Last year's City Hall Christmas tree

💡 Get Philly smart 💡
with BP’s free daily newsletter

Read the news of the day in less than 10 minutes — not that we’re counting.

Peak holiday has arrived in Philadelphia: Hanukkah is here. Christmas and Kwanzaa are less than two weeks out. Plus it snowed!

So we’re here with an activity for the season. Consider it a guide, bucket list, a challenge, to-do list. These are the places you should be, the stuff to see, and the photos and selfies you need to take to experience the best of what Philadelphia has to offer this time of the year.

1700 Addison

Good news: This year they’re even brighter than normal.

A neighborhood Christmas tree

Fishtown, Manayunk, North Central, East Passyunk… so many neighborhoods have ornate trees. Don’t forget the one outside City Hall, too.

Art Museum Christmas tree

From below or atop the steps.

Ben Franklin Bridge with holiday lighting

As we get closer to Christmas, the lighting turns green and red.

Credit: Flickr via Larry Donoso

Boathouse Row

Colors change for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

Denise’s holiday pound cake

This bakery at 22nd and Cambira has some of the best baked goods in the city. Can’t get there? There are plenty of other tasty photo options around the city. 

These gorgeous treats are made of pound cake Credit: Anna Orso/Billy Penn

Giant inflatable of your choice

They’re everywhere. Find the weirdest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcoBbi9jjcq

Ice skating … anywhere

Dilworth Park and the RiverRink both have impressive seasonal rinks, but the city also has five rinks where you can skate for free.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcYB6VsFT-I/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb7tV11BRqo/?taken-at=338625411
https://instagram.com/p/BcQYJ4IDnkw/

Miracle on 13th Street

You never know what you’ll find in South Philly. Or who.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcliTkuAr19
https://www.instagram.com/p/BchnPEiDeW5/

Phanatic santa

Catch him at a Phillies community event if you can.

Rittenhouse menorah

This year’s lighting is scheduled for Sunday.

Credit: Flickr via Tom Ipri

SEPTA’s holiday buses and trolleys

https://instagram.com/p/BciXy8CDuhx/
https://instagram.com/p/BciRZ1zhF5c/

Smedley Street Lights

One of a few classic displays in deep South Philly.

Greeby Street

Nearly all the houses on this Tacony block spend weeks prepping for Christmas. Santa stops by every year.

Mark Dent is a reporter/curator at BillyPenn. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where he covered the Jerry Sandusky scandal, Penn State football and the Penn State administration. His...