Philly vacation: How many days for a history buff? (Philadelphia: home, live)

[FrankInPhilly]

OP didn't say whether he'd have access to a car. If so ... Valley Forge is a must. And another 35+ minutes west of Valley Forge is a lesser-known gem: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site.
For any of the locations OP and others have suggested, be sure to check availability: not everywhere is open 7 days a week, and others (Indep. Hall comes to mind) have timed admission. So don't assume that if A, B, and C fit nicely into a day's itinerary that it's actually possible.
I'd second Laurel Hill Cemetery - historic importance, to be sure. It also has beautiful views of the Schuylkill River and, if you're a movie buff and liked "Rocky Balboa," Adrian's grave is there, right by the main entrance.

[rowhomecity]

I also HIGHLY suggest putting in a Valley Forge and Lancaster City, PA (U.S Capitol) day trip in there.

Both sites are beautiful. Make sure you take the scenic Route 30 route.

The Southeast Pennsylvania countryside sure is a beautiful site to see

[chessimprov]

When I tell some people about Balboa's grave, a few people get really sad. They haven't seen the movie (neither have I, lol) and if they do see the grave, they say it's in the worst location of the graveyard ever. lol!

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

I also HIGHLY suggest putting in a Valley Forge and Lancaster City, PA (U.S Capitol) day trip in there.

Both sites are beautiful. Make sure you take the scenic Route 30 route.

The Southeast Pennsylvania countryside sure is a beautiful site to see

The rural landscape of Lancaster County reminds me an awful lot of home, only with many more small farms and somewhat larger rolling hills.

[jjv007]

In addition to the sites the OP mentioned and many others suggested, be sure to keep your eyes up when walking the city. Philly is one of those cities where history and interesting spots hit you when you don't expect.
There's an old Quaker meetinghouse somewhere in Old City I just happened to stumble upon once, and I just spotted the Edgar Allan Poe House recently after hearing about it for awhile. Historic markers are aplenty, which are full of interesting tidbits.
Penn Treaty Park where William Penn signed his treaty with the Indians might be an interesting swingby, and the enormously significant Mason-Dixon line is marked in the Penn's Landing area.
City Hall's observation deck is open I believe (as is One Liberty's), but City Hall has become a historic icon of its own.
The Masonic Temple is a great historical and architectural gem and a tour is definitely recommended.
You've probably heard of Betsy Ross House and Elfrith's Alley (on many tourist lists), and they could be worth a little stop at least.
The Fairmount Waterworks are historic in their own right as well and are right by the Art Museum.
As others have mentioned, Germantown has history worth investigating as well. Manayunk/Roxborough/East Falls area have some great historic and entertainment spots also, and if you're by that area, you should go to the Belmont Plateau (Philadelphia Zoo and Mann Center are in the vicinity as well).
Honestly, you could explore endlessly but based on your time table, you can figure out what works best for you.
Given that, I'd say why not stay as long as you can, which in your case seems like a week.

[FrankInPhilly]

Originally Posted by chessimprov

When I tell some people about Balboa's grave, a few people get really sad. They haven't seen the movie (neither have I, lol) and if they do see the grave, they say it's in the worst location of the graveyard ever. lol!

In the movie, the Schuylkill (and maybe Strawberry Mansion bridge?) were in the background whenever Rocky visited the grace. So it was in a somewhat remote but certainly not bad location. Kind of pretty & relaxing, actually. My guess is that they moved the grave (and the chair that Rocky used to sit in when he talked to her) to the gatehouse area so there'd be less frivolous (i.e., Rocky fan) traffic to the "real" site. The movie, IMHO, is one of the better ones of the franchise (behind the original and ahead of most of the others). "Creed" is also worth watching (on Netflix and probably other channels).

[Pine to Vine]

FrankInPhilly recommended Valley Forge. I don’t know where you are traveling from, but it would be a shame to travel far and not see one of the nation’s most significant historical sites only 30 minutes away. You will not need a car in the city (you will not want a car in the city), but you could likely book a trip through your hotel. Alternatively, you might rent a car for the day, and after a visit to VF make your way over to Washington Crossing: https://www.washingtoncrossingpark.org.

