Advantages & Disadvantages of Traveling to Philadelphia

You consider spending your vacation in Philadelphia but want to get additional information about living costs, housing, climate, safety, entertainment, public infrastructure and much more before making your final decision?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of traveling to Philadelphia in the following chapters.

Traveling To Philadelphia – Overview

Advantages of Traveling to Philadelphia

1. Philadelphia is relatively close to the coast
2. You can make many nice day trips from Philadelphia
3. Warm summers are attractive to many tourists in Philadelphia
4. You can do winters sports around Philadelphia in the colder months
5. Decent public transport in Philadelphia
6. Solid medical infrastructure in Philadelphia
7. Philadelphia is a pretty tolerant place
8. Many people in Philadelphia are outgoing and friendly
9. You will find many people helping you out as a tourist in Philadelphia
10. You can experience many different lifestyles in Philadelphia
11. Philadelphia is a melting pot of different cultures
12. You can try delicious foods from all over the world
13. Many decent sports teams in Philadelphia
14. You will find more than enough entertainment in Philadelphia
15. Chances are you will never get bored as a tourist in Philadelphia
16. Tourists in Philadelphia can enjoy big city life
17. Interesting architecture in Philadelphia
18. Decent shopping options in Philadelphia
19. Many hostels are still pretty affordable in Philadelphia
20. Living costs are not as high as in other major cities of the US

Philadelphia is relatively close to the coast

One advantage of traveling to Philadelphia is that it is relatively close to the coast and this gives you the opportunity to spend many nice hours at the beach as a tourist in Philadelphia while people spending their vacation in Chicago or other places far away from the coast will often not have this luxury.

You can make many nice day trips from Philadelphia

Since there are many things to see in nature around Philadelphia, you can also make many nice day trips to nature reserves or also to other big cities and can make many nice experiences as a tourist in this region in general.

Warm summers are attractive to many tourists in Philadelphia

Tourists in Philadelphia can also enjoy pretty warm summers and this gives you the opportunity to spend lots of time outdoors so you can exercise and can stay fit in a natural manner during your vacation while you can have a great time.

You can do winters sports around Philadelphia in the colder months

Not only summers can be great in Philadelphia but also winters are pretty interesting since you can go skiing or do many other winter sports so you may have a more interesting time during winter months compared to people living in Austin or other regions where it is often warm all year long.

Decent public transport in Philadelphia

Tourists in Philadelphia also find solid public transport and this gives you the opportunity to get around by train or bus in an efficient manner so you may not urgently need a rental car during your vacation in Philly.

Solid medical infrastructure in Philadelphia

Also in case you get sick during your vacation, you can be pretty sure to find solid medical treatment since there are many decent doctors and hospitals in this region and you may therefore be able to get cured of your disease in a pretty efficient manner.

Philadelphia is a pretty tolerant place

You should also know that Philadelphia is a rather tolerant city and tourists are welcome from all over the world and you therefore don’t have to worry about your background but can just hang out in Philadelphia with many great people from various places of our planet.

Many people in Philadelphia are outgoing and friendly

Since most people in Philadelphia are friendly and open to new things, you will also have a rather easy time getting in touch with locals and can make many social connections and real friendships that may last for quite a long time.

You will find many people helping you out as a tourist in Philadelphia

Many people in Philadelphia are also pretty helpful and in case you get lost in this city or need assistance on various other occasions, chances are you will find someone who will be glad to assist you.

You can experience many different lifestyles in Philadelphia

Since Philadelphia is populated by many interesting people from many different regions, you will also be able to have many interesting conversations and can experience alternative lifestyles so you may be able to incorporate some of the best things into your own life.

Philadelphia is a melting pot of different cultures

You should also keep in mind that Philadelphia is a culturally diverse place and you can therefore experience different ways of life as a tourist in Philadelphia and will also be able to meet many tolerant and like-minded people so you can have a great time during your vacation in Philadelphia.

You can try delicious foods from all over the world

Thanks to many different cultural influences, you will also be able to try many delicious foods from all over the world and this can not only make your vacation much better but you may also make many valuable culinary experiences so you may become a better cook in the long run.

Many decent sports teams in Philadelphia

Traveling to Philadelphia can also make sense in case you are a sports fan since you can watch many games in person at the highest level and can make unforgettable memories in those stadiums and halls.

You will find more than enough entertainment in Philadelphia

You also don’t have to worry about running out of entertainment options in Philadelphia since there is just always something to do in this vibrant city and you can have action all day and night long if you want to.

Chances are you will never get bored as a tourist in Philadelphia

Since there are so many different things to do, chances are that you will also never get bored as a tourist in Philadelphia.

In contrast, many tourists who visit Philadelphia often even don’t have enough time to do all the nice things the city has to offer.

