What to Do in Philly: A Dozen Great Things to Do with Out-of-Town Guests in Philadelphia

 

If you are hosting out-of-town guests in Philadelphia — for a wedding or family reunion, girlfriend or guy friend gathering, even a work retreat — the planning can feel slightly overwhelming. (Being a host always is!) The good news is that we here at Guild House Hotel make your planning easier—firstly and most importantly, because you can book the whole house for your guests so that they’ll have somewhere beautiful, private and special to stay while they’re visiting. (We’ll tell you more about that momentarily.)

Secondly? We can guide you to—right here, on this blog!—to some great ideas and destinations for entertaining and engaging your guests, whether they’re dear friends, family, or co-workers, so that everyone can have a fun-filled, memorable Philly getaway. The trick is to go for the non-obvious, the hidden gems, the slightly off-the-beaten track spaces that aren’t everyone’s go-tos … and that’s especially true if you’re dealing with guests who have visited the city before. Curious as to what those things might be? Read on for some ideas for making an awesome getaway for your guests.

 

Firstly: Book the House at Guild House Hotel

If you know us at all, then you already know that Guild House — a beautifully renovated national historic landmark — offers guests 12 unique rooms and suites, each with their own distinct decor and vibe. It’s a unique hotel in Philly in the truest sense — nowhere else has our remarkable story or history. Once the headquarters for the first club in the U.S. for working women—a club called the New Century Guild, circa 1882—today the building has been lovingly updated and designed to pay tribute to the different remarkable women of the Guild.

The hotel sleeps 28, so when you book the entire house, there’s plenty of space for a large group of people, while still affording guests their privacy. (Think of it like renting a block of rooms in a hotel … but so much more personal.) Each room is also thoughtfully appointed, with amenities befitting a five-star boutique hotel: customized bath products (created by a woman-owned business), well-appointed coffee and tea stations (featuring local brands and brews), locally sourced and created snacks and drinks, smart-screen TVs, bluetooth speakers, and more little treats designed to please and delight. When you book the house, you and your party also get exclusive access to our pretty little lounge, a gathering space perfectly set up for a cocktail gathering, a morning coffee, or just a little group hang time. When you reserve the hotel, the entire place is yours—and our high standard of invisible service means that not only will everyone be well taken care of, but also that everyone has privacy and non-interrupted time together.

Meantime, it’s also worth noting that our address in the heart of the city makes it a perfect launching pad for you and your guests. You’re minutes on foot from some of Philadelphia’s most popular parks and tourist destinations, as well as bars, retail and restaurants. We’ve got public transit stops and Indego bike stations literally steps away, as well as a paid parking lot next door. (Point being, we’re about as convenient a location as you’ll find for your party!) Book the house at Guild House, and your guests will have a memorable stay even if they decide not to venture far out. That said, you’ll want to do some venturing when you check out the rest of this list.

 

 

Consider a Day Trip

Naturally, there’s more than enough here in the city to keep everyone busy, but if you have a free day and the chance to travel a bit, then you should really consider some of the great spots that lay just outside the city. If it’s hiking season and you’ve got a sporty crowd (or even just a group of people okay with walking!), Valley Forge National Historic Park is roughly 45 minutes by car. (The very ambitious can bike there via the Schuylkill River Trail in about two hours.)

The park is stunningly beautiful, sprawling, and accessible to all types of visitors, from causal strollers (there’s a gentle, rolling walking path) to serious hikers (two mountains—Mt. Misery and Mt. Joy—provide a real challenge).

If you don’t feel like much walking, the trolley tour is also excellent—an hour-and-a-half route around the park, with a live guide, that takes you around the park’s historic sites, including George Washington’s original headquarters wherein he (along with Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens, among others) spent the famously terrible Revolutionary-War winter with the Colonial troops. It is cool. You can also opt to walk or bike the historical route, too.

 

 

Another crowd-pleasing option for those who don’t mind an hour in the car is the famed Longwood Gardens, which has been open to the public for more than a century now. The place is well-known and beloved for its massive grounds that are filled with with yes, floral displays and dozens upon dozens of gardens, topiaries, but also meadows and forests and fountains, greenhouses, a beer garden, a stunning Conservatory brimming with exotic plants and trees, plus outdoor topiaries, a lake, and more.

In every single season, every single visit, this place is jaw-dropping — you won’t be disappointed. And this year, there’s also a new fine-dining option on site called 1906, located just below the Main Conservatory, with views of the breathtaking Main Fountain Garden.

