With its world-class museums, growing list of award-winning restaurants, and famous energy, there’s never a better time to visit Philadelphia. But 2026 brings a whole new set of reasons to plan a trip, which is why it’s one of TPG’s 17 best travel destinations this year.
On July 4, the United States celebrated the 500th anniversary of its founding (250th birthday), and the city where the Declaration of Independence was first adopted became the stage for celebrations.
Philadelphia will also host six FIFA World Cup games, including one on July 4, as well as Wawa’s “Welcome America Celebration” including concerts, events and parade programming. The party won’t be limited to a fireworks-filled weekend, though. Philadelphia’s “52 Weeks of Firsts” program introduces a new neighborhood “Saturday Firsts” each week, turning the city’s litany of civic, cultural and delightfully random firsts (first bubble gum, first pogo stick) into an excuse to visit in any season.
In addition to being the “first getaway” of the week, the city has plenty of reasons to turn any long weekend into a full itinerary. Read on to learn about the best food, attractions, and things to do in Philadelphia in 2026. It builds on Michelin’s new focus on dining venues, blockbuster exhibitions at major museums and new reasons to book accommodation in event centres.
Exciting restaurant openings and new Michelin stars
Philadelphia has long been a buzzing dining scene, and in 2026 you’ll have even more reasons to plan your day where to eat. One of the most anticipated restaurant openings this year is Emilia, the restaurant from beloved Philadelphia chef Greg Vernick that focuses on the cuisine of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. It opens in early 2026 in a contemporary space in Fishtown, East Kensington.
RELATED: How to Spend a Weekend in Fishtown, Philly’s Coolest Neighborhood
James Beard Award-winning chefs Phila and Rachel Lorn, the power couple behind Cambodian BYOB noodle shop Mawn, are expanding their restaurant empire into South Philly with Sao; an oyster and oyster bar in East Passyunk with a full bar program and menu that includes dishes like aged oysters with ham and scallops with chili sauce. Also in South Philly, chef Joey Baldino of the members-only Palizzi Social Club has revived old-school neighborhood restaurant Bomb Bomb Bar, serving Italian seafood classics. (Don’t miss the “Lobster and Shells” and “Mom’s Stuffed Squid.”)
Tequila’s, a Philadelphia landmark since 1986, recently reopened after a fire and added La Jefa, a bright café by day that transforms into a tequila cocktail bar and restaurant by night. For other recent hits, check out Dancerobot, Jesse Ito and Justin Bacharach’s ode to Japanese-Western comfort food, and Chance Anies’ Manong Filipino-American steakhouse.
Make time to stop for a snack at Mighty Bread’s new takeout shop, which has seasonal sweets and fresh baguette sandwiches, or head to the Korean pastry counter at Seaforest Bakeshop for gochujang cheese scallion rolls. Don’t miss Roosevelt Park’s weekend Southeast Asian markets—from spring to fall, vendors gather to serve up a festive feast of street food.
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If you’re using the Michelin Guide as your compass, start with Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Her Place Supper Club and Provenance — all of these restaurants earned stars when Philadelphia debuted in the new Northeast city guide. Alternatively, you can book a reservation at Pietramala, the city’s first Green Star restaurant, where chef Ian Graye oversees a rigorous fermentation and preservation program to transform local botanicals into a vegan feast. Don’t miss the guide’s Bib Gourmands, including Royal Izakaya for classic Japanese fare, El Chingon for Puebla-style cemitas and homemade rolls, and Pizzeria Beddia for gourmet pies and natural wines. Be sure to line up for the cheesesteak at Angelo’s – best served with fried onions and served piping hot for a long time.
A new sculpture museum and cultural events not to be missed in 2026
Most America 250 shows culminate around the Fourth of July, but in Philadelphia, there’s a lot going on beyond that week. Visitors can look forward to major cultural openings, a rich festival calendar and recurring community programming, making it easy to plan a trip for any season.
Start at Calder Gardens on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a new art and landscape destination dedicated to the memory of Alexander Calder, the American sculptor best known for pioneering modern mobile technology. The cultural institution is more than just a traditional museum: The Herzog & de Meuron-designed building is set in a garden envisioned by Piet Oudolf (of New York City’s High Line fame) and houses a collection of Calder works that gradually change over time to reflect seasonal changes in flora.
For a blockbuster cultural exhibition, head to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see “Artists Nation” (on view April 12, 2026 – July 5, 2027): a broad overview of three centuries of American art, organized with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Paired with Rise: The Making of Rocky and the Monument , also at PhAM (April 25-August 2, 2026), timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the film’s release. See “Henri Rousseau: The Painter’s Secret” at the nearby Barnes Foundation (through February 22, 2026)—the first major Rousseau exhibition in the United States in decades.
In addition to the art museum, you can visit the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s “Philadelphia Flower Show” (February 28-March 8, 2026) and the world premiere of “Universal’s Theme Parks: The Exhibition” at the Franklin Institute (February 14-September 7, 2026). History buffs should check out the National Constitution Center, which has opened two new permanent galleries: one about America’s founding in February and another about the separation of powers, scheduled for May. Finally, the Pennsylvania Museum’s Native American Gallery, opening in late 2025, is built around Native perspectives and living traditions.
Yibo Xindian Hotel opens
Just in time for the America 250 and the influx of summer visitors, Philadelphia’s hospitality industry is adding some headlines. The Bourse Hotel, part of the Hilton Tapestry Collection, is located in the Old Town and is expected to open in early 2026. It will have 152 rooms and is just steps away from the Independence Mall. The Bellevue is a hotel under the Hyatt Group’s Unbound Collection. It is located in the famous Broad Street landmark building. It first opened in 1904, showing the classic grandeur of Central City. The hotel has completed a major restoration of its public spaces and 184 rooms and suites; guests have full access to the adjacent sports club. The sprawling club features a four-lane swimming pool, basketball and pickleball courts, saunas and steam rooms, an indoor track and more.
In pursuit of luxury, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia recently launched a new sky garden floor. It has a range of rooms and suites (plus a two-bedroom penthouse) with residential amenities such as kitchens and in-suite laundry, and some rooms have private terraces with views of the city skyline. The Waylen at the Navy Yard is also opening soon: It’s planned to be a 223-room Unbound Collection by Hyatt hotel in a converted historic Navy building, with multiple dining concepts and a spa with six treatment rooms.
RELATED: 4 Reasons It’s Worth Booking a Suite at W Philadelphia
How to get to Philadelphia
If you have American Airlines AAdvantage miles, you can easily travel to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) as American Airlines is the airline’s main hub in the Northeast. But if you’re loyal to Delta, United, Alaska or Southwest, you can also simply connect through their hubs. From PHL, it takes 20 minutes to drive to Center City. PHL can also be reached via SEPTA, the city’s public transportation system. The Airport Line takes passengers directly to the city center, and the journey takes about 30 minutes.
For those visiting Philadelphia from other East Coast cities, consider taking Amtrak to Philadelphia’s William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, which is a cheaper (and sometimes faster) option than flying.
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