"Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley" Top 5 Page for this destination Philadelphia by bct341


Philadelphia Travel Guide: 2,611 reviews and 3,999 photos

Philadelphia Skyline - Philadelphia
Philadelphia Skyline
Home Base

Ok, no matter where I go.. or where I live, I will always be from the Philadelphia area. Like any city, it has its pros and cons.

But, it has a great mixture of old and new, historic and modern, with a great past......and hopefully, a vibrant future.

Above is a picture of Philadelphia's skyline. It has changed a lot in the last 15 years. Prior to the 1980's, there was 'gentleman's agreement' that no building will be built taller than William Penn's statue on top of City Hall. There were no skycrapers like there are today. Some of the early city planners admired how paris was layed out which is why there are traffic circles on the boulevard towards the Art museum. Keeping Paris as a model, the Gentleman's agreement was meant to keep the historic perspective alive and well.

Once that agreement was broken, Philadelphia's skyline was quickly transformed into a typical modern city. Although I don't mind the "new" skyline, I have to admit I miss the Philadelphia of old which kept the historic perspective of the city and that small city feel. But, as in most cases.. change is inevitable and the skyscrapers are here to stay :)

Some History
City View - Philadelphia

City View

From its inception by Swedish settlers in the 1640's, and the official founding as a city by William Penn in 1682, the streets of Philadelphia have flourished with business and bustling city activity. "The City of Brotherly Love" as it is often called, has been the scene of much important American History.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the young city's earliest and brightest stars. The young man strolled into the city with only a loaf of bread, made a fortune as a printer, and at his death was celebrated worldwide as a scientist, philosopher, inventor, statesman, and diplomat.

Philadelphia still rings loudly of its colonial influence. As the home of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, it is impossible to walk the streets and not feel pride in such an illustrious history; one that saw the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the writing of a Constitution 11 years later. In the summer, you can get a feel for the miseries the framers endured, locked in un-airconditioned rooms to keep their deliberations secret. Their suffering was richly rewarded, for they gave the new nation what has become the most farsighted, enduring, and imitated document in human history. It has survived unimaginable technological and social change, essentially unaltered.

In 1790, Philadelphia became the nation's capital, a status it retained until 1800, when the government was moved to the still uncompleted Washington, DC. Despite losing the capital, Philadelphia continued to flourish. Situated on the Delaware River, the city has always been one of the most important fresh water ports in the country. The location has supported a strong industrial and commercial life for the area. As the nation industrialized, the city became an important factor in that effort and supplied the nation with ships, iron, and locomotives. Until its recent closure, the Philadelphia Naval Yard was the nation's oldest and perhaps most distinguished for building and maintaining many of the country's most famous ships.

The 19th Century left Philadelphia with the stamp of industrialization. Gone was its polished Colonial image, replaced by factories and a new wave of immigrants. The new persona served the city well until recently, when much of the industry has moved away.

The city is turning towards tourism to fill the gap, a task to which it is well suited considering the ample historic resources and diverse attractions available.

Stay Tuned :)
Independence Hall - Philadelphia

Independence Hall

This page will probably grow over time. I have more pictures of other cities than I do of my hometown LOL

So, I will add pictures and sections to this page. It will finally give me an excuse to take pictures around town

Besides the travel tips, I will include some pics in the travelogues. I hope that you enjoy them and they inspire you to visit Philadelphia and have a cheesesteak :)

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Great History, restaurants, museums, close to New York and Washington D.C.
  • Cons:Old city, small roads, not great drving city
  • In a nutshell:Great Food...and Great Sites...walk center city!!
  • Intro Updated May 3, 2009
  • Add to Trip Planner (?)
  • Report Abuse

Reviews (41)

Reflections - Philadelphia Views of nature and more...... Off The Beaten Path (8)

Many historic structures are still intact throughout Pennypack Park. In 1697, the Pennypack Bridge, one of the oldest... more travel advice

Tree Roots - Philadelphia Bird watching, biking, hiking, &... Off The Beaten Path (8)

To bird watch along the Pennypack Creek is to follow in the steps of the brilliant artist John James Audubon and... more travel advice

waterfall - Philadelphia Pennypack.. a hidden city oasis Off The Beaten Path (8)

Ok, Fairmount park is more well known, larger, has more attractions, including the Philadelphia Zoo. and is closer to... more travel advice

Boathouses at Night - Philadelphia Boathouses at Night Things to Do (18)

What Philly's got that no other city can match is Boathouse Row. Ours is the only city in the world with a vintage... more travel advice

Comments (67)

Post a Comment   Submit Comment  
  • Mr.mike60 Jul 13, 2009 at 2:51 PM Report Abuse

    Looking at different web sites for the Camden aquarium I am seeing different admission prices. one says $19.99 and another says $13.99. Are there discounts for seniors? of what age? or Disabled Veterans? What are the real pricing policies of the Aquarium?

