Why Locals Love Philadelphia (And You Will Too)

A spot on a Travel + Leisure roundup of the 50 best places to travel. A mention on the U.S. News & World Report list Best Places to Visit in the USA. A recent pro football championship win that was, in a word, legendary. These accolades represent just a short list of triumphs for Philadelphia, a city that’s frequently overshadowed by—and unwillingly compared to—larger cities throughout the U.S. (We’re looking at you, New York!)

Here’s the thing, though: Philly’s newfound status as a world-class destination simply confirms what we locals have known all along. Our city can go head-to-head with the best of them—and sometimes even come out on top.

Still, a lower profile has never been enough to stop folks from exploring all the places to go in Philly, including its wealth of historic sites, restaurants and cultural attractions. Discover a few of the reasons why millions of visitors are exploring Philadelphia and why you shouldn’t underrate this underdog of a city.

Stroll the same streets as our nation’s Founding Fathers

Walk the iconic streets of the Historic District with a colonial re-enactor. Photo Credit: DiscoverPhl.com

With its charming cobblestone alleys, 18th- and 19th-century buildings and dozens of historic landmarks, a walk throughout Philly’s Historic District never fails to move and inspire. This is where you’ll find the sites made famous by their role in the founding of democracy, from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall to Carpenter’s Hall and the President’s House.

The vast majority of the sites are free to visit, and since the district encompasses just one square mile (hence its nickname, the “Historic Square Mile”), you won’t even need to call an Uber ride to get around.

Bonus: Philly’s ease of walkability makes it super simple to explore this city of neighborhoods. Thanks to William Penn, Philly’s founder and city planner, Center City is arranged in an easy-to-navigate grid, with numbered streets running north-south and named streets running east-west.

Indulge in the award-winning dining scene

Grab a seat at Reading Terminal Market, one of America’s oldest public markets. Photo Credit: DiscoverPhl.com

True, Philadelphia is known for putting cheesesteak on the map, but there’s way more to our restaurant scene than griddled beef and Cheez Whiz spread. (And many locals will argue that the roast pork sandwich from DiNic’s, Paesano’s or John’s Roast Pork is Philly’s reigning handheld eat, anyway.) Dining options range from the inventive, forward-thinking cuisine of our James Beard Award-winning chefs and restaurateurs to the old-school, no-fuss eats of the Reading Terminal Market and South Philly’s Italian Market. Gastropubs, craft breweries, third-wave coffee shops, dozens of BYOBs and gourmet vegan restaurants round out the culinary offerings, leaving no craving unsatisfied.

Visit some of the finest museums and cultural attractions in the country

Float like a butterfly, sting like a Balboa? Feel like a champ and hang out with the Rocky statue near the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo Credit: DiscoverPhl.com

Bookended by City Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (with its iconic Rocky steps), the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is one of the top places to go in Philadelphia and serves as the city’s cultural center. This grand, tree-lined boulevard is flanked by world-class museums and educational institutions that include the Barnes Foundation, home to one of the world’s best collections of impressionist and early-modern paintings; the Academy of Natural Sciences, the oldest natural history museum in the Americas; and the Rodin Museum, home to the largest collection of Auguste Rodin sculptures outside France. Performing arts more your scene? Venture off the Parkway’s one-mile-long stretch to see the Philadelphia Orchestra at the opulent Academy of Music; then catch a play just down the block at the Kimmel Center.

Sprawl out in wide, open spaces

Philadelphia’s park system has come a long way since its inception in 1683. That was when William Penn planned five city squares that were intended to provide the public with a slice of greenery within the urban sprawl. Those squares, completed more than a century after Penn imagined them, remain a part of Philly’s landscape, but now they’re joined by 60-some public parks sprinkled throughout the city—for a total of more than 10,000 acres not limited to rolling hills, grassy lawns, lush forests, playgrounds and the Philadelphia Zoo. The park system offers four seasons’ worth of outdoor recreation, whether your pleasure is mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, cross-country skiing or simply taking in the natural scenery. Pro tip: Don’t miss a visit to Kelly Drive in the springtime, when a spate of blooming cherry blossom trees adds a splash of pink to the east side of the Schuylkill River.

Written by Julie Davis

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