Tourists in Philadelphia can enjoy big city life

As a tourist in Philadelphia, you will also be able to enjoy real big city life since you can just spend your time surrounded by big and fancy skyscrapers and may be pretty impressed, especially in case your hometown is pretty small and you have never been to such a big city before.

Interesting architecture in Philadelphia

You should also know that there are many interesting buildings in Philadelphia and if you are interested in architecture, you will find more than enough interesting places where you can hang out and enjoy yourself in this region.

Decent shopping options in Philadelphia

You will also find many fancy malls and boutiques where you can spend lots of money on fashion or souvenirs and as long as you have a big budget, chances are you will find more than enough things to buy as a tourist in Philadelphia.

Many hostels are still pretty affordable in Philadelphia

While you may have to spend lots of money if you want to stay in fancy hotels, there are still many decent hostels at a reasonable price in Philadelphia and tourists in Philly therefore often don’t have to spend as much money on accommodation as people traveling to Los Angeles or other fancier regions.

Living costs are not as high as in other major cities of the US

You should also know that living costs in Philadephia are also rather low compared to many other big metropolitan regions in the US and this gives you the opportunity to spend a nice vacation without having to spend as much money as in many other places.

Now that you know the reasons for spending your vacation in Philadelphia, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of traveling to Philadelphia so you can get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide whether you still want to spend your vacation in this region or rather want to travel to Houston or other places instead.

Disadvantages of Traveling to Philadelphia

1. Philadelphia is not the safest city
2. Philadelphia may have a rather poor reputation
3. Many social problems the city of Philadelphia has to deal with
4. Philadelphia is not very popular among international tourists
5. Cold winters may deter many tourists from traveling to Philadelphia
6. Rather poor air quality in Philadelphia
7. Hard to get around by bicycle in Philadelphia
8. You may get stuck in traffic jams quite often
9. You may end up in rather dodgy neighborhoods of Philadelphia
10. You may get lost in this big city
11. Philadelphia is a pretty crowded place

Philadelphia is not the safest city

One problem with traveling to Philadelphia is that it is just not the safest city.

In fact, crime rates are pretty high and in case you are unlucky, you may get involved in serious incidents, especially if you end up in the wrong parts of the city.

Philadelphia may have a rather poor reputation

Since the city of Philadelphia has to deal with high levels of inequality and there had been rather unpleasant incidents in the past, your friends may also worry about your well-being in case you want to travel to Philadelphia and you may therefore have to convince your loved ones quite a lot that traveling to Philadelphia is a good idea.

Many social problems the city of Philadelphia has to deal with

In general, the city of Philadelphia also has to deal with many social problems and you may therefore see many poor and homeless people and may not be able to enjoy your vacation to its fullest since you may just feel guilty and helpless.

Philadelphia is not very popular among international tourists

You should also know that you will also not be able to meet as many international tourists in Philadelphia as you would in other big metropolitan cities since Philadelphia is just not the most popular tourist destination on a global scale and you may therefore miss out on many interesting conversations with people from all over the world.

Cold winters may deter many tourists from traveling to Philadelphia

While cold winters in Philadelphia give you the opportunity to spend lots of time on winter sports, some people just don’t like cold weather at all and if you belong to this group of people, chances are you may be better off moving to El Paso or other warmer regions.

Rather poor air quality in Philadelphia

You should also keep in mind that air quality in Philadelphia is rather poor and if you are pretty sensitive or even allergic to air pollution, you may not get happy with your vacation in Philly.

Hard to get around by bicycle in Philadelphia

Spending your vacation may also not be great for you in case you love bicycling since Philadelphia is not the most bicycle-friendly city and you may therefore be better off moving to San José or other places where bicycling plays a much bigger role.

You may get stuck in traffic jams quite often

Since Philadelphia is a pretty big city, there are also many cars on the road and you may therefore get stuck in traffic jams quite often and may lose lots of valuable time as a tourist in Philadelphia.

You may end up in rather dodgy neighborhoods of Philadelphia

If you are not careful, you may also just end up in dodgy districts of the town and you may even get into serious trouble in case you meet the wrong people who may be in a pretty bad mood.

You may get lost in this big city

Since Philadelphia is a pretty big city, you may also get lost sooner or later and if your smartphone battery is empty, it may take you quite a long time to navigate back on track.

Philadelphia is a pretty crowded place

You should also know that Philadelphia is a pretty crowded city and you will therefore be surrounded by many people on a regular basis and this can be pretty overwhelming, especially if you come from a small town where you don’t see as many people on a normal day.

Top 10 Traveling To Philadelphia Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should You Spend Your Vacation in Philadelphia?

While traveling to Philadelphia can be great since you will find decent public transport, many shopping opportunities, nice nature and lots of entertainment, you should also keep in mind that Philadelphia is not the safest city and you may also see many adverse consequences of social inequality in this region.

If you even consider moving to Philadelphia not only for vacation but permanently, you should also have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of living in Philadelphia.

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/philadelphiacountypennsylvania

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.