Philadelphia Day Trips from New York

Did you know that Philadelphia was the first capital of the United States? It is located in the state of Pennsylvania and because it played such an important role in the history of the country, it has a lot of tourist attractions, which together with its lively atmosphere and its proximity to the Big Apple, make it one of the best getaways from New York.

Although you can do the visit on your own, I recommend joining a tour to Philadelphia because you will be accompanied by a guide and you will not have to worry about planning the trip. It's all advantages! Discover all the possibilities at your fingertips.

During your trip to New York you can set aside some of your time to expand your horizons and see nearby cities like Philadelphia. Depending on the Philadelphia tour you book and the sites you visit, it usually lasts a full day (11am to 5pm).

What will you see on the Philadelphia tour from New York?

Taking this type of organized tours from New York is a very popular option that I advise you to join if you want to discover Philadelphia. It is one of the most beautiful and lively cities on the East Coast of the United States.

It has, therefore, many places of interest to see especially related to the independence of the United States (Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, the tomb of Benjamin Franklin, Elfreth's Alley, the home of Betsy Ross ...) but they are not the only ones. In addition, you can book an excursion to Philadelphia and the Amish region and you will be amazed.

To make sure you don't miss anything during the tour and get the most out of the experience, a professional guide will accompany the group, who will tell you lots of anecdotes and stories that will make the experience more fun.

If your tour from New York to Philadelphia includes intermediate stops, the duration can be several days, from 2 to 4 days, as other sites will be added to the route such as Amish Country, Washington or Niagara Falls. Here are the options available depending on the number of days of your trip:

• 2-day tour to Philadelphia and Washington from New York, from $394.
• Niagara Falls, Philadelphia and Washington from New York, 2-day tour from $504.
• 4-day tour of America from New York (Niagara Falls, Washington and Philadelphia), from $820.

This type of organized tours are the best if you want to take advantage of your stay in New York to explore Philadelphia and see these other interesting places to complete your experience. A fantastic excursion that I recommend you to do if you are interested in the politics and history of the United States. Along the way you will see lots of monuments, parks and squares that you won't be able to resist taking a few pictures of.

Along the way you will also see other amazing places like Niagara Falls (a spectacular natural monument on the border of the US and Canada) or Amish Country (where you will learn how this community lives and even get to ride in an authentic "Amish Buggy"). You will also have the services of a professional guide during this type of tours to Philadelphia from New York through Amish Country, Washington or Niagara Falls.

If you are not booking a tour to Philadelphia and prefer to visit the city from New York on your own, you will have a little more flexibility by being able to tailor the itinerary and timing to your liking, staying longer where you want or skipping certain stops along the way.

The option that I recommend the most is the car, as travel by other means of transport can be less comfortable and require more preparation as you have to add the transfer to the stations, pass security checks, waiting times on platforms and terminals, etc.. Let's see how long the road trip can take you if you are only going to Philadelphia or if you include other places in the journey.

If you are going directly to Philadelphia from New York

In about 1 hour and 45 minutes you will arrive in "Philly" by road to enjoy a different day while taking advantage of your trip to the Big Apple. The distance from New York to Philadelphia is about 152 kilometers, making it the ideal destination for a getaway.

If you go to Philadelphia by way of Amish Country, Washington or Niagara Falls

If you want to add other locations such as Amish Country, Washington or Niagara Falls to your excursion, the trip will take longer, although you will see incredible scenery along the way.

• Niagara Falls: from New York it will take you about 6 hours and 30 minutes by road on Interstate 80 West.
• Amish Country: from Philadelphia it will take you 1 hour and 30 minutes to drive to the heart of Amish Country on Route 30.
• Washington: From Philadelphia it will take you about 2 hours and 30 minutes by road via Interstate 95.

The cities of New York and Philadelphia are very well connected, so if you want to take a tour there you will have several transportation options available in case you prefer to visit on your own instead of booking a tour to Philadelphia.

By bus, the cheapest way

Some of the companies that cover the service are Greyhound, Wanda Coach or MegaBus and you can find tickets from $ 15 (almost 14 €). You can buy them online and the trip takes about 2 hours. When you get on the bus you will have to show your tickets to the driver, who may also ask you for an identity document such as your passport. So don't forget to put it in your backpack.

By train, the fastest way

The company that provides this service is Amtrak and you can find tickets from $ 40 (37 €) on their website depending on the class. The trip takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes if you choose to ride the Acela fast train. However, there are other options such as the Northeast Regional.

By plane, the most expensive option

Airlines such as British Airways, JetBlue Airways or Finnair make the trip between the two cities but it is the option that I recommend less because the ticket price can cost more expensive from $ 110 (100 €) approximately and some of the routes have a stopover, so it will cost you much more time than it would take by road (from 3 hours and 30 minutes each way).

Compare transportation options to Philadelphia from New York City

The main reason to book a tour to Philadelphia from New York is that this way you will only have to worry about buying your tour tickets and not about planning the details of the trip (transportation, accommodation, guide services, tickets to some tourist attractions, etc.) thus avoiding last minute mishaps.

In addition, by going on an organized tour to Philadelphia you will avoid driving on the road if you are not familiar with the way, you will be sure to make the most of the time of the excursion and you will be able to rest on the way back. Something that at the end of the day, after doing this kind of marathon activities, is very much appreciated, believe me!

From 80$ you can find options in Hellotickets to book a tour to Philadelphia. Prices may vary depending on certain factors such as the duration of the tour, the attractions that are part of the route, the size of the group, accommodation or if the tour includes the services of a guide.

If you book an excursion to Philadelphia you need to know that they are long and will require at least one day of your New York vacation. It is a great option if for example you are looking for what to do in New York for 15 days. They are usually done by bus with a transfer to and from the Big Apple at the original starting point.

That's why you will have to get up quite early to get to the meeting point. Depending on the tour, they leave between 5 am and 6:30 am, so the day before I advise you not to make plans at night so you can rest and face the day with energy. The effort is worth it because in return you will take with you a lot of experiences that will complete your trip and that you could not have if you did not embark on this adventure.

The road from New York to Philadelphia

You can always take a nap on the bus or enjoy the view from the window. Some of the vehicles even have Wi-Fi. On the way to destinations along the route, you'll see incredible rural scenery. In the cities and towns you visit, you'll see cool tourist attractions and get a feel for other cities in the country with a pace that is very different from New York.

Lunch breaks will allow you to sample culinary specialties different from what you are used to in New York restaurants, which is another fabulous way to discover the local culture.

As with these types of tours, you will be exhausted when you return to New York in the evening, but you will have the satisfaction of having experienced a super exciting adventure in other parts of the United States.

In a country as big as the United States, Philadelphia is one of the best getaways to make during your trip to New York, despite the 11-hour distance that separates the two cities. However, it is not the only one. If you are traveling to New York and you want to visit another city, but Philadelphia does not call you here are two other options:

• Excursion to Boston from New York.
• Excursion to Washington from New York.