Philadelphia United States
Things to do in Philadelphia in December 2026
By Tripnostic Research · Updated June 3, 2026
For Philadelphia in December 2026, build the day around dated events, seasonal conditions, venue hours, and booking windows. Dated picks to verify first include Philadelphia Holiday Festival at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Underoath. Check the event list and public holidays below before assigning fixed dates.
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Philadelphia in December 2026
Weather
Temperature
47°F / 31°F
8.5°C / -0.6°C
Precipitation
11d
3.9in · 100mm
Daylight
9.2h
December is cold and festive around City Hall, Dilworth Park, Reading Terminal Market, and South Philly light displays.
Events & festivals
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Philadelphia Holiday Festival at the Pennsylvania Convention Center
A month-long holiday market featuring local artisans, festive decorations, and seasonal entertainment in downtown Philadelphia. — Free entry; some vendor booths may require purchase.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
A Very Philly Christmas at the Franklin Square
Seasonal light displays, holiday-themed mini-golf, and festive food and drink offerings in historic Franklin Square. — Mini-golf and some activities require tickets; advance booking recommended.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Miracle on South 13th Street
A neighborhood holiday light display tradition where residents decorate their homes elaborately along South 13th Street. — Free to view; best experienced in the evening.
Source: festival research
Show all 29 events for December
- Dec 1 – Dec 24
Christmas Village in Philadelphia
A traditional German-style Christmas market held at LOVE Park featuring crafts, food, and holiday gifts. — Free entry; food and merchandise available for purchase.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Deck the Hall Light Show at Macy's Center City
A nightly light and music show projected on the historic Macy's building in Center City Philadelphia. — Free to attend; shows run every 30 minutes after dusk.
Source: festival research
- Dec 2 – Dec 31
- Dec 2
- Dec 3
- Dec 4 – Dec 31
- Dec 4
- Dec 4
- Dec 4 – Dec 31
- Dec 4
- Dec 4 – Dec 31
- Dec 4
- Dec 5 – Dec 27
Holiday Garden Railway at the Morris Arboretum
A festive display of model trains winding through a winter garden setting at the Morris Arboretum. — Admission fee applies; advance tickets recommended.
Source: festival research
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
Big Wig Queens of Christmas Brunch: The Ultimate Drag Experience
Arts & Theatre · Performance Art
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 11 – Dec 31
- Dec 11 – Dec 31
- Dec 11
- Dec 12 – Dec 31
- Dec 15
- Dec 18 – Dec 24
Philadelphia Orchestra Holiday Concerts
The Philadelphia Orchestra performs a series of holiday-themed concerts at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. — Tickets required; available online and at the box office.
Source: festival research
- Dec 20 – Dec 31
- Dec 22 – Dec 31
- Dec 31
Public holidays
- Dec 25Christmas Day
Planning checklist
- 1Check the 29 dated Philadelphia events for anything that overlaps your exact December dates before assigning fixed sightseeing days.
- 2Hold flexible plans around the 1 public holiday in United States; museums, markets, and government-run sights can switch hours.
- 3Group each Philadelphia day by nearby neighborhoods, then validate the saved places against your trip dates before exporting the checked route to Google Maps.
Build your Philadelphia plan for December
Start fresh — type or paste places you're considering — and Tripnostic checks every one against your December dates: opening hours, closures, what needs booking ahead, and which Philadelphia events overlap your trip. Already have a list from a friend or an AI itinerary? Paste it and we'll check that too.
Build my Philadelphia planAbout Philadelphia
City overview
Philadelphia sits between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, with the colonial street grid of Old City, Center City's towers, South Philly rowhouses, University City campuses, and Fishtown's nightlife all close enough for a transit-heavy weekend. The city is strongest where U.S. founding history, art museums, markets, murals, and neighborhood food overlap.
