Blog

Visiting a new city on your own can be a little bit intimidating at times, but one way to combat this is to have some ideas of what you can do before you get there. Philadelphia is a busy tourist destination, and there’s no reason a solo traveler can’t have a great time in the city. There are a few areas that are particularly good for solo travelers, including Rittenhouse Square, Old City, and Fishtown/Northern Liberties. Each one is walkable, full of options, and comfortable to navigate solo. 

Which one is right for you depends on exactly what you’re looking for. Or, if you have time, you can always visit more than one neighborhood on your solo trip.

Rittenhouse Square: Best for Dinner and a Classic Center City Night

If you want one of the easiest versions of a solo night out, Rittenhouse Square is a great option. Here, you’ll find restaurants, bars, ice cream shops, theaters, parks, and museums, just to name a few. You don’t have to do much planning to have a good night out in this area of the city. It’s a dense area, with probably 100 bars and restaurants all within walking distance of each other. This density makes it easy to navigate when you’re by yourself. 

Start With a Walk Around Rittenhouse Square Park

Taking a walk around Rittenhouse Square is a great way to start your evening. It sits in a pretty central part of this area of the city. Even if it’s already dark when you start your evening, the park is usually full of people, like dog walkers, friends, couples, or even other solo travelers. It’s a great people-watching place, especially if it’s a nice night out. In warmer months, the surrounding restaurants open up their outdoor seating. Spending a little bit of time walking around can give you a vibe for the area so you can decide what you want to do next.

Where to Eat or Have a Drink Alone

Eating alone is easy here because there are so many options. Tria Cafe Rittenhouse is a great example. This is a wine, cheese, and small-plates cafe that would be a great option for a party of one. If you want an actual dinner without a formal restaurant experience, The Dandelion delivers a British gastropub atmosphere where you can get a full meal and a nice drink. 

There’s also Rouge and Parc, which sit directly on the square itself and are two of the neighborhood’s classic people-watching spots. Parc is a French bistro modeled after a Parisian cafe, with rows of outdoor seats facing the park. Rouge, a few doors down, is smaller and a bit more intimate, known for its burgers and its sidewalk tables that face the square in warmer months. Sitting alone with a snack and a glass of wine at either of these locations would be a great option, and no one would even think twice about you being there by yourself. 

Who Should Choose Rittenhouse?

Rittenhouse is the right pick if you’re staying in Center City, if you’re a business traveler with one free evening, or if your main priority is to just find a place for a nice meal and a good drink. It is a good choice for anyone who enjoys wine or cocktails, doesn’t mind a bar seat, and wants a polished but lively environment. If sitting at a bar alone isn’t your idea of a good night and you’d rather have something to do, keep reading because another neighborhood will fit you better.

Old City: Best for History, Galleries, and a Night You Can Build as You Go 

Old City itself is really the activity. This is where so much of America’s history sits, including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and cobblestone streets like Elfreth’s Alley. This overlaps with one of the city’s better nightlife areas, packed with bars, restaurants, galleries, and waterfront attractions. For a solo traveler, that combination is a great option. You can build an evening out of walking, architecture, gallery-hopping, dinner, and drinks instead of making a bar or restaurant the entire night. 

Walk Through the Historic District Before Dinner

Start your evening walking the historic streets around Independence Hall. The buildings are illuminated after dark, and seeing them at night is a really nice experience. From there, you can wander toward the Delaware River, which is great in warmer months where there are pop-up beer gardens and other seasonal events. This approach works especially well if you’ve already spent the day sightseeing and don’t feel like traveling to another neighborhood, letting you pick up your evening right where you left off. 

Check Out First Friday

If your trip lines up with the first Friday of the month, this is definitely something worth checking out. Old City’s First Friday takes place on the first Friday of every month, opening up the neighborhood’s galleries and arts spaces to evening visitors for free. This is particularly good for a solo traveler who doesn’t want the night centered entirely around drinking. Walking through galleries alone feels completely normal; nobody wonders why you’re there by yourself, and the event draws enough of a crowd that the streets have real energy and you don’t have to worry about finding yourself isolated. 

Who Should Choose Old City?

