Philadelphia travel guide
Philadelphia Tourism | Philadelphia Guide
You're Going to Love Philadelphia
With a population of 1.53 million, Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania, United States by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 8 days in order to fully appreciate everything Philadelphia has to offer.
Where to Eat in Philadelphia
Center City is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Philadelphia. These include popular favourites such as Bistro Romano (120 Lombard Street), Pumpkin BYOB (1713 South Street) and Bellini (220 South 16th Street). If you’re looking for affordable options, Zahav (237 Saint James Place) and Sampan - Philadelphia (124 South 13th Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Cheu Fishtown & Nunu (1416 Frankford Ave) and Blondie (4417 Main St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Philadelphia.
When to visit Philadelphia
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Philadelphia in July, when the average temperature is 26 °C, and the highest can go up to 31 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as -4 °C, with an average temperature of 1 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 112 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Philadelphia, with an average rainfall of 69 mm.
How to Get to Philadelphia
Plane
When flying to Philadelphia, you’ll arrive at Philadelphia Airport (PHL), which is located 7 miles from the city centre. The shortest flight to Philadelphia from the United Arab Emirates departs from Abu Dhabi and takes around 16h 45m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Philadelphia. The train journey from Philadelphia to Newark takes 0h 34m and costs around AED 18 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New Brunswick, expect to pay about AED 18 for a 0h 52m trip. Located 1.5 miles from the city centre, Philadelphia 30th Street Station is the busiest station in Philadelphia. Another popular train station is Philadelphia North, located 3 miles from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to Philadelphia is to pick up a car hire from New York, which is about 83 miles from Philadelphia. You’ll find branches of Budget and Dollar, among others, in New York.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Philadelphia, including Megabus, FlixBus and Bus. From New York, the bus ride to Philadelphia takes 95 miles and will cost you around AED 59. From Silver Spring, the ticket costs about AED 37 for a journey of 170 miles. The most popular bus station is Philadelphia Independence Hall Visitors Ctr - 601 Market St, located 0.3 miles from the city centre of Philadelphia. Philadelphia Jfk & Broad is also a commonly used station, and is 0.5 miles from the city centre.
Airlines serving Philadelphia
Where to stay in Philadelphia
From 5-star hotels such as the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center to great affordable options like the Morris House Hotel, Philadelphia offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around AED 722 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to AED 1,307 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Philadelphia Downtown/Center City and Apple Hostels of Philadelphia. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Philadelphia, with prices from AED 305 to AED 2,979 per night. Center City is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Philadelphia are about 15% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Center City - In Philadelphia’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Lokal Hotel Old City, The Rittenhouse Hotel and La Reserve Bed And Breakfast.
West Philadelphia - Here you’ll find travellers’ favourites such as The Gables B&B Philadelphia, The Study at University City and The Inn at Penn, a Hilton Hotel. The average nightly price for a double room in West Philadelphia is AED 348.
Southwest Philadelphia - Philadelphia Airport Marriott, Hampton Inn Philadelphia/Airport and Sonesta Select Philadelphia Airport have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Southwest Philadelphia will cost you about AED 457 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Philadelphia
Most booked hotels in Philadelphia
Hiring a car in Philadelphia
Hiring a car in Philadelphia costs AED 287 per day, on average, or AED 2,297 if you want to hire it for 8 days. Alamo, National and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Philadelphia is the Dollar branch at 1 Arrivals Road, which is 7 miles from the city centre.
Expect to pay AED 3.82 per litre in Philadelphia (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between AED 45.84 and AED 61.11. The most frequently booked car type in Philadelphia is Compact (Toyota RAV4 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Nissan Sentra or similar) is, on average, 54% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.
Best car hire deals in Philadelphia
Compact
4 Adults, 2 Bags
AED 193/day
Standard
5 Adults, 3 Bags
AED 194/day