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Sight Fairmount, Philadelphia

Eastern State Penitentiary

A sight in Fairmount, Philadelphia, moderately priced ($$) and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: Afternoon.

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Eastern State Penitentiary in Fairmount, Philadelphia
Photo: william estrada · Google

Why go

Crumbling 1829 prison that held Al Capone, toured by audio guide.

It is one of 15 curated places we feature in Philadelphia, alongside 8 sights, 2 places to eat and 1 activity. 3 more of our picks sit within about half a mile in a straight line, so it pairs easily with Parkway New Year's Eve concert and Philadelphia Art Museum.

Type
Sight · Culture
Neighborhood
Fairmount
Price
$$
Time needed
1.5 hr
Best time
Afternoon

Nearby

Our closest curated picks, including 2 beyond Philadelphia. Distances are straight-line, not walking or driving.

  1. 1
    Parkway New Year's Eve concert

    Free 2025 concert at Eakins Oval below the Art Museum steps, with LL Cool J and its own midnight fireworks.

    Activity · Center City & Penn's Landing · 0.4 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Philadelphia Art Museum

    Major collection from Renaissance to Duchamp, plus the 'Rocky' steps and skyline view.

    Sight · 0.5 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Barnes Foundation

    Renoirs, Cézannes and Matisses hung in the collector's original dense ensembles.

    Sight · 0.5 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia

    Hotel on the top floors of the Comcast Technology Center, with a 60th-floor lobby looking over the city.

    Stay · Center City & Penn's Landing · 0.9 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    Christmas Village in Philadelphia

    German-style Christmas market in LOVE Park and around City Hall, with wooden stalls, ornaments, bratwurst and Glühwein.

    Shopping · 1.0 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    Dilworth Park

    Plaza on the west side of City Hall with an outdoor ice rink and a lit Wintergarden in the holiday season.

    Activity · 1.1 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Eastern State Penitentiary is a stop on our Capital Cities Corridor route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More sights to see in Philadelphia

6 more curated sights in Philadelphia. See the full Philadelphia guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Philadelphia run from 38°F in January to 86°F in July; July is usually the wettest month. For Eastern State Penitentiary itself, we suggest: Afternoon.

Modelled monthly averages for Philadelphia from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Philadelphia weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Eastern State Penitentiary, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
2027 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA
Coordinates
39.96834, -75.17266
Destination
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Website
easternstate.org

Eastern State Penitentiary: quick answers

How much time do you need at Eastern State Penitentiary?

Plan on about 1.5 hours at Eastern State Penitentiary. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Eastern State Penitentiary?

Our pick: Afternoon. Insider tip: Steve Buscemi narrates the audio tour.

Where is Eastern State Penitentiary?

Eastern State Penitentiary is at 2027 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130, USA. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Eastern State Penitentiary?

Eastern State Penitentiary appears on Capital Cities Corridor, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Eastern State Penitentiary to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Philadelphia.

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Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.