ran up these steps (known as “Rocky” steps) as he trained…which is why the Rocky statue is also situated nearby…
Rocky Statue Philadelphia
We had a refreshing view of the river along the Schuylkill River Trail…
Along Schuylkill River Trail Philadelphia
Near the waterworks was a familiar figure…
Abraham Lincoln Statue Philadelphia
Although not nearly as large as its Washington counterpart, but just as iconic.
On the way back, we also saw a statue of Joan of Arc…
Statue of Joan of Arc Philadelphia
as well as the St. Paul and St. Peter Church…
St. Paul and St. Peter Church Philadelphia
We also caught another view of the City Hall as well as the Independence Hall which we intend to visit the next day…
Another view of the City Hall PhiladelphiaIndependence Hall Philadelphia
A wonderful sunset drew the day to a close as we ended our dinner at Elvez, a mexican modern restaurant…
Sunset Philadelphia USAElvez – Mexican Modern Restaurant Philadelphia
To our surprise, the restaurant was fully packed for dinner and we were advised to return an hour later. We didnt make a booking because we didnt know if our hunger would over come us. Still, we saved the space in our tummies and returned to Elvez at about 8:30pm. It was still very crowded but the friendly staff gave us a cosy table for 2…
There are several famous foods at Elvez and we tried the 2 Nachos, namely Macho Nachos as well as Nachos with Guacamole…
Macho Nachos El Vez Mexican Restaurant Philadelphia
Macho Nachos has got to be the best Nachos we’ve ever tasted. All the ingredients used were fresh and the flavours bursts in your mouth literally as you enter for the first bite. Hints of lime, mighty cheese, a little bit of spice,olives,fresh tomatoes and the meat all blended together to give that WOW taste…you’ve got to try it if you’re there!
Next, we also tried the famous original Elvez Guacamole Nachos…
Original Elvez Guacamole Nachos
Again, the ingredients were fresh and the portions were huge. The taste of the guacamole didnt disappoint and went interestingly well with the Nachos. Another favourite here…
We accompanied our dinner with a couple of drinks…
Cocktails at Elvez PhiladelphiaSangria at Elvez Philadelphia
In our next post, we will give the details of the heritage trails (independence Hall, liberty bell, betsy ross house)
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To learn more about the history of USA, look no further than a visit to Colonial Williamsburg.
Kate and I looked upon this trip with much anticipation because we were told that this is a town re-constructed to be like that during Colonial times. We were also told that not only the structures were colonial, even the actors in Colonial Williamsburg dressed as a person during those times. So we were fascinated to just take a step back in time and history into Colonial times through Colonial Williamsburg. Actually, towns like these pretty much reminded us about the Village by M Night Shyamalan. Cool!
We parked our car at the designated car park and bought our tickets at the ticketing counter. At the entrance, there was a huge 3-D map of the entire Colonial Williamsburg!
3D Map of Colonial Williamsburg
Pictures of what you would be expecting at Colonial Williamsburg.
Collage of scenes at Colonial Williamsburg
As we proceeded to the town, there were little milestones on the floor that leads you into thinking that you have been magically transported back in time….
Away from 21st Century…
Famous Quotes of USA Nation Makers along the way
J F Kennedy “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”Rosa Parks Colonial WilliamsburgHenry Ford Colonial WilliamsburgThomas Edison Colonial WilliamsburgAbraham Lincoln Colonial Williamsburg
After a short walk, we “magically” arrived at Colonial Williamsburg
Pathway to the townTowards The Town Hall in Colonial WilliamsburgAuthentic Horse-drawn Carriage Colonial Williamsburg
We first took a short visit to the armoury to see all the weapons stored there. The armskote was telling a story about how they prepared themselves for the battle. It really sounded as if you were right there getting ready for the revolution!
Armskote telling stories at the Armoury
We took out the programme sheet and headed for the first “show”
Programme sheet at Colonial Williamsburg
It was very exciting to be part of the show! The actors addressed all the audience as if they were villagers during the colonial times…
Addressing the “Villagers” at Colonial WilliamsburgArrival with music at Colonial Williamsburg
When the “traitor” spoke, actors that were planted in the audience jeered and all the audience jeered along as well!
Jeering at the “Traitor” at Colonial Williamsburg
A pastor sharing during the Colonial times and the imminent battle…
Pastor from Colonial TimesAnnouncing the arrival of the Hero!
And the Hero is none other than General George Washington himself
General George Washington addressing the Villagers at Colonial Williamsburg
After all that drama and fantastic show put up by the actors of Colonial Williamsburg (really inspiring speech from Washington), we headed to the “local bakery”!
Products at the local bakery @ Colonial WilliamsburgTouch screen cashier at the bakery
As it was right after the show, everyone headed out for lunch. Good thing Kate and I targetted the bakery early and we arrived amongst the first at the queue (sigh…kiasu Singaporean nature). Here, we enjoyed the chocolate chip cookie, ginger bread as well as the root beer!
But Kate forgot to ask to open the root beer, so we had to queue again to get it opened….ahh…thirst quencher…
Thereafter, we took a short walk around the rest of the area. There are buses that take you from one place to another, but you can also choose to walk. We also realised that there are lodges where you can totally immerse yourself in colonial history!
High class eating places at the Market Square of Colonial WilliamsburgA Church in Colonial Williamsburg
All in all, we totally enjoyed ourselves. The actors immersed in their roles and that brought the characters to life, bringing/ transporting the audience back in time!
P.S. We visited Philadelphia later and learnt that the declaration of independence was actually completed on 2 July! There were things such as the abolishment of slavery and tyranny of the king included in the first draft, therefore it took 2 more days for refinement. Hence, the 4th of July. Picked this piece of information from the tour guide at the independence hall! Interesting!
P.S.S After we returned the car this particular weekend, we had a bad encounter at the 7-11. We were told by the cashier that 2 hotdogs were on offer at $2.50 but when she keyed into the cashier, we were charged $2.50 per hot dog! Sigh…so we piled on the cheese, radish and onions to make our hotdogs more hua…
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