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Philadelphia Sightseeing Tours

Touring the city’s top attractions for more than 25 years

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111 S. Independence Mall East Philadelphia PA 19106
(215) 922-2300
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Explore dozens of Philadelphia’s top attractions aboard the colorful double-decker buses of Philadelphia Sightseeing Tours .

The popular 28-stop tour includes stops at the Liberty Bell , City Hall , the Philadelphia Museum of Art and loads of additional locations across the city. Tours offer hop-on, hop-off access and guided commentary. All tours leave from the historic Bourse Building on Independence Mall.

Available tours include the 24-Hour Hop On-Hop Off Pass, the 48-Hour Hop On-Hop Off Pass, Twilight Philly and many others. Advanced registration is required for groups and special events.

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The Perfect Hotel Package for an Easy Philly Escape

The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia), overnight hotel accommodations and choose-your-own-adventure perks.

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Our 90 minute Christmas Light tour takes you to all the best sites for viewing the holiday lights

Take the Philly By Night tour — an extension of the Big Bus Double Decker

Christmas Thru July Sale! Book now to save. Save 10% on Public Holiday Light Tours or Save $100 on Private Holiday Light Tours. Use Coupon Code "july23" during checkout. Offer Expires July 31st,2023

Allow Philadelphia's Premier Sightseeing Tour Company to show you the sights and tell you the tales of a city that forged a nation, cheered for Rocky, invented the soft pretzel, and is home to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall!

Whether you enjoy one of our daily Hop On/Hop Off tours, a Philly by Night tour, a walking tour of Historic Old City, a majestic horse drawn carriage tour, or a private electric car tour, our highly trained staff will enlighten and entertain you with historical tales, cultural highlights, and engaging stories of the city's past, present, and future. To maximize your sightseeing experience, choose a 2 Day or 3 Day Hop On/Hop Off Pass, a combination tour, or a specialty tour from the options below.

Big Bus Hop-on Hop-Off Double Decker Sightseeing Tour Departs From SW Corner of 6th and Market Streets: 1 Day Pass

Experience Philadelphia from the top of a modern Double Decker Bus! See the cultural attractions and historic sites from one of our open top Double Decker buses. Professional Tour Guides bring old and new Philadelphia to life on our 90 minute fully narrated hop on/hop off tour.

Big Bus Hop-on Hop-Off Double Decker Sightseeing Tour Departs From SW Corner of 6th and Market Streets: 2 Day Pass

Big bus hop-on hop-off double decker sightseeing tour departs from sw corner of 6th and market streets: 3 day pass, philly by night sightseeing tour departs from 12th & filbert streets.

Want a taste of Historic Philadelphia under a starry night sky? The Philly By Night tour — an extension of the Big Bus Double Decker tour from Philadelphia Trolley Works — takes off nightly for a city-wide tour of Philadelphia’s most notable attractions. Suggested Boarding Time 7:30pm

*** We offer Private Philly By Night Tours all year for groups of 20 or more! Call 215-389-8687 for pricing. ***

Philly By Night Sightseeing Tour Departs from 12th & Filbert Streets: 1 Day Pass/Philly by Night Combo

Philly by night sightseeing tour departs from 12th & filbert streets: 2 day pass/philly by night combo, holiday light tour – individuals.

Hop aboard our classic Victorian trolley to experience the holiday lights in style. Our 90 minute Christmas Light tour takes you to all the best sites for viewing the holiday lights. We are the city of Brotherly Love, and a city of neighborhoods, that celebrate the holidays with unique light displays. Sing along to seasonal […]

Holiday Light Tour – Groups

Franklinmobile electric car tours.

Philadelphia’s Only Climate Friendly Private Tour Electric Mobile Car Tours

Journey through Philadelphia’s history with a modern twist

Franklin’s Footsteps Walking Tour

Private Groups only! Please call 215-389-8687 for more information.

Walk in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin and other Colonial Philadelphians who forged a nation. Walk along Philadelphia’s oldest streets and alleys and discover where the United States was born. The Franklin’s Footsteps Colonial Walking Tour is led by a professional guide in colonial dress and will take you past the Betsy Ross House, …

76 Carriage Company Horse Drawn Tours Temporarily Unavailable

*We are currently in the process of relocating the carriage operation. Our intention is to be back in service sometime this spring. You can refer to the announcements section of our homepage for updates.

