What's the best way to see Powel House?

According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Powel House: Ghost Tour of Philadelphia by Candlelight (From $24.00) Haunted Philadelphia: Spirits of '76 Ghost Tour (From $23.00) Philadelphia Ghost Hunt: Philly Frights (From $12.31) Private Colonial Era Philadelphia Waterfront Walking Tour (From $250.00) Founding Phantoms Adult's Only Walking Tour (From $34.99)

What hotels are near Powel House?

Hotels near Powel House: (0.19 mi) Thomas Bond House Bed & Breakfast (0.12 mi) Stay Alfred at The Broderick (0.22 mi) Independence Park Hotel, BW Premier Collection (0.26 mi) Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia (0.25 mi) Apple Hostels Philadelphia View all hotels near Powel House on Tripadvisor

What restaurants are near Powel House?

Restaurants near Powel House: (0.12 mi) Zahav (0.10 mi) FRIEDA (0.14 mi) Positano Coast (0.22 mi) Buddakan (0.24 mi) Amada View all restaurants near Powel House on Tripadvisor

Powel House - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

#121 of 479 things to do in Philadelphia

Historic Sites

Thursday

12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Friday

12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Saturday

12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Sunday

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

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About

The Georgian mansion of well-to-do colonial Samuel Powel, who served as mayor of Philadelphia. Home also to the sinful dinners, as John Adams called it, the fabulous dinners and dances Powel hosted, inviting the founding fathers and foreign dignitaries.

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Top ways to experience Powel House and nearby attractions

The area

Address

Neighborhood: City Center East

How to get there

2nd St • 7 min walk
5th St • 7 min walk

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Best nearby

Restaurants

2,578 within 3 miles

Zahav

1,691

0.1 mi$$$$ • Israeli • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options

Bistro Romano

688

0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Romana • Vegetarian Friendly

Amada

1,249

0.2 mi$$$$ • Spanish • Catalan • Vegetarian Friendly

Buddakan

1,235

0.2 mi$$$$ • Chinese • International • Asian

Positano Coast

465

0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Seafood • Mediterranean

Pizzeria Stella

236

0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options

Khyber Pass Pub

269

0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Pub

Talula's Garden

1,475

0.4 mi$$$$ • American • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options

Sonny's Famous Steaks

1,456

0.3 mi$ • Quick Bites • American • Fast Food

Red Owl Tavern

1,132

0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Vegetarian Friendly

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Attractions

392 within 6 miles

Polish American Cultural Center Museum

20

499 ftHistory Museums

Independence National Historical Park

3,008

0.2 miHistoric Sites • Historic Walking Areas

Old St. Mary's Church

13

435 ftHistoric Sites • Religious Sites

Old St. Joseph's Church

14

315 ftReligious Sites

0.1 miParks • Playgrounds

Bishop White House

10

0.1 miHistoric Sites

Museum of the American Revolution

1,444

0.2 miHistory Museums

18th Century Garden of the Independence National Historic Park

8

0.1 miSpeciality Museums

See all

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.

4.5

26 reviews

Excellent

18

Very good

6

Average

2

Poor

0

Terrible

0

Wow! It's so BIG!

I was amazed at not only how beautiful the house is on the inside, but how much bigger it it is, compared to what it seems from the outside.

The tours are personable and fun!

Written January 30, 2002

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.

Carolyn J

South Dakota45 contributions

My favorite tourist spot in Philadelphia

Apr 2013 • Solo

I took a ten minute walk from the Independence Hall mall area to this house. When asked what was the highlight of my trip to Philadelphia - this was it! The house is gorgeous and was a wonder to walk through. The guide was very knowledgeable and let me take as much time as I wanted and ask as many questions as I wanted. The house is much bigger than it looks from the outside. I'm now madly searching the Internet for any books on this house as I would love to know more about it and my camera didn't come close to capturing the beauty of the house. Definitely a must see if you enjoy looking at period houses/places.

Written April 28, 2013

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.