Another favorite option for day-trippers? A little jaunt to Bucks County, where you can hit up charming downtown New Hope and Doylestown—both beautiful, walkable and full of great shopping, and nestled amid beautiful rolling hills and farmland (and within spitting distance of Washington Crossing National Historic Park, if you’re up for a little hiking or picnicking or simply taking in some history).

 

 

Go Beyond the Obvious for Your History

Yes, by all means, if people in your party haven’t done the traditional Philly musts — the Liberty Bell, Independence and Congress Hall, Christ Church, Elfreth’s Alley —then you should do that. (Word to wise on this: Make sure whether you tour Christ Church or not that you stop by Ben Franklin’s gravesite outside, which is surprisingly moving and also littered with pennies as a tribute to the man who told us that a penny earned.) While you’re in the neighborhood, you should also saunter on over to the great, delightfully retro Franklin Fountain for the best banana split in town.

But beyond all of these classics, we can also point you toward our city’s unusual array of tours that both die-hard fans of Philly history and novices alike appreciate, from jogging tours to architectural history tours to BYOB trolley tours, and much more. No exaggeration here: There is literally a cool, niche tour for every type of tourist in our little blog, including the type of tourist who happens to live in Philly.

If you’re more of an independent sort and want to experience history outside of a guided tour, you might consider Eastern State Penitentiary, which is quite famous, but ever so slightly off the beaten path in Philly’s Fairmount neighborhood. The story of the country’s first federal penitentiary and those of many of the people therein (including, briefly, Al Capone and also the bank robber Willie Sutton) are all fascinating and haunting, and the fantastic self-guided audio tour is narrated by Steve Buscemi. (Although if you’re up to it, you can opt for a guided tour as well.) Better yet: Wednesday nights from May 7 through July 2, you can take an evening audio tour, engage with exhibits and talks, and enjoy a drink in the Fair Change Beer Garden in the (surprisingly lovely) courtyard of the historic prison.

 

 

Another gem—this one hidden in plain sight—is the American Philosophical Society Library, which sits cheek to jowl with Independence Hall, but is far less known. The reason you want to stop in is to check out the (free!) displays in the narthex of the building: A quartet of glassed-in cases boasts a rotating mini-exhibition of American historical documents that might range from, say, journals from Lewis and Clark to early copies of the Declaration of Independence to an actual handwritten draft of the document scrawled with edits from Ben Franklin. You never know what you might get … but it’s always interesting, and sometimes, downright astounding.

 

 

Take it Outside

In addition to the beautiful riverside parks, trails and attractions alongside both of our rivers (and you really can’t beat those spots for running, biking, picnicking, grabbing a drink or just hanging with your family; check out our guide to the Schuylkill River Trail along the Schuylkill and the Delaware Riverfront!), Philadelphia has a surprisingly deep roster of other really worthwhile outdoor destinations within the city that are especially perfect for the summer and fall.

One of our favorites? The pretty, peaceful Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center, which includes a traditional teahouse and picturesque Japanese gardens. Nestled deep inside Philly’s Fairmount Park, the largest landscaped urban park in the country, Shofuso features some of the most stunning gardens you’ve likely ever seen (think: bonsai, weeping cherries, waterfalls, foot bridges and more), all surrounding a teahouse you can tour and a well-stocked koi pond. You can buy food for the koi onsite—feeding the fish will keep any little ones you have busy for ages!

Another garden option within city limits is Bartram’s Gardens, which is a historic 18-century era home and garden. Here, the art/science of gardening first really took hold in the U.S., and today, this free destination, right on the banks of the Schuylkill River, offers boating, bird-watching, and loads of flower gardens for strolling … plus historic buildings to explore as well.

 

 

A final—and totally different—way to immerse yourself in nature is to hit up the Treetop Quest, which, like Shofuso, is also located in Fairmount Park. At this adventure-themed park, you and your guests can navigate obstacle courses dozens of feet off the ground and zipline through the tree canopy. They have four courses of varying difficulty levels, beginning with one designed for even the littlest guests (four and up!); after a quick tutorial, your whole crew is free to climb and work the course and fly through the trees. It’s a fun time.

Want to explore more outdoor Philly destinations great for out-of-town guests and tourists? You can also check out our Guild House Guide to Parks, Riverfronts, and Other Ways to Enjoy the Outdoors. (And in the meantime, book your rooms — or book the house —at Guild House!)

 

 

** Want to book a room or suite — or book the entire house — at our historic boutique Philadelphia hotel? Click here to plan your stay!