Philly Hostel

The birthplace of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, Philadelphia has rich history and culture consolidated into a city and county of around 1.58 million people. It is Pennsylvania’s largest city, sprawling in between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. William Penn founded Philadelphia in 1682 and used the Greek words philos (to love) and adelphos (brother) to name his new grant of land. Penn wished Philadelphia to be a place where anyone could worship freely, hence why the city is known as the City of Brotherly Love.

Hostels in Philadelphia are highly rated and popular. There are private and dorm room options depending on which Philadelphia hostel you choose, and each hostel has unique, artistic décor. There’s even a hostel in a mansion that was built in 1802! If you’re travelling solo, you can’t go wrong at a hostel with fun communal lounges, pool tables, free family dinners and free drinks nights. All hostels in Philadelphia offer free Wi-Fi to keep you connected, and some also throw in free breakfast. Bonus!

The majority of Philadelphia hostels are located in the Old City district, right near the Delaware River and Ben Franklin Bridge. There are also options further away from the city centre if you’d prefer to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city! Either way, you’ll be along one of the two rivers and have a great balance of city and nature. Old City Philadelphia is known as the USA’s most historic square mile. There are streets and houses that are older than the nation itself, amazing restaurants, and plenty of museums, music venues, theatres, and tours to keep you busy!

No trip to Philly would be the complete without seeing the Liberty Bell, a symbol of freedom for various groups of people throughout history. Satisfy your hunger with an authentic Philly cheesesteak, and then once the guilt hits, take a couple laps on the “Rocky Steps” to work off that savoury goodness. You should probably check out the Museum of Art while you’re there too!

Philadelphia has an extensive transit system that includes bus, trolley, trackless trolley, subway, and commuter rail services. They’re all easy to use, just grab a map in your nearest station and you’re set. Philadelphia is also considered one of the most walkable cities in the US, or you can rent a bike and cruise around the many bike paths. To get from the international airport, jump on the SEPTA train to reach the city centre in 25 minutes. If you’re coming from NYC, an Amtrak train leaves regularly from Penn Station and takes one hour.