PhillyTraveler17

Philadelphia, PA17 contributions

Philadelphia's Finest Historic House

May 2015 • Family

Wow. Step foot into one of the most architecturally and historically significant house museums from colonial Philadelphia. When you walk through the original front door your a literally walking in the same footsteps as George and Martha Washington, John Adams, Ben Franklin, etc. The Powel House is named after Samuel and Elizabeth Powel. Samuel was the mayor of Philadelphia directly before AND after the revolutionary war. And Elizabeth is one of the most influential women in our nation's history that most people don't know about. Well worth taking the guided tour of this city mansion.

Written May 8, 2015

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.

FuzzyBeaver

Montreal, Canada1,241 contributions

Great gem

Apr 2012 • Couples

If you love small intimate museums, then this is for you. It is docent-led tour of the house and she was very passionate and knowledgeable. You learn a lot about the period and the history of the house. It is amazing the wealth they had for the period. The house is absolutely huge for the period. They have done a great job on the restoration. A great gem!

Written May 1, 2012

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.

GregorGourmand

Lancaster, PA, USA23 contributions

George Washington Danced Here!

Nov 2014 • Family

Powel House is not so well known, but the location is terrific in Philadelphia's Historic District (albeit off the main path). The guide gives one a great sense of the British occupation of Philadelphia and the comings and goings of, among others, George Washington, who after the War visited the house regularly for social events. Don't count on the large professional signboard displays and fancy videos of the type you'll see at, say, the Liberty Bell-- there are none. But the worn floors and plastered ceilings and blackened fireplaces and such -- you almost think Powel or GW might walk through the door at any moment. Takes about an hour, but well worth the time! FOOD SUGGESTION: After your tour, walk a few blocks to CITY TAVERN, which I thought was going to very "canned" and trite, but ended up also having a surprisingly authentic feel to it. The menu includes things like Thomas Jefferson breads and a Ben Franklin Tofu dish (delicious!).

Written December 14, 2014

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.

Senioronabudget

Kent, WA974 contributions

Well furnished and knowlegable docent

Oct 2021

This was one door down from our wonderful apartment. The house is well restored, and well furnished. Well worth a stop.

Written October 29, 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.

Hank956

Brownsville, TX1,104 contributions

Step back in time.

Nov 2019

Small but exceptional home.

Lots of events happened here.

precolonial and colonial.

The fore-fathers gathered and celebrated here.

The house also served several functions throughout history.

The house is also said to have a haunted history and did not experience anything this round.

Written November 3, 2019

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.

RalphK328

Whippany, NJ265 contributions

Very good house tour

Jun 2018 • Couples

We received a great tour from Meagan, one of the directors at the house. She clearly knew about the house and the history of the residents, and how they interacted with our nation's history. You will hear about the residents when visiting other historic sites in Old City. Would definitely recommend.

Written June 11, 2018

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.

RhetorAbroad

Fort Worth, TX4 contributions

Great historic home blocks from Independence Hall

Jul 2017 • Solo

When you visit Philadelphia, be sure to go "beyond the bell," and visit important sites such as the Powel House. The Powels were well-connected and at the center of the circle of the Revolutionary Elite. A room of their house is preserved across town in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and another at New York's Metroplitan Museum, but here, at this site, you the house itself, preserved and restored. Jennifer and Ginger know so much about the history of the house and the Powels' connections to people such as George and Martha Washington.

Written August 1, 2017

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.

DrWJW

Scranton, PA477 contributions

Excellent Example of Mid-18th Century Georgian Architecture

May 2015 • Couples

Built in 1765, this Georgian brick mansion exemplifies mid-18th century luxury. Ironically, during the early 20th century, the house served as a warehouse and office for a business that imported and exported Russian and Siberian horse hair and bristles. At the end of the 1920s, the building was slated for demolition and the site to be used for a parking lot. The Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks raised sufficient funds to purchase the property in 1931. Over the next decade, the society restored the house to its mid-18th century grandeur. Visitors today are able to experience how wealthy Philadelphians lived at the time of the American Revolution. Note, tours are given Thursday - Sunday afternoons.

Written July 30, 2015

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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