Even though it is cold, there are tons of things to do and see in Philly in the winter time. Here are 10 things to see in Philly in winter, with many of them being free to visit!
1. Christmas Village at LOVE Park
November 28th – December 24th, 2019
LOVE Park: 1500 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
The Christmas Village at LOVE Park is a German style, outdoor Christmas market with vendors selling everything from ornaments to food to unique gifts. You can easily walk around the village for a while looking at all the booths. Grab a snack of a German style pretzel or a cup of warm wine and enjoy the lights!
- There are a lot of really nice booths if you’re looking for any last minute presents. We’ve bought glass Christmas ornaments for all our family members from the Christmas Village that were a big hit!
Travel Truth: The Christmas Village can get busy, especially on a weekend night. Consider going during the day when it is less crowded or on a weekday night!
2. Winter at Dilworth Park (City Hall)
November 8th – February 23rd, 2020
City Hall: 1 S 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Across from the Christmas Village is Dilworth Park (the area around City Hall) which boasts even more winter activities. The Rothman Insitute Ice Rink, open everyday, offers kids and adults an opportunity to ice skate at one of the most iconic Philadelphia landmarks. Once you’re good and cold you can pop into the cabin next door and enjoy a hot chocolate or a cocktail!
- Capital One is hosting Free in February so to get a free admission ticket to the ice rink stop by the Capital One Cafe in Rittenhouse!
- Dilworth Park also features the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market, a Christmas market with all locally made products. It will be there from November 23rd – January 1st!
One of the biggest hits at Dilworth Park is the new Deck the Halls light show, a light show projected onto City Hall for viewers to stop and enjoy. Stop by the see the show every hour during the week and every half hour on the weekends!
- The Christmas Village and Dilworth Park are very easy to visit at the same time because of their close proximity. If you are coming from outside the city, there is an underground parking lot at LOVE Park where you can park and enjoy both places!
3. Rittenhouse Square
December 3rd – End of December, 2019
210 W Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA
Rittenhouse Square Park is a public park that is decked out with lights and decorations for the holiday season. The Holiday Park Lighting makes the lighting of the impressive 30 foot tree in the park! Take a nice walk around the park and enjoy the lights before heading over to #4 on this list. There are also many restaurants that overlook the park for you to choose from including the well known Parc restaurant. Some even have outside heaters if you are brave enough to sit outside!
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4. Delancey Place
**Seasonal
1700-2600 blocks of Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA
Known for being one of the most beautiful streets in Philadelphia, Delancey Street (and Delancey Place) feature picturesque brick row homes and light wrapped trees. Consider talking a walk through some of the best looking streets in the city!
- It is very easy to go to Delancey Street and Rittenhouse Square together as they are very close to each other!
- Originally Delancey Place was just for the designed 1700-2600 blocks in Rittenhouse Square. At one point, to make things simple, the city tried renaming the entire road “Delancey Street”. However, the name was eventually changed back to keep its history. Currently the 1700-2600 blocks are called Delancey Place while 1600 and lower blocks are called Delancey Street.
5. Bluecross RiverRink Winterfest at Penns Landing
November 29th – March 8th, 2020
101 S Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
The Bluecross RiverRink provides another opportunity to ice skate in Philadelphia and has been celebrating the winter season for over 20 years. The ice rink sits next to the river with a nice view of nearby New Jersey and the Ben Franklin bridge. Next to the rink is The Lodge, a mountain lodge themed building offering food and drinks and a nice way to get away from the cold. It’s a seriously cozy spot to hang out even if you’re not ice skating! One of the best parts of Winterfest is the open area next to the lodge that has fire pits and chairs! It’s so cool to enjoy a good winter bonfire without having to leave the city.
6. Miracle on S 13th Street
November 30th – January 1st, 2020
1600 S 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Put together by the residents of the 1600 block of S 13th Street is the Miracle on S 13th Street holiday light display. Take a drive, either on your way into the city or your way out, and marvel at the decorations. A quick, easy and free way to see some of the city’s best holiday spirit!
