Let’s begin with the basics:
It’s historic. The Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center. These historic attractions are all within three blocks of one another, and they all tell the story of our nation’s humble but heroic beginnings.
It was on the streets of Historic Philadelphia where Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other founding fathers conversed, debated and ultimately formed a new nation, our nation. And in the nearby countryside, the story evolves even more at Valley Forge National Historical Park, the Brandywine Battlefield, Washington Crossing State Park and other not-to-be missed historic attractions.
It’s fun. Eating a cheesesteak. Watching the Phillies play at the new Citizens Bank Park. Splashing into the Delaware River while touring town on a World War II-era amphibious vehicle. Posing with the Rocky statue before running up the famed Philadelphia Museum of Art steps. Canoeing along Chester County’s Brandywine River. Sampling wines at one of a dozen countryside vineyards.
Heading high into the sky on the Zooballoon for a take-your-breath-away view of the city. Dancing under the stars while on board the deck of a four-masted sailing ship turned restaurant. Philly’s More Fun™. Need we say more?
It’s authentic. We the people of Philadelphia are real, and we’re proud of the city where many of us have spent a lifetime. Throughout our distinct and colorful neighborhoods and local attractions, we’re eager to show off the owner-operated boutiques that pack their racks with regional talent, chef-run restaurants that use locally grown ingredients, music venues that showcase the best city-bred and national acts, galleries that crowd their walls and line their shelves with only-found-in-Philly artwork and neighborhood pubs that are all about the beer.
It’s full of discovery. Did you know that 2,700—and counting—massive murals grace the walls of nearly every neighborhood in the city? Ever heard about the Italian Market in Philadelphia, the oldest and largest working outdoor market in the country? In the know about our 200-plus bring-your-own-bottle restaurants?
What about Fairmount Park, the nation’s largest urban park with more than 4,400 acres of public space and hundreds of bike paths and walking trails? Oh, and how about Philadelphia’s newest unexpected find tucked away in the lobby of the sparkling new Comcast Center? It’s a 2,000-square-foot LED video screen that projects computer-generated images so realistic you’ll think they’re jumping out of the wall.
The point is there’s probably a lot you don’t know about Philadelphia, and that’s exactly what makes a vacation here so exciting.
It’s accessible. We’re two hours from New York City. Three hours from Washington D.C. And one hour from Atlantic City. Getting here is easy—whether it’s by car, plane, train or bus. Once here, getting around is even easier. Center City Philadelphia is simply navigated by foot (or public transportation) and makes up just 25 blocks from west to east—a stretch filled with three centuries of stunning architecture.
It’s no more than an hour drive to the nearby countryside—made up of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties—where scenic views, lush gardens and quaint towns paint the landscape.