25 Magical Places to Channel Your Inner Harry Potter in Philadelphia

Opens Friday, May 20, 2022

Double, double, toil and trouble. Philly’s first potion bar this way comes! Inspired by (but not affiliated with) several magical literary worlds, The Cauldron Philadelphia opens in May 2022, serving up inventive molecular cocktails and mocktails that smoke, change color or expand — just like, well, magic. Visitors can also purchase tickets to a potion-making class like the ones Harry muddled through under Professor Snape. Instead of Polyjuice potion, visitors brew their own alcoholic concoctions in a self-guided lesson with the aid of their very own “magic wand.” Note: Children’s classes are also available, but only on specified dates and times.

Rivaling the feasts from Mrs. Weasley’s kitchen, Stephen Starr’s London-style pub offers a traditional full English breakfast in the morning and plenty of other British favorites throughout the day – think Bangers & Mash for dinner and special roasts on Sundays. There’s no Butter Beer on the menu, but visitors can choose from a wide selection of draught and cask beers, served in half and imperial pints.

It’s no secret that many witches and wizards have a sweet tooth. The Berley Brothers’ two Old City sweet shops, The Franklin Fountain and Shane Confectionery, are reminiscent of two of Harry’s favorite sweet spots: Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley and Honeydukes Sweet Shop in Hogsmeade. The best part? They’re right next door to one another! Take out homemade ice cream from the window at Franklin Fountain before popping next door to shop for decadent chocolates and nostalgic confections.

After his first soul-sucking encounter with dementors, Harry learns from Professor Lupin that chocolate is the key to regaining happiness. Visitors can stock up on the happy stuff at this spot inside Reading Terminal Market. In addition to traditional chocolate treats, Mueller’s sells a variety of zany molds that look like they belong on the Hogwarts Express trolley cart, including chocolate skulls, brains and eyes. Wicked!

A traditional Irish pub in Old City, The Plough & the Stars would be the perfect place for Ireland supporters to revel in their victory over Viktor Krum in the Quidditch World Cup. With a traditional menu featuring dishes like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie, the bar is reminiscent of a cozy Hogsmeade watering hole. Pro tip: Grab a seat by the enormous fireplace for more of a Gryffindor Common Room vibe.

Harry’s less-than-stellar first date with Cho Chang takes place at Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. The Random Tea Room & Curiosity Shop is a super-quirky Philly parallel to the romantic Hogsmeade haunt. Serving up more than 40 artisanal teas and house-blended herbal infusions, the community-oriented tea spot in Northern Liberties also offers interesting vintage and antique pieces for sale.

Visitors to this tiny candy shop in Chestnut Hill may be reminded of Sugarplum’s Sweets Shop on Diagon Alley. In addition to traditional sweets, the shop often stocks unusual treats like gummy frogs and peppermint pigs.

The soaring, nearly 100-year-old Bryn Athyn Cathedral is situated on a hill overlooking the picturesque Pennypack Creek Valley in the borough of Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania (about a 45-minute drive northeast from Center City Philly). Asymmetries and irregularities were purposely planned into construction of the building, which contributes to the overall Hogwarts feel. Though the building still functions as a place of worship, it is open to the public for guided tours.

Like something out of Professor Sprout’s dreams, Chanticleer is a 35-acre public pleasure garden located about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia in Delaware County. The sprawling grounds are home to more than 5,000 seasonal and exoctic plants in seven distinct areas, each with its own “personality.” Like Professor Sprout, the staff members at Chanticleer encourage respectful curiosity about plantlife. Not every plant is labeled here. Instead, guests are encouraged to identify species with the help of visual aids and direct any questions to staff gardeners. The gardens are open seasonally each year from March 30 to October 30.

The closest thing to Azkaban in Philadelphia, Eastern State Penitentiary is a sprawling 19th-century prison that ceased operations in 1971. While it wasn’t guarded by dementors, the prison did rely on strict and controversial punishments like solitary confinement in an attempt to reform inmates. Today, visitors can tour the supposedly haunted site year round to learn about the prison’s history and lasting influence, as well as modern social justice issues that surround incarceration.

The horticulture center in Fairmount Park is home to a lush greenhouse that could serve as the setting for one of Professor Sprout’s lively herbology classes. And the surrounding area could double as the Hogwarts grounds — minus the giant spiders and minotaurs. After exploring the greenhouse, take a stroll near the tranquil reflecting pool, visit the gorgeous Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center or read your favorite Harry Potter book (it’s the Half Blood Prince for us) in the Pavilion in the Trees.

Mirroring the enchanted ceiling inside Hogwarts’ Great Hall, the Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute features a giant domed ceiling that allows visitors to experience what the night sky would look like without interference from clouds, pollution or city lights. The immersive theater also screens films and presentations exploring the deep reaches of the cosmos and humanity’s place in the universe.

