For couples · Philadelphia · United States
Romantic things to do in Philadelphia
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: sashafatcat, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Philadelphia's romance is low-key: candlelit BYOB dinners, gas-lit Society Hill streets, river walks at sunset and museum afternoons. Most of it is within a short walk of Center City hotels. Couples tend to stay in Old City.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 5
- Area for couples
- Old City
- Best months
- September–October
Romantic ideas
1.Society Hill evening stroll
Walk the gas-lit lanes around Delancey and Spruce Streets after dinner, past restored Federal houses and quiet courtyards.
2.BYOB dinner on East Passyunk
Bring a bottle to one of the small chef-owned restaurants along the avenue and finish at the Singing Fountain.
3.Sunset at the art museum
Watch the sun set over the Schuylkill from the rear terrace, then see Boathouse Row light up below.
4.Hammocks at Spruce Street Harbor Park
On summer evenings, share a hammock under the coloured lights by the Delaware River.
5.Barnes Foundation afternoon
Spend a slow afternoon among Renoir and Matisse, then walk to the Rodin Museum garden next door.
6.Longwood Gardens fountain show
Drive out for an evening illuminated fountain show in summer or the Christmas lights in December.
Sights couples love
.jpg){kind=link}
Gallery · Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Barnes Foundation
Allow time to look at each wall as a composition; the pairings were Barnes's whole point.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Couples
.jpg){kind=link}
Museum · Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Rodin Museum
Even if you skip the galleries, the garden and gateway make a calm stop on a walk up the Parkway.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Couples
- Outdoors
Gallery · South Street
Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
Book a morning slot; the narrow passages feel crowded by mid-afternoon on weekends.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Photo spot
- Couples
Park · Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square
Grab takeaway coffee and pastries nearby and eat on the benches on a weekday morning.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
Waterfront · Penn's Landing
Spruce Street Harbor Park and Penn's Landing
Go around dusk on a summer evening, when the lights come on over the water.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Couples
- Kids
- Outdoors
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, couples and families
Old City
Old City holds Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Elfreth's Alley and Christ Church, along with converted warehouses full of galleries, cafés and bars on 2nd and 3rd Streets. It is the obvious base for history-focused trips, and the Delaware River waterfront at Penn's Landing is a few minutes' walk east.
- Good
- Walk to the main historic sites; Characterful 18th- and 19th-century streets; Good restaurant and bar choice
- Watch out
- Weekend nights on 2nd Street can be loud; Hotel choice is smaller than in Center City West
- Nearby
- Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Elfreth's Alley, Penn's Landing
Romantic day trips
- Longwood Gardens (About 1 hour by car) — Pierre S.
- New Hope (About 1 hour by car) — A riverside town on the Delaware with galleries, antique shops and a steam railway, linked by a footbridge to Lambertville, New Jersey.
- Cape May (About 1 hour 45 minutes by car) — A seaside town at the southern tip of New Jersey known for rows of painted Victorian houses, a lighthouse and wide beaches.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Cheesesteak, Roast pork sandwich and Hoagie. Sales tax is added at the register and an 18–20% tip is expected at sit-down restaurants, so the final bill is well above menu prices.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Philadelphia romantic?
Philadelphia's romance is low-key: candlelit BYOB dinners, gas-lit Society Hill streets, river walks at sunset and museum afternoons. Most of it is within a short walk of Center City hotels.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Philadelphia?
Society Hill evening stroll: Walk the gas-lit lanes around Delancey and Spruce Streets after dinner, past restored Federal houses and quiet courtyards.
+Where should couples stay in Philadelphia?
Old City: Cobbled colonial blocks around Independence Mall, galleries and First Friday art nights.