- You can view the lights daily from 5 pm – 12 am
- The lights are located at the 1600 block of S 13th street between Tasker and Morris. Don’t worry, you can’t miss it!
- You can get more information at the Miracle on South 13th Street Facebook page
7. Franklin Square Holiday Festival
November 14th – December 31st, 2019
200 N 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA
One of the best outdoor light shows in the city, the Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show at Franklin Square runs every thirty minutes and showcases over 70,000 lights. The hours (Sunday through Thursday) are 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Friday and Saturday are 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
We would definitely recommend checking this light show as it really is an impressive display. It is located halfway between City Hall and the Blucross RiverRink, about 1 mile from each. Nearby there is Bens Sweets & Treats and Winter Beer Garden for you to grab something to drink and warm up.
- Franklin Square puts on many events at the square throughout November and December so be sure to checkout their website if you are heading that way.
- This is a really good place to go with kids as there are so many interactive guests and activities happening!
Travel Truth: Franklin Square, even on a Saturday night, was significantly less crowded than the Christmas Village at LOVE Park or Dilworth Park at City Hall. If you’re looking for a holiday experience but wanting to avoid some of the crowds, we would recommend Franklin Square!
8. Macy’s Christmas Light Show
November 29th – December 31st, 2019
Macys: 1300 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
Tired of being out in the cold? Head inside Macy’s to see their annual Christmas Light Show. This light show is a Philly tradition, running for over 60 years. You can catch the display every day at 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm and 8 pm. The fifteen minute show features holiday songs and themed light displays to go along. It’s a free activity to do especially if you are nearby at City Hall.
On the third floor of Macy’s is also Dickens Village which features A Christmas Carol display. It’s free to walk through but it can get very crowded immediately following the light show as there is one escalator going up and a small entrance door. Definitely plan ahead if you’re looking to do both!
Travel Truth: Macy’s is 3 floors. We recommend getting a spot to watch the Macys Christmas Light Show either on the 2nd or 3rd floor. That way you won’t be looking way up at the lights and will have a better view. It does get crowded, however, so don’t expect to be the only one there. We got there 15 minutes prior to the show starting and stood amongst 20 people. Even that early (for a free show) we were watching from a few rows back. It didn’t impact our ability to see the show but keep it in mind if you like to be up front!
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9. Christmas at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
November 27th – End of December
2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is known for being one of the most recognizable buildings in Philadelphia (see: Rocky). This time of year it also hosts a beautiful (and very large) tree at the top of the very famous Rocky steps. Take a walk down the Ben Franklin Parkway from City Hall and enjoy the view the entire way! Consider going inside as the Museum hosts many special events for the holiday season.
Don’t forget about the Philadelphia Museum of Arts pay what you wish days (they suggest as little as a penny). These are held on the first Sunday of the month and Wednesday nights.
10. Longwood Gardens
November 22nd – January 5th, 2020
1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA
Although technically Longwood Gardens is outside the city of Philadelphia, it is definitely worth checking out if you want to see an amazing collection of lights and holiday decor. Originally a du Pont family estate, the grounds are expansive and incredibly laid out. The decorations include floating Christmas lights, tree houses, rows and rows of lit up trees, and a beautiful conservatory with any plant you could imagine.
Longwood Gardens is the most expensive place on this list so make sure to check online for ticket prices and information. It is recommended that you buy a timed ticket online before arriving. Don’t worry, the gardens are huge so you will not feel cramped once inside.
- Some popular days and times do sell out during the Christmas season so make sure you buy tickets in advance!
Travel Truth: We have 2 tips for visiting Longwood Gardens to make it even more enjoyable. Most of the gardens are outside so plan ahead and dress warmly, you will do a fair bit of walking. The conservatory is inside and a respite from the cold but otherwise layer up! Secondly youth, seniors and college students all get discounted tickets so take advantage if you qualify!