Philadelphia

Of all the iconic American cities, Philadelphia stands out. After all, this is where the country was born, where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed in an unassumingly elegant 18th-century Georgian hall. The so-called City of Brotherly Love has come a long way since then. Seek out the best cheesesteak, stroll by a buzzing waterfront and see what makes Philly perfect its legacy of liberty, equality and the pursuit of happiness.

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Visit Philadelphia: get started

Immerse yourself in the city's history at the Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center and Congress Hall in the Independence National Historical Park. Find top things to eat in Philadelphia at the Reading Terminal Market and stop in the museums of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Franklin Institute. Explore our packages for the best Philadelphia hotels!

Philadelphia travel guide

Destination facts

Language

English

What to bring back

All types of souvenirs related to the city’s iconic LOVE Statue (from coffee mugs to t-shirts), replicas of the original American flag from the Betsy Ross House museum store, revolutionary trinkets from the Museum of the American Revolution, Tastykakes (pre-packaged desserts) and Philadelphia Eagles apparel.

What to eat

Scrapple (a fried, breakfast meat mixing pork, spices and cornmeal), iconic sandwiches (the roast pork sandwich, the Philly hoagie and, of course, the Philly cheesesteak!), soft pretzels, tomato pie (basically, a cheese-less tomato pizza) and water ice (flavoured shaved ice).

Fun fact

Sure, great patriots like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington left an undeniably historic mark on the city, but so did another American legend… one by the name of Rocky Balboa. This is where Sylvester Stallone filmed the Rocky films and two of Philly’s top attractions are the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (nicknamed the Rocky Steps) and the Rocky Statue. Other filming locations include Pat’s King of Steaks and the 9th Street Italian market.

Important info

For more information on all necessary travel documents and more, check Air Canada’s Travel Requirements page and the Government of Canada’s Travel and Tourism website.