If you’ve never visited Philadelphia, you might imagine a city frozen in the 18th century, with narrow streets lined with lovingly preserved colonial town homes and early American historical landmarks such as Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the Betsy Ross House. And while “Old City,” the centerpiece of “America‘s Most Historic Square Mile,” is home to some of America’s most iconic sites and treasures and colonial architecture, it is also a vibrant hub of soaring contemporary structures, commerce, and avant garde art galleries and boutique shopping (some of which are housed in converted foundries, factories, and warehouses from the city’s industrial heyday). In an effort to brand the neighborhood, a group of Old City businesspeople define it as “Hipstoric.”
Going west from Old City’s Delaware River border are some of the nation’s most prestigious art and science museums, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rodin Museum, the Barnes Foundation, Franklin Institute, and University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Other Center City area museums celebrate the ethnic diversity that gives Philadelphia its distinctive character. Don’t miss the lighthearted tributes to the legendary Three Stooges and our own fine, feathered Mummers. Then there’s the scientifically oriented but not-for-the-squeamish preserved body parts and anatomical anomalies at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum.
Along the Avenue of the Arts, you’ll find the Kimmel Center, home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Pennsylvania Ballet, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops, and all kinds of other grand and intimate performing arts venues. Jewelers Row is the diamond standard for outstanding adornments, Antique Row for timeless treasures, South Street for the fun and funky, and the Italian and Reading Terminal Markets for the food-focused.
Philly sports fans aren’t shy about demonstrating their support for (or displeasure with) their home teams, so there are often just as much excitement and drama in the stands as there are on the field, the court, or the ice when the World Series–winning Phillies baseball, NBA Championship–winning 76ers (aka Sixers) basketball, Stanley Cup–winning Flyers hockey, and Super Bowl–playoff contender Eagles come home to play. On the college courts, you can get in on all of the hoopla of top teams the Villanova University Wildcats and Temple University Owls.
Throughout the city, there are also plenty of green and tranquil urban oases where you can grab a bench, kick back, and people-watch. True to William Penn’s original physical design for his “green country towne” city, four open squares (the fifth is now the site of City Hall) have been preserved as public parks. If you can’t get enough of the green, you can also head for sprawling Fairmount Park. Or walk on the wild side at America’s first zoo.
No matter where you go, you’ll never be far from nourishment (or just a yummy noshable to tide you over until your next meal). You’ll want to try more than one cheesesteak so you can join in the long-standing heated debate as to which shop makes the best one. If it’s street food you’re craving, try one of the multitude of trucks that seem to be permanently parked in the areas around the city’s major universities. Just so you know that Philadelphians do know how to eat with forks, you’ll also find a wide range of dynamite dining spots from the highest of haute to little bitty BYOBs. Mix in some cocktail-centric clubs and you have some idea of the dining diversity you’ll find here.
If you ask me to sum up Philly in less than 10 words, I would tell you this—you’re never going to be bored . . . or hungry.
I could go on and on about the must-visit historical sites in Philadelphia. But then I would take up space that should be dedicated to detailing them for you. I do, however, think I should emphasize that Philly is as much—probably even more—about the present and the future as it is about the past. So make sure that in addition to your magical history tour you make time to experience the city’s scientific side, its scholarly side, its whimsical side, even its silly side (there really is a museum dedicated to The Three Stooges). For this chapter, I have categorized the major attractions under the headings “Welcome Centers,” “Historical Sites & Museums,” “Historic Homes & Gardens,” and “Science and Art Museums.” All offer tours of their own properties, but for more comprehensive, multi-destination outings, there is a separate chapter on “Tours.”
This section is devoted to those tours that are not of single sites; here we present tours of neighborhoods, clusters of attractions, and “theme” city tours. Whether you want to see the city and beyond on your own two feet, on two or four wheels, or even by Segway, there’s a tour designed just for you. You will also find more tours of the Historic District under the previous chapter heading “Historic Sites & Museums.” Ask about extremely economical audio and cell phone self-guided tours.
Few cities are as overall kid-friendly as Philly—both inside and out. The majority of the attractions in this book pertain to and, in fact, welcome your young’uns. But there are some places that can only be described as kid magnets. Those are the ones listed in this chapter. You’ll also find more in the State Parks, Recreational Areas & Sports chapter.
The price code pertains to the cost of 1 adult admission. Children’s tickets are generally less expensive and some attractions offer family package discounts.
Art aficionados of all kinds will find plenty to love in the Philadelphia area. From small galleries to major museums, grand theaters to intimate concert venues, the entire area in and around the city is a stage for the visual, performing, and design arts. Within 1 square mile in Old City alone, you’ll find more than 40 venues (for a full listing, visit the Old City Arts Association (800-555-5191; oldcityarts.org). A great time to get the real flavor of the range and extent of Philly’s art community is on “First Fridays” of each month, when galleries hold open houses, and “First Saturdays,” when artists, curators, and gallery owners are available for one-on-one conversation. Both events are free.
Regular admission prices for each venue can vary widely according to performance, day, and time, so call or visit their websites for details.
Although the term “Pennsylvania Dutch Country” is usually associated with the cities, towns, and villages of Lancaster County, the Pennsylvania Tourism Office also includes Hershey in Dauphin County under the same destination umbrella.
If you have the time and energy, Pennsylvania Dutch Country has enough attractions to keep you busy from when the roosters crow until the cows come home.
Although rates are subject to change, we use the following pricing code to indicate the adult admission charge for each attraction. Keep in mind that many attractions have special discounted rates for youngsters and for seniors. Some also offer money-saving combination or package prices with other nearby attractions.
By buggy or bus, bicycle seat or balloon basket, horse or four-wheeled horsepower—or your own 2 feet—there are unlimited opportunities to discover the best that Pennsylvania Dutch Country has to offer. If you want to go it alone, you can get suggestions and pick up maps at the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau, 501 Greenfield Rd. at Route 30, Lancaster; (717) 299-8901, 800-PA-DUTCH; padutchcountry.com, or you can pop a 90-minute, narrated Auto Tape Tour into your CD player (order by contacting 201-236-1666; autotapetours.com; $16.95, $3 for shipping).