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. This coupled with its lively atmosphere and proximity to the Big Apple, makes it one of the best getaways to make during your trip to New York.

Although you can visit on your own, I recommend joining a tour to Philadelphia and the Amish region from New York because you will always be accompanied by a guide and you will not have to worry about any aspect of the trip planning. It's all advantages! Discover all the possibilities at your fingertips below.

During your trip to New York you can reserve some time to broaden your horizons and visit nearby cities such as Philadelphia. Depending on the organized tour you choose and the sites you visit, it usually lasts a full day (from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

What will you see on the tour?

This type of organized tours from New York is a very popular option that I recommend 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 house of Betsy Ross ...) but they are not the only ones. In addition, you will also have time to visit the Amish region and some rural areas of this part of the country.

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 (2 to 4 days) as other sites will be added to the route such as Amish Country, Washington or Niagara Falls.

What will you see on the tour?

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 sites to complete your experience.

It is a fantastic excursion that I recommend you to do if you are interested in the politics and history of the United States to discover a little better these two cities so important in the origins of the country. During the tour you will see a lot of monuments, parks and squares that you won't be able to resist taking a few pictures.

On the way you will also visit other amazing places such as Niagara Falls (a spectacular natural monument on the border of the United States and Canada) or Amish Country (where you will learn how this community lives and you can even ride in an authentic "Amish Buggy").

You will also have the services of a professional guide during this type of organized tours to Philadelphia from New York through Amish Country, Washington or Niagara Falls.

If you opt to skip the organized tours to Philadelphia and prefer to visit the city from New York on your own, you will have a little more flexibility as you can tailor the itinerary and timing to suit your tastes, 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, since the duration of the journey usually has to be added to the transfer to the stations, passing through 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 taking advantage of your trip to the Big Apple.

The distance between New York and Philadelphia is not very far, about 152 kilometers, making it the ideal destination for a getaway.

If you are going to Philadelphia via Amish Country, Washington or Niagara Falls

If in addition to "Philly" you want to add to your trip other locations such as Amish Country, Washington or Niagara Falls, the trip will be longer but along the way you will see incredible landscapes.

• 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 on Interstate 95.

The cities of New York and Philadelphia are very well connected, so if you wish to make an excursion there you will have at your disposal several transportation options in case you prefer to visit on your own instead of joining an organized tour.

By bus, the cheapest way

Some of the companies that cover the service are Greyhound, Wanda Coach or MegaBus and you can find tickets starting at $15. You can buy them online and the tour lasts 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 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 like British Airways, JetBlue Airways or Finnair make the route between the two cities but it is the option that I recommend less because the ticket price can cost more expensive from $110 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).

We compare in the table the options of transportation to Philadelphia from New York City

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The main reason 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, lodging, 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. Prices may vary depending on certain factors such as the length of the tour, the attractions that are part of the route, the size of the group, accommodation or if the tour has the services of a guide.

These tours 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, but not so good if you are going to be in the city for fewer days. They are usually done by bus with a transfer to and from the Big Apple at the original starting point.

That is why you will have to get up quite early to get to the meeting point. Depending on the tour you choose, they leave between 5 AM and 6:30 AM so the day before I advise you not to make any plans at night so that you can get a good night's rest and face the day's excursion full of energy.

The effort is worth it because in return you will get 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

Plus, you can always take a nap on the bus or enjoy the view from the window. Some of the vehicles even have Wi-Fi so you can also entertain yourself by reading the news or updating your social networks.

On the way to the destinations that are part of the route you will see incredible rural landscapes. A bit of wilderness is the perfect complement to the asphalt jungle that is New York. Then in the cities and towns you visit you'll see cool tourist attractions and get the pulse of other cities in the country with a very different pace than New York.

During lunch breaks you will be able to try 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 excursions, you will be exhausted by the time you return to New York in the evening, but you will have the satisfaction of having experienced a super exciting adventure in another part of the United States.

In a country as big as the United States, Philadelphia is one of the top choices on the list when choosing an excursion from New York (despite the 11-hour distance between the two cities). However, it is not the only one. If you are going to travel to New York and you feel like visiting another city, but Philadelphia does not call you here are two other options:

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