Your Carriage Awaits! Sit back, relax, and experience Philadelphia’s history and other popular attractions aboard one of our stylish coaches. Journey back in time on an enchanting carriage ride through the tree-lined streets of Philadelphia’s Independence National Historic Park, Society Hill, and Old City. Your personal Guide will whisk you away on a leisurely ride through historic Philadelphia.

Go City All-Inclusive Pass

Discover over 30 top Philadelphia attractions and save with Go City. Your All- Inclusive Pass gives you 1, 2, 3, or 5 days to see and experience as much of the city as possible. Visit the Betsy Ross House, get hands-on at the Franklin Institute of Science, hop on an entertaining guided tour with Big Bus, meet the critters at Adventure Aquarium and so much more!

Access to 30+ attractions for 1, 2, 3, or 5 consecutive days
Must-do attractions in Philadelphia such as Eastern State Penitentiary and the Philadelphia Zoo
All on one app – download to your mobile device and scan your pass for admission

Please note: The Go City All-Inclusive Pass is only valid for a 1 Day pass on the Big Bus even if you have a multiple day Pass.

Sightseeing in Philly? Create your own Philadelphia experience, including a Big Bus/Trolley Works tour. Save 40% or more on admission and skip most ticket lines with Philadelphia CityPASS. Visit any 3, 4 or 5 of Philadelphia’s 12 most loved attractions over a 9-day period, in any order you wish. No need to decide now, choose the attractions as you go. Cost starts at $49 (adult); $34 (child 3-12). Purchase ONLINE today and you will immediately receive mobile and printable tickets by email.

Please note: The Philadelphia City Pass is only valid for a 1 Day pass on the Big Bus even if you have a multiple day Philadelphia City Pass.

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Please Call : 215-389-TOUR (8687)
Fax : 215-389-1279
Email : [email protected] for general info, charter or special information
Email : [email protected] for Public Big Bus Tour information
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THE 10 BEST Philadelphia Sightseeing Tours

Sightseeing tours in philadelphia.

Historical & Heritage Tours
Walking Tours
Sightseeing Tours
Up to 1 hour
1 to 4 hours
4 hours to 1 day
5.0 of 5 bubbles
4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
Chinese (Traditional)
Likely to Sell Out
Special Offers

The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Double Decker Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Philadelphia (1, 2, or 3-Day)

2. Washington DC and Philadelphia in One Day from NYC

3. Philadelphia Half-Day Small-Group Sightseeing Tour

4. Philly By Night Double Decker Bus Tour

5. 3-Day US Niagara Falls,Washington DC&Philadelphia Tour from NY/NJ

6. Philadelphia and Amish Country Day Trip from New York City

7. Museum of the American Revolution Admission Ticket with Audio Guided Option

8. Philadelphia Historic Self Guided Walking Tour and Scavenger Hunt

9. Historic Philadelphia Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour

10. Spirit of Philadelphia Signature Dinner Cruise with Buffet

11. Go City: Philadelphia All-Inclusive Pass with 30+ Attractions

12. Go City: Philadelphia Explorer Pass - Choose 3, 4, 5 or 7 Attractions

13. Washington D.C,Niagara Falls,Boston 6-Day Tour from New York

14. Philadelphia Outdoor Escape Game: Ben Franklin's Murder Mystery

15. Brandywine Valley and Longwood Gardens Private -Small group Tour

16. Spirit of Philadelphia Signature Lunch Cruise with Buffet

17. Philadelphia’s Founding Fathers Walking Tour

18. 7-Day Philadelphia, D.C, Niagara Falls, Boston Tour from New York

19. New York to Philadelphia Private Tour

20. Old City Philadelphia Private Guided Tour

21. See My Philadelphia: Private, Customized Tours

22. Hop-on Hop-off and Philly By Night Tour Combo

23. Washington D.C.& Philadelphia 2-Day Tour from New York City

24. 3-Hour Private Favorite & Secret Bars Walking Tour Philadelphia

25. No Reservations South Philly Food/Culture Tour

26. Half Day Private Philadelphia Driving Tour

27. Philadelphia Tipsy Trolley BYOB Evening or Night Tour (Ages 21+)

28. The Great Comedy Magic Walk

29. 3-Day Bus Tour to Washington D.C., Niagara Falls, Watkins Glen from New York

30. Self Guided Walking Tour of Story of Rebels of the Revolution in Old Town Philly

What travelers are saying.

