Philadelphia Official Visitors Guide - Spring/Summer 2024
VISITOR BASICS/ TRANSPORTATION (PHILADELPHIA 101)
2024-03-15 11:12:23
Start at one of Philadelphia’s official visitor centers to discover all there is to see and do throughout the region.
INDEPENDENCE VISITOR CENTER
599 Market Street | Located in Independence National Historical Park
At the Greater Philadelphia official visitor center, multilingual staff provide free trip-planning advice, ticket purchases for over 100 tours, and souvenirs from the official gift shop. Free amenities include immersive theater experiences, regional maps, accessible restrooms, and Wi-Fi. PHLvisitorcenter.com | 800-537-7676
CITY HALL VISITOR CENTER
1 South Penn Square, Room 121 | Located in Philadelphia City Hall
The City Hall Visitor Center, located in the East Portal of the iconic building, provides free visitor resources, including maps and brochures. Purchase tickets for City Hall tours, exploring both the interior and the highest open-air observation deck in the city. PHLvisitorcenter.com/cityhall
LOVE PARK VISITOR CENTER
1569 JFK Boulevard | Located in LOVE Park
LOVE Park Visitor Center is a standalone kiosk adjacent to the historic Welcome Center building. Services offered include visitor information, tickets for local attractions and museums, and gift-shop merchandise. PHLvisitorcenter.com/lovepark | 215-344-8544
PARKWAY VISITOR CENTER OUTPOST
2501 Benjamin Franklin Parkway | Located at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Parkway Outpost on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway brings visitor resources and retail to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Outpost provides visitor information and services, sells tickets to major city attractions, and serves as a hub for the seasonal PHLASH® Downtown Loop service. PHLvisitorcenter.com/parkway | 267-514-4762
LOCAL RESOURCES
Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau discoverPHL.com | 215-636-3300
Philly 3-1-1 phila.gov/311 | Dial 311 inside city limits or 215-686-8686 if outside the city for directory assistance.
Visit Philadelphia | visitphilly.com
Philly Fun Guide | phillyfunguide.com
Pennsylvania Convention Center paconvention.com | 215-418-4700
TRANSPORTATION
It is easy to get to — and get around — Philadelphia!
FROM THE AIRPORT:
SEPTA’s Airport Line leaves every 30 minutes, and a one-way fare is $6.75. To drive into Center City, take a 25-minute taxi ride, with a flat rate of $32 or use a ride-sharing service.
PARKING:
There are more than 180 parking lots and garages, plus metered street parking (read signs carefully for parking hours), in Center City. Visitors can pay for metered parking using a variety of payment methods (including credit cards) at one of the green kiosks. Some parking zones are supported by the ParkMobile app (available for Android and iOS), and the meterUP app, which allows paying for and extending parking time via a mobile device. For a parking locator, visit philapark.org.
PHILLY PHLASH®:
The Philly PHLASH® Downtown Loop is a visitor-friendly public-transit option. It provides convenient and affordable service to stops near popular tourist destinations and top holiday attractions throughout the city. With seasonal service, the PHLASH® makes it easy for visitors to navigate the city for only $2 per ride or $5 per day.
For more transportation tips and tricks, visit discoverPHL.com/plan-your-trip.
AMTRAK
Enjoy the convenience of traveling to Philadelphia via Amtrak. Skip the traffic and take advantage of downtown-to-downtown service from Philadelphia to all major cities throughout the Northeast Corridor on the Northeast Regional and Acela trains. Amtrak also offers service throughout the state of Pennsylvania on the Keystone and Pennsylvanian routes. You’ll arrive in the middle of the action, at the historic 30th Street Station, just a short walk from Center City.
SEPTA
Hop on a SEPTA bus, subway, trolley, or train for easy access to top attractions throughout the city. Visitors can also travel to and from Philadelphia’s Countryside via SEPTA Regional Rail out of 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, or Jefferson Station. SEPTA provides updated information on Regional Rail schedules and fares on their website. View a full list of public-transit stations, routes, and fares at septa.org/welcome.
ACCESSIBLE PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia offers accessible choices, allowing every traveler to savor the city’s unique flavors and history.
GETTING AROUND
The SEPTA public-transportation system ensures inclusivity by equipping all buses with lifts or ramps, accommodating service animals, and offering resources like text readers and Braille on fare kiosks. It also offers many accessible stations for rail, subway, trolley, and bus services, with a complete list available on septa.org/accessibility.
All buses on the seasonal Philly PHLASH® loop are wheelchair and stroller accessible.
All taxi dispatchers in Philadelphia accommodate requests for wheelchair-accessible vehicles and collaborate with other dispatchers for service calls. The 215 Get A Cab mobile app allows users to set a default preference that ensures every requested ride is in a wheelchair-accessible cab.
Explore Philadelphia with ease by renting scooters, standard wheelchairs, or powered wheelchairs through Scootaround. Everything is arranged with visitors beforehand, with equipment ready to go at the hotel upon arrival.
ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES & ORGANIZATIONS
The city’s Office for People with Disabilities works to make Philadelphia a more accessible and inclusive place for individuals with disabilities. For further information on city services and ADA compliance, call 215-686-2798 or visit phila.gov/departments/mayors-office-for-people-with-disabilities.
Philly Touch Tours provides immersive and inclusive experiences for individuals with visual impairments. Specialized touch tours offer a unique opportunity to engage with Philadelphia’s cultural and historical attractions.
Get information on Philadelphia’s accessible attractions, hotels, and other resources
LANGUAGE TRANSLATION
The following language services are available for business travelers:
Cetra Language Solutions cetra.com | 215-635-7090
Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre, Inc. dhcc.org | 610-604-0450
Global Arena globalarena.com | 215-735-1055
International Simultaneous Interpreters inter-pret.org | 813-765-1971
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