‘Rocky’: 9 Philadelphia spots tied to the fictional legend
Fans of the “Rocky” movies visit these Philadelphia spots to celebrate the working-class spirit shared by the fictional boxer and his very real city.
The movie character of Rocky Balboa, played by Sylvester Stallone, helped cement Philadelphia’s reputation as a resilient, gritty, and proudly working-class city. And even today, nearly 50 years after the release of the first “Rocky,” the film series’ influence is evident all across the city—often to the chagrin of some locals who’d rather lift up real Philly heroes rather than a fictional one.
Still, Philadelphia is central to the “Rocky” franchise, with the city itself functioning almost like a character across the six films.
We’ve outlined nine locations seen on screen in the Rocky films or important to the movies, all of which you can still visit today, whether you’re running up the Rocky Steps or enjoying an Italian meal à la Adrian’s Restaurant.
1. Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Perhaps the most famous scene in “Rocky” led to one of the most recognizable movie landmarks in the country—the 72 “Rocky Steps” leading to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Rocky triumphantly overlooks the city skyline as he finishes a training run, a scene that takes place in multiple “Rocky” films. You can also spot Sylvester Stallone’s Converse sneaker prints, immortalized as Rocky’s footprints, in the concrete at the top of the steps.
Every year, tens of thousands of people run up these steps themselves in homage to the movie and the success of the underdog. And at the end of their run, they may raise their arms like Rocky—which leads us to our next stop.
2. Rocky statue
The famous bronze statue of Rocky was constructed in 1982 as a prop for “Rocky III” and features the boxer with his arms raised in victory. But not all Philadelphians were pleased with the public art piece when it first appeared, arguing that honoring a fictional character was inappropriate when so many real city heroes are overlooked. Meanwhile, others see the statue as a symbol of perseverance and grit.
The statue has had many homes since its first appearance and now sits at the bottom of the art museum steps. Today, it’s one of the most visited sites in the city, and isn’t far from the Parkway Visitor Center & Rocky Shop, a city visitors’ center that also houses a gift shop selling official “Rocky” merch.
The Rocky statue is also the subject of a new exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art that’s set to open in April 2026. “Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments” will explore the history of the Rocky statue and its role as a pilgrimage site for fans of the movie, using it to consider the meaning of monuments worldwide.
3. Rocky’s rowhouse
In the films, Rocky lived in a rowhouse on East Tusculum Street in Kensington that was meant to depict an “authentic” Philadelphia; the image of his home was visual shorthand for Rocky’s working-class roots.
The house is an actual private residence, and though many “Rocky” fans still visit to take pictures, it’s important to be respectful of the people who live there!
4. Laurel Hill Cemetery
Rocky spends time at Philadelphia’s Laurel Hill Cemetery in 2006’s “Rocky Balboa” to visit the grave of his wife, Adrian. You too can visit Laurel Hill Cemetery, which was part of the historic shift to “rural” cemeteries that offered peaceful and scenic alternatives to crowded city cemeteries, and appreciate the sweeping views of the Schuylkill River.
You can even see Adrian’s grave yourself! The granite movie prop, along with the prop grave of Adrian’s brother Paulie, is located near the main front gate of Laurel Hill East.
5. South 9th Street Italian Market
The South 9th Street Italian Market in South Philadelphia is a very real market that Rocky jogs through while greeting vendors. The on-screen depiction reflects the market in the 1970s—when it was overwhelming Italian. Today, while many Italian businesses still anchor the market, it’s much more of a melting pot, with a wide variety of ethnic vendors represented, especially those from Mexico.
6. Pat’s King of Steaks
The famous Philly Cheesesteak spot, Pat’s King of Steaks, is another Philly landmark briefly on screen in the Rocky films, seen as Rocky runs past Pat’s during a training montage. While foodie tourists visit Pat’s, especially to compare it to rival cheesesteak shop Geno’s, so too do “Rocky” fans who might be more interested in movie history than which restaurant makes the best cheesesteak. The spot where Rocky stood in the movie is even commemorated with a plaque on the wall.
7. Mighty Mick’s Gym
OK, Mighty Mick’s Gym isn’t a real place—but you can still see the building which appeared in exterior shots of the fictional gym. It’s a corner building in Kensington that is currently home to Lost Time Brewing Company—but you can still see a pair of boxing gloves painted on the side of the red brick building.
8. The Philadelphia Zoo
In “Rocky II,” Rocky proposes to Adrian during a snowy scene at the Philadelphia Zoo, as he finally takes advice he received in “Rocky” and took “’er to da zoo.” The historic zoo is home to nearly 2,000 animals and was among the first zoos in the country when it opened in 1874. The “Rocky II” proposal scene was shot in front of what was then the “Carnivore House” (it’s now “Big Cat Falls”)—and a real tiger makes an appearance in the background.
9. The Victor Café
In “Rocky Balboa,” South Philadelphia’s Victor Café became “Adrian’s Restaurant,” the business that Rocky opens after the death of his wife. Sylvester Stallone was enchanted with the Italian restaurant with an opera theme and even changed the movie script to incorporate the opera rather than make the restaurant entirely boxing-themed.
You can visit the restaurant to soak up “Rocky” history—and grab some excellent Italian food while being serenaded with live opera music.
The owner of the Victor Café wrote a charming look back at the three and a half weeks of filming that took place at his restaurant in 2005, recalling the first time the production’s limousine vans pulled up to the restaurant and how the police shut down the street before filming began.
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