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Philadelphia Tours
Revolution and the Founders: History Tour of Philadelphia
5

Revolution and the Founders: History Tour of Philadelphia

By Grim Philly Twilight Tours
Recommended by 98% of travellers
98% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99, max of 24 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More

Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best
2024

  • Every Guide Has a History Degree
  • Liberty Bell, Franklin; Sightseeing- best of Phila for first-time-visitors
  • Essential tour of Revolutionary Philadelphia historic sites and highlights
  • Short 2-hour introduction to historic Philadelphia with a historian to walk with and orient you
  • Runs every morning and every afternoon rain or shine
What's not included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option not selected)
  • Gratuities
  • Independence Hall Timed Tickets (2hrs/free of charge)
  • Interior of Liberty Bell Pavilion (1 hr/free of charge)


Start:
  • Grim Philly Twilight Tours, 523 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
    We'll meet you directly "outside" the Market Street doors of the Independence Visitor Center, one block to the north of Independence Hall and across the street from The Liberty Bell and President's House in the heart of historic Philadelphia.
End:
  • Merchant Exchange Building, 143 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
    Tour ends just behind City Tavern and Merchants Exchange where The Continental Congress met every Saturday just aside Alexander Hamilton's Philadelphia home.

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Pushchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infant seats available
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6263P7

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Most travellers can participate
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travellers

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6263P7

From
â‚ą2,517.99
per adult
Select date and travellers

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • 523 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
    We'll meet you directly "outside" the Market Street doors of the Independence Visitor Center, one block to the north of Independence Hall and across the street from The Liberty Bell and President's House in the heart of historic Philadelphia.
  • Pass by
    Liberty Bell Center
    Independence Hall
    The President's House
    Congress Hall
    Franklin Court
    New Hall Military Museum
    Benjamin Franklin Museum
    B. Free Franklin Post Office
    Carpenters' Hall
    First Bank of the United States
    Second Bank of the United States
    American Philosophical Society Museum
    Library Company of Philadelphia
    Todd House
    Philadelphia Visitor Center
    Grim Philly Twilight Tours
  • 143 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
    Tour ends just behind City Tavern and Merchants Exchange where The Continental Congress met every Saturday just aside Alexander Hamilton's Philadelphia home.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
  • Grim Philly Twilight Tours
    6,102
    United States
    Joined in September 2011
  • J9120DWjoshuas
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great introduction to a grittier Philly
    Wonderful historical stories that really brought the city to gruesome life! Adam gave the stories a personal flare that helped to ground the experience. Would highly recommend!
    Written 4 December 2024
  • MikeGackler
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Knowledgeable, Engaging and Very Funny
    The tour was excellent. Britnee, our guide, was knowledgeable, engaging and very funny. The sights and stories were fascinating, and it was fun going on an 'R rated' tour and being able to speak freely and hear facts you would not hearing in 'family friendly' spaces. Highly recommended.
    Written 4 December 2024
  • Voyage261052
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun, entertaining, and informative!
    Great tour! Really interesting and entertaining. Guide Ted was extremely knowledgeable and funny. The amount of material he shared in the 2 hours was impressive. I went with my daughter (college freshman) and she loved it! The twists with some of the darker and lesser known facts made the tour a lot more entertaining than a typical history tour, while still giving plenty of history too. The person setting up the logistics was very engaged and helpful making sure we had parking and meet up details so it went smoothly. Definitely recommend.
    Written 2 December 2024
  • Daydream17215546903
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is the Best Ghost Tour I have Ever Taken! You Need to Take this Tour!
    I've taken other ghost tours and this is hands down the best one by far. Our guide was so knowledgeable and the information was both spooky and enthralling. Perfect combo of history and the supernatural. Superb Experience!!
    Written 2 December 2024
  • M9788LTjamesp
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best Podcast and Walking Ghost Tour in Philadelphia
    Had a PhD level Folklore Professor from a local college that so happened to be a ghost hunter as our tour guide. Could not have asked for anything more entertaining, knowledgeable, and spooky. We really enjoyed this more than expected and will be back for more of their activities soon!
    Written 2 December 2024
  • RichMc
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Alternative history tour with grim twist
    Interesting and informative tour which was different from the usual Philly history tours. Joe told a number of creepy tales from the past. The tour of Christ church graveyard was also a lot of fun with some terrible but funny jokes and an insight into some of the characters from Philly’s past who still reside there.
    Written 1 December 2024
  • brittanymD7530JZ
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Do it!
    Our guide, Britnee was amazing! Right from introductions, her personality & energy was great. Britnee was very informative & you could tell she is really passionate about the history of this city. The entire tour was entertaining, engaging & fun! It was freezing cold but the two hours fly by because she kept us engaged. The facts we learned, are ones I will carry with me & give to others. I would highly recommend this tour, it was awesome!
    Written 1 December 2024
  • meghanbY8472KU
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cold weather hot history.
    Britnee was very knowledgeable and made history come to life with her stories and relatable personality. We enjoyed a new perspective and also suggestions for future outings within Philadelphia.
    Written 30 November 2024
  • Y6195DTmichaelt
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dark and sordid history presented with a comedic flair
    The tour was extremely fun, organized and entertaining. The right amount of history mixed with the perfect amount of sordid stories and presented with a comedic flair. Our tour guide Britnee was amazing. She was knowledgeable and humorous. The best combination for this tour.
    Written 30 November 2024
  • Onemanbucket
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great tour and excellent guide!
    Despite some extremely cold weather, Christa kept us all warm with her brilliant stories of the darker side of Philly! Highly recommended!
    Written 30 November 2024
  • T671RVar
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Grim Philly after dark
    Excellent knowledge and fun experience. Guide was great and even had visual aids. The two hour walk was cold but she made it fun.
    Written 30 November 2024
  • AMotulsky
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great dark tour of Philly!
    Fantastic tour getting some of the history of Philadelphia. A dash of ghost stories and some intrigue. Really interesting details about the political and medical side of the story there as well. The guide was knowledgeable and passionate about the topics and was great at leading the group. Involved a fair bit of walking but with places to sit intermittently throughout. We stayed in the area of old Philly. Despite some very cold weather, had a great tour!
    Written 30 November 2024
  • N7632EKlr
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Take a walk on the Darker side of History
    Our Dark Philly guide, Ted, was very engaging and very knowlegeable. He was very clear about the tour being for adults only and that there would be salty language, so it was very clear what I was getting into which was thoroughly entertaining, funny, and informative. I love American History and even though I'm from the area, I learned a lot I did not know and a lot about the city in the 18th to mid-19th centuries. Particularly loved the Edgar Allen Poe stories as well as the story about the ghost of Benedict Arnold's wife and her role in his treason. Really great stuff, highly recommend whether you are from out of town or a Philly native. Also note my guide had a Master's in American history and works as a history teacher. I really liked that he admitted he did not know everything and would say so. I would totally take another tour with Ted!
    Written 27 November 2024
  • adamaW8040WA
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good Tour
    Ted was great. We learned a lot and got good recommendations for things to do throughout the rest of our trip. It was nice not having to try to listen over screaming children too!
    Written 27 November 2024
  • Karl S
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ted was great, and the tour was cool!
    Our guide, Ted, was great. Joe from grim texted useful info and meeting location photos. Would have like a photo of parking garage entrance or a description of where it was in relation to the meeting location but no big deal. The parking garage entrance we found was around back from the main walking entrance to the Independence Visitor Center with car entrance highlighted by green light bars. Parking was 10 dollars total. Thank you! 🙂
    Written 26 November 2024
See all 6,102 reviews
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,396 reviews
Excellent
1,314
Very good
64
Average
8
Poor
7
Terrible
3

Richard C
Fort Mitchell, KY2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
Joseph our guide was knowledgeable about Philadelphia's role in the years leading to to the American Revolution. He shared his expertise in an amusing way. He made sure the physical needs of the group were met. This tour is an enjoyable, educational 2 hours. I recommend that you take the tour early in your visit to Philadelphia because there are many sites you will need to revisit to get inside the historic sites that you pass by on the tour. This tour is included in the go city pass which makes it quite affordable.
Written 14 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ubaldo JF
3 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
We searched for a tour of the historic sites in the downtown area and Grim Philly turned up. Prior reviews were good so we decided to book with them. The cost of the two hour tour was not too expensive for our group of 6 people which was another reason we booked with Grim Philly.
We had some difficulty locating the area we were supposed to meet but Bill reached out to check in on us and we were able to find the meeting spot. He gave a few extra minutes for any late comers before beginning the tour.
Bill was a great tour guide and he was quite knowledgeable on the historic sites and the Philadelphia area. Bill challenged your imagination when describing in detail the historic areas we visited. He channeled his inner teacher and encouraged the members of our group to answer questions.
My only issue with the booking was not having received a confirmation email explaining where to meet and at what time.
Overall, it was a great historic tour given by a knowledgeable local who clearly enjoys his job and who can jam pack all that information in a 2 hour period. Great presentation Bill!
Written 23 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sydney N
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022 • Couples
We had a blast on this tour! It was super interesting learning about the history that lives within Philadelphia. The tour guide was super engaging and was extremely knowledgeable. In addition to the tour, the guide gave us some tips on places to visit after the tour which allowed us to go see the inside of Independence Hall - I would definitely recommend. Also - This is a walking tour, so wear comfortable shoes!
Written 27 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Susan
2 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Family
I recommend this tour only if you have already entered into all of the historical sites and are looking for something extra to do. First do all of the “must sees”. We made the mistake of booking this tour on the only day we had in Philadelphia, so we missed going to many of the sites we really wanted to see. This tour only goes to the outside, not the inside of the stops listed. The things talked about on the tour are interesting, but they are not the main points.of history . .the things that made our founding fathers great. The guide talked about the behind the scenes details of the founding fathers lives, not what they are famous for. My Argentine husband and 11 year old daughter really needed to know the important points of history, not the behind the scenes details.

The park rangers seem to be the ones to get the actual important points of history from. You can hear their talks by making appointments and entering into the different historic sites. That is my recommendation, but this tour is good if you have extra time after that.
Written 3 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amy R
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Kyle was extremely knowledgeable on this subject. It was 95 degrees during our walking tour but he never complained, although I was melting. Kyle loves to act out the quotes from the founding fathers and asks for audience participation. It was an enjoyable, informative experience! I recommend it, especially when there isn't a heat emergency!
Written 23 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lynne D
1 contribution
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Very informative. The description was misleading, however, so despite the knowledge of the guide, it was disappointing overall bc we expected a different experience based on the tour’s description. The description led us to believe we would be actually visiting former president homes, not just “seeing the excavated remains”, visiting inside independence hall, not just “seeing the independence hall building” only from the outside. It wasn’t technically inaccurate, just misleading. Had that been clear, at the onset of scheduling the tour I would have ensured that I ALSO bought tickets to tour the actual inside of Independence Hall. Lesson learned is - great tour and knowledgeable guide, but know that if you want to tour the inside of independence hall, you have to buy additional tickets separately.
Written 14 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Elizabeth Brad K
Crystal River, FL16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
A well knowledgeable Tour.
It was worth my time. The cost for the experience was very inexpensive for the amount of information.
Loved the walking and get a first hand of site from the streets of Philadelphia.
Ted was very excellent with his commentary on his knowledge on the history of the Founding Fathers and historical buildings.
Very humorous and informative with the realism of that time period. Thank You for my inspiration for my Country United States of America.
Written 11 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Krystina J
3 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Solo
I enjoyed seeing B. Franklin's printing press. I really wanted to see Independence Hall, but couldn't. By the time I found out reservations had to be made, it was too late and all the time slots were filled.
Written 26 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Erin B
Ada, MI1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
This is a great tour to see many of the historic highlights of Philadelphia. Sara was our tour guide and she was full of great nuggets of history that made the tour interesting and kept our attention. I highly recommend her as a guide and this tour for those who want to learn about the cities rich history without being too long and tiring on your feet. Thank you Sara!
Written 5 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul S
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Couples
Excellent 2+hr tour of the Central historical area of Philadelphia. You could wander around and see all these places on your own for free but Kyle brought it all to life with detailed background and humour and tied the history together in an understandable and real life manner. His recitation of keynote speeches helped considerably. You don't go in to the various historical buildings but this you can do on your own time afterwards. Kyle provided details on how best to achieve this. He was a font of period background and only time limited his ability to impart his knowledge. Very happy with the tour.
Written 8 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

Revolution and the Founders: History Tour of Philadelphia provided by Grim Philly Twilight Tours

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