East Coast 10-Day Trip – Stop 2: Philadelphia

Philadelphia was the most tangled stop of our trip: In terms of significance, how could we skip the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed? But in terms of size, it barely seemed to justify more than a day’s itinerary. However, my husband is a total history buff, so this stop ultimately became a non-negotiable must 📜! Independence Hall tickets are insanely during summer peak season—word on the street is you need to book at least a week in advance. Just as we were about to throw in the towel in disappointment, we stumbled on a lifesaver on the official website: no-reservation walk-in entry is available between 9 AM and 10 AM! We immediately canceled our train tickets and scrambled to book an early-morning bus instead (last-minute train fares were absurdly expensive 😱). Finally, we made it to Philadelphia around 8:30 AM—cutting it close, but we made it! Philadelphia has such a unique vibe—it’s “old” in the most unapologetic way: thick historical charm mixed with a hint of shabbiness, a faint whiff of marijuana drifting down the streets, and you’ve gotta stay hyper-alert while walking. My kid stared at the peeling buildings on the sidewalk and deadpanned: “Philadelphia is just a ‘worn-out city,’ right?” 😂 (To be fair, it’s way more charming than “worn-out”—but kid logic is hard to argue with!) We squeezed into Independence Hall just in time, and the guide was so passionate—he told the whole story of the Declaration of Independence with so much fire, and even took time to answer every random question from the crowd. That pride for their country’s history was so contagious; you could feel it even from the back of the room 🇺🇸. The Old City is stuffed with hidden gems: the building on the back of the $100 bill (we definitely pulled one out for a photo 💵), the Liberty Bell (iconic, even if the line was a little long 🗽), America’s First Bank, and City Hall… As we wandered, I suddenly got why moving the capital was such a smart call—leaving all these era-defining spots intact turns the whole neighborhood into a living, breathing museum. So cool! We had a little time left in the afternoon, so we detoured to UPenn. My niece, who graduated from there, gave us a pro tip list: hit up the Penn Museum to see the Six Horses of Zhao Mausoleum (those ancient sculptures are stunning 🐎), track down Lin Huiyin’s former residence (now a cozy used bookstore 📚), and obviously, snap a pic at Wharton School. Staring at that building, I suddenly flashbacked to my college days—my teacher once said, “This is a classic Wharton case study; the school paid a fortune for it, so you better take this seriously!” 😂 TIPS: Philadelphia is made for a one-day trip! The train station has super handy luggage storage (total game-changer if you’re traveling by train round trip 🚆). But since we took the bus, we hunted everywhere for a place to stash our bags and came up empty—dragging suitcases around while sightseeing was such a hassle. Do yourself a favor and avoid that if you can! 🧳 #Philadelphia