Fun Freebies in Center City Philadelphia

I have spent a good amount of time wandering around Center City Philadelphia over the years and I’ve discovered you don’t need to do much planning to take a trip there. It can be enough to just show up and walk around on a beautiful day. Maybe you want to visit a specific museum but have extra time and would like to get the jist of the city. I am happy to share my secrets to give you a trip with maximum impact! I love how many fun, free things you can find. We recently visited the Eastern State Penitentiary near the Art Museum, and then spent a few hours walking around near City Hall. The following are some of my favorite ideas you should be sure not to miss:

• Walk BEHIND the Art Museum – A park, benches, and picnic tables near the waterfront make a wonderful place to stop and eat a packed lunch. The Fairmount Waterworks architecture, vestiges of the 1812 pump house which provided Philadelphians with fresh, clean water which was a major milestone at the time, along with Boathouse Row make for interesting scenery. Perhaps you will catch a glimpse of a rowing team making their way down the Schuylkill River.
• Philadelphia Museum of Art exterior – Don’t forget to be like Rocky and run the steps to the top with a fist pump for a fun photo opp. If you don’t mind waiting in line, you can grab a photo with the Rocky Statue.
• Rodin Museum – “Pay what you will” to tour the quick and simple museum of bronze statues by Auguste Rodin. The gardens are free to tour and make a lovely respite. Check them out at https://rodinmuseum.org/.
• A walk down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway – Spanning from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to City Hall, this carefully planned boulevard was completed in 1937 after nearly half a century since it was conceived. Plenty of grandiose architecture lines its path including art and history museums, libraries, churches, and civic buildings. Take time to learn about each one. Lovely fountains, children’s gardens, and cafes beckon you to linger and rest along the way. My family loves looking at the flags from many countries around the world that line the Parkway.
• Rittenhouse Square – Although a bit off the beaten path, I particularly enjoy this pristine, picturesque downtown green space surrounded by distinguished architecture. I love walking or running through or pausing for quiet reflection.
• Four Seasons Hotel and Comcast Building complex – Currently the tallest building in Philadelphia (and Pennsylvania for that matter), you absolutely must visit this one! On the hotel side off 19^th St. and Arch St., you will notice fancy cars and well-dressed bell hops at the entrance. Don’t be intimidated, the public is welcome to come into the lobby and go around to the right to find the elevators. Get ready to hold onto your hat—for a breathtaking ride up 63 flights in 63 seconds in a glass elevator!!  You will step out into the lobby of the JG Skyhigh bar/restaurant. A beautiful expansive window allows for fabulous views of Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. Walk around to other windows for other directions of the city and even into the bar. My kids enjoyed the delicious free “fancy water” in the water coolers, perfect for a hot day.
• The Universal Sphere – Then, go around back of the Four Seasons/Comcast building – Off 18^th St. and Arch St., go into this entrance where you will see scrolling ticker tape lining the ceiling like wallpaper. The large lobby offers a quiet break from the city heat. Go upstairs to find an upscale lobby café. The most entertaining portion of this side of the building is the Universal Sphere, a giant spherical immersive theater created by Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks, Universal Parks, and Comcast. Completely free, you just speak with one of the hosts to reserve a time slot or do it online at https://comcastcentercampus.com/universal-sphere/. The show is less than 15 minutes long. Like an I-max theater, the experience explores the power of ideas in an eye-popping and mesmerizing way. Kids will love it!
• Comcast Center Lobby – Make sure you also walk across the street next to the Arch Street Presbyterian Church and walk through the glass enclosed lobby of the Comcast Center. Life sized statues of people of all ages and genders walk crisscross overhead and the giant television screen periodically plays a short feature. Somewhere in the Comcast complex is the Concourse, an indoors food court if you need a broad selection for lunch, although I’ve never been in it.
• The LOVE park – You can’t miss a photo with the iconic Love statue, not to mention fun, free outdoor games and lounging spots. 
• City Hall – Spend some time walking around this enormous and intricate center of the city building. Literally the center with all roads encircling and radiating out included the Parkway and Broad Street, there is an exciting fountain park in front which can be fun for kids to play in. Certain times of the year there are temporary attractions such as a rollerskating rink! Tall skyscrapers abound comingled with elaborate 19^th century architecture reminiscent of ancient Greece. Just examining City Hall closely offers many curious discoveries. Make sure you walk into the center of the building with its outdoor courtyard, and the underpasses which contain fascinating sculptures built into the columns. Notice the Masonic Temple along Broad St. and the JFK Blvd. If you have time, I highly recommend taking a tour of this building (low admission fee). It probably has the most elaborate and varied interior design of any building in the United States. Even my one teenage daughter who normally hates history tours enjoyed this one! Visit www.pamasonictemple.org to learn more.
• Chinatown – If you still have energy after all this walking, you can browse through Chinatown for a different cultural experience. Besides amazing food, it is fun to peek into the restaurant windows and see ducks hanging in the windows or live crabs snapping in baskets at the markets. Don’t miss the iconic Friendship Arch at 10^th St. and Arch St.
• Reading Terminal Market – If you are hungry, this famous food court has everything you might imagine from deli foods, classic comforts, to every imaginable ethnic cuisine in addition to a traditional market.

Of course, if you are really in shape, you can walk just another 5 blocks and there is an entire plethora of other things to do in Old City, and then a little further would be Penn’s Landing and Society Hill.  Check out this post for more fun, free things to do there. https://www.daytrippermom.com/historic-philadelphia-30-places-to-visit-for-free/

Special Note:

Parking is pretty easy now with many lots around the area. Most of them accept the ParkMobile App which makes it super convenient to pay for and keep current especially when you are not sure how long you will take. For this specific tour, I parked close to the Eastern State Penitentiary. You can always relocate to another one if you don’t want to do so much walking. Just look on your phone’s maps to find lots.