JamieBLT

How do you see some of the Nation’s most historic places for cheap in one day? You travel in the dead of Winter of course!  Philly is a wonderful city with boundless points of interest and things to do. One day in Philly is not nearly enough to experience all that this amazing city has to offer. But hey, if the opportunity presents itself, one day is better than nothing!

We centered our sight-seeing in Old City Philadelphia, our Nation’s most historic square mile. Here you can find some of Philadelphia’s most famous attractions such as the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, The National Constitution Center, and Christ Church Burial Ground. The best thing about traveling in the Winter? There were no crowds to compete with, and many places were offering Winter deals on prices.

My trip to Philly cannot begin without first getting a REAL Philly Cheese Steak so our first stop was Reading Terminal Market, one of the oldest and largest enclosed public markets in the U.S.

We didn’t intend to spend a lot of time here, but this place offers so much to see and eat, so we hung out there for a while! Plus it was indoors and warm 🙂 .

Being one of the biggest history nerds out there, I was not going to leave Philly without seeing the Liberty Bell. I think the Winter time is the way to go when visiting the Liberty Bell because we got to enjoy the exhibits, the docents, and the Bell for as long as we wanted and again we did not have to be lost in a huge crowd.

Did  you know that Philadelphia was once the capital of the United States at one point? Right next door to the Liberty Bell is the “President’s House” which served as the White House while Philly was the capital of The U.S. from 1790 – 1800.

Located about a ten minute walk from The President’s House and the Liberty Bell is Christ Church Burial Ground. This is the final resting place of some of Philadelphia’s most notable residents, the most famous being Benjamin Franklin!

 We spent a good portion of our day getting lost in learning and exploring the Constitution at The National Constitution Center. I highly recommend visiting this place! It’s a history lovers dream, but even if you’re not really into history there are loads of hands on activities, interactive exhibits, and live performances to inspire and entertain you. We took advantage of the Winter Special ! Admission was only $10. They do not allow any photos to be taken until the very end so you will just have to go and experience this amazingness for yourself!

As the day began winding down, we fit in one more sight before we went on our way to eat, then catch the bus back to Manhattan.

Elfreth’s Alley was on the way so we stopped to view the Nation’s oldest residential street which dates back to 1702. The homes are absolutely beautiful from the outside. The holidays are the best time to visit as the residents decorate and open their historic homes for visitors to view.

There is so much more I want to see so a return trip to Philly is in order! Next on the list are Betsy Ross’ House, the Rocky Statue and steps, 3rd Street Corridor, and Eastern State Penitentiary.

Do you have any recommendations on what to see in Philly next?