Philadelphia Academy of Music Tours and Activities

Experience the History! Enjoy the sites of Philadelphia with a live Tour Guide on board our authentic Double Decker Buses. Due to COVID-19, the ability to hop-on hop-off is suspended until further notice.

Explore the best that Philadelphia has to offer on this hop-on hop-off tour of the city. Visit 27 of Philadelphia’s top attractions — like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall — on a 1.5-hour loop. Select from a 1- or 2-day pass, then board at any of the 27 stops and get to know the city in custom fashion, with live on-board commentary. After dinner (own expense), enjoy the city as it’s illuminated for the evening on a ‘Philly by Night Tour.’ Pickup and drop-off from select hotels included.

Join me on a self-guided GPS audio tour that’ll open your eyes to the full range of Philadelphia’s architecture, spanning every American style from the 1850s to the present. One of the richest periods artistically, it was also one of the wealthiest. Mark Twain called these years the “Gilded Age” because America’s economy boomed and vast fortunes were rapidly made. Gilded Age styles like Second Empire Baroque, High Victorian Gothic and Romanesque all compete for your attention on this tour. The styles they gave way to as we entered the 20th century are eye catching too, like Beaux Arts, Art Deco, and International Style. Then from the 1970s we enter the Postmodern era, where almost anything goes architecturally – and that’s where we still find ourselves today. Along the way, I’ll tell you plenty of interesting but not strictly architectural stories about Philadelphia and its buildings too.