Ah, spring. What a lovely time to get out and see this city, what with the greenery all (finally!) blooming again, the citizenry out and about, the sidewalk cafes bustling, and the weather so nice for walking. Whether you’re an out-of-town guest at Guild House, our luxury boutique Philadelphia hotel, or a Philly lifer, it’s really the perfect time to get out and enjoy this place and see the sights. And happily, there is no shortage of excellent tours you can take to make sure you don’t miss a single highlight. Here, we’ve rounded up some Guild House favorites, making sure there’s a tour for everyone included here—even lifelong, been-there-done-that Philadelphians. So go forth, enjoy and explore!

 

Photo of the Gayborhood streetscape by N. Santos for VISIT PHILADELPHIA™


The Tour: Beyond the Bell Tours
The Draw: The claim to fame of this brilliant little tour company is telling the stories that haven’t been told a million times. (It’s exactly why our historic boutique hotel has even partnered with them on occasion—to provide memorable opportunities and experiences for our guests.) Tour themes include the Badass Women’s History Tour, the Gayborhood/History of LGBTQ+ in Philly, the Medical History Tour, and more.

 

Photo of the Italian Market by K. Kelly for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®


The Tour: Beyond the Italian Market from Tiny Table Tours
The Draw: The eats! (Duh!) What really sets this new tour company apart is that its founder and sole tour guide, Maddy Sweitzer-Lammé, is a seasoned Philly food journalist and storyteller who eschews the usual suspects (read: the cheesesteakeries and soft pretzel spots) for a fascinating tour through some of the city’s most diverse food neighborhoods. With Tiny Tables, you’ll weave your way from the foodie haven of East Passyunk Avenue through South Philly, across Washington Avenue to end up in the famed Italian Market, eating your way through some of the city’s best Mexican, Vietnamese, Italian and Jewish dishes while also learning about the restaurateurs, chefs and immigrant stories that define this chunk of the city. Tours are small—10 people max—and run two to three hours. Bonus: Not only will Sweitzer-Lammé offer up her own personal “cheat sheet” of other Philly favorite restaurants outside the tour, but if you DM her ahead of your tour, she’ll share her suggestions in advance of your stay so you can make reservations!

 

Photo of the Big Bus Tour by B. Krist for GPTMC/VISIT PHILADELPHIA®


The Tour: The Big Bus Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour
The Draw: Yes, yes, these are sort of the obvious “tourist” choice for a city tour. But you know what? The Big Bus can be pretty great for people who want to hit all the biggies—and maybe even linger at some sites—and still stay on a reasonable schedule. The convenient and frequent pick-up times mean you can hop off knowing you can easily hop back on at your leisure, and the stops are both wide-ranging—they traverse the city in a way you never could by foot in the same amount of time—and well curated. Also? You can’t underestimate the appeal of sitting on that top deck on a sunny, breezy day, whizzing around the birthplace of modern democracy (and the modern cheesesteak).

 

Photo of the Big Bus Tour by B. Krist for GPTMC/VISIT PHILADELPHIA®


The Tour: BYOB Trolley Tours
The Draw: The booze, for one thing. For another, these trolley tours include a nice round-up of Philly’s highlight real—a lot of the must-sees, from the Liberty Bell to Reading Terminal Market and beyond—presented in a manner designed to entertain. Tours include a reasonably traditional (but light-hearted) version, one that features actual comedians, and one that includes local musicians between stops at some of the city’s best beer gardens and breweries. (Ps. You can also opt for a Founding Fathers-themed walking tour from the same company.)

 

Photo of the Ben Franklin Bridge by Elevated Angles for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®


The Tour: City Running Tours
The Draw: Well, obviously … running! Serious and casual joggers alike will appreciate being able to take in the city while getting in a (gentle) workout on a four-mile tour. And the tour themes are creative and fun, ranging from the “culture-clash” tour (which zooms around Old City and South Philly, looking at spots influenced by the Swedes, the Italians, and other immigrants who poured into Philly in the 19th and 20th centuries) to the Ben Franklin run, which takes runners to the legend’s home, his grave, the giant bridge named in his honor, and more … ending with a glass of Poor Richard’s Spruce Ale (Franklin’s old recipe!) at Yards Brewing Company.

 

Photo of Christ Church by Miles Kennedy for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®


The Tour: Constitutional Walking Tour
The Draw: This 75-minute, 1.25-mile walking tour lets you soak in all the can’t-miss destinations and sights in Independence National Park, which means you get the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross House, Washington’s house, Christ Church and the Christ Church Burial Ground (where Ben Franklin was laid to rest), and more.

 

Photo of 30th Street Station by E. Frizzelle for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®


The Tour: Hidden City Tours
The Draw: Hidden City focuses on exactly that—the parts and the stories of Philly that we tend to overlook or miss entirely. This is another set of tours run by journalists and storytellers (and public historians!) — and among the intriguing options are “Death and Life at Mt. Moriah Cemetery”, Philly’s Lost Jewish Quarter, Privy Artifacts and Delaware Waterfront History, Philly’s Elevated Trains and Trolleys, and more.

 

Photo of “Common Threads” mural courtesy of VISIT PHILADELPHIA®


The Tour: Mural Arts Tour
The Draw: One of our great claims to fame here in Philadelphia is the fantastic Mural Arts program; the art that it produces decorates every nook and cranny of the city. (Hey! Our little historic hotel even features a stunning mural honoring women on the west side of our building!) The many varieties of Mural Arts tour — most of which are walking, a couple of which are by trolley — offer a chance to study the art up close, to hear about the artists, and to consider the inspiration and motivation behind the art. They’re fabulous tours, each focusing on specific areas and neighborhoods — and they’re beloved even (especially!) by people who drive or walk by the art every day.

 

Photo of Geno’s Steaks by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia™


The Tour: Philly By Segway
The Draw: A walking tour without the walking! These one- or two-hour tours can take you around all the city’s sights OR zero in on specific interests, as with the cheesesteak tour, or the mural tour. They’re great for people who want to cover a lot of ground without having to break a sweat, or hop a bus or bike or car. (Also good people who’ve always wanted to try a segway, obviously.)

 

Photo of Rittenhouse Square by C. Smyth for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®


The Tour: Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia Walking Tours
The Draw: From May to November, the PAGP offers super-niche walking tours in dozens of neighborhoods in and around Philly, and they are great for doing a deep dive into the history, architecture, landmarks and lore of specific slivers of the city. Tours through the next few months range from Rittenhouse Square West to North Philly to an art-deco themed tour to the Schuylkill River … and over the course of a year, they also offer many more locations and routes. (City Hall! Chinatown! Jewish immigrant Philly! Victorian Germantown!)

 

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