This walking tour was such a great way to familiarize ourselves with Old City. We met up with our guide at the corner of Arch and 3rd Street. John was our awesome guide that morning. He provided so many interesting facts and details throughout this historical tour. He even gave us tips on other things to see on our own. It was truly a great introduction to all the historical landmarks we would see during our stay in Philly. He had so many great recommendations. The pace of the tour was perfect. There is a cobblestone path and a slight incline to navigate from Elfreth's Alley to Christ Church. It was all super easy considering all the walking we did that day. The tour ends just behind Independence Hall. He walked those who were interested over to the Liberty Bell Center from there. I think the biggest surprise for all of us was that it wasn't super crowded in Old City that day. It was the Friday before Labor Day. I'd gladly return again in September. It was a beautiful day! read more

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We went on the holly jolly founding footsteps tour. This was by far the best tour I have ever been on. It was an absolute blast if you like to party. We did this as a girls night now and can't wait until next year. We stopped at amazing places and tour guide and musician were great! Shoutout to Warren and John. read more

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Where to begin? It's Holiday 2024, and a bunch of videos on social media are showing how fun this trolley tour is. Super excited and filled with festive joy, we walk into Craft Hall around 8:20 pm for our 9 pm tour. We brought our BYOB, and the young lady at the door takes our liquor while we wait for our tour time. We check in with an older gentleman who stated we had to wait around to get the included pizza in the reserved session because it was for the 8:30 pm tour. He'll let the 9:00 pm tour know when they're up. Still excited for the experience, we waited for our tour time to be called for the pizza, thinking they would bring out fresh, hot pizza--but no, no, no, that was wishful thinking. The same pizza was kept for our tour time, and it did not look appetizing at all. Not sure if it was just cheese pizza, but we decided not to even find out. It looks like the trolley tour had a partnership with Craft Hall, and they had a small menu where you could order food, but we were already disappointed by the looks and presentation of the pizza. Unfortunately, when it was time for us to get on the trolley, it was cold and started to rain. We were the first ones by the trolley, ready to get on, but were stopped by the host/organizer and told to wait outside so they could get the bigger groups on first. The groups of twos, like us, had to run on after. We ended up being almost last, even though we were first in line. That was not okay. Finally, we're on the trolley. Yayyy! The first part of the experience wasn't pleasant, but the guy singing and his personality were nice. We snagged a seat at the front and tried to get back in the holiday spirit. The trolley drove and drove, and the first stop was to briefly see City Hall's Christmas Tree. Some people got off the trolley to check it out. Then, the trolley drove and drove again until we got off on a corner to walk around and see the Smedley Street Christmas Lights, which were nice. We got back on and rode through The Miracle on South 13th Street. Unfortunately, the trolley's windows were very foggy, so we weren't really able to enjoy the decorations at that point. The execution of this tour wasn't the best experience from start to finish. The only thing that was truly enjoyable was singing along with the singer. The tour could've been more organized and unique to the different Christmas festivities around Philly. read more

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I was gifted these tickets (not by Yelp) for work I do on social media but had such an incredible time I wanted to come and write a detailed review here because I had such an incredible time! This was my first experience with Founding Footsteps and I will definitely be doing other tours! This was their "Bad Things Happen in Philly" BYOB True Crime Trolley Tour! Tim the owner was our guide and he did a phenomenal job sharing true crime stories across the city, the tour took us all over and by many of the most loved sites in Philly, like the art museum, city hall, eastern state pen... the facts and stories he shared were fascinating and mixed with just the right amount of levity provided in the form of dad jokes. They had a musician on board as well (Remy Gold) who was playing songs that accompanied the tour perfectly, and the driver Nate gave us a fabulous and smooth ride all around the city! The trolley was also decked out in spooky decor which just added to the fun!so different compared to other local Halloween activities. Loved everything about this experience and cannot wait to check out some of their other experiences! Whether you are local or visiting Founding Footsteps is a must do activity! read more

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Founding Footsteps BYOB Philly True Crime Trolley Tour was so much fun! Tim was absolutely hysterical and very engaging. I appreciated that he made sure to help us get organized seating wise rather than a free-for-all. We had a great group on our trolley and really enjoyed the stops we made. Special shoutout for the pit stop/ bathroom break halfway - where we could even grab snacks and more drinks if needed! Will absolutely do another trolley and highly recommend! read more

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Had SUCH an amazing experience with FFs trolley. We booked for my graduation from vet school and Norm and Nick made it so special it was such an awesome night. We booked for 3hours with 2 stops, with scenic views all over the city (love park, art museum, old city, south street, stadiums). Norm was our gracious driver and safely got us all over the city, was so funny and nice, and helped everyone on/off at every stop. He even pulled over near the stadiums and gave us an INCREDIBLE solo performance, it was such a vibe. Nick was our MC for the night and did literally everything to make the night a success. Our group had stops planned and we were a little indecisive about timing but he was so gracious and assured us that it was our time and they would do whatever we wanted to do! He was great with the kids, had every karaoke song we wanted (including the deep cuts), and made sure everyone was having a great time (Which we were). We made 2 stops (Cira green and cherry st pier) for views and pictures (And as bathroom stops), and one impromptu quick stop at the rocky steps for pics (we had not planned that, but they said it was no problem to park for a bit for pictures!). As our night was wrapping up they actually allowed us to extend the ride for an hour for a small fee which we GLADLY accepted bc everyone was having a blast, and we were so grateful. Genuinely the best party I've ever had in my life, big thanks to Nick and Norm for making it amazing! read more

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My husband and I just did the Philly Crime tour and had a blast! The trolly was decked out in decorations and we loved being able to have BYOB. I was not expecting to be greeted by a singer/guitarist and it was such a vibe! Our tour guide was hilarious and the perfect level of adult humor. I'm looking forward to getting tickets to the holiday light tour!! Thanks for the great time! read more

Founding Footsteps - A pit stop at the whispering bench with a great view - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I'm sure this tour would have been a 5 star review had there not been a bachelorette party in the back that completely derailed the host's entire script. Kudos to that guy, though, he certainly played to the audience. Also, pro tip, if you're going to sit in the front, rear facing row, make sure you know the the folks opposite you. I'm not sure watching a drunken make out session was exactly what a visit to the LOVE statue was intending to inspire, but it surely did. The four stars is for the business itself and the concept. Our experience, well, maybe we should have opted for a different time slot. That's on us. read more

This was the perfect way to spend the day. Warren, the tour guide and Sheila. The trolley driver were the best hosts. I highly recommend this experience. Will definitely be back. read more

We did the Historically Hilarious BYOB Tour of Philadelphia yesterday. We had a ton of fun, and this is definitely something for locals and visitors to both enjoyWarren had us dying read more

Founding Footsteps - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

excellent customer service! great time had by all, we will definitely book next year!

You need cup holders. Otherwise it was great FUN. Jeremy kept the spirit going n drumming up the crowd to make up our own lyrics. read more

Founding Footsteps - Sing a long or longer - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I took this trip with my son and several other friends from California. We all thoroughly enjoyed it. Tim makes history come to life his educational background really helps tell the story but his fun sense of humor also brings in the laughs. If you'd like a little taste of the tour look at the YouTube I made below. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Philadelphia. https://youtu.be/Lr_iCKYD5Kw read more

Founding Footsteps - Me and my son enjoying the tour. - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Informative and fun tour of Philadelphia. The driver was great and tour guide gave us a lot of information with plenty of laughs thrown in.

Did the incredible walking tour with Seamus! Had such a blast - informative, interesting, and fun. Seamus had great stories and spoke about history in an engaging, animated way. Definitely will be recommending this tour to family and friends. read more

Best Trolley tour ever. Brianna made the tour so great with her amazing personality and fun way to enjoy all the holiday songs. Highly recommend taking it. read more

We had a wonderful time with Brianna (sure hope I got her name right), Will on guitar and Nate, our driver. It was a cold and windy night, but the trolley has plastic windows and is well heated, so everyone was comfortable. Highlights were Miracle on South 13th Street and Smedley Street. Both had amazing lights! Brianna kept us entertained with great stories and trivia and her wonderful voice. We highly recommend! read more

Did the walking tour with Greg ! It was awesome ! Learned so much and got a good idea of where to do more in depth visits :) helped us get a lay of the land and was funny funny funny as well - corny dad jokes and puns are my favorite ! read more

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So much fun!! We did the tour for my friend's Bachelorette Party and had such a good time! Our tour guide Warren was so funny and definitely made our experience special and memorable. It's a great activity for groups and a fun way to see Philly, even if you're from there! read more

Jay was an absolutely amazing tour guide. Extremely knowledgeable. Very good tour. Highly recommend.

My friends and I took a trip to Philadelphia and were on the look out for a tour. We ended up doing the BYOB tour and it was an amazing experience. Our tour guide was hilarious and full of really interesting information both on the history and current goings on in the city. We got a chance to stop at some locations and others we drove by to view. Would 100% do again and recommend to others. read more

Founding Footsteps - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Had a stellar tour with Jay. My husband, myself and 12 year old grandson. Jay is the perfect tour guide, a wonderful sense of humor and so well informed. It was just the right amount of time to keep our attention focused. It certainly didn't hurt that we had a beautiful day to take this walking tour. I highly suggest this as one way to experience Philadelphia history. read more

Greg was a great tour guide. Perfect mix of humor and information. Love the way he digests history into good stories. Well worth the $$.

We had shamus as our tour guide and he nailed it! Very knowledgeable and made us all feel comfortable and enjoy the tour around north philly! read more

Founding Footsteps - Shamus with Ben Franklin - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Holiday Lights Trolley Tour was a great Christmas activity! The tour is BYOB, the one stop includes free pizza, and they have live music on board the trolley singing Christmas songs. They take you to the major holiday lights display throughout the city, most of which I didn't know existed. I will definitely be booking this tour again next year with more family and friends. read more

Founding Footsteps - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Founding Footsteps is a stellar tour service for tourists and locals alike, and the fact that it's BYOB is just the icing on the cake. One Saturday afternoon, JJ and I boarded a trolley expecting the normal cheesy bus tourist experience, but we ended up drinking beer and laughing the whole time. Tim the tour guide took us on a wide-ranging and informative tour that started in Old City, crossed the Schuylkill, and then returned--with Tim teaching and dropping jokes all the while. I learned quite a bit about the city's founders and its diversity, and the improvised/stand-up comedy kept it all interesting (in what city could Tim stick his head out the window, yell at Benjamin Franklin, and get an answer back? Only in Philadelphia, I tell you). The bathroom break at the halfway point of the tour was well-planned, and the bonus stop outside the Art Museum meant that we were all able to channel our inner Rocky and run the steps. The two-hour tour flew by in the best way. read more

Founding Footsteps - Tour bus while stopped outside the Art Museum for a little R&R (ie, a run up the steps Rocky-style). - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Founding Footsteps is absolutely amazing for making memories, learning something new, and enjoying the ride! My family went on a Christmas trolley tour with many stops including one for holiday lights! It was fun-filled and exciting the whole day. We will definitely be back! read more

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This is such a fun thing to do for the holidays. Especially when you get to South Philly. Everyone you pass on the street is into the Trolley. The Trolley is decorated in holiday lights and ornaments, set with a great guide and a guitarist- singing all of your favorites. read more

Good customer service and a fun tour. The kids enjoyed it. It is a great way to see Philly and the staff were super accommodating.

Jay was our tour guide! He was delightful! Very knowledgeable about the area! He made the tour fun and interesting! Would definitely recommend this tour! And Jay!! read more

We had a wonderful educational and entertaining tour of Philadelphia with Tim from Founding Footsteps! We are a family of four with two adults and kids aged 9 and 14. All of us enjoyed the tour with Tim, who gives great facts and makes it entertaining for both children and adults with great stories and jokes relating to the sights we were seeing! We covered several of the major landmarks in Philadelphia's Old City including: Independence Hall & the Liberty Bell, Carpenter's Hall, the Betsy Ross House, the Declaration House, Christ Church, Elfreth's Alley, Christ Church Burial Ground and the grave of Ben Franklin and the Ben Franklin Post Office and Printing Press. Tim is very kind and accommodated our pace and interests. He answered all our questions and was patient with our kids. We highly recommend Tim and Founding Footsteps! read more

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This BYOB Trolley Tour -Hilarious History Tour - was A+ - a must. So much history and humor -a total hoot of a time. Tim our host shared a plethora of history knowledge sprinkled with good humor and bad jokes! What a fun three hour trip - a great time was had by all. Highly recommended. read more

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The tour was really great! Seamus was really knowledgeable, and had a great sense of humor. He made it fun and informative at the same. I highly recommend this walking tour. I learned a lot about the history of Pennsylvania. read more

We did the old city tour. It was very informative and our guide (Shamus) was very knowledgeable about the history. What I liked is that it was a quick pace tour and we got a lot done in 90 minutes. I'd recommend it. read more

Tim was our guide on a trolley tour. What a fun guy, super knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this company if you're in Philadelphia looking to learn some history and have some fun. Frank read more

Tim was our guide and was engaging and enthusiastic as he is clearly passionate about the subject. The tour was an ideal pace and he was happy to entertain questions. It helped that there were only two couples, but I was pleased the tour went ahead anyway. Social seperation and mask was observed at all times. read more

Best walking tour of my life. Jay provided countless stories that amazed and inspired.

Fun tour! The host was really fun and informative. I would recommend to anyone visiting Philly!

If I could give this 10 stars, I would! I travel pretty frequently but I can confidently say that this was probably one of the best and most fun city tours I've experienced! I love finding unconventional ways of exploring cities and Founding Footsteps exceeded my expectations! If you are a tourist or even a local, I recommend grabbing a six pack (or case), a box of Philly Pretzels and booking a ticket on the trolley. I love the fact that this is BYOB and Food! This is far from your typical cheesy tour. Tim uses his witty and charming humor to not only entertain but also to teach us about the history (and random fun facts) of Philly. You can tell Tim really really loves his city because he so passionate during his tours. I love supporting businesses that give back. During the tour, we also learned that he started his own non profit project that educates Philadelphia youth through a mentoring program. Twenty percent of his tour profits helps his mission (check the full story out on the Founding Footsteps website). This was the icing the on cake. Even as a Philly resident of 5 years, it amazes me how much I really didn't know about my own city. I have already taken this tour twice! My hope is that they start expanding on different types of BYOB history tours in other parts of the city. Highly recommend!! read more

Amazing tour around Philly! The host is HILARIOUS and v hospitable and compassionate - he is also v knowledgeable about random facts about Philly. Only tour guide you can do BYOB too! Lots of fun + lots of laughs. 100% recommend, you will love it. read more