Traveling Light: A Backpack Packing List for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Revealing everything I packed in my backpack for a weekend flyaway trip to Philadelphia

For better or for worse, the number of personal item packing list posts on this blog has grown significantly this year. This is largely due to the fact that I fly more budget carriers like Spirit or Frontier than I used to, and they have drastically increased the price of carry-on baggage over the years.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t often feel like paying more than I have to for something, and paying for a carry-on for a quick weekend away feels excessive.

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This post is not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned here but contains commissionable links.

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So, with growing frequency, I pull out my current favorite travel backpack and choose my travel wardrobe carefully.

For a recent autumn weekend in Philadelphia, that meant bringing cozy natural fibers and a bonus layer for when the temps dropped. An easygoing itinerary allowed me to pack a total of two tops, two bottoms, two layerable coats, and one pair of shoes (plus PJs!). By wearing my bulky items on the plane, I managed to have plenty of room to pack my latest knitting project and bring home a half-dozen bagels (hooray!).

Ready to peek inside?

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PHILADELPHIA PACKING LIST

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PHILADELPHIA OUTFITS

Saturday

Saturday’s itinerary included an early-morning flight from Charlotte to Philadelphia, a visit to The Mütter Museum, multiple cups of coffee, some shopping, and several excellent meals, all stitched together by more walking than expected thanks to numerous road closures due to the marathon. Head-to-toe wool kept me toasty while preventing me from getting sweaty and smelly indoors (I’m pretty sure that wool has magical properties, and you can’t convince me otherwise). While putting on and taking off my coat all day, I was grateful to have an easily adjustable crossbody bag. Initially, I’d worn it as a shoulder bag, but it grew too cumbersome and slippery over my coat – a quick lengthening of the strap allowed me to move about freely. In terms of aesthetics, this was a fun look that felt simultaneously vintage and very of the moment.

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Sunday

You know I love an all-black outfit, and this one felt so Philadelphia. The city’s sporty style inspired me to pack an ultra-warm cashmere baseball cap as a sun-shading alternative to a beanie. While I could have likely gotten away with packing only one pair of pants for this trip (no spills – yay!), I was grateful to have this ultra-soft pair of wool pants with an elastic waistband. Why? Because we ate a lot in just 36 hours.

Sunday’s itinerary was a little more carefree, with more time spent wandering than on pre-planned activities. Despite even more eating and walking and poking around little boutiques, my feet were only marginally more tired in my lug sole loafers than they would have been in sneakers (plus I was grateful for the extra height when navigating sidewalk grime). The morning was chilly, but having my little puffer and a coat with a hood made all the difference.

*this item is no longer available and a similar product is linked

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THE TAKEAWAY: PACKING FOR PHILADELPHIA IN THE FALL

Packing for Philly in the fall was such a treat. Sure, it was brisk at times, but the season generally isn’t particularly wet and rainy. By packing thin, animal fiber garments, I was able to stay warmer than I would have in bulky cotton/synthetic sweaters or jeans.

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Looking for more packing list inspiration? Discover what's in my suitcase each season: Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter

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Style-wise, Philadelphia skews very casual. I saw lots of sweat sets, baseball caps, hoodies emblazoned with sports team logos, and even a few pajama pants while walking around the city’s residential neighborhoods. Most of those items don’t feel like “me” – but I don’t mind leaning into the casual nature in my own way. Philadelphia also has a number of great thrift and vintage stores, and in certain neighborhoods, you could easily spot a vintage influence on locals. But really, just like any big city, people are used to seeing all kinds of styles, so you should feel comfortable wearing whatever the heck you want.

No matter what you do, be sure to pack comfortable walking shoes and clothes that aren’t too precious as city travel can be grimy and rough on tender clothing – being able to turn your attention to your destination rather than your outfit is far more important!

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Questions for you:

If you were traveling for two days/one night with a backpack, how many outfits would you pack?

Which of these two outfits feels more like your vibe – vintage or sporty-chic?

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