This past weekend we ventured to the City of Brotherly Love and indulged in all of the foods, American history, and fun we could find. It's close enough to NYC that I think it's totally doable in one day, and perfect for going in January-February because it's less crowded and certain things are free (Independence Hall)! While I would love to go back when it's full of spring blooms and sunnier weather, I can't say I'd enjoy the crowds that come with it. If you're looking to go sometime soon, here's a quick guide to what we did in 25 hours!
Day 1: Arrive around 1pm because you slept in then wanted NYC bagels so you didn't leave until much later than you wanted.
- Venture to Old City for lunch and to kill time before checking into the hotel. We ate at High Street on Market, and it was well-worth the hype! I had one of the best kale salads of my life. Also make sure to get something on the menu that has bread in it. Their bakery is amazing!
- Explore the ghost structure house of Benjamin Franklin, and the Carpenters Hall nearby.
- Check into hotel (3-4pm). We usually like to do Airbnb but this time we had planned it last minute so opted for a hotel.
- Head to the Liberty Bell (but hurry because it closes earlier on weekends!)
- Shop around/eat dinner in Old City again or head to Rittenhouse Square. There are a ton of shops here so we hit up some good sales. We tried to eat at the British restaurant The Dandelion but it was completely booked and I was getting hangry. The exterior looked so unique though and there were a ton of people waiting outside. I hope to try it next time we are there!
- At this point all I could think about were dumplings so we cabbed it to Chinatown and ended up eating at Spice C Noodle. We both got dumplings and soup with the homemade noodles and it was perfectly satisfying after a long afternoon walking in the cold. While not the best noodle soup I have ever had, it was still extremely fresh and the broth was very flavorful.
- We then headed back to the hotel for drinks because we were freezing! But some cool bars I had read about include Graffiti Bar and Sassafras.
Day 2: Sleep in, eat the free hotel breakfast or check out Federal Donuts which is where I actually wanted to go.
- Walk over to Independence Hall and sign up for the tour. Afterwards, check out Washington Square Park, a memorial to George Washington and American Revolutionary soldiers.
- Get coffee at Menagerie Coffee to keep warm, and then spend 20 minutes editing and trying to decide which photo of your coffee to Instagram.
- When you're ready, walk a few blocks to Reading Terminal Market. I tried the Philly Cheesesteak from Carmen's and then we got loaded chocolate chip and Reese's pieces cookies at Pennsylvania General Store. The entire food court has a lot to browse and unique eats to check out. It kind of reminded me of NYC's Chelsea Market.
- At this point it started snowing so we headed back to NYC around 2pm!
