Rich in history and culture, Philadelphia is a big city with a small-town flavor. Located less than two hours from New York City, it’s perfect for a weekend getaway, with lots to do for kids as well as adults.

The city’s historic area, which includes Penn’s Landing, Old City, Society Hill and Chinatown, is centrally located and has many accessible hotels and restaurants. Because it’s so compact—only one square mile—one can easily reach all the attractions within America’s “Cradle of Liberty.”

Your Accessible Tour Begins
The best place to start is the Independence Visitors Center, located at 6th and Market Streets, directly across from the famous Liberty Bell. Here one can pick up brochures and maps, talk with National Park Service rangers about accessibility and get free tickets to nearby Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. 

Congress Hall, where the Bill of Rights was signed, is also an easy walk, as are other historic buildings such as the Second Bank of the United States/Portrait Gallery, Old St. Joseph’s Church, Christ Church, and the Betsy Ross House (not accessible).

Another must-see is Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest continuously inhabited street in the U.S.  Although the quaint row houses lining the alley are not accessible, there are smooth pathways through the cobblestones for visitors with strollers or wheelchairs.

For lunch or a snack, the Bourse Building, across from the Liberty Bell, is a convenient place to shop and dine. Reading Terminal Market, founded in 1892, is a mecca for hungry tourists and cooking enthusiasts, who come for Amish food, ethnic foods, and fresh vegetables and meat.

The Arts
The arts are so important to Philadelphia that the city changed the name of Broad Street in center city to Avenue of the Arts. This performing arts district boasts many theatres and concert halls including the new Kimmel Center, home to the Philadelphia Orchestra.

For visitors with disabilities, a cultural guide with detailed information on 140 venues is available online. The Art Reach guide is searchable by name, type, geographic region, and every type of disability.

No trip to Philadelphia would be complete without a visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, world-renowned, and fully accessible. The Rodin Museum, just next door, is another of the city’s jewels.

Wheelchair Lift Trolley
To reach the Philadelphia Museum of Art and 19 other key locations in center city, simply take the Phlash, a wheelchair lift-equipped city trolley that links the city’s attractions and downtown hotels. For $1 per ride or $4 for an all-day pass, this is a service that’s hard to beat. It even connects at Penn’s Landing to the Riverlink Ferry for a trip across the Delaware to the magnificent Adventure Aquarium in Camden.

For details on accessible transportation and parking, visit the Mayor’s Commission for People with Disabilities and SEPTA. Philadelphia’s tourism bureau is reachable by phone at 800-537-7676 / TDD 215-636-3404.

Laurel Van Horn is an access consultant, educator, and journalist who has specialized in accessible travel and tourism since 1987. In addition to her travel columns for Able News and the Open Doors Organization website, her articles have appeared in Pulse, Agency, Inc., Travel Agent Magazine, Travel World News, Exceptional Parent, Paraplegia News, Caribbean Vacation Planner and Review of Disability Studies.

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See Pittsburgh’s Cultural District Offers Superlative Access to get information about a barrier-free trip to Pittsburgh.

Be sure your trip is accessible in every aspect, including an accessible hotel room.  See Block That Room: Getting the Accessible Room You Reserved for more information.