Old City is a great option for someone who has never been to Philadelphia before. If you’ve never seen Independence Hall or the Liberty Bell, this neighborhood lets you cover the essentials and still have a full evening without ever getting in a car. If your ideal evening is just kind of walking around and taking in the history of a place, as opposed to having a fancy meal and cocktail, this is a great option. That’s not to say you can’t find somewhere nice to eat here; you absolutely can. It’s just a different vibe than Rittenhouse.

Fishtown and Northern Liberties: Best for Live Music, Casual Nightlife, and Activities

If Rittenhouse is where you go for a nice dinner and Old City is all about the history, Fishtown and Northern Liberties are where you go to actually do something with your night. These neighboring areas just north of Center City work particularly well for travelers who prefer a less polished, more casual evening. There are music venues, restaurants, neighborhood taverns, breweries, cocktail places, and other entertainment spots all concentrated along corridors like Frankford Avenue in Fishtown and 2nd Street in Northern Liberties. 

Catch Live Music

A concert is one of the most solo-friendly options you’ll have; you aren’t really supposed to talk to anyone, and everyone is there to listen to or see the same thing. Johnny Brenda’s is a popular Fishtown music venue upstairs with a proper bar and restaurant downstairs, so you can have dinner and a drink, then head up for the show. Fishtown also has larger concert venues nearby, so it’s worth seeing who’s playing anywhere in the neighborhood while you’re in town. 

Try a Neighborhood Tavern

If you don’t need a planned activity and just want good food and a good drink, Standard Tap in Northern Liberties is a solid option. They focus on regional and local draft beer and have a full food menu that goes beyond just standard bar snacks. 

Choose Something Interactive 

If what you’re really looking for is something interactive, Barcade in Fishtown is a great option. This spot combines classic arcade games and pinball with food and drinks. There is no cover charge; you must be at least 21 to enter, and they do check you before you go in. Tokens each cost 25 cents, and most games take about 2. You can stop in and play a few games, or stay all night, without committing to anything right away. 

For a solo traveler specifically, the idea of doing something interactive can make going out alone feel a lot more comfortable. You don’t have to be in a bar and wonder if you should be talking to someone or what you should be doing. Here, you just start playing. Most games don’t require a second person; you’re free to roam the room instead of occupying one seat, and if you do feel like talking to people, the games are a very easy conversation starter. 

Tips for Going Out Alone in Philadelphia at Night

A few practical tips will make a solo night out in Philadelphia smoother, whichever neighborhood you choose. 

1. Pick one neighborhood and stay there. Philadelphia is compact, especially when compared to other large cities in the country. But still, there’s no reason to spend your night driving or taking public transportation between areas. Each of the three neighborhoods in this guide has more than enough for a full evening, and staying put keeps the night walkable and easy. 

2. Have a loose first stop, not an hour-by-hour itinerary. Choose one anchor, like dinner, a concert, a gallery event, or an activity, and let the rest of the night flow from there. As a single traveler, you likely won’t need reservations to get into most restaurants or bars, so you don’t have to worry about planning that too much ahead of time. 

3. Check event calendars before you decide. Concerts, First Friday, gallery openings, DJ nights, and seasonal waterfront programming can completely change which neighborhood makes sense on a particular night. Five minutes of looking things up can give you a better idea of what area makes the most sense for you. 

4. You don’t have to make alcohol the main activity if you don’t want to; there’s so much else to do. Galleries, live music, arcade games, historic walks, and seasonal events are great options. 

5. Plan your trip back before staying out late. Know whether you’re walking, taking public transit, or ordering a rideshare, and just remember that no matter how safe the area feels, you’re still alone in a city. Stick to well-lit, busier streets at the end of the night. It’s also smart to let someone know which neighborhood you’ll be in. 

Going out alone in Philadelphia doesn’t require too much planning; just have an idea of what you’d like to do and see and figure out which neighborhood makes the most sense for you. 

Enjoying Philadelphia at Night Doesn’t Require a Group

The best part about a solo night out in Philadelphia is that you have so many options. If you want a polished evening of dinner and drinks, Rittenhouse gives you this all within just a few walkable blocks. If you’d rather explore and see history, galleries, cobblestone streets that lead somewhere interesting, Old City is such a good stop. And if your ideal night involves live music, a casual tavern, or a row of pinball machines, Fishtown and Northern Liberties have you covered. Ultimately, traveling alone means you never have to choose too much in advance, and you never have to compromise. If the night isn’t working for you, you simply change your plan.