Where to explore during a quick over night stay in the city of brotherly love – Philadelphia.
We recently spent 24 hours in Philly for a Tyler Childers show at the Fillmore! Before and after the show we explored the historic district of downtown Philadelphia + the famous READING TERMINAL MARKET + CENTER CITY while grabbing some good food and beverages.
ARRIVAL FOR A NIGHT OUT IN PHILLY
By early afternoon we were checked in and exploring our FOUR POINTS SHERIDAN hotel room over the convention center.
The FOUR POINTS SHERIDAN is conveniently located on the corner of Race and 12th in downtown Center City. Within walking distance to prime Philly dining, event centers, and the Reading Terminal Market.
EXPLORING Center City DOWNTOWN PHILADELPHIA
Walking by city hall.
Before the doors opened at the Fillmore for the Tyler Childers show we explored Center City by walking the streets of down town Philadelphia.
Around every corner and down dark alleys you can find beauty and culture.
A drink at the “Good Dog” bar
The first establishment we stopped at was the Good Dog bar located on S. 15th street. Cute place with furry friend pictures on all the walls! And a wide selection of drinks!
From Good Dog we crossed the street to grab a Guinness at an irish pub!
Fado Irish Pub for Guinness and craft hard seltzers!
CHEESE DIP + WEDGES
After some delicious cheese wedge snacks we continued on down the streets of Philly …
Continuing to walk and take in all the intricate architecture the city buildings have to offer.
DINNER AT THE PROHIBITION TAP ROOM
This was the best food in town (in our opinion) and located close enough to the Fillmore that we could eat and enjoy cocktails while meeting up with friends before the show!
Hamburgers and Mac n Cheese ! YUM! Good eats before the show!
\ SHOWTIME AT THE FILLMORE /
– sold out TYLER CHILDERS show –
The eastern Kentucky native that is bringing country music back into the game. He is more of an Americana sound with bold lyrics about outdoor livin’ and lovin’. Opening for him that night was Liz Cooper & the Stampede.
The show was a blast, and the Fillmore was SOLD OUT. Great venue and the acoustics were fantastic!
Day 2
READING TERMINAL MARKET
The first thing we did after checking out of the hotel the next day was to explore while we still had time left on the parking lot meter.
The parking lot across the street from the hotel was perfect. We could see the vehicle from our room and the $$ meter was for 24 hours.
Checking out the The Reading Terminal Market was on our list of adventures.
The Reading Terminal Market has LITERALLY EVERYTHING you could need for food and drinks.
The building is a National Historic Landmark and offers a wide variety of locally grown produce, local meats and poultry, baked goods, cheeses, breads, confections, etc.
From breakfast wraps, home made donuts, pickles, fresh cut meat, poultry, fish, brews, etc. Plus the widest variety of restaurants under one roof!
One of the largest and oldest public market places!
Reading Terminal Market is within Center City, in close walking proximity to the FOUR POINTS Sheridan, convention center, and Independence Hall. In both days we didn’t feel the need to take a taxi, we enjoyed walking the streets and popping into the many shops and stores.
Enjoying coffee at the market after a night at the show.
Walking around the market is like being a kid in a candy store.
Actually… it is a candy store. and candle store. and FRESH meat market.
Lobster? oh yeah.
POUNDS of savory bacon ? Check.
Donuts? Fresh home made melt in your mouth. Do I have to say more?
Anything you could want food related or locally made goods was in this building!
Reading Terminal Market IS THE PLACE TO GO if you are around downtown Center City Philadelphia!
Through the Reading Terminal Market website you can browse their interactive map of all the different stores & ORDER GOODS ONLINE.
Pickle Patch located next to the most delicious hand made donuts!
Beeswax candles in all shapes and sizes for sale. I grabbed a couple for the house ! They smelled delightful.
We could have spent all day in the market! Exploring each row and taking in all the smells and goods. Among our travel through the reading terminal market we purchased fresh donuts for the dogs, donuts for us, multiple loaves of home made cinnamon raisin bread, and a quick french toast breakfast before heading out to wonder the streets.
We continued to the historic downtown section of Philadelphia. The area known as “Independence Square” that encompasses the liberty bell, Independence Hall and all the outbuildings associated; Congress Hall and Old City Hall.
LIBERTY BELL CENTER – NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
After a short walk through the security checkpoint we ventured through the history markers and publications of how the Liberty Bell was made, what it symbolized for multiple freedoms, and short videos until guided to the actual BELL!
LIBERTY BELL National Historical Park
It was incredible seeing the bell in real life. The crack and the old wood that it hangs from are centuries old and have been toured all over the country!
The two lines of text around the top of the bell include the inscription of liberty, and information about who ordered the bell (Pennsylvania Assembly) and why (to go in their State House):
Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof Lev. XXV X
By Order of the ASSEMBLY of the Province of PENSYLVANIA [sic] for the State House in Philada
The information on the face of the bell tells us who cast the bell (John Pass and John Stow), where (Philadelphia) and when (1753):
Pass and Stow
Philada
MDCCLIII
After the Liberty Bell, across the street we toured the outside of the historic “Independence Square”.
INDEPENDENCE National Historical Park
Entrance to Independence Hall is by timed entry ticket only from March through December. No tickets are necessary in January and February.
See the room where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution were both signed!
As we rounded the corner of Independence Hall across the street we came upon the historic place of B. Franklins grave marker.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN GRAVE
To round out the day and have a final beverage before heading back home, we stopped at 2nd Story Brewing (one of our favorites in the city).
A short half block away from Penn’s Landing is a great brewery!
2nd Story Brewery Co. has excellent food and even better beer! They had “glitter beer“…edible glitter in your beer.
From the 2nd Story Brewery Co we walked back through the cobble streets that Ben Franklin himself walked.
The U.S Post Office and a National Historic Site of Journalism – where the Declaration of Independence was first printed from the original document.
Till finally we got back to the parking lot for the journey home.
Additional Article on Philadelphia + other adventure locations:
