"Philadelphia - Home Sweet Home " a Philadelphia Travel Page by ringleader

Yes, Philadelphia is home sweet home to us. Like any city you have lovely places, very safe places, historic places, and places you really should not venture.

There is the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall to see, among other historic sites; and the culinary tastes Philadelphia is famous for - Philadelphia soft pretzels and Philly cheesesteaks - you just HAVE to have!

Although our ancestors came from all over Europe - Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England, France, Holland, Belgium, Norway - the earliest were pilgrims from England, Holland, and Wales who settled in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania in the earliest days of America. Our ancestors fought on the battlefields of New England (those near Philadelphia are Brandywine and Valley Forge) in the Revolutionary War before pioneering their way and becoming some of the first settlers of the state of Ohio.

More recently our family has "returned" to Pennsylvania. We love our state and hope to share some jewels of interest that you will find well worth the visit "off the beaten path."

If you plan to stay in the city to sight-see, perhaps I can acquaint you with the layout of the city. There are a number of center city districts:

The Old City Cultural District (the most historical square mile) and the Historic/Waterfront District are right next to each other bordering on the Delaware River. This is the most popular tourist destination and is accessible via rail, subway, bus, car, and ferry. If you are staying here, I recommend the Holiday Inn which is in the center of it all. This area also contains all of the most visited destinations: Penn's Landing, Elfreth's Alley, Betsy Ross House, U.S. Mint, National Constitution Center, Independence Visitor Center, Independence Hall (and many other historical landmarks), Liberty Bell Center, Friends' Meeting House, Christ Church, etc. Bordering on the south is South Street, which is a popular shopping area.

Adjacent to the west is the Convention Center District and the Washington Square District. (The Lights of Liberty Center is just across the border in Washington Square District from the Old City District.) The Convention Center District has (voila!) the Convention Center, Chinatown, African American Museum, The Gallery (shopping), and a number of hotels including Travelodge, Hampton Inn, Marriott, and Courtyard. The Washington Square District is the home of Thomas Jefferson University, Jeweler's Row, Antique Row, Lord and Talylor (shopping), Forrest and Walnut Street Theaters, Lights of Liberty Center, and Washington Square (tomb of the unknown soldier). Hotels in this area include Holiday Inn Express, Loews, Alexander Inn, Doubletree.

Moving west toward the Schuylkill River, you have the Parkway/Museum District and the Rittenhouse Square District. Parkway/Museum District is the location of Franklin Institute Science Museum, Please Touch Childrens' Museum, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Heading north from here on the Benjamin Ranklin Parkway will take you to the Philadephia Museum of Art, Boathouse Row, Fairmount Park, and (across the Schuylkill River) the Philadelphia Zoo. Hotels in this district include Wyndham, Four Seasons, Embassy Suites, Hotel Windsor, and (closer to the Museum of Art) Best Western Center City.

South of the Parkway/Museum District is the Rittenhouse Square District which is the home of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Academy of Music, Merriam Theater, University of the Arts, Peirce College, Prince Music Theater, The Shops at Liberty, The Shops at Bellevue, Curtis Institute of Music, and the Academy of Vocal Arts. Hotels in this district include The Ritz-Carlton, The Rittenhouse, La Reserve, Radisson Plaza, Sheraton, Westin, Latham, Park Hyatt.

On the west side of the Schuylkill River is the University City District where you'll find Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania, and other science, medical, archeology and anthropology, vetinary, and dental schools. Hotels include Divine Tracy Hotel, Sheraton University City, Penn Tower.

All districts are connected with bus and rail. Some are connected with subway. (See my transportation tips.)

While the city is a good place to stay if you only have a short time to visit Philadelphia, several day trips (or more) to the outskirts and "country" will give you a more picturesque view of the area. Travel by car as far as two - three hours north or west of the city will provide much scenic enjoyment and activites for any traveler or family!

In the suburbs not too far away in Longwood Gardens is a lovely place to visit (once the home of the famous DuPont) either during the summer or at Christmas time! Cross the Delaware River and you'll find the Camden Waterfront attractions, travel west to Lancaster County, northwest to Reading and Hershey, north to Doylestown's Mercer Museum and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works.