  • NancyJoanB Jul 12, 2009 at 9:13 AM Report Abuse

    Just discovered the VT website. To see my hometown Philadelphia (at least the Pennypack Park area) look so beautifully serene is simply wonderful. Many thanks for those lovely photos!

  • JessH's Profile Photo
    JessH Jan 23, 2007 at 5:15 AM Report Abuse

    Hello Paul. Really enjoyed your tips & insights on Philly! Hopefully I shall include your city on my US-tour one day... Greetings from the desert :-) Jess

  • bct341's Profile Photo
    bct341 Oct 3, 2006 at 10:24 AM Report Abuse

    Thanks for the history update, but I stated that it was the spot where he first touched down in his "greene country towne" (meaning Philadelphia) not the first time in Pa.... If I ever create a tip on Chester, I will be sure to include this information.

  • bowie3daf Oct 3, 2006 at 9:34 AM Report Abuse

    Penn's Landing in Phildadelphia is not where Penn first landed in PA! He landed in Delaware County, PA. The city of Chester to be exact! It was named Upland at the time and Penn renamed a portion Chester after his friends in Cheshire, England.

  • Sue08080's Profile Photo
    Sue08080 May 17, 2006 at 7:55 PM Report Abuse

    Great Philly tips! Thank you!

  • dfactor's Profile Photo
    dfactor Jul 11, 2005 at 6:22 AM Report Abuse

    Hi there. Planning to visit North America, am at lost at where to go! Can you help? What's ur favorite states?

  • Pawtuxet's Profile Photo
    Pawtuxet Apr 29, 2005 at 5:32 AM Report Abuse

    Wonderful job on this page. Phila. is an interesting assortment of things to do in a very human scale city. I loved the pace of it.

  • mizzzthanggg's Profile Photo
    mizzzthanggg Apr 25, 2005 at 9:43 AM Report Abuse

    Beautiful photos... love the "Reflection"! Never been to Philly but it looks great! Will be sure to come back and look at your other pages too ;)))

  • jamiesno's Profile Photo
    jamiesno Nov 18, 2004 at 3:00 PM Report Abuse

    I must say this is some of the nicest pictures I have seen of Philly. Different perspective after these tips. Cheers!

bct341's Related Pages

Philadelphia Travel Guide

 
Explore the World
Travel Destinations
bct341's Profile Photo

bct341

“Never can see it all, but enjoy trying”

Online Now

Male

Top 1,000 Travel Writer
Member Rank:
0 0 8 5 8

Badges & Stats in Philadelphia

  • 41 Reviews
  • 78 Photos
  • 39 Forum posts
  • 73 Comments
  • 122,305PageViews
  • See All Stats
  • See All Badges (7)

Have you been to Philadelphia?

  Share Your Travels  

Latest Activity in Philadelphia

Photos in Philadelphia

See All Photos (78)

Top 10 Pages

See All Travel Pages (24)

Friends

See All Friends (53)

Travel Interests

See All Travel Interests (5)

Latest Philadelphia hotel reviews

Embassy Suites Philadelphia Center City
399 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 19, 2012
Loews Philadelphia Hotel
660 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 22, 2012
Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia
475 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 22, 2012
Marriott Philadelphia Downtown
603 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 23, 2012
Penn Tower Hotel
46 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Mar 22, 2012
Sofitel Philadelphia
782 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 23, 2012
Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel
696 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 23, 2012
Four Points by Sheraton Philadelphia Northeast
155 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 15, 2012
North American Motor Inns
49 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 22, 2012
Holiday Inn Express Philadelphia-Midtown
278 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 18, 2012
Holiday Inn Philadelphia Stadium
267 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 17, 2012
Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penns Landing
432 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 22, 2012
Crowne Plaza Philadelphia West
165 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 20, 2012
Windsor Suites
225 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 21, 2012
Le Meridien Philadelphia
307 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 16, 2012