Elfreth's Alley Museum — Attraction in Philadelphia

It was a perfect “about to rain” morning in Philly, which added to the ambience of walking through this quaint, 300 year old street. The 32 homes are occupied. But there was one for auction.

During the 18th century, businesses operated out of their private residences. But as factories sprung up, work moved out of their houses. But this street was preserved with all the architectural details, flower boxes, shutters, and cobblestone.

There’s a museum that offers tours and a gift shop. They operate out of original homes. Check the website for times. They also offer an audio tour.

Residents celebrate the season on the first Saturday of December with carolers, baked goods, and cider, allowing visitors into their festively-decorated homes. They also open their homes on Fête Day in June.

Since this is a residential neighborhood, they request visitors to be quiet.

It’s walking distance from Penn’s Landing. So we took the SEPTA train to Old City and walked to Penn’s Landing to take pictures by the water. Then we found a small deli/coffee shop at the Waterfront for breakfast. From there, we walked to Elfreth’s Alley.

If you enjoy historic landmarks, then this is a must-see...

One of the quaintest streets you'll ever see, this historical block is preserved practically the way it was almost three centuries ago, when it became the nation's first residential street.

Now, if you visit this free attraction, you will see tourists enjoying the quaint and photogenic surroundings. I visited today and saw several photoshoots going on at once, whether it's selfies, a family group shot, or an aspiring fashion model, the setting simply begs for photography.

and the cool thing is, this isn't a theme park or Museum. This is a real street, with real residents.

Give it a visit when you come to Philadelphia, or if you live here and you haven't been, make a point of stopping by. There's no way you won't be affected positively by this driving bit of historical Americana.

And the best thing is, you are in Old City, just a block or two away from tons of excellent restaurants and bars. So, don't miss out on one of the places that makes Philadelphia such a special...

Practical note first up - There's an historical alley, which is a public space and still used as a narrow roadway of houses (this is free to visit at any time of the day or night), and then there's a museum, which is a specific building in the alley which has opening and closing hours (this has a small fee to visit within its opening hours). For some reason there is only one listing here on Google Maps and trying to add the ALLEY separate from the MUSEUM is not allowed. I think this is silly and confusing but there it is. They are separate entities but are not listed separately here for some unknown reason.

So, this is a review of the ALLEY since I did not pay to visit the MUSEUM. It's absolutely beautiful and very interesting; definitely make some time to walk down here and admire the architecture and the beautifully kept homes, but keep in mind it's a short residential street. You do not need an hour for your visit (unless you also want to visit...