Food & drink
Philadelphia food is sandwich-and-market specific: cheesesteaks griddle shaved beef with cheese on a long roll, roast pork sandwiches add broccoli rabe and sharp provolone, soft pretzels are twisted and salty, tomato pie is served at room temperature, and water ice is the summer dessert stop. Reading Terminal Market is the easiest first stop, while South Philly's Pat's vs. Geno's vs. Angelo's debate, the Italian Market's taquerias, and hoagie shops give the sharper food map.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- ALiberty Bell Center
- BPhiladelphia Museum of Art and Rocky Steps
- CEastern State Penitentiary
- DBarnes Foundation
- EPhiladelphia Magic Gardens
- FThe Franklin Institute
- GMutter Museum
- HIndependence Hall
- IReading Terminal Market
- JItalian Market on 9th Street
1Liberty Bell Center
4.7★ · 1,182indoorOpen dailyThe Liberty Bell, cast in 1752 by Whitechapel Bell Foundry and recast in Philadelphia, is displayed in a glass pavilion across from Independence Hall. The exhibit line begins near Market Street and 6th Street.
Wikipedia
2Philadelphia Museum of Art and Rocky Steps
4.7★ · 14,351indoorClosed Tue/WedThe Greek Revival main building opened on Fairmount in 1928, with European, American, Asian, armor, and modern collections inside. The front steps face Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the Rocky statue near the base.
3Eastern State Penitentiary
4.7★ · 2,308indoorOpen dailyJohn Haviland designed the radial prison, which opened in 1829 and later held Al Capone. The stabilized cellblocks sit in Fairmount, a short walk from the Art Museum area.
Wikipedia
Show 7 more sights
- 4Barnes Foundation
- 5Philadelphia Magic Gardens
- 6The Franklin Institute
- 7Mutter Museum
- 8Independence Hall
- 9Reading Terminal Market
- 10Italian Market on 9th Street
Neighborhoods
1Old City and Society Hill
Old City and Society Hill feel historic and walkable, with Independence Hall, Elfreth's Alley, Christ Church, Penn's Landing, galleries, cobblestones, and Federal-era houses.
2Center City and Rittenhouse Square
Center City is the hotel-and-office core, with City Hall, Reading Terminal Market, Walnut Street shopping, Rittenhouse Square, and easy subway access.
3Fishtown and Northern Liberties
Fishtown and Northern Liberties are nightlife-heavy, with Frankford Avenue restaurants, music venues, breweries, boutiques, and the El along Girard and Front streets.
4South Philadelphia and East Passyunk
South Philly is rowhouse and food-first, with the Italian Market, Passyunk Avenue restaurants, cheesesteak lines, Mummers history, and sports-complex crowds farther south.
5University City
University City centers on Penn and Drexel, with 30th Street Station, Penn Museum, Clark Park, food trucks, hospitals, and Schuylkill river paths.
6Fairmount and Spring Garden
Fairmount is museum-lined and residential, with the Art Museum, Barnes, Rodin Museum, Eastern State Penitentiary, and Benjamin Franklin Parkway lawns.
Day trips
35km / 40min by car from Center City
Valley Forge National Historical Park
The Revolutionary War winter encampment has Washington's Headquarters, reconstructed huts, monuments, and bike-friendly park roads.
50km / 50min by car from Center City
Brandywine Valley and Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens adds conservatories, fountains, meadows, and seasonal light shows near Kennett Square.
110km / 70min by Amtrak from 30th Street Station to Lancaster
Lancaster County
The day trip pairs Central Market, Amish farm country tours, covered bridges, and Pennsylvania Dutch food.
Getting around
SEPTA runs the Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line, trolleys, buses, Regional Rail, and PATCO connections, with SEPTA Key cards or contactless payment on many services. Use the El for Old City-Fishtown-University City, the Broad Street Line for South Philly sports trips, and walking for the dense Center City grid.
Common questions about Philadelphia in December
- Will the places on my list be open when I'm in Philadelphia in December?
- Not always. Opening days and hours vary by weekday, season, and holiday. Paste your Philadelphia list into Tripnostic and it checks every place against the exact dates you're there, flagging closures before the trip instead of at a locked door.
- How do I plan Philadelphia days without crossing the city twice?
- Tripnostic groups your places by neighborhood so each day stays in one or two areas instead of zig-zagging. It also flags what needs booking ahead, so timed tickets and reservations don't fall through.
- What to pack for Philadelphia in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Philadelphia checklist.
- A warm coat and insulating layers for average highs around 9°C / 47°F.
- A heavier evening layer because nights average -1°C / 31°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 11 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in Philadelphia
- 4 days covers the main Philadelphia highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Philadelphia worth visiting in December
- Yes. Philadelphia in December: 8.5°C high, -0.6°C low, 100mm rain over 11 days, 9.2h daylight. Mild but rainy — flexible plans pay off.