Where to Eat
- Geno’s Steaks
For an authentic Philly Cheesestake, you have to go Geno’s. You honestly feel like you’re in inner-city Philly, (probably because you are). Across the street there are basketball courts, and a park. It’s fun to see the families and the NFL Eagles jersey’s everywhere. On top of that, the food is delicious. An authentic Philly Cheesestake comes with cheese out of a can (they call it “wiz). Kay and I opted for a Mushroom Cheesestake with Provolone which we split.
You gotta eat here for the real experience!
2. The Reading Terminal
Mikayla and I have been to a lot of food halls and markets in our day, but the Reading Terminal in Philly has been by far our favourite. Authentic Amish food, donuts, and much much more is easy to be found. We found a store that had flavored balsamic vineagers to taste. (The Coconut and the white raspberry were the best). The store is called the Tubby Olive. You should go there.
The market is also extremely cheap. We got a 2 lbs pack of strawberries for $2!!
Other places you should go is the Donut shop called Beilers Donuts. It’s an Amish bakery. The donuts are absolutely smacktacular and very fairly priced for the quality. (A half dozen is $6.50 with tax).
Our favorites were the Key Lime Pie, and the Blueberry Fritter.
The Pennsylvania Dutch Restaurant is phenomenal as well. We recommend the Grilled Reuben!
Things to Do
Rocky Steps
The Movie Rocky is probably the most famous boxing moving of all time. Not to mention the bajillion sequels. The movie is set in Philadelphia, and in one scene when Rocky is training for his next match he runs up the steps of the art museum and dances to this song. We ran up to the top playing it on our phones.
WARNING: There are men at the top who will try to take your picture and then ask for money. Best to just stop them up front. They will ask where you are from, and shake your hand and ask if they can take your picture. They say they are homeless, and I’m all for a man trying to work for a wage, but you should be aware of it before you go up there. You do you!
Independence Hall
This is where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed. It’s an incredibly moving experience. As our tour guide said, “What draws people to this place is not the architecture, it’s the call for freedom that brings people from all the world to this place.”
The United States has one of the longest standing governments in the world. I cannot recommend this place enough.
The tickets are free, but they’re typically all gone by 11 AM. You need to show up ASAP to get tickets for the afternoon tours. Total experience is about 1 hour.
Liberty Bell
Free experience. Like Independence Hall you’ll have to go through security. If you like the movie National Treasure, it’s cool to see. Pretty basic.
The Philadelphia Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
This structure is a very beautiful holy structure for the Church of Jesus Christ. Located on the corner, it represents God’s presence on earth. You can learn more about the 150+ temples across the world here: