Pennsylvania Convention Center – Things To Do With Your Team

Philadelphia is home to a lot of well-known important buildings. One building that is perhaps less well-known but still quite important is one that you and your team are either currently planning to visit with or are likely to visit sometime in the near future: the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Pennsylvania Convention Center is downtown Philadelphia’s premier multi-use meeting facility, hosting nearly 250 events a year ranging from internationally-attended conventions to regional company retreats.

From your group’s time spent inside the convention center to your time spent outside exploring the surrounding area, you’re all in store for an enjoyable experience. That’s because the Pennsylvania Convention Center is one the few convention centers that’s been seamlessly woven into the city’s landscape, offering you and your team the chance to immerse yourselves entirely in the quintessential Philadelphia experience with convenience and ease.

Even the convention center itself is an experience, consisting of more than two million square feet of space, 679,000 of which is devoted to exhibit space. In addition, the Pennsylvania Convention Center boasts more than 82 meeting rooms as well as the largest ballroom in the Northeast, equivalent to the size of a football field. To make your visit to Philadelphia truly memorable however, you and your team must venture out of the convention center and into the heart of downtown Philadelphia in search of some of the amazing things that can be found there. Although with hundreds of fantastic restaurants, shops, historical attractions, and cultural institutions just within walking distance of the convention center, your search definitely won’t last long.

Things to Do

Franklin Square

A favorite recreational spot among Philadelphia locals, Franklin Square is one of the five public squares designated by the founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, William Penn, in his original city plan for Philadelphia made in 1682. Centuries later, Franklin Square remains a scenic oasis amidst the energetic hustle and bustle of the surrounding Center City area. Throughout Franklin Square’s eight-acre grounds you and your team will find many fun, family-friendly attractions. One such attraction is the ever-popular Philly Mini Golf. This 18-hole miniature golf course is dotted with scaled-down versions of iconic Philadelphia landmarks, including the Liberty Bell, Boathouse Row, Elfreth’s Ally, and more. It’s as if you’re taking a mini tour of the city while you play a round of mini golf!

Another great Franklin Square attraction is the Parx Liberty Carousel. This nostalgic ride serves as a tribute to both Philadelphia’s storied heritage of carousel-making and to hometown racehorse heroes like Afleet Alex, winner of the Belmont Stakes and Preakness Stakes, and Smarty Jones, winner of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes; their likenesses featured as statues on the carousel.

Franklin Square also features one of the 13 charming and informative Once Upon a Nation Storytelling Benches, where visitors can hear tales of the square’s past told by the friendly storytellers of Once Upon a Nation; a fountain thought to be the oldest surviving fountain in William Penn’s five historic squares; and SquareBurger, a quaint burger shack serving up fast food favorites like burgers and milkshakes, as well as some more unique options like pulled pork sandwiches, vegetarian chili, and grilled cheese. With so much to see and do, you and your team might just have to visit Franklin Square more than once during your stay in Philadelphia! Fortunately, that won’t be hard to do because Franklin Square is only a 10 minute walk from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.  200 N 6th St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

One Liberty Observation Deck

A visit to Philadelphia’s One Liberty Observation Deck will offer you and your team the opportunity to view the historic Philadelphia skyline from a one-of-a-kind, panoramic vantage point. Good news, it’s not far from the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Make sure to bring your camera! You’ll be able to see the whole city from above as you learn about its rich history and culture through interactive touchscreens and free guided tours. The attraction consists of three levels: the ground floor entry, a second-floor ticketing lobby, and the 57th-floor observatory. In addition to panoramic views, each floor features interactive experiences and installations like a towering Benjamin Franklin sculpture, Philadelphia-focused listening stations, and six multilingual touch screens that allow visitors to zoom in on a single point hundreds of feet below. Discounted group rates are available for groups of 20 or more. 1650 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent

The Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent celebrates the entire scope of the city’s over 300-year legacy from its founding in 1680 to the present day. The museum features eight beautifully designed galleries, each containing a stunning array of historical objects, art, and artifacts from their vast collection. There you’ll find just about everything and anything Philadelphia, from George Washington’s writing desk to Joe Frasier’s Championship boxing gloves. Plus, don’t miss the world’s largest walkable map of the city, stretching across an entire gallery floor. In just a few steps, you and your team can travel from South Philadelphia to Montgomery County as you learn a bit of history along the way. Admission to the Philadelphia History Museum is free for children age 12 and under. 15 S 7th St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

National Constitution Center

Although it’s only four pages long, the U.S. Constitution is among the most influential and important documents in the history of the world. In fact, the Constitution is so important that Congress established the National Constitution Center, located just over a 10-minute walk from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, with the sole purpose to “disseminate information about the United States Constitution on a non-partisan basis in order to increase the awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people.” This unique 160,000-square-foot Philadelphia attraction brings the Constitution to life through high-tech exhibits, artifacts, and interactive displays that offer fun and informative entertainment for visitors of all ages. 525 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

United States Mint

Even though the capital of the U.S. moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. in 1800, the production of coins and medals has remained primarily in Philadelphia for the past two centuries. Though there are mints in Denver and San Francisco, at least half of the nation’s circulating coins and most of the commemorative medals are struck in the United States Mint, located only a few blocks away from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

During a self-guided tour of the United States Mint, you and your team will get to view the coining operations from 40 feet above the factory floor in addition to fascinating artifacts like the first coining press, used to strike the first coins in 1792; seven glass mosaics designed by Louis C. Tiffany to celebrate the opening of the third Philadelphia Mint; and Peter the Mint Eagle, a real bald eagle who lived in the first Philadelphia Mint and is still studied by the mint’s artists for new eagle designs to this day.

