We got up early to catch the 7:30am FlixBus from Newark to Philadelphia. The train would’ve been a bit more comfortable, sure—but the price tag? Not so much. So FlixBus it was. A reasonably smooth ride, and we rolled into downtown at about 9:15am with a full day ahead of us.
First mission: breakfast. Oliver had meticulously planned the whole day months in advance, everything was “Germanly” mapped out. Our first stop was Sabrina’s Café in Franklintown, and what a great choice indeed! I went for the avocado toast, super tasty and just the right fuel for what was about to become a very walk-heavy day.
Next up was the famous Rocky Steps and the Rocky Statue. It was about a 20-minute walk from the breakfast restaurant and once we got there, it was clear that this was one of the most popular spots in the city. People were queuing to run up the steps. I did too. I hadn’t planned to run, but when I took the first steps my feet just kind of started running on their own. On the top was a statue of Rocky and when you turned around, you got a great view of Benjamin Franklin Parkway, lined with trees and flags from all over the world. Pretty cool, actually. On my way down Oliver took a photo of me with the Rocky statue in the background. There was an even longer line at the other statue at the bottom. Why were there two statues?
Benjamin Franklin Parkway ends at JFK Plaza, also known as LOVE Park. We walked over and, of course, snapped a photo of the iconic “LOVE” sculpture, one of those must-do things when you’re in Philly. From the park, you get a great view of Philadelphia City Hall, which is a seriously impressive building. It was actually the tallest building in the world when it was finished back in 1894. We had hoped to do a tour and check out the view from the top, but it was all sold out. Still, it was absolutely worth seeing just from the outside.
From Philadelphia City Hall, we kept walking through the city, eventually making our way to the Independence Visitor Center. A bathroom and coffee break felt pretty well-earned by then. After a short rest, we went to check out the Liberty Bell, but the line was insanely long, and none of us were in the mood to stand around waiting.
It was a lovely, sunny day, so we just kept going, wandering along cobblestone streets toward the waterfront and the New Jersey state line. That plan didn’t totally work out, though. Turns out a big chunk of the waterfront was blocked off for construction. Bit of a letdown, but hey, at least the weather was on our side.
At one point, we found ourselves wandering through some of the shopping streets, Chestnut Street, Walnut Street… even the names were charming. We weren’t really in the mood for actual shopping, but it was nice to just stroll and look at the houses for a bit. We also took a little break in a small park where we sat down in the sun. The flower beds had just been treated with fertilizer, so it smelled very much like spring, earthy and a bit funky, but kind of nice in its own way.
As we continued walking, we spotted some really cool mural art. I’ve done a bit of research since we got back, and it turns out Philadelphia is famous for its murals. Next time I’m there, I definitely want to do a proper mural arts tour.
Next, we wandered into the Reading Terminal Market, and wow, what an experience! The market was bustling with energy, filled with stalls offering everything from fresh meat and vegetables to baked goods. The aromas alone were enough to make us hungry, but we were saving ourselves for the main event: the Philly cheesesteak.
We felt like we needed a break, so we stopped for a beer at Iron Hill Brewery on Market Street. It had a nice, laid-back vibe, and we started with a flight to sample a few of their house brews. After some careful sipping, we each picked a favourite and settled in for a bit.
Later, we made our way to Taste Cheesesteak Bar on JFK Boulevard. They serve the best cheesesteak in all of Philadelphia (at least according to the staff 😃). It was my first time trying a cheesesteak, and I have to say, it was delicious, but enormous! By the time I reached the last few bites, I was sweating and I felt almost nauseous. Still, it was worth it for the authentic Philly experience.
One thing that really struck me about Philadelphia was how full of history it is, and how little I knew about it before going. I hadn’t done much homework, so I ended up learning a lot just by walking around. There’s something pretty special about being in the place where a country was actually founded.
Compared to New York, Philly had such a calm and spacious vibe. I love the buzz and chaos of NYC, but it was kind of nice to slow down for a day. The parts of Philadelphia we explored had this relaxed, small-town feeling, even right in the city center. I didn’t expect to enjoy that contrast as much as I did.
After a full day of walking, eating, and soaking up history, we caught the Flixbus back to Newark. It had been a packed day, but totally worth the early start.
This was the second post out of five from our trip. The first one was about sightseeing in NYC.
Next up: two concert reviews; one from Brooklyn and one from Madison Square Garden and then a post all about our Rock and Roll Tour of the Jersey Shore. Stay tuned!
📸: pita_oli and myself
Stray Bullet 
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