Tours in Chester

As darkness creeps across city streets, Grim Philly unearths Philadelphia's grisly past with a pair of highly researched, carefully developed twilight tours rife with sinister themes and risqué adult content. Professor Joe Wojie—a regular lecturer on historical and macabre topics at Rider University in New Jersey—leads each two-hour odyssey, peeling back the corners of local folklore with stories and facts drenched in blood or terrifying amounts of grape jelly. In addition to its original Vampires, Sex, and Ghosts! tour, Grim Philly serves up spooks with Cemetery, Serial Killers; Blood & Beer!, which whets appetites with gruesome tales of gangsters and psychopaths before stopping at Mexican Post Tavern for beer and snacks. No matter the tour, guests are ensured to pass a number of historic sites, such as Benjamin Franklin's grave and the street corner where Paul Revere ate an entire horse.

The founders of Philadelphia Sightseeing Tours have dedicated more than a quarter of a century to local tourism. They bring that expertise to hop-on hop-off bus and trolley tours of the city, which allow guests to design their own itineraries. Sightseers board a London-style double-decker bus or old-fashioned trolley at the Bourse building and journey to more than 20 historical sites, including Love Park and the steps Rocky punched in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Passengers can disembark and explore the Eastern State Penitentiary or pose by the Liberty Bell for as long as they like before boarding the next bus or trolley. Tickets grant unlimited access to the vehicles for 24 hours, letting discoveries last until the sun goes down or Ben Franklin’s ghost starts his night shift at the tollbooth.

Ever since the first giant pumpkin was carved into a carriage, people have wanted to travel in style. Philadelphia Trolley Works, a subsidiary of 76 Carriage Company, turns fairy tales into reality with a fleet of double-decker buses, motor coaches, horse-driven carriages, and their namesake trolleys. On any given day, the historic streets of Philadelphia pulse with trolley or horse-pulled tours of Independence Hall and the Rocky steps. Cinderella-inspired horse-drawn carriages and Victorian-style trolleys transport bridal parties to weddings, and jumbo-sized motor coaches can be rented for casino trips and cross-country air-guitar tours.

Knowledgeable, friendly locals enlighten visitors on their city's rich history, art, culture, and dining scene during Philadelphia Urban Adventures' informative walking excursions. Following a philosophy of responsible travel—which aims to support local businesses whenever possible—the guides steer sightseers through intriguing neighborhoods and districts such as Center City, the 9th Street Italian Market, and the campuses of Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania. Along the way, they make pit stops at local pubs, cafés, galleries, and food trucks, working to cultivate an authentic experience for all guests. They also dispense helpful tips, such as how to talk to locals and where to find good views of cheesesteaks in their natural habitat.