Philadelphia City Hall Visit Review

My first stop in Philadelphia was City Hall—it’s rich in history, and its architecture is absolutely photogenic. Definitely worth a visit! 📸 My itinerary was pretty casual, and I wasn’t doing a "special forces-style" rush. If you only have one day for a City Walk, you might not have time for an interior tour. But if you’re staying in Philadelphia for more days, this guide could be useful! 📍 Address: 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia 🛣️ Transportation Both subways 🚇 and buses 🚌 stop directly here—just search for "City Hall" on Google Maps. If you’ve booked tickets 🎫 in advance, you first need to confirm your reservation at the City Hall Visitor Center, located at the entrance on the east side of Market Street. 🎫 Tickets Exterior Visit: Free of charge. Perfect for a quick photo op or a casual stroll around the building. Tower Top Access: $16 per adult (students get a discount at $10). According to the visitor center staff, you’ll line up on the 7th floor, then take a dedicated elevator in groups to the top. Combination Tour (Exterior + Interior + Tower Top): English guided tours run at 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM. The tour covers the building’s exterior, office areas, the Council Chamber, and a trip to the 7th-floor tower top. The view from the top is amazing, though it feels a bit high (and slightly scary for those afraid of heights)! 😱 The tour lasts about 2 hours, and the guide is very detailed—just a heads-up, their speaking speed is a bit fast (it felt like doing a listening exercise! 🎧). Price: $33 per adult (students pay $30). ⚠️ Note: The elevator to the tower top is very small, so it limits the number of people per trip—waiting in line can be slow. Also, the daily number of tower top access spots is limited. It’s best to book 1-2 days in advance—we went on the same day we planned and found there were no spots left! Nearby Restaurants Reading Terminal Market The cheesesteak here is delicious! 🥩 There are also lots of other tasty options—we tried a fresh juice shop where they make fresh fruit and vegetable juices. It was super refreshing and helped cut through the richness of the cheesesteak! 🥤 Chili's Address: 1239 Filbert St, Philadelphia, PA It’s a chain restaurant on the road from the courthouse to Reading Terminal Market. The server recommended two dishes, and neither was a letdown—solid flavor overall! 👍 Pho Street Address: 1230 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA A great Vietnamese pho spot! The portions are huge—way more soup and meat than the pho places near our school. We ordered a $14 pho, which came with over 20 slices of 3 different meats—I was stuffed after eating it! 😋 The restaurant is spacious, and their spring rolls are fresh and tasty too. 🛍️ Shopping 📍 Walnut Street It’s a great place for shopping, with brands like Lululemon, New Balance (NB), BDG, and Brandy Melville (BM)—you can take your time browsing! 🛒 Random Thought Does anyone know how to get good lighting when taking photos with the Fujifilm EVO? 📸 Still figuring this out! #Philadelphia #USATravel #PhiladelphiaFood #InternationalStudentsUSA #TravelBlog #PhiladelphiaTravelGuide #PhiladelphiaCityHall #FujifilmEVO