And since no one’s mentioned it, the city has an exhaustive visitor website: https://www.visitphilly.com. Lots here on the places you’ve expressed interest in plus a few others you may not have considered.

Enjoy your visit. If you remember, drop us a brief post and tell us how it went.

[FrankInPhilly]

Originally Posted by jjv007

In addition to the sites the OP mentioned and many others suggested, be sure to keep your eyes up when walking the city. Philly is one of those cities where history and interesting spots hit you when you don't expect.
There's an old Quaker meetinghouse somewhere in Old City I just happened to stumble upon once, and I just spotted the Edgar Allan Poe House recently after hearing about it for awhile. Historic markers are aplenty, which are full of interesting tidbits.
Penn Treaty Park where William Penn signed his treaty with the Indians might be an interesting swingby, and the enormously significant Mason-Dixon line is marked in the Penn's Landing area.
City Hall's observation deck is open I believe (as is One Liberty's), but City Hall has become a historic icon of its own.
The Masonic Temple is a great historical and architectural gem and a tour is definitely recommended.
You've probably heard of Betsy Ross House and Elfrith's Alley (on many tourist lists), and they could be worth a little stop at least.
The Fairmount Waterworks are historic in their own right as well and are right by the Art Museum.
As others have mentioned, Germantown has history worth investigating as well. Manayunk/Roxborough/East Falls area have some great historic and entertainment spots also, and if you're by that area, you should go to the Belmont Plateau (Philadelphia Zoo and Mann Center are in the vicinity as well).
Honestly, you could explore endlessly but based on your time table, you can figure out what works best for you.
Given that, I'd say why not stay as long as you can, which in your case seems like a week.

Yes! City Hall. I've been living here 10 years and still haven't taken the tour, but my wife and her mom took it a few weeks ago and had nothing but positive comments. It's a beautiful building, both interior and exterior, and the tour guide was chatty and informative in that special Philly way.

If it's views of the city you're after: the view from the top of City Hall is probably not as expansive as Liberty Place, but the cost is $8 (https://www.phlvisitorcenter.com/thi...all-tower-tour) v. $14+ at Liberty Place (https://phillyfromthetop.com/tickets.html). Your time at the observation platform at City Hall is limited; that isn't the case @Liberty Place.

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by FrankInPhilly

Yes! City Hall. I've been living here 10 years and still haven't taken the tour, but my wife and her mom took it a few weeks ago and had nothing but positive comments. It's a beautiful building, both interior and exterior, and the tour guide was chatty and informative in that special Philly way.

If it's views of the city you're after: the view from the top of City Hall is probably not as expansive as Liberty Place, but the cost is $8 (https://www.phlvisitorcenter.com/thi...all-tower-tour) v. $14+ at Liberty Place (https://phillyfromthetop.com/tickets.html). Your time at the observation platform at City Hall is limited; that isn't the case @Liberty Place.

A drink from R2L is also a good way to get a view. At least you get a drink with the view.

[chessimprov]

Originally Posted by FrankInPhilly

In the movie, the Schuylkill (and maybe Strawberry Mansion bridge?) were in the background whenever Rocky visited the grace. So it was in a somewhat remote but certainly not bad location. Kind of pretty & relaxing, actually. My guess is that they moved the grave (and the chair that Rocky used to sit in when he talked to her) to the gatehouse area so there'd be less frivolous (i.e., Rocky fan) traffic to the "real" site. The movie, IMHO, is one of the better ones of the franchise (behind the original and ahead of most of the others). "Creed" is also worth watching (on Netflix and probably other channels).

To some people, it's in a "bad" location because it is very close to Ridge Ave. and a currently not so great neighborhood on the other side of the grave. I am implying that some people don't realize that it's technically a prop and they think there is a real person underneath.

It would be also cheaper to put the gravestone in the location it was put in. Also, they can save better locations for people who really care about their actual relatives. Having a prop in a good location scenically might also be kind of insulting to the people who have actual people under the gravestones. The organization did a great job in thinking this through beforehand.