Go City: Philadelphia Explorer Pass - Choose 3, 4, 5 or 7 Attractions
Go City: Philadelphia All-Inclusive Pass with 30+ Attractions
Philadelphia Sightseeing Select Pass
The Philadelphia Sightseeing Day Pass: 35+ Historic Attractions & Tours
The Philadelphia Sightseeing Flex Pass: Save on 35+ Landmark Attractions & Tours
Founding Footsteps
Beyond the Bell Tours
Photography Tours Of Philadelphia
Go City | Philadelphia
Ben Franklin Today
See My Philadelphia
Big Bus Tours
City Sightseeing Philadelphia
SeePhillyRun
Big Red Pedal Tours

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The 10 best Philadelphia sightseeing tours

Join one of the best Philadelphia sightseeing tours, which include walks, Segway explorations and double-decker buses

Taking part in one of the many Philadelphia sightseeing tours is an excellent way to get a well-rounded look at the City of Brotherly Love—especially if you’re on a limited time frame. This city offers some unique options that you won’t find in any other city—from Segway tours of local murals and trips to restaurants offering the best Philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia to explorations of major Philadelphia attractions such as Eastern State Penitentiary and the Philadelphia Zoo . Follow this guide to find ten of the best Philadelphia sightseeing tours exploring the city right now.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the must-see Philadelphia attractions

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Best Philadelphia sightseeing tours

1. Philadelphia Segway Tour

See the best of Philadelphia attractions on two super futuristic wheels. This Philadelphia Segway Tour offers two options: a one-hour tour (5 miles) and two-hour tour (10 miles) that takes you through Historic Old City , along the Delaware River to spots like Penn’s Landing and on over to the Italian Market and Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens . The two-hour tour tacks on some extras, like a stop at Betsy Ross’s pad and Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest inhabited street in America, and down to the Philadelphia Museum of Art so you can get a selfie at the Rocky Steps and Rocky Statue . As you zoom from stop to stop, your tour guide will regale you with all kinds of useful—and sometimes humorous—Philadelphia tidbits. Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/ Martin Alonso

2. Segway Tour of Philadelphia’s Murals

If you’re looking for an artsier kind of tour, consider this Segway exploration of Philadelphia’s fantastic collection of murals. Thanks to the city’s unique Mural Arts Philadelphia program, which has been placing art on walls around the city since 1984, Philadelphia is home to more than 4,000 murals—from North Philly to University City and everywhere in between. This tour is two hours and includes more than 20 of those works of art—all seen from the comfy confines of a Segway—in neighborhoods like Old City, Northern Liberties, Chinatown and the up-and-coming Loft District.

3. Hop-on Hop-off and Philly By Night Tour Combo

This double-decker bus tour rolls around the city day and night, offering a daytime, two-hour hop-on-hop-off tour of major landmarks (think: National Constitution Center , the Betsy Ross House , the Reading Terminal and City Hall ), and an evening tour, “Philly by Night,” that departs at 8pm so passengers can see what Philadelphia’s top sites look like when they’re illuminated after the sun goes down. The “Philly by Night” tour takes you past spots in the city that look best in twinkling light, like Penn’s Landing, Independence Hall and even South Street, which really starts to bustle in the evening. While the late-night tour doesn’t afford you the option of hopping on and off like its alternative, you will get a chance to climb the Rocky Steps for an excellent view of Philadelphia’s skyline under the moon.

Photograph: Courtesy Visit Philadelphia/B. Krist

4. Philadelphia Cheesesteak Tour by Segway

If you’re visiting the city to find the best Philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia, this is the tour for you. Hop on a Segway to be guided along a two-hour tour of five of Philadelphia’s most-popular spots for cheesesteaks. The five-mile trek also doubles as a neighborhood tour, zooming you through popular ’hoods like Chinatown, the Italian Market and Bella Vista. Along the way you’ll pop into five sandwich shops, which could include Jim’s Steaks, Ishkabibbles and the oh-so-popular Pat’s and Geno’s aka “Cheesesteak Vegas.” Along the way, you’ll learn the history behind the famed Philly cheesesteak sandwich and glean insight from some of the shop owners about their secret recipes.

