Top Instagrammable Spots in Philadelphia
One of my favorite trips to take just outside of NYC is over to the city of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. There is no shortage of photo opportunities in Philly, and it’ll take you at least two days to just scratch the surface of all the city has to offer (I’ve been to Philadelphia a few times already, but I still have so many places to cross off of my list). After combing through social media/ the internet and wandering around Philadelphia myself, I’ve put together a list of 7 of the top instagrammable spots in Philadelphia.
LOVE Park (John F. Kennedy Plaza)
What better place to make a memory in the City of Brotherly Love than in LOVE Park, where you can snap a pic in front of the LOVE statue, which has an open view of Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the Rocky steps in the distance. For the Spanish AMOR statue, you can see it in Sister Cities Park.
Percy St Project
Philadelphia is full of hidden gems, literally. If you walk by too fast, you’ll miss the entrance to this alleyway on Percy St. You can get a small glance of it from the street, but as you heard further into the alleyway you’ll see it’s curves and continues down the entire 1300 block of S Percy St. They alleyway was designed as part of the Percy St Project, which aims at transforming the street into a vibrant community space with innovative public art. The street is also known as the “Electric Street,” because the murals are lined with bright neon lights (visible in the evening). After checking out the cool murals, you can enjoy a famous Philly cheesesteak at Geno’s or Pat’s, both of which are just down the block.
Fountain Street Steps
Another hidden work of art in Philly is Manayunk’s “Water Under the Bridge,” otherwise known as the Fountain St Steps. As you walk down Fountain St towards Umbria St, you’ll notice a set of stairs that connect to the Schuykill River Trail. You’ll find murals on the walls as you head down, but the best part is when you reach the bottom and look back. You’ll see the edge of each step painted to create the “water” under the bridge. Kind of reminds you of a Van Gogh piece no?
Elfreth’s Alley
I love historic, cobblestone streets, so Elfreth’s Alley was one of the places I really wanted to check out. Elfreth’s Alley is actually the nation’s oldest residential street, dating back to the 1700’s. People still live in some of these homes, but one of them has since been turned into a public museum. This little street is a nice contrast to the more modern photo spots around Philly. Plus, who doesn’t love a bright red door as their photo backdrop!
Philadelphia Magic Gardens
One of the most visited works of art in Philly has to be the Philadelphia Magic Gardens. Created by artist Isaiah Zagar, Magic Gardens is made up of indoor and outdoor mosaics spreading over 3,000 square feet. This was my favorite spot I visited in Philly, and definitely worth the $15 admission. The mosaics are made up of anything from glass bottles to plates to bicycle wheels. I’ll let these photos speak for themselves, but this is one of my top recommendations for anyone visiting Philadelphia! For admission tickets, visit: https://www.phillymagicgardens.org
Cherry Hill Pier
Maybe not on most people’s lists of photo-worthy places, but the Cherry Hill Pier is worth checking out. The pier is a multi-use space along the Delaware River. From art displays to markets, the pier has been a space to foster connection and creativity. There’s also a restaurant at the end of the pier with a great view of the Ben Franklin bridge. Due to Covid though, the pier was empty and the restaurant was closed, but there was still some artwork displayed. Plus, it was nice to have this view all to myself!
As I mentioned before, I still have quite a few spots on my list of instagrammable spots in Philadelphia to cross off, but these are some of the best spots that are worth checking out first. I can’t wait to head back out to Philadelphia soon to explore more of what the city has to offer! If you have any recommendations of what to check out next in Philly, let me know in the comments!
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