Article published on May 3, 2024
You might wonder if you’re still in Philly at all...
There are scores of Philadelphia sites, scenes and moments that are well-known around the world, from the Liberty Bell to the Rocky Steps to cheesesteaks.
But there are also a plethora of locales which can magically transport you elsewhere, someplace transcendent and far away. Fanciful settings so different and so international you might wonder if you’re still in Philly at all.
A Japanese teahouse in the middle of the world’s largest urban park. A Gothic temple in the heart of downtown. A peaceful wildlife refuge bordering an international airport.
Philadelphia is full of spaces so extraordinary and enchanting they make you feel like you’re in a different time or place or universe — unexpected destinations you’d never expect to find inside a big American city.
Below, find just a few of the numerous amazing places you would never believe existed in Greater Philadelphia … until you see for yourself.
01
Eastern State Penitentiary
— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
From the outside, this sprawling structure resembles a medieval fortress. From the air, perhaps an ancient Tibetan citadel. But Eastern State Penitentiary is a Philadelphia original, completed in 1829 and home to the likes of Willie Sutton and Al Capone during its tenure before shuttering in 1971. Today, the former prison is open for tours (including a self-guided audio tour narrated by actor Steve Buscemi) that touch on modern incarceration concerns. Paranormal fans can join nighttime ghost tours or visit America’s largest haunted house during fall’s popular Halloween Nights programming.
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02
Fonthill Castle
Located in the beautiful Bucks County countryside, Fonthill Castle is the 110-year-old former residence-turned-museum of renowned archeologist, anthropologist and ceramist Henry Chapman Mercer. Rising like a castle in the Scottish Highlands (but in Doylestown), the poured-in-place concrete manor displays Mercer’s massive collection of prints and hand-crafted ceramic tiles produced at his historic The TileWorks (just across the property) during the American Arts & Crafts Movement of the late 19th century. Guided one-hour tours showcase the castle’s 44 rooms, 32 stairwells, 18 fireplaces, 21 chimneys, 200 windows and bookcases carrying over 6,000 titles.
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03
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum
— Photo courtesy John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge At Tinicum
Walking along the serene grassy marshes at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, the solitude makes it hard to believe Philadelphia International Airport is just steps away. Established in 1972 as America’s first urban wildlife refuge, the preserve’s 1,000-acre space was created to protect the largest freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania. The respite from city bustle offers 10 miles of trails, five miles of tidal creek, boat ramps for kayaking and canoeing, fishing docks and hundreds of varieties of birds, animals, plants and trees (including several endangered species).
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04
Masonic Temple
Across the street from Philadelphia City Hall, the massive Norman cathedral-style Masonic Temple would feel right at home in any medieval European city. The imposing structure is no church, but has operated as the Grand Lodge of the Freemasons of Pennsylvania since 1873. Hour-long guided tours highlight the ornate interior’s wondrous architecture (including Renaissance, Egyptian, Moorish and Corinthian-influenced grand hallways and staircases), an impressive artwork collection including painted wood sculptures by William Rush, an enormous Benjamin Franklin statue and a museum displaying Masonic artifacts — many dating back to the American Revolution.
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05
Morris Arboretum
— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
Philadelphia offers a wealth of botanic gardens, orchards and nature conservatories. But none recall the endless multicolored flowering meadows of Olde England like Morris Arboretum. Located in beautiful Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania’s Official State Arboretum is a stunning 100-acre oasis housing more than 13,000 labeled plants and trees of over 2,500 types (including some of the oldest and rarest in the region) across spaces like the 135-year-old Rose Garden, Dawn Redwoods forest and the eight-sided Victorian glass fernery. Don’t miss the facility’s collection of outdoor sculptures and the fanciful Garden Railway.
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— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
Evoking the vast lavender fields of Southern France, Peace Valley Lavender Farm blankets the rolling landscape of Bucks County with more than 3,000 lavender plants which color the hillsides purple, violet and blue. Stroll the property, enjoy views over Lake Galena, pick your own lavender and explore the shop stocked with lavender products (including lavender lollipops on a plantable seed-laced stick). While the floral beauty and memorable fragrances peak during blooming season in June and July, the farm adjacent to Peace Valley Park is open year-round.
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— Photo courtesy Visit Bucks County
Somewhat similar to the volcanic lava-borne boulder fields of Iceland, Ringing Rocks Park is a seven-acre field of hulking round stones in Upper Bucks County that respond to strategic whacks and thumps with the sound of ringing bells. Bring your own hammer and climb up into the field to start banging away on the primordial igneous diabase boulders and experience an unexpected melodic geological sound created by a combination of melting permafrost, weathering and rock shape. Continue on into the adjacent 123-acre park which features High Falls, the county’s highest waterfall.
— Photo courtesy Shane Confectionary
Like a ye olde chocolaterie from 17th century Switzerland or Belgium, Shane Confectionery is America’s oldest candy store, dating back to 1863. The Old City sweet boutique’s appearance is period-true with antique scales, carved cabinetry, glass cases and shopkeeps in long dresses or bowties who serve award-winning chocolates and confections (made with early 1900s machinery) like penny candy, licorice, jellies, fruit chews, bonbons, caramels, dipped pretzels, craft chocolate bars and house-panned goodies. For more Gilded Age nostalgia, pop next door to the Franklin Fountain ice creamery.
