The Wall Street Journal says Philly is the best place to visit in 2026
The nation’s 250th birthday celebration is only just the beginning.
New Year’s Day is still more than a week away, but already, everything’s coming up Philly in 2026.
In the latest sign that the city is poised for a banner year, the Wall Street Journal has named Philadelphia the world’s top place to visit in ‘26 — echoing what various national and international publications have been saying for weeks.
The primary draw, of course, is the nation’s 250th birthday celebration, which is expected to bring an endless stream of tourists — not to mention contribute to as much as $2.5 billion to the city and region in additional tourism dollars, by one estimate.
As the Journal notes, the city has been glowing up for the yearlong celebration, with the Museum of the American Revolution undergoing a sizable renovation and new galleries set for display at the National Constitution Center.
The city’s sports calendar in the coming year ain’t looking too bad, either.
Most notably, the FIFA World Cup arrives next summer with a much-anticipated slate of games in June and July. (France and Brazil are among the teams that’ll take part in six matches slated for Lincoln Financial Field.)
And in July, Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game festivities will take place at Citizens Bank Park — in the same year the Phillies rank among the betting favorites to win a third World Series title, no less — while Xfinity Mobile Arena will be hosting first- and second-round games for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
Oh, and the PGA Championship returns to the Philadelphia area, May 11-17 at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square.
The Wall Street Journal’s recognition marks the latest in a spate of hype for Philadelphia in the coming year. Last month, Travel + Leisure named the city one of its top places to travel in ’26, as did the BBC.
Joining Philadelphia in the Journal’s top five destinations for ‘26 were Basque Country, Spain; Okavango Delta, Botswana; Yunnan, China; and Guadalupe Valley, Mexico.
Tulsa, Okla. — which in June will celebrate the 100th birthday of the country’s favorite lonely highway with its annual Route 66 Road Fest — was the only other American city to make the Journal’s top 10.