Curator’s statement
My husband and I were looking for a quick one-night getaway, and Philly fit the bill perfectly. The city is super walkable and you can explore its many neighborhoods easily on foot. Rittenhouse Square provided us with the perfect home base to be able to check out some great bars and restaurants in the area.
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Day 1: See the highlights
Pat's Steaks: One of the most famous cheesesteak restaurants in the city
Arrive at your hotel. If your room isn't ready yet, have reception hold your bags for you so you can start exploring the city.
Come hungry for lunch and plan to walk to one of the recommended cheesesteak spots from your hotel. If you want to go old school, you can always check out Geno's or Pat's (probably the most popular cheesesteak restaurants in the city). Angelo's is a super popular third option that gets rave reviews for their cheesesteaks.
After lunch, continue your walk through Society Hill to check out the beautiful cobblestone streets and historic brownstones.
Continue your walk down to the Penn's Landing and check out the waterfront. There are a ton of food stands and bars where you can enjoy a snack, ice cream, or cold beverage right on the water.
After Penn's Landing, continue the walk back towards center city through Old City. This is where you will find the historic cobblestone streets, Independence Hall, and The Liberty Bell.
Arrive back at your hotel to relax before heading out for drinks and dinner.
Grab a pre-dinner drink at Monk's Cafe, a Belgian-style restaurant with some hard-to-find beers on tap. Grab a seat at the bar and make sure to ask the bartender for their top picks—they are super knowledgable and can guide you in choosing the type of beer you are looking for.
Head to dinner at Vernick Food & Drink, which was one of the best restaurants I have eaten at in a long time. Everything from the atmosphere to the service was top notch. We shared a bunch of plates, but I highly recommend the crab toast, beet salad, and lamb chops, which were cooked and seasoned perfectly.
Close out your day with a nightcap at the hotel bar. If staying at one of our recommended properties, make sure to use that $100 credit!
Day 2: Head home
If staying at one of our recommended properties, take advantage of the complimentary hotel breakfast.
Pack up and head home!
Need to know
If traveling with a dog, The Rittenhouse is dog friendly and will provide a complimentary dog bed. Our dog Mogul had the best time walking the city with us!
We didn't eat at Monk's Cafe, but the mussels and fries looked and smelled amazing!
Travel Advisor
Jen Disler
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