09
Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center
Deep in Fairmount Park is a spectacular site which will transport you right to 1600s Japan. The Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center — a post-World War II gift from the Emperor to the American people — is a recreation of a traditional early-17th century Japanese temple guesthouse, teahouse and bathhouse where visitors can tour the facilities, explore the on-site art, learn about temple life and attend an authentic tea ceremony. The magic extends outdoors to the stunning grounds filled with exquisite gardens, a Zen-finding koi pond (feed the fish!) and century-old cherry trees.
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10
From inside forested Wissahickon Valley Park, you’d never know you were standing in the middle of Northwest Philly. And alongside the park’s namesake creek is Forbidden Drive, a wide, flat trail running seven miles down its spine which earned its seclusion thanks to 13,000 protesters challenging a city plan to allow vehicle traffic on the drive in 1921. Toward the north end of Forbidden Drive is Thomas Mill Covered Bridge, a gorgeous 86-foot-long wooden crossing of the Wissahickon Creek, the only intact covered bridge remaining in any major American city.
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11
Full Service Spas
Whether in the city or out in the near suburbs, let a relaxing spa day offer you the self-care treatment of a fancy international health resort without ever having to hop on a plane:
- Rescue Spa: Across from Rittenhouse Square is a full-service luxury day spa reminiscent of the fanciest sanitariums of New York or Paris. Established in 2004, Rescue Spa — a favorite of celebrities like Naomi Campbell and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley — moved into the 9,700-square-foot former home of the Rittenhouse Club in 2021, offering 15 rooms for facials, massages and body treatments along with a brow room and nail and hair salons.
- Southampton Spa: The steamy, opulent bathhouses of old Eastern Europe are just a short ride away at Southampton Spa. The Russian- and Turkish-inspired Bucks County baths (one of just 10 in the nation) are packed with steam and massage rooms, plunge pools and a full-service restaurant offering old world cuisine. The facility is open until 11:30 p.m. (1:30 a.m. on weekends), and offers free shuttles for groups of seven or more from anywhere in the city.
Where: Rescue Spa, 1811 Walnut Street
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12
Global Dining Experiences
Suraya— Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
Philadelphia has one of the most diverse food scenes of any city in the world. These are just a few of dozens of spots with dining experiences authentic to the global cities and lands that inspire their menus.
- Marrakesh: In eclectic Queen Village a block north of South Street, Marrakesh offers an ultra-authentic Moroccan menu — served family style and sans utensils — filled with bona fide fare like savory b’stella chicken and lamb tajine, alongside extensive vegetarian options and a full bar. Enjoy the genuine culinary experience while surrounded by rug-covered banquets, silky pillows and belly dancers (on weekends) performing their raqs sharqi dances tableside.
- Perla: Set inside a skinny South Philly rowhome across from East Passyunk’s Singing Fountain, Perla opened in 2016 as the city’s first restaurant extending a contemporary take on traditional cuisine from the Philippines. Manila-born chef-owner Lou Boquila interprets classic dishes from his homeland for modern eaters, offered in traditional Kamayan (Filipino for “eating with the hands”) style on banana leaf-lined tables.
- Royal Sushi Omakase and Royal Izakaya: Straight from the bustling streets of Tokyo, Royal Sushi Omakase and Royal Izakaya is James Beard Award nominee Jesse Ito’s dual experiential Japanese sushiya in Queen Village. Casual Royal Izakaya (walk-ins only) offers a la carte sushi, sashimi, soups, salads and buns. Meanwhile, eight-seat Royal Sushi Omakase offers 17 courses of nigirizushi and temaki for $300 (reservations — which can be difficult to get — are required).
- Suraya: Romantic glittering lights, a garden fountain, Persian ironwoods and classical Arabic music filling a 5,000-square-foot outdoor terrace. Are you on a far-off Middle Eastern vacation? Nope. It’s alfresco dining in Fishtown at The Garden at Suraya. Enjoy selections from a small mezze plate menu of Levant cuisine at communal tables by the fire pit while imbibing on co*cktails from the dedicated outdoor bar.
- The Victor Café: Perhaps the most Old World Italian dining experience in America can be found at South Philly’s century-old The Victor Café. Besides serving squisito classics like vegetable risotto and spaghetti rusticana, every 15 to 20 minutes the waitstaff — also classically trained opera singers — emerge to perform traditional a capella arias for diners. And if the space looks familiar, the trattoria doubled as “Adrian’s Restaurant” in Creed and Rocky Balboa.
Where: Marrakesh, 517 S. Leithgow Street
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Eastern State Penitentiary
Fonthill Castle
John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum
Masonic Temple
Morris Arboretum
Peace Valley Lavender Farm
Ringing Rocks Park
Shane Confectionery
Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center
Full Service Spas
Global Dining Experiences
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The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks, including tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, or the National Constitution Center and the Museum of the American Revolution.
Or maybe you’d prefer to buy two Philly hotel nights and get a third night for free? Then book the new Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package.
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