Photograph: Courtesy Visit Philadelphia/J. Fusco

5. Walking Tour of Penn and Drexel

For scholarly types who may turn their nose up at a cheesesteak, this educational tour takes you to University City to explore the campuses of two of Philadelphia’s most revered universities: the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and Drexel University. In approximately two hours and 30 minutes, you’ll saunter through both campuses (which lie within a stone’s throw from one another), admiring some of the schools’ most iconic buildings, like Frank Furness’s architectural masterpiece Fisher Library, and stop in cool mini parks where you may see a replica of Philadelphia’s famed LOVE sculpture. At the end, you and your tour group can grab a bite at some of the food trucks stationed along Spruce Street before hopping on a trolley to close out the adventure.

Photograph: Courtesy Visit Philadelphia/J. Fusco for GPTMC

6. Philadelphia 3-Combo Tour with Eastern State Penitentiary

For deal-seekers, this three-pack combo tour gets you three Philadelphia experiences at a sweet discounted rate. First, you get a ticket for a hop-on, hop-off double decker bus tour, which is good for a full day. Be sure to hop off in Old City to take advantage of your second deal: a 75-minute walk that offers a history of Benjamin Franklin’s all-important time in Philadelphia by tracing his footsteps past some of his old haunts, such as Independence Hall and Christ Church , where Franklin and other founding fathers—and presidents!—did their worshipping. Lastly, your combo tickets grants you entry at Eastern State Penitentiary , the notorious prison that once counted dudes like “Slick Willie” Sutton and Al Capone among its inmates.

7. Full-Day Private Philadelphia Driving Tour

Want to see Philadelphia without having to deal with all the crowds? You and up to five of your closest friends can hop in this private minivan tour of the city, equipped with an expert guide who will have your undivided attention. You can choose an eight-hour or 10-hour option, both of which traverse the city from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River, taking time to get an in-depth look at sites along the way. Your driver will arrange a ticket for you and your guests to go inside Independence Hall, he’ll take you to Reading Terminal Market for lunch. shopping and a cheesesteak taste test, and continue on to see everything from the Navy Yard (something that isn’t included in most tours, the Philadelphia Stadium Complex and even some of the most gorgeous murals around the city. Since it’s more of a private affair, you’ll have the option of steering your driver to the spots that most interest you.

Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/ Rebecca Olarte

8. Half-Day Private Philadelphia Driving Tour

If you can’t fit a full-day driving tour in your schedule, opt for this condensed version. The half-day option gives you the chance to request a morning or afternoon departure and sticks mostly to the biggie sites (think: Eastern State Penitentiary, all the historical gems in Old City, the Italian Market and more) and some lesser-known neighborhoods. Again, your driver has a route in mind, but you can customize the journey by telling him about the sites that are most important to you.

9. Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour of Philadelphia

This tour gives you the hop-on, hop-off touring option with the added benefit of a charming Victorian-style trolley ride. The comprehensive tour includes stops at 27 major sites, including all the biggies like the Old City historical sites, Reading Terminal Market and the Philadelphia Museum of Art . But there are a few extras here, as well. Consider hopping off at Macy’s, which is located in a national landmark building that houses the largest playing organ in the world. If you ride on a Sunday afternoon, stop at Headhouse Square to browse a fantastic local farmers’ market. Have kids in tow? They’ll lose their minds—and all that extra energy—with a romp through the Please Touch Museum . The trolley is in operation from 5 to 9pm, so you have a whole day to get out and explore.

10. Philadelphia Evening Double Decker Bus Tour

This tour caters to the night owls among us, with a 16-mile tour of Philadelphia that begins at 8pm. Find a spot on the top level of the open-air double-decker bus for optimal viewing The after-dark tour begins in Center City and crisscrosses its way through town to take in as many sites as possible—from Old City to Benjamin Franklin Parkway and back through Chinatown where you’ll pass under that neighborhood’s ornate red arch before returning home around 10pm. The faint of heart should be aware: This tour also swings you past Eastern State Penitentiary , which looks all the more ominous as it looms above you under the moonlight (cue: evil laugh ).

Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/ Dave Z.

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