United States · Updated October 2026
Yes, mostly: Philadelphia is flat and compact with great kids' museums, but Old City's brick and cobbles are bumpy and many subway stations still have no elevator.
Planning your trip?
Center City is flat, laid out on a simple grid and small enough to walk from Rittenhouse Square to Independence Hall in about half an hour, so a stroller earns its keep here. The big family draws (the Franklin Institute, the Please Touch Museum, the Zoo) are modern and step-free inside, and the riverside boardwalk is as smooth as it gets. The bumps come in the historic core: Old City and Society Hill mix brick sidewalks, Belgian-block streets and the odd broken curb, and Elfreth's Alley is a carrier moment. SEPTA buses are the easy way around, since they take open strollers and some routes now have a dedicated stroller spot; the subway is patchier, because many Broad Street Line stations still have no elevator and trolleys make you fold. Bring a compact stroller with decent wheels plus a carrier for the oldest streets.
Seven things that actually matter when you're pushing 12kg of baby + stroller through a foreign city.
Where to stay
Leafy, central and flat, with the square, the Schuylkill Banks and the Parkway museums all walkable. Lots of family restaurants and grocery stores, and buses in every direction.
Wake up next to the Liberty Bell and stroll to Independence Hall before the crowds. The 5th Street/Independence Hall station on the L has elevators. Brick sidewalks are bumpy, and some inns are walk-up rowhouses.
Suburban chain hotels with pools and free parking, next to a huge indoor mall and close to Valley Forge. Good value if you have a car and want space.
A kitchen, a washing machine and a separate room for naps. Center City and Fairmount have plenty of apartments, but check for an elevator: many are in walk-up rowhouses.
Choose a hotel near an L station with elevators or on a bus route, and ask for a building with an elevator: plenty of Old City and Society Hill stays are in historic rowhouses with steep stoops.
Things to do
Philadelphia's big hands-on science museum on the Parkway. Toddlers love the push-button exhibits and the sheer scale of it, and you can bring your own food and eat it in the designated areas. Open daily 9:30am to 5pm.
America's oldest zoo, in Fairmount Park. KidZooU has a petting barn and play spaces for small children, and the overhead Zoo360 trails let big cats and monkeys walk above your head. Go early, since animals settle down by late afternoon.
Where the Declaration of Independence was signed. The Liberty Bell Center is free with no ticket. Independence Hall runs a ticket-free open house from 9 to 10:30am, then timed tours booked on recreation.gov (a $1 fee per ticket).
A 2,000-foot concrete boardwalk built out over the river, 15 feet wide, joining the paved Schuylkill River Trail toward the Art Museum and Boathouse Row. Lovely skyline views and a great place for a stroller nap. It gets busy with bikes on weekends.
A historic indoor food hall with dozens of stalls, from soft pretzels to roast pork sandwiches, plus accessible restrooms and plenty of seating. Easy with a baby mid-morning or mid-afternoon; lunchtime is a crush.
The city's prettiest square, with shady paved paths, benches and cafes around the edge. Grab coffee, let the toddler stretch their legs on the lawn, and walk on to the Schuylkill Banks a few blocks west.
Do Old City first thing, when Independence Hall's ticket-free open house runs (9 to 10:30am), then take a bus or the L west for an afternoon on the Parkway, where the Franklin Institute and Sister Cities Park are side by side.
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Beyond the city
A Sesame Street theme park in Langhorne, northeast of the city, with gentle rides, character parades and summer water play. It runs from spring to Halloween and again for the holiday season.
Rolling fields where Washington's army spent the winter of 1777–78, with log huts, the restored train-station visitor center and a 5-mile loop trail. Wide open space for a toddler to run.
Across the Delaware River on the Camden waterfront: hippos, penguins, a shark tunnel and a Kids' Zone play area for small children. It's included in the Philadelphia CityPASS.
Sesame Place and Valley Forge are easiest by car, so bring your own car seat. For the aquarium, PATCO trains run from Center City to City Hall in Camden, but check station elevators before you rely on them.
Yes — Philadelphia scores 69/100 on our stroller scale. Yes, mostly: Philadelphia is flat and compact with great kids' museums, but Old City's brick and cobbles are bumpy and many subway stations still have no elevator.
What to book before your family trip
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Navigating a new city with a stroller? You need Google Maps, translation apps, and emergency contacts working instantly — not hunting for a SIM shop with a tired toddler. An eSIM activates the second your plane lands.
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