All tours of the United States Mint are self-guided, require no reservations, and take approximately 45 minutes to complete. You’ll definitely want to leave some time for you and your team to browse the gift shop however. This is one place where the gift shop is just as good as the museum, as it features its own displays of rare and interesting coins, along with other unique collectables. 151 N Independence Mall E, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Independence National Historical Park

Known as the birthplace of American democracy, Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park is home to more than two dozen places of historic significance. While Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center are the main attractions within Independence National Historic Park, there are plenty of other fantastic sites for visitors to see, including Congress Hall, the New Hall Military Museum, Franklin Court, the Bishop White House, the Graff House, and more.

A visit to this 55-acre park is a great way to experience history firsthand at some of Philadelphia’s most iconic landmarks, many of which are free and open to the public year-round. However, admission to Independence Hall is by tour only. Timed entry tickets are required for Independence Hall tours from March through December. Free tickets are available on the morning of your visit at the Independence Visitor Center, or you can reserve tickets in advance. 143 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

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Places to Eat

Reading Terminal Market

Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market is a culinary experience unlike any other. Originally established in 1892, it’s the nation’s oldest continuously operating farmer’s market. When you and your team visit the market, you can take your pick of pretty much any and every type of cuisine, from savory soul food and exotic Asian and Middle Eastern dishes to authentic Philly cheesesteaks and traditional Pennsylvania Dutch fare, all available from largely family-run stands under one big roof. One of the most popular eateries at Reading Terminal Market is DiNic’s, a renowned sandwich shop specializing in a decadent roast pork sandwich that was crowned the best sandwich in America by the Travel Channel show Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America. 51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

BurgerFi

When it comes to crave-worthy foods nothing can top the good old-fashioned hamburger. If you and your team happen to get a hankering for this all-American classic during your visit to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, consider yourselves lucky. Located just across the street from the convention center is BurgerFi, a gourmet hamburger restaurant established in 2011 that has quickly become one of the nation’s fastest-growing upscale burger chains.

Everything at BurgerFi is made with fresh, natural ingredients, like their burgers, which feature 100 perfect natural Angus beef patties with no steroids, antibiotics, growth hormones, chemicals, or additives. In addition to their array of decadent burgers, the menu at BurgerFi also features hot dogs served New York style with sauerkraut and mustard and Texas style with chili, cheese, and hot sauce; as well as hand-cut fries; onion rings; shakes; custards; and floats. 44 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Bonchon

The word “bonchon” means “my hometown” in Korean, making it a very appropriate name for a restaurant that’s serving up Philadelphia’s latest comfort food obsession. Bonchon is a fried chicken franchise that’s serving up an innovative take on crispy poultry by combining it with mouthwatering Korean-influenced flavors. Their Korean fried chicken, twice-fried and slathered in either soy garlic sauce or spicy sauce, is far crispier and more flavorful than your average wing. One bite is all it will take for you to understand why Bonchon’s chicken was named one of five of the best chicken wings in the country by CNN.

If wings aren’t your thing, Bonchon’s menu features a wide variety of delicious dishes, ranging from exotic options like takoyaki, which is fried octopus dumplings drizzled with Japanese mayonnaise, Katsu sauce, and sprinkled with bonito flakes; to familiar favorites like popcorn chicken, sliders, tacos, and more, each with a slight Korean spin. 1020 Cherry St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Dim Sum Garden

Experience an authentic taste of Chinese cuisine at Dim Sum Garden. Although it’s housed in a modest restaurant located on a Chinatown street corner less than a half mile from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the food at Dim Sum Garden is anything but. That’s because Chef Shizhou Da, founder and head chef of Dim Sum Garden, has over 30 years of experience and is even a fifth generation descendent of a chef credited with creating the very first soup dumpling in China. In addition to Shizhou Da’s signature soup dumplings, the menu at Dim Sum Garden includes even more Shanghai specialties like cleaver-cut noodles and stellar meatballs, as well as many other takeout staples. 1020 Race St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Affectionately known as the “City of Brotherly Love,” it won’t take much for you and your team to feel right at home during your visit to a city that seamlessly blends the old with the new. While in Philadelphia, you’ll be able to take a step back in time as you visit fascinating historical sites that tell the story of America’s birth and then follow it up with a meal at a public market that’s historic in its own right, or at one of the city’s exciting new restaurants that will take your taste buds on a trip of their own.