A Slower Pace of Travel To & Around Philadelphia

We boarded our Amtrak train near my mom’s home. Luckily, there was a stop nearby, and we didn’t need to travel into Chicago. Even though we were traveling overnight, we chose to be in coach and not get a roomette. The seats had a generous amount of space as well as a reclining option, a leg rest, and charging ports for our phones. In the morning, we went to the café car and got some coffee and breakfast. Our route took us to Washington, D.C. where we had a few hours at Union Station. We went to a nearby coffee shop, were able to get some views of the Capitol Building, and ate lunch inside Union Station. While waiting to board the next leg into Philadelphia, we relaxed in the Amtrak Lounge until our train number was called.

Ready to depart on our Amtrak train

One of the benefits of taking an Amtrak train is that the stations are often in the cities. Philadelphia was no different. Philadelphia is a highly walkable and easy-to-navigate city. Staying in the city center made transportation and sightseeing convenient. There are many options for getting around in Philly—subway, bus, taxi or Uber, and walking. We chose taxis and Ubers and walking.

Viewing Independence Hall from the lawn outside the National Constitution Center

Philadelphia’s city center has many hotels to choose from. We stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Center City, where our room included two comfortable queen beds, a daily breakfast buffet, and a corner view of Broad Street and numerous theaters. At arrival, we were welcomed with two bottles of water and warm cookies.

The Liberty Bell wasn’t quite as big as I thought it would be.

There were numerous restaurants near the DoubleTree with a variety of cuisines to choose from. Because of timing and being tired, we chose to eat at the Standing O restaurant inside the hotel two of the nights. It offered a variety of shareables, entrees, sandwiches, and salads. We planned on our last night to eat somewhere off property — McGillin’s Olde Ale House was about a 5-minute walk with pub-style food. We chose McGillin’s because it was fairly close and is the oldest continually operating pub in the city.

We had dinner here, at the oldest continuously operating pub in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia is a destination for history buffs, couples, families, and groups. Having two full days for us to explore was enough, but you could easily spend just a day or extend it to three or four days. With a focus on the history surrounding the founding of the United States, spending a good part of a day at the Independence Visitor Center, National Constitution Center, Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall was perfect. We also took the hop-on hop-off bus tour so that we could hear about the different parts and history of Philly, but it also allowed us to see more of the city in a shorter amount of time.

The Assembly Room where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated

When taking an Amtrak train overnight, you might consider getting a roomette. You will have a little more privacy and can lie down. We didn’t mind being in coach seats as there were quiet hours, and we brought a sleeping mask and earplugs. In Philadelphia, I recommend stopping at the Independence Visitor Center before starting to explore the historical sites. On the day we visited, they offered discounts based on attraction combination and number. They also were very informative with suggestions based on how much time we had in the area. Independence Hall is virtually free (just a $1 service fee), although you need to obtain tickets via the National Park Service’s Independence Hall website.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Philadelphia page.