From historic reenactments to the site of an important Revolutionary War battle to the oldest continuously inhabited street in Philadelphia, the city known as “America’s birthplace” has something for every history buff.
Start your day with a visit to the Museum of the American Revolution, for a primer on America’s beginnings and an overview of the historical sites located throughout the Philadelphia region. Then, make your way to nearby Independence National Historical Park – America’s most historic square mile – where you can see the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the President’s House Commemorative Site and the National Constitution Center.
Have lunch at City Tavern where costumed servers will bring you authentic Colonial dishes. Or, for an open-air tradition that spans more than 125 years, grab some fresh produce, bread and gourmet cheese at the Italian Market in South Philadelphia.
Listen to an informative talk by a historian at Christ Church and see where George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross worshipped. See the nation’s first post office and print shop at the Benjamin Franklin Museum and Franklin Court and then stroll Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest continuously inhabited street in America. Or delve deeper into the history of African American people at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, or explore the experience of Jewish people in America at the National Museum of American Jewish History.
Visit Fairmount Park and its 18th- and 19th-century mansions and then tour the mansions of historic Germantown. Explore the Johnson House Historic Site. Built in 1768, it was home to three generations of a Quaker family who worked with both European and African Americans to end slavery and improve living conditions for freed African Americans. It is also Philadelphia’s only accessible and intact stop on the Underground Railroad. See where the Battle of Germantown was fought during the American Revolution, where the first American edition of the Bible was published, and much more.
Have dinner in Chestnut Hill, a National Historic District north of Center City, where you’ll find more than 200 boutique shops, art galleries, antique stores, cozy cafes and fine restaurants.
Tour Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia’s famous prison-turned-museum that once held Al Capone and “Slick” Willie Sutton.
Try some fresh, local cuisine from some of the 80 merchants at Reading Terminal Market, an authentic 125-year-old farmers market in the heart of Center City.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at Independence Hall with an Independence After Hours tour.
MORE AMERICAN HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS:
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