Fonthill Castle, located in Doylestown adjacent to the Mercer Museum, holds the treasures of Henry Chapman Mercer, who built this Hogwarts-like storybook stone mansion in 1912. Modeled after a 13th-century Rhenish castle, the attraction features 44 rooms, more than 200 windows and 18 fireplaces. Even cooler, the ceilings and walls are embedded with handcrafted tiles from Mercer’s kilns at the adjacent Tile Works of Bucks County. Visitors can explore sections of the castle by booking a one-hour guided tour.

Opens early spring 2022

Throughout the series, Harry is continually dumbfounded by the seeming impossibilities he encounters in the wizarding world. Get ready to join him in those feelings of wonderment. Due to open in early spring 2022, the Museum of Illusions in Old City features 80 exhibits meant to trick the eye. The attraction delights visitors with holograms, stereograms and optical illusions, all while teaching about vision, perception and the human brain.

The Mütter Museum would fit right in along Knockturn Alley, which is known for its shady shops filled with strange objects and frequented by Dark Arts enthusiasts. This museum is dedicated to the mysteries of the human body and the history of medicine. Visitors can explore a collection of medical oddities and strange anatomies. There are more than 20,000 provocative items on display, including abnormal body parts preserved in fluid, skeletal formations — like that of a 7’6” man — diseased and enlarged organs, and much more.

Covering half a city block along South Street, the Magic Gardens were built by local artist Isaiah Zagar and opened to the public in 2008. Zagar used cement, bicycle spokes, bottles, tiles, ceramic shards — and plenty of other muggle-made objects that would fascinate Arthur Weasely — to create the winding, wondrous space that invites visitors to seek out magic and beauty in the world around them. This is one of the most photogenic spots in the city. Accio camera!

Harry’s ability to speak to snakes plays a pivotal role throughout the series, and his accidental freeing of a boa constrictor is an early foreshadowing of his magical abilities. Luckily, the cold-blooded critters inside the Philadelphia Zoo’s Reptile and Amphibian House are behind glass. Let’s keep it that way — easy on the Parseltongue!

The magic stage shows at this theater in Montgomery County leave muggles scratching their heads. But Potterheads know what’s really going on — magic is real!

Though the acoustic phenomenon can be explained by science, we like to think there’s a bit of magic in this spot in Fairmount Park. Two people sitting on the far ends of the 50-foot benches below Smith Memorial Arch can communicate discreetly by whispering into the stone arch. The person at the other end can hear each whisper clearly — without the need for an extendable ear!

There’s something magical about Philadelphia’s historic William H. Gray III 30th Street Station. The iconic transportation hub’s intricately patterned high ceilings, travertine walls and marble floors rival the glorious architecture of London’s King’s Cross railway station, home to the Hogwarts Express. Just don’t go running into walls: There’s no Platform 9 ¾ here (as far as we know).

No, this isn’t one of those pop-up costume stores. Instead, Halloween is a custom jewelry shop tucked inside a converted row home on Pine Street. In a Potter-like twist, there’s no sign to alert you to what’s behind the large wooden door bookended by gargoyles. Step inside and you’ll feel as if a portkey has transported you to another place entirely. The walls are covered in custom display cases housing thousands of pieces that are either handmade by Halloween staff or collected from small makers from around the globe. Be careful — you never know which piece might serve as a Horcrux.

Harry’s World (no relation to our hero) is a bit like Harry Potter himself: A force for good with a grudging respect for the power of the Dark Arts. Inside this small occult shop on South Street, you’ll find spell candles, magic powders, essential oils, crystals, jewelry and other objects designed to ward off bad spirits. A shop straight out of the wizarding world, it’s part Borgin & Burkes, part Slug & Jiggers Apothecary.

The muggle world equivalent of Flourish & Blotts magic bookstore, Mostly Books is a maze of vintage and rare finds. You won’t come across the Monster Book of Monsters here, but you can find just about anything else — if you’re willing to dig for it. Mostly Books is housed in a series of 19th-century stables and workshops, so shoppers can spend hours winding their way through the stacks. The store is also home to an impressive collection of movies, music, posters, artwork and more.

Charming Peddler’s Village, the Philadelphia region’s version of quaint Hogsmeade, is located in nearby Bucks County, about one hour from Center City. The area features 65 specialty shops, six restaurants and a cozy inn spread across 42 acres of landscaped grounds and winding walkways.

Deep inside Hogwarts lies the Room of Requirement, an enchanted room that transforms into whatever its visitor needs it to be most in that moment. That’s the vibe at Thunderbird Salvage, a vintage store in Fishtown that’s brimming with almost anything you could possibly want, including funky furniture, artwork and vintage knick knacks. There are plenty of hiding spots here for the Half Blood Prince’s diary. Just be careful if you encounter the vanishing cabinet!